Bivvy a Month 2017.

[PeterC]

May was done, so that's 5/5.
Had some stuff to do in Szeged so it gave me the chance to do a mini tour and a couple of bivvies in a new area.

First night was by a fishing lake/recreational area. The far side of the lake was very quiet and well screened so decided to stop there a bit early rather than move on. Nice views and no mosquito's. There was a wee stall selling snacks and beer so a couple of bottles were purchased for after dinner.
DSCN1551 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

DSCN1554 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

Lack of wind allowed me to pitch the tarp higher than I had previously, possibly didn't need it but just wanted to keep the dew off.

Next day looked like this:

DSCN1556 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

With a bit too much of this, was expecting something a bit more bridleway like!

DSCN1558 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

Found a good spot by a pumping station on the River Tisza, which whilst is mainly for irrigation, is also part of the flood defence system.

DSCN1559 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

Just after I set up the bivvy a polecat appeared out of the undergrowth and looked quite shocked at seeing a new construction on its territory.

DSCN1561 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

it was a very uncomfortable night, lots of mosquito's and although the bivvy did its job of keeping them at bay, the incessant buzzing was very distracting, additionally it was incredibly hot and humid, and in the bivvy was more like a steam room. I think I only managed about 3-4 hours sleep and was on the road just after first light. I had a town (Szentes) to pass through where I hoped to grab some (second) breakfast, however on the way into town I passed a Langos stall and a quick u turn resulted in this for breakfast.


DSCN1567 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

A Langos is a deep fat fried bread dough, that one was a "fokhagymas, tejfolos, sajtos langos". That is brushed with garlic in oil, sour cream and grated cheese,delicious, couldn't tell you the calorie content though. An easy 30 km got me home. Not a bad wee trip apart from the mosquito's on the second night and the fact that summer is coming, temp hit 30 degrees plus on the middle and last days.

[RIP]

"deep fat fried bread dough... brushed with garlic in oil, sour cream and grated cheese... calorie content?...." - well into quadruple figures I'd wager

Last night I attended what I believe is called a "young persons popular music concert" at the local British Legion Club (!). The Rapiers - "the best 60s band since the 60s", and indeed they were - winkle-pickers, sharp suits, 60s Fender Strats, 1962 Champagne Sparkle drums, Proper Tunes and everything.

[RIP]

and then it was midnight and well past my bedtime, so a quick nip round to the woods next door and crash out, with my ears still ringing.... dry and warm at midnight, p1ssed down all night, dry and warm again at 6am... apologies for the feeble erection (TARP!), it was all slopey and leafmouldy...

[RIP]

oh, and yes I didn't see that widowmaker until I woke up in the morning... oops!

[JohnClimber]

6 out of 6

14th in a row a solo Merseyside coastal bivi.

Video here https://vimeo.com/221150210

Sorry about the use of the hashtag but when there's a chance of a prize I'm a hashtag slag

[HUX]

Left the car at Rhayader and headed off for a
cracking night and morning watching the dolphins from the old iron age hill fort at Llangrannog,wales. 130miles round trip through some new territory.

[RayKickButts]

BIvi a month 6 of 12 ... "the trip of odd weather and Odd noises and Rabid foxes"

I'd planned on starting early but work always seems to get in the way of having fun so didnt start until around 1845 actually peddling my bike!

Start point was the tiny Village of LLanbedr and leaving my car in the village hall car park.

My Firend James Daw who passed away three 3 years ago this Monday coming showed me some of this route and i thought it fitting to do a trip this weekend and for this months Bivi.

Heading out passed the Red lion pub i followed the quiet country lane as far as it goes and eventually runs into a small forrest and out into some farm land. From here i follow the Grwyn Fechan up the Valley to the saddle between two peaks of Myndd Llysiau and Pen Trumau, the original idea was to head east across towards Y Das and get a high bivi in but on arrival the clouds were down and vis on the top was down to around 3-4 feet, after starting in sun and blue skys it was strange to see the cloud cover down so low. So decided i would follow the rest of James route down and around to the base of Y das and try to find a spot at the woods near Wern Frank.



I made it down to Cwmforest in around 10-15 minutes the decent coming down is fab, from here i head along a road marked dead end to a small farm then head up a track towards Castell Dinas and from there along a quiet road to Y Das.

WHen i got to the woods at around 2145 and the light now going it was only to find that they were felling in the woods and the two spots i had all ready recc'd on a previous ride were now stacked high with timber. So plodded on towards Pen Y Bryn to get water and try out my new MSR trail shot. Have to say after using a sawyer for so long it was amazing how fast the trailshot pumpped water and after drinking it for the two days out can say it will be my new go to filter.

