Bivvy a Month 2016.

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:28 pm

Here we are again, another new year and another bivvy a month. The rules are simple - you must spend one night out per calendar month, it can be in a bivvy bag, under a tarp, in a tent or bothy but not a B&B or hotel. You can go as far as you like or stay nearer to home, your own back garden doesn't count but that of your next door neighbours does. Hopefully it'll help motivate you through those dark, can't be arsed times.

Post up your pics and accounts here.

Thank you to Blackhound for the original concept many moons ago and I also believe this Jan will be Chew and Taylor's 49th straight month, well done fellas

Chew · Post by **Chew** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:52 pm

[cough] 49 [/cough]

Think it's more a war of attrition now, seeing who cracks first

Taylor · Post by **Taylor** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:44 pm

I'm afraid we're both currently on 48 months Stu, bloody hell, 4 years!
As chew says, "it's last man standing".

FLV · Post by **FLV** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 6:17 pm

January in the bag. 1/1 for 2016

A soaking wet afternoon and into early evening. Several pints in pub and then off into the woods to talk rubbish into the night.

Even wetter today. Cafe stop was lovely.
Then it was wetter again.

Good times.

gairym · Post by **gairym** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 7:44 pm

You two really on 48???

Bloody good going!

I'll be making an attempt again this year and hoping for a better performance than last year.

Think I managed 7/12 last year which is pitiful (though plenty of multi-day troops in there).

Good luck and M/WTFU to all involved!!!

whitestone · Post by **whitestone** » Sun Jan 17, 2016 11:44 am

This could go in several threads

Made myself a little sideburner alcohol stove yesterday and after a test burn at home headed out to give it a test "on bivvy". I've not used an alcohol stove before so this was a bit of a learning curve. I've a local spot that's a bit cheeky but it's hidden from view so set off in the falling snow at about 8pm last night. Got to the spot and kicked out the local ovine hooligans and set up.

Didn't know quite how much fuel to use, especially in the cold and with it breezy so ended up using about half what I'd taken (I think it's a 40ml container) to make a 500ml brew. I was also seeing what the limit of my summer bag + quilt setup was. Let's just say I think I found it!

By morning I was definitely on the chilly side of comfortable and needed to get moving (after another brew of course), the temps were around -3 to -4C. Perhaps just as well the sky didn't clear as forecast. Tricky riding in the snow in the flat light to get back home.

I'll attach a shot once I manage to get it off my phone.

Artie Fufkin · Post by **Artie Fufkin** » Sun Jan 17, 2016 10:06 pm

Gonna make a concerted effort to go for Bivvy a Month in 2016.
Jan 1 / 12.
Got the train to Settle from Leeds, rode up to Malham Tarn. Over Weets Top to Hetton. Loads of snow and ice about made going quite hazardous with the bike loaded with winter gear. Took my single speed out too as thought there would be less to go wrong!!!
We decided to take full advantage of the hostalry at The Angel Inn, Hetton. Superb pint of Pale!
Came out to about 2 inches of snow on the bikes, ahh well it was forecasted. We set off for the top of Bardon Moor and the shooting huts that are up there. Massive push up to the top, then once up there it was a case of following what little was visible of the path. We finally made it to our destination.
A very cold night followed, didn't have a thermometer, but reckon it must got down to about -4/ -5deg. as water and wet clothes had frozen!
Really pleased with how my kit worked, although did have down jacket, down hat and Primaloft trousers on. I was warm and cosy and had a good nights kip!
The morning was beautifully sunny but bitterly cold, had a coffee, cake and packed up and was ready to go within the hour. We set of and about 500m from our overnight stay started to feel and hear strange sounds from my rear wheel, about 100m further on and it packed in full stop! The pawls in the freewheel had obviously frozen up and I had no drive at all. I was now looking at a very long, cold and wet push to Skipton when my mate suggested that we use a perhaps unusual method of getting me back on the trail. He recalled the story of when he was in the Alps and his disc brakes froze, they were released by urinating on then, the warm liquid defrosting and then releasing the brakes, and away he went, he said. With not a lot of options other than a long hike a bike in the snow, the deed was done and in a couple of shakes (sorry!) I was back on the track. Sorted!
Half an hour later we was in the cafe at Bolton Abbey sitting in front of a lovely bacon butty and a mug of tea!
Carried on until Ilkley and got the train home from there.
An excellent overnighter, lots of snow and all the fun that entails with it, a very cold night but well worth it to wake up to a bright snowy morning
Hopefully I can keep the momentum up and also could do with a new freewheel, me thinks!
Cheers,
Adam.

