Bivvy a Month 2017.

[RIP]

It certainly has - where on earth are you going to get the parts for the old girl?

Pickers is right that's a cracking outing and a beautifully unorthodox bivi spot for good measure. And a quick spin up Ventoux before brekkie?

Any progress with the move?

[crewlie]

Buyers pulled out just before exchange...so back to square one :(
Ventoux next week all being well, off road route up, maybe taking a few more layers of gear

[Al]

I'm in. 2/2 so far.
No photo of me on the winter bivi in Jan - but Reg and Rich should corroborate me making good use of a redundant sporting facility in the Corris area!

Feb was a surprisingly mild affair closer to home with a bivi (ok, tent) on the Peddars Way and on to cycle route 13 towards fakenham the next day.

[deft punk]

Search the forums for Hunka XL, there's a few threads about it and how it's big enough for most bags, mats and bodies.

That was the backup plan. Plan A was to swap beer for an issued one. A bottle of Devon's finest brown wine later & I am now the proud owner of an old DPM bag that I was assured has only been soiled on the outside

Still going to modify my old narrow bag with some water resistant material to make it both wider & a bit more breathable though.

[RIP]

Bad luck Mark :(. Still, maybe means we get the pleasure of your company on WRT now :)

Yep 'you were there' Al

I've got a bit of family stuff going on so no Feb outing yet - I'll start to flap as the days progress. And there's only 28 of 'em of course!

[BigdummySteve]

2/2 assuming I survive the night, arrived back from Devon much later than planned only to be informed that mrs dummy is away in York next weekend! Cycled up canal 6 miles in dark ( after hurried packing and emergency IPA stop)
I appear to have all I need although in the rush im a little light on insulation. Also I have avoided the post holiday unpacking, this is going to cost me......

[Greasyhamster]

Here's my contribution this month:

DSC_0040 by Alan Olds, on Flickr

Pic = Godrevy Lighthouse / Navax Point

Went over to the trig point near Hell's Mouth (it's on the OS map as Navax Point), on the north cliffs near Camborne last night with another BB memebr - Roo.

DSC_0047 by Alan Olds, on Flickr

Clear skies meant it was cold and a combination of fluttering tarps, Roo's snoring and the foghorn made for a slightly broken nights sleep, hence the slightly grumpy photos below

DSC_0043 by Alan Olds, on Flickr

DSC_0046 by Alan Olds, on Flickr

The ride back along the coast path proved interesting as the seat post clamp on my bike fractured.

All in all a good night and 2 for 2 so far.

[dorsetshirelad]

It was about 10 degrees warmer for February's bivi than last month, so I decided to try out my Pipe-dream 1/2 sleeping bag, which proved a success albeit with the inclusion of a pair of Buffalo Salopettes. With a 3/4 Therm-a-rest instead of a full length Karrimat my front luggage portage was greatly reduced. I instinctively felt more like an adventurer, than a vagabond.



To avoid Januarys glutinous mud I oped for a coastal ride, not too far this time, allowing me to set off early afternoon for the 10 or so miles to my favoured patch. Continuing my chosen theme for the Bivi A Month challenge I arrived at a Spit of shingle protruding out into the Solent where Henry VIII constructed a fort to protect Portsmouth from our enemies of the time.



Although an isolated spot it proved to be quite a noisy night with flights from Southhampton Airport and passing ships making their way to Fawley refinery, eventually that subsided and I drifted off to sleep, only to be rudely awaked by the lighthouse foghorn blasting its warning to be vigilant.


The cackling dawn chorus from the nearby salt marsh wild fowl came all too early, but I was ready to watch the sum rise over the Island while I prepared my egg and bacon breakfast.

