To avoid the washing up that Mrs Perrin is demanding that I crack on with toot sweet, I'm also going to digress from the digression with something else I've just remembered.

Upon arrival at Cardiff station to catch my thirteen-seconds-to-go-which-you-are-now-heartily-sick-of-hearing-about train to Pontypool I had a slight problem.....

One reason I only had thirteen seconds to get on (have I mentioned that yet?) was the bloke at the ticket barrier insisted on seeing my ticket.

Normally this isn't a problem, but bear in mind that I keep mine dry in a plastic bag in my pocket, and this time I had four travel tickets for me but also bike reservations for each stage of my eight-train marathon - and each stage has two bike tickets so that's TWENTY tickets jumbled up in my plastic bag.

And he insists on seeing the one for this leg of the journey.

Cue lots of scrabbling through the tickets, dropping one or two, trying to find it while bloke stands impatiently despite seeing that I was in a hurry and could do with catching the train.

I've almost got it when he suddenly says "the pandas won't help you now".

What??

I guess it's fairly well known that I sport a BBB jersey with toy pandas attached prominently to both shoulders. But this time, for once, I wasn't wearing it.....

This genuinely stunned me and I stepped back agape and all I could say was "how do you know about them?" but he just looked at me inscrutably and opened the barrier and I was through.

So any Boners masquerading as ticket collectors at Cardiff station?!

Peter wrote: the arches are apprentice pieces, brick arches being an important part of construction in those days.

Mmm, good call Peter, that was my other thought earlier, albeit somewhat more derogatory as "rookie brickies". Maybe those small sections coincided with a training day.

Anyroad, back to the BaMs .

RIP wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2024 7:20 pm I had a slight problem.

Another Reg entry for the Annual "Understatement of the year" competition.

Verena wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2024 10:36 am ...battered mushrooms by the piece;
"Legeds" (any relations of yours Bearlegged?)

I like the sound of those mushrooms.

I have two legends, but I normally refer to them as my feet.

After the abject failure to have a bivvy on the BB when I really wanted one, I went out for one when I didn't.
Super-local bivvy about 1km from home. Had family plan for Sat and Sun, and with the forecast 'Weather-Bomb'.
On the edge of a local quarry looking out on the lights of Uppermill, Saddleworth. Closed my eyes to the sounds of people at kicking out time.
Up super early before the wind and rain.
Invisibivvy for total body coverage. Illuminated from the inside
Be quiet, drunk people, I'm trying to kip

As a follow on from my Channel to the Med post, here's my final bivvy of the trip. After taking a series of connecting trains over two days from Montpellier on the Mediterranean Coast, I ended up arriving in Caen, close to the Channel port of Ouistreham, on the night of the 9th October.

Now that's what I call bike storage by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Unable to catch my original overnight ferry booking, I resigned myself to bivvying somewhere within striking distance of the ferry port for an afternoon sailing the next day.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Once I’d found my way out of Caen I followed the cycle path which parallels the canal all the way to Ouistreham.

Approaching Pegasus Bridge by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

After exploring a few potential bivvy options, I eventually settled on a spot under a picnic table alongside the canal. It was a notable site because it's close to the famous Pegasus Bridge of World War 2 fame, a historical site I’d visited twice previously.
https://d-dayrevisited.co.uk/d-day-hist ... us-bridge/

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Pegasus Bridge by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Once the traffic on they nearby road had died down I managed to have a not bad sleep. I was up and had everything packed away just after first light and rode the short distance to have a look at the various monuments, etc. in the area.

Spot the bivvy by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I was disappointed to see that another bikepacker had thought it appropriate to bivvy right next to where the British gliders had landed. Given that the rain had started and was now falling quite heavily, I don’t imagine he/she would’ve been in any great hurry to pack up and go either. Each to their own I suppose.

Towards Ouistreham by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I then headed into Ouistreham town for breakfast.