Blair512 · Post by **Blair512** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:45 pm

So after going on my first bikepacking adventure with Ray and the boys on the Scottish Winter Bivvy I decided to give the bivvy a month challenge a go this year.

I set off on Saturday morning to catch the train across to Fife with a heavy head, instead of packing up my bike the night before my OH had suggested we could go for a quick pint and grab a takeaway, this turned into quite a few pints, a takeaway and then passing out in bed leaving my gear strewn around the house. After dragging myself out of bed and scratching around to find everything I needed, I headed out and made it to the train station with 5 minutes to spare.

WP_20160116_09_52_06_Pro by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

After an hour and a half on the train I was feeling right as rain and ready to hit the trails, I called my mate who had agreed to come with me to let him know I would be at the meeting point in 30 mins. He informed me that was no problem, he was at the bothy we were heading for stashing his gear and some fire wood and that he would be there shortly as well.

When I arrived at the meeting point he was there and unpacking his bike from the back of the car, as he had no gear to carry he had brought his free-ride bike thinking it would be much more fun in the snow. He was right but I wasn't going to admit it to him!

The next hour or 2 consisted mostly of pushing, our first way point was the top of the east Lomond and the road up there was slick with ice which made it almost impossible to cycle most of the way, it was well worth it to get to the top and take in the views, we really do live in a beautiful part of the world.

WP_20160116_12_50_51_Pro by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

WP_20160116_13_30_32_Pro by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

WP_20160116_13_30_23_Pro by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

The descent down the front face of the hill was brilliant, really fast and steep. While Tommy disappeared on his Scott I was left wobbling around trying to keep my balance as I couldn't drop my seat any lower due to my new Alpkit tail pack. We made the tree line quickly and cut off the main trail and onto the downhill tracks in Falkland Bike Park, the trails were in good condition and we descended quickly through the woods, stopping occasionally for Tommy to size up a jump before deciding it was too icy and taking the chicken runs with me.

The next way point was the Tyndal Bruce monument which sits right in between the East and West Lomonds, the going was back to slow again as we crawled our way across icy paths and deep snow which made cycling a real pain. By the time we arrived there it was getting on for three o'clock and we reluctantly decided to miss out the west peak as it had taken us so long to make this point and we wanted to get to our camp for the night before dark.

WP_20160116_14_11_48_Pro by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

WP_20160116_14_33_26_Pro by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

It was almost all down hill from the monument to the Bothy we were staying in for the night, we arrived about an hour later to find it in very poor condition compared to the last time we stayed in it. The windows had all been smashed and the door had been used for firewood. I had to string my tarp over the doorway to try and keep the draft out a bit. It was surprisingly warm that night but that might have been all the beer and whisky we consumed!

IMG-20160116-WA0001 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

The next morning we had our breakfast and headed off quite late. It was a short run back to Ladybank on the roads where I jumped back on the train to Falkirk and Tommy's GF picked him up.

All in all a cracking weekend with good company, can't wait to get out in February. 1/1!

Ray Young · Post by **Ray Young** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 4:32 pm

Nice one Blair. The state of bothies varies greatly but I get right annoyed when I hear of vandalised ones.

Blair512 · Post by **Blair512** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 6:13 pm

Aye it's a pity Ray, it's more of a shed than a bothy but it was a braw we place to go for a night away locally when I lived in Fife. It's only about a half hours walk from a couple of different villages and easily accessible so I guess there's a lot of youngsters use it for a party at the weekend. If only they could see they're spoiling it for themselves as well as everyone else.

