Bivvy a month 2018.

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whitestone
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by whitestone »

OK. I already have May's bivy accounted for in good order by the WRT and the JennRide and this week should have seen some more courtesy of the Highland Trail but events conspired against me and I ended up bailing out to Corrour Station.

I got there about 9:20pm so the cafe had shut but I could see that the kitchen windows were open so I sidled up and asked if they could sell me some cans of pop. Two cans of Fanta later and I was sitting on one of the benches outside when I hear a conversation including. "Do you think he'd like a pie?" (a daft question if ever there was one) a head pokes out of the window and repeats the question to me. One pie later :grin: and I'm looking over to the platform and the waiting room as a bivy spot.

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I was setting up my stuff in the waiting room when a bloke appears. "You look knackered" Given how I felt this was quite observant, "We are renting the signal box accommodation" (see background of above pic) "There's a spare room with shower that you are welcome to use" :YMHUG:

So this is what I ended up with

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There was breakfast included as well :-bd

The thing is, I'm worried, Does it count as a bivy under the rules? I didn't pay for it even though I offered but I did buy them a bottle of wine for their evening meal.
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by fatbikephil »

That sounds like a team sky-esque rule interpretation if ever there was one :lol:
Interesting that they are doing digs there again - it was a bunkhouse years ago but it closed due to lack of custom (oddly)
ericrobo
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ericrobo »

Drove up to Moffat Tues 15th May, parked on the big car park, and set off at 9:45am on the Borders 220, which Ray had very kindly sent to me.
So I did 4 wild camps, first one being about 3 miles above Newcastleton in the forest, lucky to get a spot near to a stream, and out of the trees:

ImageIMG_2349 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

Second one about 10 miles from Jedburgh
ImageIMG_2360 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

Quite a frost at 5am

In fact I had 3 cold nights due to the *!**Klymit having a leak AGAIN, Friday night was a bit warmer so got a decent sleep.
Ray had mentioned the hike-a-bike from Fruid Reservoir to Deviles Beeftub... it was grim, utterly grim. 3 miles took about 2 hours
ImageIMG_2379 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

So 8/5 so far.

Great weather but cold at night. A lot of H-A-B, and some of it very tough too, like this after about 8 miles, when you're fooled into thinking it's nice rolling forest tracks, then bumph !

ImageIMG_2345 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

A bit like the Coffin Road on the HT.
About 230metres/800 feet of pushing, some of it very steep too.
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by fatbikephil »

Good one Eric - does that mean you completed the route?
ericrobo
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ericrobo »

Yep, finished it....

It’s a good one - sent Ray an email with a few points on... (blog later)... he must be away somewhere, no reply yet.

In particular a few miles out of Broughton where I didn’t risk following the route and did a 7 mile road detour...
(It went through “Private Gardens”.... and “German shepherds roaming)... assumed that meant four legged ones :lol: )

I got up to do a dot watch, fantastic efforts by those guys and gal(s) out there..
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ericrobo »

I’d forgotten !

On day 3 thought my rear wheel bearing was on its way out, but when I got home discovered it was a cracked seat stay !
Scott Scale 900, still within 5 year warranty so hoping for a new frame...
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Ray Young
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Ray Young »

ericrobo wrote:In particular a few miles out of Broughton where I didn’t risk following the route and did a 7 mile road detour...
(It went through “Private Gardens”.... and “German shepherds roaming)... assumed that meant four legged ones :lol:
Hi all. I've been past that bit you mention on three occasions and never seen a dog yet. I'm assuming the sign relates to the house to the right with the huge fishing pond (hence the security) just as you leave the road. The house and the track you take are separated by a fence. I think AlasdairMac has been up that way too and not mentioned the dogs. He did mention some signs I know of saying private road (which are further along the gravel track) but I think they pre date the Scottish access laws and even if they don't then they're not legal. On one occasion I went that way I passed a young gamekeeper filling the bird feeders near the big estate house and he gave me a cheery good morning.
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ericrobo »

Hi Ray

I’ve just sent details to the Countryside Ranger for the Borders.

I’ve had bad encounters in the past with big dogs, and even though you’ve been through there 3 times, whose to say someone will not have an “encounter”...

Better get this cleared up before rather than after...

I’ll let you know when I get a reply... :-bd
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Ray Young
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Ray Young »

Cheers Eric, :-bd
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by fatbikephil »

Eric - I noted that bit and mentioned it in my write up of my last lame fail . Rays correct that the dogs sign refers to the properties to the right but the locked gates were a PIA. Ray did you not say you'd met a gamey up there when you did it and he was fine?

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Ray Young
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Ray Young »

htrider wrote:Eric - I noted that bit and mentioned it in my write up of my last lame fail . Rays correct that the dogs sign refers to the properties to the right but the locked gates were a PIA. Ray did you not say you'd met a gamey up there when you did it and he was fine?