Breakfast in the rain by Jimmy G, on Flickr

There I had the dubious pleasure of drinking one of the worst coffees I’ve ever had. The young lady, whom I very doubt much drinks coffee herself, was friendly enough, though, and the quality of the pain aux raisins and the croissant did ease the pain a little.

Dishwater! by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I've learned over the years not to raise my expectations when I order a coffee in France but this one plumbed the depths! After that I made a beeline for another café where the coffee experience was a little more acceptable.

With September and October now ticked off, that's 10 from 10 in '24 and a run of 82 consecutive BAMs.

Talk to me about churches. I've heard mention of them being a reliable source of water (for the flowers presumably) but what about actually kipping at one? For a couple of reasons I like the idea but don't want to risk causing offence.

Yep, big fan, kipped in and around many churches and chapels in me time.

Indeed, a water tap is frequently a feature for flowers and gardens.

Have never knowingly caused offence - if a tree falls in a wood but there's no-one there does it make a sound? - usual stuff about arrive late leave early, move nothing, and obviously leave no trace; personally don't seem to have a religious bone in my body but that doesn't mean one can't still show respect in one's own fashion. But then that applies to any bivvy spot doesn't it?

If you can't bring yourself to actually enter the premises, the porch, lych gate, or storage sheds are almost as good. Graveyards are a lovely quiet kip for obvious reasons, and often have interesting monuments and stones etc.

I always think it's nice to make a donation if you can, especially in the 'disused' ones, although some might say that infringes BaM Rule #5. My ultimate combo was kipping in the toilet of a graveyard with nice H&C water.

My fall-back explanation, not used so far, is that I'm claiming sanctuary from a cold cruel heartless world .

If you'd prefer to do it 'above board' there's always: https://champing.co.uk/. And of course that raises the interesting point that if it's OK/respectful/etc to champ in those churches, and I have my doubts that all their visitors are religious never mind of that church's religion, why is it any different in any others? Other than 'trespassing', but we already carry that burden for our sins anywhere else.

Might dig out a few pics for a bit of fun....

With the esteemed Frog during our recent "Slate 2" tour in Wales.... 'disused' chapel.... had no prior knowledge that it was there, just stumbled across it after almost giving up hope for a dry spot for the night... unchanged since the 13th Century (little different to our undies and socks some would say)... what events has it seen these 800 years past?.... in 2824 will it be equally unchanged?.....



In a cage in a graveyard with the equally esteemed Verena earlier this month....



Once slept in a pet cemetery in a wood. No buildings or taps though....



Gigpacking in Stoke on Trent. Hid my gear in the graveyard compost heap during the gig, returning at midnight to kip....



Furthest corner of Peak District graveyard with Kev Blackhound....



In graveyard storage shed in the Peak District with Kev Raggedstone and Frog...



Same place on a very chilly December night with Bearlegged and TrepidExplorer, we all slotted in like a jigsaw puzzle...



Church toilet block near Leominster with most mod-cons...



Too inebriated to set the tarp up despite the subzero February temperatures.... Earl Sterndale graveyard, Peak District....



Lych gate in North Wales in the pouring rain... one for the more ascetic breed of bikepacker perhaps... those slabs were rather chilly....





There's often plenty of attractive architecture to admire... ceiling of disused chapel in North Wales...



.... whilst we may have respect for our surroundings, sadly nature doesn't and eventually moves on in her inexorable way......



... watch where you roll out your bedding folks.... (doubt whoever that was will ever kip in a chapel loft again! )...



.... a good a place as any to practise your orating skills....



... who needs a radio in the morning to wake you up when there's live music available...

Thanks Reg. Liking the lych gate in particular but they all look like good spots. Have you ever been disturbed?

gecko76 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 5:52 pm Have you ever been disturbed?

I'll get in first before Bob W manages to say it ...... it's my permanent state of mind, which probably explains all the kipping in graveyards .