GregV · Post by **GregV** » Sun Jan 24, 2016 11:14 pm

image by Greg Vallance, on Flickr

Friday eve I rode & pushed (there was a lot of pushing) onto Kinder & slept (a bit) between some rocks. The ride up was fantastic; superb moon so didn't use my light from Hayfield to Edale Cross. Very windy & occasionally cold. My first ever winter bivvy. Thanks Bearbones

Scattamah · Post by **Scattamah** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:09 am

1/1 - Friday night @ Claerddu...Saturday night @ Nant Rhys. Got to the bothy at 11pm on Friday night to meet up with Larsmars and Chickenlegs.

Saturday started off fine but by the time we'd made Hafren, the weather had shut down and the roads were beginning to get sloppy. Chopping off the top of the planned loop had us in the bothy early which was fortunate as we beat a camper van full of folks there and they took off for Syddion.

Sunday saw us taking the mountain road back towards Rhayader with the obligatory downhill from the top (it's been graded in places and is a bit less washed out now) and then south past Drum Ddu.

: claerddu.jpg (80.94 KiB) Viewed 8405 times

125 miles, 12000' ascending. Cheers fellas for a great weekend. :)

Greetz

S.

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:59 am

Sorry I missed you fellas - 'stuff' cropped up.

Scattamah · Post by **Scattamah** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 12:00 pm

It's all good fella. As we climbed up to Nant Rhys in the rain, there was mention you were slightly more sane than us staying indoors and dry. Of course, this is PoV. :)

Greetz

S.

frogatthefarriers · Post by **frogatthefarriers** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 9:01 pm

1/1 Moel Famau Country Park.
Starting my 2016 campaign here

After peddalling largely against the wind it dropped for me to set my hammock up in the woods. No hammock picture this time - they all look the same. I was within earshot of the car park where a group of men/boys were making quite a racket. Never mind, they went away after a couple of hours. The wind, which had been so calm earlier, gradually rose through the night, the noise in the tree tops making sleeping difficult.

Next morning, after packing away all but my tarp, I sat down to my breakfast - muesli with a banana chopped up into it. I'd just taken my first spoonful when one of the pegs holding the corner of the tarp was pulled out by the pressure of the wind allowing said corner to whip under and knock my breakfast out of my hand and all over my front.

Ripe language was called for at this point, but with no-one to hear it, what was the point. To cap it all, in the night the wind had swung around bringing lots of rain with it, meaning I had a not-much-fun 24 mile ride home.

Any tips how to get milk out of a down jacket? I'm afraid it'll start to smell after a while.

PaulB · Post by **PaulB** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 8:41 am

frogatthefarriers wrote:

Any tips how to get milk out of a down jacket? I'm afraid it'll start to smell after a while.

Specialist dry cleaners ASAP, I don't know of any in your direction. Talk to the manager to see if they have a clue about cleaning delicate down. There is an excellent place in sheffield where all the RAB exped stuff used to go.

Paul

MM-on-POINT · Post by **MM-on-POINT** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 10:38 am

DSC_0234.JPG: Sleep system; (2.41 MiB) Downloaded 2349 times

DSC_0246.JPG: Chow time; (2.15 MiB) Downloaded 2349 times

I packed late in the day and got the trains to the trails of the halkyns this weekend, only cycled 8miles to camp spot from the train station, the trip was more of a ramble on wheels then any thing.
I had just two goals find my point of interest, the old Limekilns and camp out.
Camp came first and being in a quarry I had to tie large rocks to the guys lines, pegs just would not find there way in.
Useing some new exped tarp poles I was pretty happy with the set up until 11pm when I had switch to a A frame because of the funneled wind.
Up nice and early to take a tumble on the bike before finding the Limekilns, a few photos then a gentle roundabout ride home.

ootini · Post by **ootini** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 11:56 am

MM-on-POINT wrote:I packed late in the day and got the trains to the trails of the halkyns this weekend, only cycled 8miles to camp spot from the train station, the trip was more of a ramble on wheels then any thing.
I had just two goals find my point of interest, the old Limekilns and camp out.
Camp came first and being in a quarry I had to tie large rocks to the guys lines, pegs just would not find there way in.
Useing some new exped tarp poles I was pretty happy with the set up until 11pm when I had switch to a A frame because of the funneled wind.
Up nice and early to take a tumble on the bike before finding the Limekilns, a few photos then a gentle roundabout ride home.