So i eventually found a spot just off of the path i was following around so farm fields under the watchfull eye of Rhiw Y Fan which was still shrouded in clouds! I found a flat spot under a tree and close to a stream and set my bivi up but no tarp, the first night this year i've not bothered, the fact was it was 2245 and i was tired and the skys had cleared a little.

I jumped in my bag and drifted off only to be awoken around a hour later by strange noises, now i'm used to things that go bump in the night and can normally tell what they are but there was defo some weird sub standard going on around here!!! I drifted in and out of sleep and around 1 am could hear some noise very close to me, i rolled to my left and there were two rather large Foxes, one ran forward and tried to grab my pack!! i shouted at it and reached for a branch near me and lobbed it at them, they hardly moved!!! so quickly i got out of my bag grabbed my head torch and started waving the branch at them, they then ran off barking as they went, a bit odd for foxes to be that brazen i had no open food it was all sealed unopened deyhydrated rations. Needless to say i didnt get much sleep after that worried they were going to come back and eat my face off while i slept



After about another 2 hours sleep i decided to get up at 5am and start heading over towards Lord Herefords Knob and get the first climb of the day done. I was riding by 520 and it was already warm. Bit of a slog getting up to LHK but well worth it for the views



I dropped off of LHK heading towards the Gospel Pass, the route off was blinding nice and flowey and some great little techy sections to navigate.

I then headed down the Gospel Path as i'd never ridden it before and what a belter it is, stunning views and a fast descent soon munched some miles



As i headed down the GP i was now getting Hungry so stopped at Cwmyoy village hall and had Spag Boll and cheese at 9am by the side of the road



From there i headed along small quiet country lanes along to Patrishow Church to see the blood Skull and then a climb out and downhill most of the way back to my car in Llanbedr.

I'm tempted to go back on another trip and where i joined the Gospel Pass, had up onto Offa's Dyke and see if thats rideable all the way down to join the brecon way... but thats for another adventure

[metalheart]

BAM#6: A Northern Cairngorm Loop.

Bikes ready... by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Pretty much the standard CL top loop: Aviemore to Tomintoul, along Speyside, Abernethy Forest, that dodgy turn off at the forest lodge <whistles>, Dorback, Glen Brown with Lunch at the Fire Station cafe in Tomintoul.

Looking back...

The Cairngorms

Tadpoles

The turn off at Glen Brown

The Fire Station Cafe in Tomintoul

Then off the Estate road beside the Avon with some nice singletrack along the side of Loch Builg (certainly a high spot of the riding)

Loch Builg

Then up over the hill to Invercauld, on to the road and to Braemar. We had worries about not making the chipper (false as it turned out, its open until 8.00). David ran out of steam at the castle, we were just about to send out a search party...

Then out to the Linn o Dee and along to the White Bridge. We had major dilemas over a bivy/camping spot and had a major fanny about. we ended with Scotroutes headed back to the WB, me and David camping where we fell... No photos as it was getting late, it was windy (hence the fannyying about) and I ended up spewing my ringer (hmm, a bit of a habit developing here).

Morning had us reconvene at Reigh nan Clach for me and DAvid to brew up out of the wind.

The we set out along the Geldie and over the watershed to Eidart which was waaaaaay drier than the last time me and David rode it back in October. Onwards past Colin's Howff and along Glen Feshie.

We decided to have lunch at Inshriach Watersports Centre so we left the CL route at the bridge before Achlean and headed long the road. Back to Aviemore via the Speyside Way.

No photos of the second day as I took heaps the last time and I wasn't feeling 100% due to the midnight chunder event.

It was a good trip and thanks to SR for his patience (and navigating corrections, esp once my batteries died...) and David for his company.

[RIP]

Another enjoyable write-up there Mr Butts . The foxes bit is a lovely little cameo. I'm just dead jealous that area's close to you. The fact that on clear day with a bent telescope that you can see Fan Y Big from Lord H's Knob just appeals to my very childish sense of humour...

[Moff]

BAM#6

Running out of days this month, dilemmas about routes, kit, explorer squares and the temperature. Resulted in a shorter than before, late out and early home route.
Familiar trails close to home and out into untapped trails, got me down to a spot on the edge of the Solent.
Watched what I think was a SAR Helicopter do a spotlit sweep of an area of the Solent and potentially a rescue. It hovered very low between the Beaulieu River and Thorness Bay (IOW), seemed a bit strange as there didn't appear to be any vessels out there.
Waited for a couple of guy's to finish there Maccy D's before bedding down in the lee of a fallen Oak tree, the clear sky made for some decent stargazing.
There seemed to be enough breeze to stop the bitey things biting, so had some decent sleep until sun rise.
After some extra snoozing, I was rolling home by 5:30. Early morning birds, Partridges, foxes and mice seemed bemused by my presence, the New Forest Ponies and cattle were nonplussed as usual.
Some gumbling noises from the bike turned out to be loose brake pads from a lost retaining pin (maybe that's why I found a R-clip on the floor at home?). So after taking the pads out I had to keep reminding myself not to pull the front brake the rest of the way home.