[url][/http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... t=10339url]
Yes, I met a young gamekeeper filling the bird feeders near the big estate house, he gave me a smile and a cheery good morning. The locked gates are a pain but only two and I've crossed worse styles over deer fences.
restlessshawn
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by restlessshawn »

I used to live in Kilbucho, pretty sure I know the exact bit you mean if it's the track that goes up and over down in to Glenholme? The land is owned by the guy in the house and I think he's a bit odd about people crossing his land. I know people who know him. Of course he has no legal basis for that.
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Ray Young
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Ray Young »

restlessnative wrote:I used to live in Kilbucho, pretty sure I know the exact bit you mean if it's the track that goes up and over down in to Glenholme? The land is owned by the guy in the house and I think he's a bit odd about people crossing his land. I know people who know him. Of course he has no legal basis for that.
That's the very bit. First time I went there to check the viability of it some blokes were watching me intently from the house as I put my bike over the locked gate, climbed over and rode up the hill. Nothing said by any of them.
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Borderer
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Borderer »

ericrobo wrote:
A bit like the Coffin Road on the HT.
About 230metres/800 feet of pushing, some of it very steep too.
Well done Eric. If I am not mistaken that is the first completion of that route.

Joe and I did that horribly steep bit up to Dryfehead last year. We did it in the dark and rain while being attacked by midges and moths. Joe couldn't cope with the gradient at all and so I had to do it twice to relay both bikes up. It nearly killed me. There was nowhere to stop either as the gradient was too steep to put the tent up. I think it took us three hours to get up. I heard Rich and Tom talking about the Coffin Road the other day and thought it sounded horribly similar. The thought of doing that bit again was enough to put me off doing the B220.
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summittoppler
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by summittoppler »

Had 2 nights on Jura for a serious hike a bike session in the week followed by 1 night on Islay, 5/12. I did pick up a souvenir though :-bd
Image20180529_114221 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Image20180528_222345 by Jeff Price, on Flickr
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99percentchimp
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by 99percentchimp »

summittoppler wrote:Had 2 nights on Jura for a serious hike a bike session in the week followed by 1 night on Islay, 5/12. I did pick up a souvenir though :-bd
Image20180529_114221 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Image20180528_222345 by Jeff Price, on Flickr
Brilliant Jeff - how was Jura?... on my to do list for ages. Any more photos on Flikr - they seem to be private...

Did the ticks get you? Looks like the bracken has got going too! :-bd :-bd
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summittoppler
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by summittoppler »

Hi Mark
Suprisingly no ticks on me but I did Smidge my lower legs and wear full length pants. The loop I done was a brutal 80% hike a bike session with plenty of pushing, climbing over the rocky coastline, pushing up & down embankments etc
On the plus side the coastline on the west is brill, plenty of wildlife to keep the eyes happy.
I'll set an album up on Flickr soon and there's a video out later but da management don't like me posting links to 'other sites' so you're best clicking on the link on my signature... :roll:
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Scattamah
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Scattamah »

5/5 - bivvied out 2 nights during my XWA attempt. First night outside Port Angeles by the cycle path. 2nd night out was in the forest below Port Gamble. Was looking forward to more but cut it short due to injury. Then 2 weeks of van camping in various places around Wa.

Greetz

S.
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by fatbikephil »

Jeff - you've beaten me to it again - always fancied a crack at Jura, look forward to the vid!
Anyway 6/6 for me and doublers in April and May....
Left the house at 12 on Sunday and pedalled west to Callander and north to Killin on the cycleway. The weather was a bit vague with odd spots of rain and quite a bit of cloud, no thunderstorms though! Heading up to Killin the sun came out and it looked like it was going to be a good one. Not quite as sitting in Killin eating tea I noted the large black clouds gathering over Ben Lawyers, unfortunately close to where I was going. Sure enough on leaving the town the heavens opened and the hour spent climbing over the Ben Lawyers road was done in the heavy then steady rain. It cleared on the climb out of Glen Lyon over to Rannoch and after a few more drops looked like a pleasant evening was on the cards. My stop for the night was near where I was for May bivvy 2, about halfway along the Old Road to the Isles which runs from Rannoch to Ossian.

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The Old Corrour Lodge - formerly a hospital / hospice for TB sufferers - A more remote spot you'd be hard to find. Blackwater Res in the distance.

This evening also marked the return of the midges. It had been quite breezy until I set to pitching up, whereupon the wind died and the little beggars appeared in force. Later on the wind returned so I was able to strike camp without being chased away from this fine place.