Where about was your bivvy spot on the common? Halkyn is within spitting distance of my house.

MM-on-POINT · Post by **MM-on-POINT** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:16 pm

Where about was your bivvy spot on the common? Halkyn is within spitting distance of my house.

Screenshot_2016-01-24-08-22-02.png: (2.16 MiB) Downloaded 2332 times

Red dot is Limekilns and blue dot is me, it was above the track in from the road on the left, I was hopeing for a clear night to see those 5 planets in line but there was to much cloud pushing across.

ootini · Post by **ootini** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:17 pm

MM-on-POINT wrote:
Where about was your bivvy spot on the common? Halkyn is within spitting distance of my house.

Screenshot_2016-01-24-08-22-02.png
Red dot is Limekilns and blue dot is me, it was above the track in from the road on the right, I was hopeing for a clear night to see those 5 planets in line but there was to much cloud pushing across.

Cheers. I'll take a look on the ground next time I'm up there (this weekend hopefully). Ta

MM-on-POINT · Post by **MM-on-POINT** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:26 pm

ootini,
I accessed it by going the path where its fenced of and dropped down and round, it was the only spot that had a natural blind spot from below and the bush obscured vison from walkers on the path above.

Not even the dog walkers dogs in the morning couldn't sniff me out!

Bike s is where I set up

ootini · Post by **ootini** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:36 pm

MM-on-POINT wrote:ootini,
I accessed it by going the path where its fenced of and dropped down and round, it was the only spot that had a natural blind spot from below and the bush obscured vison from walkers on the path above.

Not even the dog walkers dogs in the morning couldn't sniff me out!

Bike s is where I set up

Ah yes! I know where you are now. Looks good. I've never actually camped on the common itself, I've always headed south down towards Ysceifiog then on to Moel Y Parc / Pen Y Cloddiau area.

voodoo_simon · Post by **voodoo_simon** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:24 pm

ootini wrote:
MM-on-POINT wrote:ootini,
I accessed it by going the path where its fenced of and dropped down and round, it was the only spot that had a natural blind spot from below and the bush obscured vison from walkers on the path above.

Not even the dog walkers dogs in the morning couldn't sniff me out!

Bike s is where I set up
Ah yes! I know where you are now. Looks good. I've never actually camped on the common itself, I've always headed south down towards Ysceifiog then on to Moel Y Parc / Pen Y Cloddiau area.

My friend lives by the commons, not a place I'd be wanting to camp

Pen Y Cloddiau area is fine and also Llandegla too and I've always fancied giving this quarry a go https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/53% ... !1s0x0:0x0

ootini · Post by **ootini** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:41 pm

That looks pretty interesting.

Any reason you'd want to avoid Halkyn common? Apart from the fact there is a sign saying you're not allowed to camp there. I've never really had much bother riding up there at night, doesn't seem that popular with the boy racers and smack heads.

voodoo_simon · Post by **voodoo_simon** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:50 pm

ootini wrote:That looks pretty interesting.

Any reason you'd want to avoid Halkyn common? Apart from the fact there is a sign saying you're not allowed to camp there. I've never really had much bother riding up there at night, doesn't seem that popular with the boy racers and smack heads.

Last time I went up at night time (just for a ride), between the two main quarries, there were groups of lads hanging about in their cars etc (in places that the cars wouldnt normally go). Just seems a little busy for my liking being so close to the roads (plus my mate just raised his eye brows when i suggested camping there!). Each to their own though, looks like MM had a trouble free night