Most minimal kit so far: Sleeping bag, Numo mat, Tarp (not used). Some snack's & water.
Nearly got to work early, until a post shower sit down lead to a snooze!

[frogatthefarriers]

6/6
Pen y Gwely, Glyn Ceiriog.

On the way there,


The back lanes around here are generously endowed with honeysuckle growing in the hedges. Riding up to my bivvy spot on a calm sunny evening, the scent was an absolute dream.

Going to bed,


This would have been a perfect bivvy spot except the sheep had been bivvying here too. Lots of stuff to tread in..

In the morning,



Breakfast at the Ceiriog Christian cafe,


I had egg & beans on toast and two cups of tea and a couple of scones, £3.50. The lady serving invited me to fit a few pieces into a jigsaw puzzle while i waited. All the easy bits had been done, she said, with only the sky and trees left. They're always the hardest. I had to have the second cup of tea and the scones to put in a few more pieces. While I was doing this, a few more old ladies came in and brought out a board game, nattering away in Welsh while they played.

[Borderer]

4/6 for me and the boy. I have posted the photos already on the Spithope bothy thread so I won't bother reposting them here too.

[crewlie]

April was covered by the WRT with the LHC splinter group, but since then house moving has made time an issue. 4/4
May was done (sort of) by pitching up alongside the van on a trip up to the Cairngorms for a few days riding, with couple of days of expert guiding provided by Scotroutes and other locals. 5/5
May 24 by Mark Berry, on FlickrMay 25 by Mark Berry, on Flickr


June...with time running out, and still very new to Arran, went on a short ride up into the hills behind our house. Left home at 10pm on a warm, still, overcast evening that gave me plenty of practice at midge control (head net, long clothing and Smidge worked well). Cleverly pitched on the only sloping bit of a nice flat area, but decided not to venture back out into the swarms to move, so levelled my mat with anything I could find to hand, shoes etc. Woke to heavy rain but with only a 10 minute downhill track back home my lack of proper waterproofs wasn't a problem. I need to do much more exploring of the island over the next few months and hopefully venture off further afield later in the year 6/6

DSC02474 by Mark Berry, on FlickrJune 27 by Mark Berry, on Flickr

[ChrisF]

A last minute one due to family commitments interfering with my plans earlier in the month.
I met up with a mate for a couple of hours evening riding from Hope in the Peak. Ride completed, back at the car I loaded the bike up and headed off along the road to Edale and up the climb towards Jaggers Clough. Just near the top of the climb I found a good spot sheltered by a wall and set up the tarp. Unfortunately it was popular with midges too. I thought the drizzle would keep them away but no chance of that. I had to walk up the hill to a breezier spot to cook and eat my dinner. I soon got settled in my bivi bag with the bug net zipped up and had a decent night, woken in the early hours by the heavy rain but managed to stay dry under the tarp.
I made an early start and was back at the car for 6, in work for 7
6 out of 6

[TheBrownDog]

7/7. Got July done super early with another local bivvy under a tree at the edge of a field near Chenies. I used my bivvy bag for the first time in ages and didnt bother with any cooking kit, so it was fast 'n' light. Dinner was a ploughman's baguette I'd pulled together at home. Woke about 4am to a bit of rain and wind but ignored it till it stopped about 6 and I packed up. I managed a puncture on the way back and spent nearly half an hour wrestling with my stupidly tight tyre as I'd left my proper levers in the garage. I'll be out again in a couple of weeks with my brother who's visiting from Aussie to watch the TdF and ride a few of the stages. He's a bikepacking virgin. Should be ace.

[sean_iow]

BAM06 6 of 6 for me.