Mmmm..... no I don't think I/we have ever been disturbed, by luck or judgment I'm not sure. Oh no, I tell a lie. With Verena this month, some late-night paramours wandered past at midnight, then the dogwalkers early doors. Totally ignored us of course. As Verena said, maybe that had something to do with the white powder we were exchanging (see her report for perfectly innocuous explanation ). Saturday nights might not be the optimum time to try churches though if you think about it, unless you're off and away early....

No doubt 'Im/'Er Upstairs/Downstairs is keeping a close eye on my shenanigans and everything will have to be accounted for come check-in time at the Pearly/Fiery Gates.

I'll get in first before Bob W manages to say it ...... it's my permanent state of mind, which probably explains all the kipping in graveyards .

Not what I meant, honest

Got a spot in mind for this weekend, probably Friday for the reason you state, though I'm generally up and away early.

look forward to hearing all about it

Another school night bivi for me. I'd been putting it off as I have an issue with my right hand, loss of sensation and tingling in the fingers, aggravated by riding and also using my computer at work, which makes the whole hand go numb and the left also then joins in

Rather than just ride straight to the woods I thought I'd do a tour of Southern Water sites on the way. I've been overseeing some testing of new tanks which requires the water level recording twice a day. So as not to have drive to work all week I've left my PPE at site and call in on the ride in and ride home (it's only 2 miles from my house) and put the hi-vis on over my cycling kit. I already have a photo of my bike at one of the sites which gave me the idea for the ride. I didn't plan the route or even have the destination decided, but I'd see how it went on the way.

Apologies in advance as obviously it was dark to there follows a series of pictures of my bike leaning against gates with not much else to see

First stop was Sandown Water Supply Works.



There are major upgrade works going on here at the moment. Interesting historical fact (to me) is that there didn't previously seem to be an agreed way to spell wastewater or indeed waste water The above is the water supply works but there is also a sewage treatment works. So old drawings of the sewage works sometimes have Sandown WTW as the site name and sometimes Sandown WWTW. When the drawings were digitised those with Sandown WTW went into the section for the water supply works, as this used to be called the Water Treatment Works. Very handy

From here it was along the old railway line towards Newport. I passed a chap walking, when he moved over for me I could see he was staggering along. As he was apparently off his head on who knows what so I didn't stop to chat. I managed to get enough of a lead so I got to the extraction point for the works in time for a quick snap before he caught up.



This now features eel screens which prevent baby eels being sucked up the pipe, another big project.They closed the cycle path for 6 months (which became 9) whilst they did the works, apparently on safety grounds. The water from here is pumped up to a settlement tank and from there it goes to the treatment works. The settlement tank is known as 'bank side' even though it's not at the river bank? And the inlet at the river bank is just called the inlet I was back on the bike and away before my drunk/drugged up companion made it this far.

Newt stop wasn't much farther, the Alverstone Pumping Station.



Just a small sewage pumping station. There's loads of these about on the Island as our up-and-down topography gets in the way of just having a gravity network. They have been clearing the trees from the side of the cycle path/old railway line and in the process have dragged loads of mud onto the track, which nearly had me off. A bit farther on there was the remains of a bonfire of brushwood at the side of the path. This would have been a nice spot to stop but the lack of trees (obviously) was an issue as I had the hammock with me. I spotted the turning off the track to Knighton and remembered a quick detour would pick up some more sites.

Disused borehole (can't remember the name)



Knighton BH2 (the sign is missing)



And then the entrance to the main Knighton Water Supply Works.



This is the site I've been working at. I did have my key with me and the contractors site hut is still on site... but don't think it would go down to well if I was caught sleeping at the site. Just up the road is Knighton BH1.



Very small sign on this one. All of these came in the first 6 miles. I had a potential bivi spot in Pakhurst Forest and couldn't think of many water sites more on the way. Turns out I live close to a major cluster if them. A also had to climb up over the downs. I went past another woodland which is a triangle about 300m x 200m between 3 roads. It's sort of a nature reserve but it looks like no-one ever goes there by the undergrowth at the gates. This would be a good bivi spot except for the traffic noise. If only I'd realised a few weeks back as the road was closed so there wouldn't have been any through traffic. As I approached the outskirts of Newport I came up with the idea to visit every crematorium on the Island.