[NorwayCalling]

2/2 - another night in a German WW2 "pillbox" - part of the Festung Stavanger. This one was a bit grotty (for Norwegian standards) but the sound of the sea made a relaxing evening. Will be back to give this one a tidy, but ah well, it made 2/2 for this year***

IMG_20170217_080046812 by Dr. Jekyll, on Flickr

IMG_20170217_080433401 by Dr. Jekyll, on Flickr

*** Why I here you ask... simple, can get to these "bunkers" much more readily than I can get to The Eagles Nest Bothy, isle of Lewis!

[RayKickButts]

Gower Bivi 2 of 12… 18th & 19th of Feb

We abandoned our car at the Heritage Centre and headed out via Park woods and out onto the ridgeline at Penmean, this offers 360deg views of the surrounding countryside and gives you stunning views down into three cliffs bay and across to Oxwich and beyond.

We dropped off the ridgeline around the Frog Moor area to do one of the few road sections across to Llanddewi, and as always made the same jokes referencing a certain well known tv show character…. If you can’t work that out you aren’t old enough to remember. From here we followed some old bridleways across to Kings hall and skirted around the bottom of Rhossilli mountain to Talgarths Well and took a sheep track across the side of the mountain to get to a old ROC post that I wanted to look at as I’ve become a bit obsessed with bagging them.



It’s a pretty steep decent off the mountain and we both took different routes down, I thought mine looked fine, a nice rocky Shute leading to a grassed area where are exit point was.

As I hit the grass it all went pete tong the back end slid away front end dug in and before I new it I was flat on my back and the bike had slid away, what I thought was firm grass was water logged and about 2” deep in water and mud.

I new I’d hurt something as I’d had a big jolt of pain in my hand, I laid still for a sec running a mental body check as you do, then crouched and looked at my hand, my left thumb looked odd, I had a feel and realised it had dislocated as I fell on it.

By now my bivi companion was with me and I told him id hurt myself. We were no where near any medical help and I didn’t want to quit so did the only thing I could, with a quick pull out and up and across I put the thumb back in its joint, I have to admit to squeeling a bit and my mate did gipp as he said he heard it pop back into place.

We gathered my bike back up and headed to the Café at Rhossilli and asked for ice and sat for about 30 mins taking it easy and popping a few pills.

Just to see how my hand was we decided just to bimble down to Worms head to see what the surf was like. As we rode across my mate spotted something in the water and for the next 30-40 mins we watched as Porpoises hunted off the shore, I can honestly say it made up for my spill as ive lived down here for 13 years and ridden this route many times and never seen them.

So feeling renewed we dropped down onto Rhossilli beach and headed up to Spaniard rocks, dodging huge dead jelly fish on our way up the beach. We rode through Broughton Burrows down onto Broughton Bay then headed across the dunes to Cwm Ivy and into Whiteford Burrows where we would spend the night.





If you bivy here water is in short supply so enter the burrows from the base of Cwm Ivy and locate the small lodge just inside of the gate, there’s a tap there open all year round and is safe to drink without a filter.

We found a cracking spot and set up tarps and got all the bedding faff sorted out. It was then onto digging and building our fire pit for the night and collecting wood.





Over the last few bivi trips I’ve introduced my mate into the subtle art of drinking whisky, so on this trip I leant him a hip flask, which he filled with Penderyn Legend and I went for a nice 10-year-old McCallan.

By 1800hrs the fire was lit, by 1830hrs we had eaten and by 1900hrs we were well on our way, and by around 2030hrs the whisky and food was all gone, and we were lets say very chilled.





With the fire dying down we headed off to our doss bags around 2230 and both dropped off. Total days riding 21.10 miles on Fat Bikes

The morning arrived all to soon and was a lot colder than expected, we went about the routine of eating drinking and packing and as I pulled my bike up to pack arghhh flat tyre!! After much swearing I had a new tube on and then realise the dam tyre had seated correctly not always easy to do in the wild with a fat bike tyre, so deflate re seat then pump again. Bike loaded up we head down to path and POP my tyre drops off the rim!!! So with much swearing and frustration I re seated the tyre for a third time and triple checked it.