I'd left this one right to the last day but luckily the weather gods were kind to me as I'd have to go come rain or shine. In my quest to bivi in each 10km grid square on the Island I'd previously identified the area for this one. By coincidence it was also the Round The Island Yacht Race on the Saturday. This starts from Cowes at 05:30 so would pass by my bivi spot by 05:40 ish. The only way I'll ever be up in time to see the first boats set off is if I sleep within view of them so that worked out rather well. My chosen spot was in some woods but at the top of the coastal slope and just close enough that I could see the Solent between the trees if I sat up. Alarm set for 05:30 and I did get to see the first boats go by



There were also glow-worms in the grass - well I assume that's what they were as they were bright green-ish glows from some odd looking insects but rather cool as the first time I'd seen them. I left my sleeping bag unzipped and used it 'quilt like' just laid over me in the bivi bag. I had a really good nights sleep so maybe there's something in this quilt thing? I was also in a more secluded spot than the last 2 months so that also helps and I also seem to sleep better under the tarp than just in the open. It made the bivi bag seem more spacious and I was warm enough, but the ambient temperature obviously affects this. Despite being up at 06:00 and packed and away by 06:30 I still saw some dog walkers as I rode out of the woods, they seemed quite surprised to see me. As I rode along the coast road I stopped for quick photo and then continued home.



I covered 45 miles in the end which isn't bad, 22 on Friday and 23 on Saturday morning and was home just after 09:00 for breakfast. I also got bitten quite alot by insects on the ride our in the evening. The bug net keeps them out of the bivi but I need to remember to put repellent on as I'm still itching now 3 days later. Another month done and another square ticked off, SZ3090. Half way there now and they start to get easier now as the days will be getting shorter so there's more darkness.

[Pickers]

A bit too much normal life getting in the way so far this year, so I only have 4 out of 6 to my name so far.
March I missed even though the weather was pretty decent. For March.
April was done on the WRT

IMG_1461 by Richard Picton, on Flickr
Again the weather fairy smiled on us most of the time.

In May I did a tour (sorry) from Santander up through France to Roscoff. Not particularly gnarly, but pretty close to 1,000 miles once I'd ridden back from Cheltenham station.
Spent a few nights out in the open, as well as some in B&Bs or "proper" campsites.
First night in Spain.... Plenty warm so no need for either the bivvy bag or tent.

IMG_1487 by Richard Picton, on Flickr

Last night in the open in France, basically as above but on a bench by the Nantes Brest Canal.
I don't actually have a picture of the bench, but I spent a nice few minutes in the morning watching a couple of otters swimming. Bloody camera battery was flat so I had to make do with a pic with my phone, unfortunately this makes it look like a 1920s pic of the Lochness monster.

IMG_1554 by Richard Picton, on Flickr

June was another missed month I'm afraid. Having been away riding for 8 out of 11 weekends up to the end of May I needed to top up my brownie point count.

Hmm another question. If I go and tour by bike, but use my bikepacking bags and stuff, and pack appropriately. Is it touring or is it bikepacking? I covered more miles (and climbed more as well) than I have previously on two week tours by some margin against using racks and panniers. The terrain was not overly testing, but I did ride several of the VTT tracks marked in France. That would have been tricky with conventional bags.

[Chew]

Controversial.......but I'd say the difference isn't about kit, it's more of a mindset.
Are you riding to camp, or camping to ride?
Eitherway, if you're enjoying yourself Pickers, who gives a f.....

[Pickers]

I've pretty much always ridden until I find somewhere to stop that I like. Does that make it camping/comfy bed to (extend the) ride? Like most I don't like being tied to other peoples timetables.

[ScotRoutes]

A bit late in posting, but 6/6

A second report on a Northern Cairngorms Loop with Metalheart and buddy.

http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2017/07/ ... sited.html

[Blair512]

I bagged 6/6 a couple of weeks ago, not had a chance to do a write up yet as I jetted of on a sunny holiday to Bulgaria afterwards!

Went out with no plan, no where to go and just pedalled my bike. Meandered through fife on some trails I'd never ridden, made it to Auchtermuchty and discovered my Grandad was unwell so spent a couple of hours visiting him and drinking his beer. Rode on to just past Newburgh and bivvied on the edge of a field. It rained all night but I slept well until my alarm went at half 4, up and away by 5 and headed to Perth and grabbed a train home. Really enjoyed having no plan, I've still a few days holidays to book so may spend a long weekend doing something similar later in the year

[frogatthefarriers]

7\7 Glasgwm forest.
For this month I thought I'd go further afield and have a proper bivvy ride. To give my ride some purpose other than only sleeping outside, I chopped the bottom half of the BB200 route of 2015 at Penyffordd and rode the northern loop. A distance of 72 miles. (Viewranger said).
Starting at Glyn Ceiriog (because it's close to home) I rode clockwise down and up past Lake vyrnwy and bivvied in the forest just to the North-east. On the way there was this:-


Or should I say these:-



I'll bet there were some gasps of dismay from riders in the actual event when they came to this. In October. In the dark. With lots more water than now


Bivvy in the forest

I was mobbed by midges, of course, but between my head-net and a smothering of Smidge, not a single itchy lump. For dinner, I cooked a (sort-of) kedgeree of rice, onions and sardines. Starch, fat and protien. Thats the stuff to give the troops. I had a bit of extra protein from the midges that had found my cup of tea irresistible. Yum yum.