That's ticked off then, we only have one There are plans to build one up the road from my house. Doesn't bother me but some of the locals objected. They said it would increase traffic on the road. These are the same locals who are always complaining about the speed of the cars using the road. Surely a hearse crawling along at 20mph is just the thing to slow the traffic down? By now I'd noticed it was nearly 10pm and had taken longer to get here than I'd thought it would, too many stops to take photos. Time for one more though.



The Quay Pumping Station. I have a friend who lives very close to this. Before he bought the house he asked if being that close to the pumping station would be an issue? It's fine I said, the pumps are in a below-ground chamber with controls in the little building (pictured above) and it just works away with no issues. The week he moved in the rising main failed and they had to tanker the flows to the treatment works. It's quite a sizable station so they had tankers filling up two at a time and another 10 to 12 parked up on the quayside to take over as soon as they were full. This went on 24/7 for two weeks so somewhat more of an inconvenience than I'd described it as

From the quay I rode up the other side of the river towards East Cowes. I had a brief explore of a potential woodland but I'll have to go back in the light. Once at my chosen woodland it was a matter of bush-whacking my way in to get off the paths. The area is heavily overgrown, uneven and with lots of old branches on the ground but not an issue as I wouldn't be sleeping on the ground. It was dry but rain was forecast for the morning so I put the tarp up. I slept well and my numb hand (which often becomes a numb arm in the night) was ok so maybe I need to get the hammock hung up at home to sleep in. The alarm went off at 06:00 and I was up by 06:15 and started packing away.



I was hoping to be away before the rain came but within minutes of getting up it had started, but only lightly. Decided to bush-whack my way directly to the road to save back-tracking the way I'd come in. Luckily a car went past and I spotted the lights as I was traveling parallel to the road and not towards it. In the mess of tree and undergrowth there was no visibility. As I was away before 7 and decided to head the long way which took me past this.



It wouldn't be a local bivi report without a knitted postbox cover A squirrel with a wheelbarrow full of nuts. Pretty uneventful ride in. I saw a chap going the other way to me on a main road, in the dark and the rain, riding an e-scooter with a torch bodged on the bars and no rear light Pretty brave way to travel to work. Once at work I decided to air the tarp as it was only lightly wet.



There's no windows or ventilation in there so drying works by the moisture being absorbed into the old paperwork The old letters were getting dry and fragile so it's just like keeping the Mary Rose wet, think of it as conservation of the records.

10/12 for the year, 56 months in a row and 32 night out this year.

BaM October 24 - Dunnit!

Mrs Frog bullied me out of the house for this one. I didn’t feel like it at the time - was going to go out next week, but :-

“Just go and get it done” she’d said. “If something happens and you can’t do it next week, It’ll be my fault you’ve broken your run.”

So I quickly stuffed things onto the bike and pedalled out into the dark, heading for the Queens Parlour, a cave just 14 miles from home, that I’ve bivvied in once before.

On the way there, the Trig point on Raw Head…


Got there…


Kitchen. Note the new Helinox chair that makes ground activities so much easier…


No time for niceties - sausage and beans for tea.


Nearly ready for bed and a good glug of port for a nightcap…


Things took a turn for the worse when I realised I’d forgotten my pillow . Happily, it being autumn, there were piles of dried leaves at the mouth of the cave so I stuffed a dry bag then wrapped it in my shirt. It worked really well - as good or better than my actual pillow - so all was well.

Bike in cave…


Cave…


View from bed in the morning.


The cave’s down there - a steep slither down in the dark and a horrible, barely manageable rocky, rooty scramble back up in the morning..


Last one - the Cheshire Plain from Raw Head…


That’s 10/12 for 2024.