We headed up into Llanmadoc and out of the village towards Ryers Down, dropped down onto the Bridleway and across towards Fairyhill Hotel to join back up with the ridgeline we had ridden out on.

Doing the route this way is a tad rude as it pretty much uphill all the way back to the ridgeline and as the weather had turned proper Welsh on us we didn’t hang about.

If you look hard you can just about see my slogging up sweating out the whisky


We got back to the Heritage centre soaking wet, Very cold and smelling like tramps knowing we’d had a cracking ride, finishing off with a grand total of 33.5 Miles ridden … its not about the distance, the speed for me, its about the views, being outside and the craic, cant wait for number 3 and a return to a fav place of mine the Doethie Valley.

[Fat tyre kicker]

Great write up

[Sussex Paul]

2/2 for me.

A misty and murky night up on the South Downs last Saturday.



The morning view out to the East didn't really give the sunrise I had hoped for...



...but I still enjoyed myself

[Borderer]

2/2 - another night in a German WW2 "pillbox" - part of the Festung Stavanger. This one was a bit grotty (for Norwegian standards) but the sound of the sea made a relaxing evening. Will be back to give this one a tidy, but ah well, it made 2/2 for this year***

IMG_20170217_080046812 by Dr. Jekyll, on Flickr

IMG_20170217_080433401 by Dr. Jekyll, on Flickr

*** Why I here you ask... simple, can get to these "bunkers" much more readily than I can get to The Eagles Nest Bothy, isle of Lewis!

Aren't they always full of pee?

[TheBrownDog]

2/2 for me. I was late getting out, drizzled endlessly, was rather windy and a bit on the chilly side, as I forgot my down jacket. Still, better than sitting at home. Bring on spring.

[ScotRoutes]

2/2 here too.

Metalheart invited Piemonster and myself over to his neck of the woods for a wee change of scenery.

A cold night up Glen Tanar and a short but sweet return back to Aboyne in the morning. Good to get out though and I was lucky enough to catch an amazing starry sky when I got up in the middle of the night to have a pee/pick up my bike after it had almost fallen on top of me.

[ChrisF]

Managed to squeeze in a last minute trip yesterday.
I rode out from New Mills along the canals and tramway to Chapel, then up and around the Quarries to Peak Forest and up to Rushup. I then dropped down into Roych Clough in search of some shelter from the wind and rain. The night was pretty wet but not cold. An early start meant I was back by eight.
House is now draped with drying kit.
2/2

[Scud]

Feb was a surprisingly mild affair closer to home with a bivi (ok, tent) on the Peddars Way and on to cycle route 13 towards fakenham the next day.

Flatlandal, whereabouts in the world are you? I live not far off Peddars Way and Fakenham?

[metalheart]

As per Scotroutes, 2/2.

Responsibility this time was mine. So I had to scope out somehwere which started with a decent pub and finished with a decent sausage/egg/bacon & sausage roll...

Oh, and a bit of cycling and a bivy thrown in...

The Boat Inn, Aboyne (RP) by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Met up at The Boat Inn, Aboyne and after suitable sustenance and refreshments (only 2 pints for mr mind ) myself, Sr and Piemonster headed out into the dark up Glen Tanar to bottom of Mount Keen where, after a quick recon, bivy was set up in the lea of old sheilings.

Bottom of Mount Keen bivy spot by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Where a pretty restless night ensued. What with the weird background racket the wind decided to pick up and rattle the tent (and coup Sr's bike!)

Dawn dawned gray and blustery.

Up in the mornings the thing... by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Up in the mornings the thing... by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

And we headed off back down the glen

Looking down Glen Tanar from the bivy spot(-ish) by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

to the Halfway Hut for some shelter for a brew and some breakfast

The proprietor by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Seen as my tyre was flat in the am, it was still pretty windy and it had even started raining, we thought, stuff it, back to the vehicles by the path of least resistance...

And then on to the Deeside Activity Centre to let the boys have a play before proper breakfast.