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Morning view

Breakfast number two was had in the Corrour station café then it was a steady but lengthy pedal out past the loch down to Fersit and then on to Spean Bridge via the East Highland Way. Fort Augustus and pizza was next. Ironically I was heading the other way up the Great Glen than usual but thanks to a north easterly still had a headwind. Fortunately most of the route is sheltered so no big deal. After pizza I continued north east via the new cycleway which parallels the road. Annoyingly its not actually open despite there being no signs to suggest this as at one point I ended up cycling through the Glen Crow Hydro-electric scheme base camp. Once its in it will be a nice alternative to the road which does see quite a lot of traffic. Its also a huge climb (30-350m) and not satisfied with that I continued further uphill via the South Loch Ness Trail.

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Looking west towards Fort A and Kintail.

A mate put me onto this and its a quite a nice route with a good made path that seems like its not really being used despite lots of posh signs. Anyway I followed this for a few miles then ground along the road to Farr to pick up the wee road over the hills to Tomatin. It was getting a bit late by now, the sun was setting and it was also blissfully chilly after the heat of the day. From Tomatin I headed south over the Slochd and camped down by a fine Wades bridge on the old route of the Sustrans NCN 7

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I've always fancied stopping here but never needed to previously as friends used to live in Aviemore.

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Many years ago I was involved in a project to re-furb the bridge and do up the approach track along the old military road as part of the development of NCN7. The signs now show this section as for 'mountainbikes only' which undersells it. Pity Sustrans cant chuck a few quid at the track to sort it as its a far nicer route than the road.

After breakfast in Carbridge I followed another abandoned section of NCN7 over to Boat of Garten and then various trails through the woods to Aviemore. Called into Bothy Bikes to Chat to Dave for a bit and then headed south. There are lots of options here so I went for a lesser known one via the Minigaig pass. As I've done before I accessed it via Glen Feshie and a big climb on a stalking track up to 847m. There is then a steep descent and steeper climb up to an unnamed trig point at 912m.

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A place of good views

The descent is nice - a wee tussocky, rocky path which was near dry. Passed a couple of walkers setting up camp early beside the burn at the halfway point and then impressed myself by riding the final steep descent nearly clean (One burn crossing defeated me plus a nav error which saw me go straight on at a hairpin...). Thereafter it a was an easy run out of Glen Bruar and down the riverside trails from Blair Atholl to Pitlochry. As luck would have it a train was due in shortly after I arrived so I jumped on to avoid a long road ride the next day.
ton
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ton »

that looks fantastic mate.
but please stop posting pictures of the bike......... it makes me sad and envious. :grin:
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JohnClimber
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by JohnClimber »

Bivi a month 2018 - 6/6 and my 26th in a row.

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frogatthefarriers
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by frogatthefarriers »

BAM 6 of 6

Berwins above Llangollen

On Wednesdays I go for a pootle along the canal towpath with my daughter, from Llangollen to Trevor basin (just by the aqueduct). She wants to get fitter. We have a pint of shandy at the pub before pootling back again. 10 miles in all.

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This time, after pizza at her house, with a clear night forecast, it was time to try out my new bivvy bag (Hunka XL) to see if sleeping under the stars is all its cracked up to be. Well not quite under the stars because I'd borrowed my grandsons camo tarp - £8 with free postage from Hong Kong - couldn't get it to pitch tight no matter which way I tightened it. - see photo and laugh :lol: :o

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I puffed up into the hills
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to where the paragliders take off where there's a lovely view of Llangollen nestling in its valley

Sunset over the vale of Llangollen
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Digs for the night
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I don't usually sleep on the ground - too many aches and pains for my old bones - but this time I slept much better than expected. Toasty warm in just the cloud cover quilt. Only saw the brightest stars because a slight haze had set in and masked the smaller ones. I need to practice getting into the bivvy bag - there must be an easy way. And so much struggling to get out for a pee in the middle of the night. :roll:

Home made flapjacks for breakfast before going back along the ridge line, through the Ceiriog forest, down some bridleway to Glyndyfrdwy, across the Dee and along the lanes back to the car. 22 miles in all.
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Alan63
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Alan63 »

1st bivvy of the year and 1st bothy trip with my son Fraser(10). At Adventure Syndicate in Glasgow last November, Fraser was given a challenge for 2018 by Lee Craigie, to bikepack and stay at the renovated bothy in Glen Feshie. Dodged the worst of the thunder storms and rain to get to the bothy. Fraser loved it and is already planning the next trip. Great father and son days.
BaM 2021
BobCatMax
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by BobCatMax »

Can't wait to do this with my little girl. She loves camping and loves being on the bike, she just needs to get a bit older (3.5 yrs)

very jealous Alan
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Ian
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Ian »

Not been getting out every month, but did manage a few in May and managed to engineer a work related on last night.

A hill fort somewhere in Shropshire, very early this morning:

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