So I had a mind to find a church or chapel, and had spotted a likely candidate down near Romano Bridge. I'm not a religious man but my mum's been going through a rough time lately and I've prayed with her a couple of times and thought it would be nice to hang out with the Big Man. So I took the RockBros rack off the bike, which took a matter of seconds; it's not as neat as the Ortlieb Quick-Rack, say, but it does the job.


Spent the usual faff time getting myself together but wasn't really feeling it and once underway kept stopping to fiddle with lights or whatever. I've got a good route out of town which is off-road all the way to Penicuik and then picks up the Deanfoot road which is always quiet. On this occasion though I got as far as the bridge over the old railway to be confronted with this.

Obviously I wasn't going to accept that at face value so found another way down, only to be met with this.

And then this.

Scrambled round to see what might be at the other end and they're doing a good job but I smashed the bracket on my helmet light coming back and took that as a sign.

I could have taken a big loop to get back en route but my wife had made me promise the cat to be safe, which meant no dicing with drunk or drugged drivers so instead, it being nearly midnight by now, I worked my way back to Roslin with the Chapel in mind but instead settled for the old gunpowder mill. Rigged up the tarp somewhat clumsily but the new pegs did a good job of digging into the decades of leaf litter and I was glad of it when it rained in the night.

Coffee and mince pies for breakfast, it being nearly Christmas (right?), and because I couldn't find my wee pumpkin tealight.

Slept well enough, though the rumble of rocks being tumbled by the river was noisily echoing off the cliffs. Didn't spot that cave in the dark which was probably just as well as it would have been a struggle getting up to it, particularly with the bike.

Queens Parlour, a cave just 14 miles from home, that I’ve bivvied in once before.

Looks great. Can see why it was worth returning to.

gecko76 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2024 11:53 am

Queens Parlour, a cave just 14 miles from home, that I’ve bivvied in once before.

Looks great. Can see why it was worth returning to.

Thanks I was a little afraid that there’d be occupants already installed - looking at the level of grafitti and the number of tea light and empties, it gets visited regularly. All was well, I had the place to myself.

October....
I had serious doubts I'd get this one in, given what is going on with poor old Dad. Anyway, bruv was happy to take over Mum supporting duties so I had a weekend free to get a bivvy in. After the fraught last few weeks, heading off into the woods to chill out seemed a perfect antidote.

The weather forecast has been a bit up and down all week, starting with rain, then rain, then actually looking pretty good before settling on dry but misty (!) then sun

Not half misty - as I departed the house everything was decidedly damp. It was that kind of mist that if you stood still you'd stay dry but pedaling into the breeze soon had me somewhat soggy. On with the jacket and press on, heading for another usual spot but one I'd not been to for over a year.



Dull, misty and blurred photo - true to life!

I got there and pitched up at 8.30, then cooked tea (trans - re-hydrated a 'Tent meals' effort with added smoked sausage, sorry Vegancheese!)

Anyway, despite the damp (actually fine under the trees) I had a very peaceful evening sipping beer, eating and reading, although with a couple of interruptions - at one point something swooped over head with a whoosh - I have absolutely no idea what. It would have had to be something fairly big (i.e. a light aircraft or a hang glider) but not in the dark and fog. Tetradactyl maybe? Then later I noticed a bit of thread on my groundsheet which started to move - it was a very thin worm, like 1mm dia thin. Never seen anything like it!

Anyway, a fine sleep followed but I was awakened by lots of mechanical clanking and a machine engine some distance away. It seemed like the middle of the night but actually 6am - still keen though. I have a fear that this whole area will be getting clear felled soon, wrecking this perfect bivvy spot.... plus yet another wind farm is being planned for round here. I dropped off again, woke to hear the dawn chorus, then fell asleep gain, waking up at 9.30! I always sleep well here.



Sunny as predicted, thank god as I hate mist. The sharp eyed may note I have yet another DD tarp after ripping the last one and passing it onto someone on here who was going to repair it. This came up cheap on the bay so I couldn't resist. It's a bit sturdier than the DCF one and better in the wind. After a leisurely breakfast I was off with a vague plan to ride a few trails, enjoying the fat bike which I've not been out on for a while.