CHARGE BOYS!!!! by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Piemonster at the wheel. by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Thanks for joining (and trusting) me guys.

[Taylor]

A lack of motivation due to chew not keeping me honest has seen me leave it until the last minute for February's BAM.
Currently swinging in between two trees whilst it's sleeting out now.
We've had loads of rain today so the ground is so grim that I thought I'd keep off the mulch and keep dry.

[Pickers]

2 out of 2 here as well, cutting it a bit fine but done. Run out of time but I've been stuck all month with family stuff, colds, work and various other bits and bobs.
Anyway. A dry, clear night for the most part with a good view of the stars through the tree canopy in the local woods. I'd been expecting it to be colder - forecast was for around zero this morning but no frost under the trees.
An early departure was required so as to avoid early morning dog walkers, the first light was just appearing at 5:45 or so. All the cars were frozen over when I got back though so looks like they were right!
Obligatory crap Iphone pic.....


IMG_1439 by Richard Picton, on Flickr

Disappointed that we have no tanks down here though

[RIP]

Had a sh1te few days - friend leaving for the Great Bivi in the sky, business lost/gained, family hoohahs, kid's car breaking down on A34 dualcarriageway, and the rubber coming off the end of my favourite pencil. Oh, and realising Feb only has 28 days so I'm in The Last Chance BaM Saloon. My head's about ready to explode leaving just the cliche smoking wire sticking out of my neck.

So, quick train check and I can do MiltonKeynes to Macclesfield £13 there and a tenner(!) back. Even with my record of cheapo fares that's insane, surely it costs more to clean the seats afterwards? Just turned 58 so another couple of years and it'll be another third off that as well.

So here we are at MK awaiting the 10.48. Any other crackpots out there doing a desperate last-ditch seat-of-the-pants balls-out (ok maybe not that bit) hare-brained scheme? Or is that "hair-brained"? Hares're actually pretty sensible animals, at least I can't see any out here freezing their fur off.

[RIP]

Only got a slight idea of what happens at Macc (no not Mach otherwise I'm really lost), in as much as I've got no idea at all what happens. Vague thoughts of Peaks. Here's a thought, in the same vein as crowd-funding we could do crowd-directing - at each junction the most votes sends me right or left. I've got a feeling though that everyone'll just take the piss and vote Right and I'll end up riding in a small circle back to Macc station again.

How many contestants still in the game after Feb? Looking back on here seems about 22? Maybe 23 if I survive the night .

Ok no more nasty phones until Macc - there's valuable aimless-staring-out-of-the-window time to be had....

Reg 'dry now but gonna get soaked later' Perrin

[NorwayCalling]

2/2 - another night in a German WW2 "pillbox" - part of the Festung Stavanger. This one was a bit grotty (for Norwegian standards) but the sound of the sea made a relaxing evening. Will be back to give this one a tidy, but ah well, it made 2/2 for this year***


Aren't they always full of pee?

This is Norway and not the UK so no pee, no needles and much less in the way of general detritus... Quite a few around here still have original paint and still have the original barbwire - so generally nice places to stay.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Reg, from Macc you could aim for Bollington and from there, head up towards Windgather Rocks / Shining Tor ... highest point in Cheshire. Or you could go to Buxworth along the canal and stay at my mums

[RIP]

Well, here in the Big Macc. I've voted to turn Right and head through Macc Forest and over Charity Lane or whatever it's called. I'm not feeling very charitable at the moment cos it's pissing with rain which is presumably why it only cost thirteen quid to get here. Will aim for BX where I can at least Take The Waters to refresh meself. Assuming the fountain hasn't frozen up. Apologies for the 'rolling report' but I'm feeling vaguely lonesome and it's nice to talk bollocks even though nobody's listening. Having said that, PTFU (very equality-minded me) Reg, it's often a lot more fun going solo - more wierd things happen and more wierd people talk to you. And let's face it I am one of those wierdos.