I'm after the collectives advise on my upcoming ride plan.

I'm planning a route later this month along a built up route, the bivi spot I'm thinking of is in the grounds of a 4 star hotel which has an 18 hole golf course just off a major dual carriage way with a cycle way/path running alongside it.

I'll drive over and reccie it first, but on google street view and OS mapping there looks to be a footpath running through it parallel to the dual carriageway.

If I'm arriving about 10pm on a Friday in a couple of weeks time and getting up around 6.30am to ride to an 8am meet up an hour away do you think I'll get away with it?

Map

Orange dotted line are the public footpaths, the red square is the entrance (see below), the red circle where I'm thinking of bivi'ing down and the red cross is the hotel and golf clubhouse.


The entrance off the cycle path/footpath.

Would you risk it?

I'd say no if you're worried about golfers. Some do like an early start, first light etc

If you're not worried about them, go for it

Also I would push my bike along the footpath (and try not to run over any daffodils too...!)

Hmmm.... Not sure, golfers and grounds men often seem to be about pretty early along with dog walkers. Maybe if you could sneak away in some of the wooded bits, like the bigger area to the south and just bivvied rather than tent??

It will be a bivi bag and not a tent for sure.

Sunrise that day will be 6.03, so I guess I'll get up at 6am

Dare we ask the area and you may get some pointers?

voodoo_simon wrote:Dare we ask the area and you may get some pointers?

The outskirts of a Manchester outside of the M60 ring road

Looks idyllic John

Firstly - what's the worst that's going to happen? Tell your dad?

Secondly - why?

Greens will be nice and flat and take a tent peg betterer

Must be somewhere less conspicuous in the area John surely - lots of houses overlooking the whole course by the look of it so no lights when setting up the night before (and nothing reflective on your kit either if there are dog walkers out with torches) if you wan to be really stealthy

What about the woodlands south of the course? Just south to what I'm assuming to be a canal?

I'd be more worried about some old bloke nicking your bike and trying to use the forks as a putter

Most golfers won't care, or even notice. As long as you are not actually on the fairways or greens or damaging trees etc, I am just saying, I know you wouldn't. First tee usually starts at 6.30am. By the looks of the map it's the far side of the course so it will take them at least an hour to get to you if they are on near the fifth or six hole. On saturdays most groups are three or four balls in a medal, so it will be slower again. The Green keepers will probably go and see if you are ok, they won't care if you sleep on the course.Again green keepers work 15mins ahead of the first tee time.

I would say if it's by a duel carriage way it may be a little noisy.

You don't get to ask things like this being in Snowdonia
#DaffodilKiller

hopefully we will get lucky and you'll get whacked with a stray golf ball

and Why the f*** a manchester golf course???

It's not the golfers, it's the green keepers. They might be out at first light but if you're away at 6am you'll be fine

JohnClimber wrote:Would you risk it?

Yup
If I've been known to doss in the shelters on various local courses. It's not part of the right to roam laws so technically illegal up here too, but the worst that's ever happened is that I've slept late, a greenkeeper has noticed me & they've came all the way over to make a crap joke.

I don't think the golfers would be much to be worried about or groundsmen before 7am.

However, that looks like exactly the sort of route that would be the 5am dog walker's paradise. More likely to get harassed by an uppity border collie and have it's owner call the police to report the local kids are on drugs again. And then there's the local kids that might see the wooded area of a golf course as an ideal location for a quiet toke between 11pm and 2am. And then your 8 hour sleep window looks a lot more like 3. Plus I think that dual carriageway might be quite busy into the night to not ideal for sleeping less than 100m from.

In that area, the knot of woodland about 800m NW of the golf course would be my go to spot. Bigger and more opportunities for seclusion. Could easily use a small light and not be noticed.

I think you'd probably get away with it if you were really stealthy. Probably not posting your plans on the internet would be a good start

JohnClimber wrote:

voodoo_simon wrote:Dare we ask the area and you may get some pointers?

The outskirts of a Manchester outside of the M60 ring road

N.S.E. or W?

Plenty of better spots around the city.

Surprised nobody's mentioned it yet !! TURD-DROPPERS !! Man's best friend poetically referred to by John Betjeman....

The real danger (in such places) is not golf balls, keepers, golfers but effluent from the said TDs commonly known as dog sh1te

Take a very powerful light (and risk being seen) and do not bivvy in dog sh1te !!

Wild camping in suburbia....

You'd be better to stay in a Premier Lodge somewhere