Just short of 40 miles that day, starting out at 12 o'clock. 32 miles to finish, with all day to do it should be a piece of cake.


"If you want to make the gods laugh," so they say, "Tell them your plans" Ha! Never was a truer word (phrase) spoken. It took me 3 hours to do the first 10 miles.


I found a mine adit



At Llangynog I stopped for breakfast before pushing on - pushing being the operative word. 3 very unhappy hours bog-trotting, with no visible path. If it hadn't been for the magenta line on my Etrex I'd have been stumped. I can't imagine what it would have been like in the dark. Reached Llandrillo and at 14:20, had a pint of shandy at the pub and phoned home to say I'd only got 12 miles left and should be home for tea-time.

What should have been an easy(er) finish wasn't, because by this point my arris was so sore that I couldn't bear to sit on the saddle and the hills were too steep for my tired old legs. The un-forecasted sun had been beating down all day and I could feel it burning the back of my neck. A lot more pushing on this leg, not because the hills were all that steep, but because I'd lost the will to struggle over the bumpy surface. I got back to my car at 7pm, having been on the way for 12 (yes12) hours (including an hour-and-a half for breakfast) to do 36 miles. Viewranger lied - it was 76 miles.


I'd been expecting a tick or two having pushed through some tall bracken and such, but not a one. What I did get though, was dozens of scratches from brambles poking into the trail, and nettle rash from hell from nettles hiding in the ferns.

I'd often wondered what riding a BB200 would be like. Maybe I could do it within 30 hours. This experience has shown me that it could never happen. Even in good conditions it took me too long to do just half of it, all in daylight. I guess I'll just have to stay "the frog at the farriers" from now on. Or, as my lady would say, "act my age, not my shoe size.

[quimarche]

A night at Lingy Hut, recently taken over by the MBA. The hike-a-bike up Grainsgill Beck (marked as a bridleway) is most definitely type II.

[RIP]

I have to admit that an offer to 'circumnavigate Stevenage' is not guaranteed to set the heart racing as a BaM prospect and I'd have to agree that it's only one rung up the ladder from 'riding round Stevenage to see the sights', but amazingly JamesO, M-P, and Si-from-Newmarket fell for my cunning sales pitch, with James impressively 'popping over' by bike from Berkhamsted 25 miles away to meet us in Hitchin Saturday lunchtime. I'd cobbled a route by inspecting my 1983 OS map (yes one of my more up-to-date ones) and joining up as many tracks as I could into a 35 miler.

A quick bit of road work brought us to the first bridleway, although Si confessed his offroad rights of way knowledge was a bit hazy despite the huge pile of horse poo being a bit of a giveaway :). In fact the route turned out to be quite a revelation with old Roman roads, farm tracks, sunken green lanes etc taking us for miles hardly seeing a soul despite at no time being more than about 5 miles from Stevenage.

The 'Londis' at Watton at Stone permitted the obligatory replenishing of supplies - chocs, dates, bananas (apart from me. Bad experience with one as a child. Don't like to talk about it etc).

James tests out his unusual new aerodynamic riding position:

....

[RIP]

... our bivi spot was selected prior to the pub visit (great place, great BBB company, pleasingly huge amounts of twaddle spoken, plus hearing about a fascinating fatbike project which it's not my place to divulge although it is my place to tease :) ), although we foolishly changed plan afterwards and keeled over in a nearby field. This resulted in a gratis alarm call by the farmer at 4.30am. Very considerate I thought making sure we didn't lie in too long:


A quick early morning bimble round the backtracks, stopping for a water top-up at a church (always guaranteed a tap), then down to town for a second breakfast. Obviously a BBB SouthEast-style breakfast, all that bacon roll business is so parochial I'm afraid:




A superb weekend with some surprisingly interesting tracks so close to such an unpromising place. Huge thanks to J, MP, and Si for going with the flow, what a top bunch of chaps.

'Reg'

PS. 'Four registered users online, and forty guests' ?? And what's a 'hidden' user? We can see you behind that tussock, don't be shy... Speaking of which, during the weekend I managed to invent 'portable tussocks' which might be a boon to the urban-based bikepacker. Details in all fashionable colour supplements shortly.