Lots of tussocks bagged. A fair few hard and fun trails later I wended my way back home, thoroughly stress free, now back into it.

gecko76 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 2:36 pm Talk to me about churches. I've heard mention of them being a reliable source of water (for the flowers presumably) but what about actually kipping at one? For a couple of reasons I like the idea but don't want to risk causing offence.

Reg has put a few graveyard pics. Here’s my contribution..

Llantisilio cemetery in the snowdrops…


At another time in the lychgate…



And Halloween last year..

After an easy ride on Wednesday afternoon, I realised it was more than past the time to switch out the fast summer tyres and put something with more tread on. Which I actually did on Saturday morning, I'd rather have read my book,. but it's already turned into a clart fest round here. I had a really bad tension headache due to some medication I started the other week, but I knew I wouldn't get a better weather window before going on-call in a few days time.

We eventually headed out into the darkness, only to discover that we'd gone a bit too lightweight on our clothing. Thankfully it just turned out to be a cold spot, and the ride to my chosen spot was punctuated by changes in temp from cold to warm, etc. The weather forecast was for a clear night, so imagine my annoyance at all the patches of mist that were accumulating at various points too. I'd chosen last night specifically, as it was supposed to be clear, with wall to wall sunshine today.



The last bit of byway before my chosen spot was way sloppier than I was expecting and I had mud dripping off various bits of my legs as a result. Got the tent up, although it was right on the bridleway, as there wasn't any alcoves or anywhere else to sneak behind.



Used the new pump on the new mat, put the new down booties on and tried to get to sleep. Woke up an hour or so later as I was getting cold, and realised that the mat had half deflated, and my arse was basically on the tent floor. Somehow, no idea actually how, I'd managed to open the valve...

Got the pump out again and got it all inflated, then made sure the valve was closed. I tossed and turned as per usual, but it was noticeable that I warmer, when I kept waking up, than I have been recently. Shame the tent was on a slight slope and I felt like I was constantly sliding off it.



Woke up at 06:00 to a gorgeous clear sky, packed up and was on my way by 06:30.



I took various and sundry byways and bridleways home, most were slightly sloppy, some were just thick sticky clart fests. I found myself deliberately cycling into long wet grass to try and help shed all the mud that was attached. What a lovely morning to be out though, absolutely gorgeous.



https://www.strava.com/activities/12754447650
2024: 10 / 12
Total: 48
Streak: 10

I did October BAM last night, time was short so localish again but with the new novelty of heading out in the dark

Back to Whale Wharf - I had my bright light so did the lit up tent thing, with the Old Severn Bridge in the background



A very quiet night in The White Hart. The following morning I thought I would check out the hut I had previously seen



- but getting closer realised that it is really an "anti-hut" and even the broken lattice steelwork floor would prevent a decent nights sleep , although it may be possible to squeeze a bivvy onto the side of the concrete plinth.



New Severn Bridge looked good in the sun.



Planning November BAM in the Gower

javatime wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 5:31 pm - but getting closer realised that it is really an "anti-hut" and even the broken lattice steelwork floor would prevent a decent nights sleep , although it may be possible to squeeze a bivvy onto the side of the concrete plinth.

That hut would be described as 'development potential' by an Estate Agent

javatime wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 5:31 pm Planning November BAM in the Gower

I can recommend the site of the old Rhossili Down Radar Station, but it would depend on the weather as it's a bit exposed.

that 'hut' looks a bit like one of these:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/15038/17318950596

minus the wheels!

October 2024 BaM - a return to my favourite Christmas tree, due to a combination of germs and apathy .

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBt42x1okVo ... B4M3liZQ==

Two long naps on a very mild night, didn't use the bivi bag initially, then wriggled inside when woken by the patter of light drizzle.
Plenty of freight trains whining up & down the main line, across the valley.
Woke at 6.20 to a flask of tepid tea, then bimbled along the canal and home for breakfast.
13/13.