Bivvy a Month 2017.

[Mariner]

I expect you know where I am tonight then.

Could suggest where but don't know which side of the river it is on.
If only it wasn't raining and I hadn't already been that way today.
Enjoy the sunrise tomorrow.

[Taylor]

Where's it raining?
There was a few spots an hour ago but that was it.

[RayKickButts]

OK so this is Bivi number 2 this month for me as my partner in crime Wayne "aka The Beast" couldn't make the last one and had to play catch up.... this is gonna be picture heavy

So Friday arrives and i've packed my bike ready to roll and expecting to take Wayne to my pitch from last month so he can appreciate the track of watery spawn filled doom. On arrival and in glorious sun Wayne says " I reckon we hit the Gower and look for a new spot" who am i to argue technically this is his bivi. So we jump in the Van and off we trundle.

Due to old mans disease ( a dodgy back and walking like he's sub standard himself ) it was decided to abandon the van closer to Rhossilli after much faffing trying to find a parking space we were looked kindly upon by the nice folk at Pitton Cross campsite who let us leave the van there in exchange for a donation to the Welsh Air ambo.

Bikes and riders ready we decided we would head down and along the cliff path towards Mewslade Bay then skirt around to Fall bay and tears point up to the Lookout station then a wee stop at the Cafe before letting the fat bikes loose on Rhossilli beach.

All i can say is some ideas are best kept as ideas, we both agreed that this was one of the hardest starts to a bivi trip we'd done, lifting loaded fat bikes up over styles and pushing up short sharp steep valley sides is prob best classed as type two fun. Also the glorious weather we had vanished and we were in full water proofs after about 40 mins of riding!

The cafe was warm we ate cake, fudge and drank fizzy pop

Time to hit the beach, a fast drop down onto Rhossilli beach and up to Spaniard rocks brought us around to Broughton Bay then a quick blast in the dunes drops you down Whiteford Sands, from here when the tide is out and with 5" tyres you can ride all the way around to the woods at Berges Island our home for the night.

Wayne rounding the corner onto Whiteford sands


Just happy to be out enjoying the beach


If you've never been to this area its a top bivi spot, as mentioned before at the main entrance to Whiteford Burrows there's a small National Trust cottage with water tap a real life saver.

The woods are fantastic pine tress have carpeted the floor with needles and its a real bike playground with dips and hollows all over, vines hanging down and some oddly shaped trees

There are the odd boggy areas to get past as well


We found a new spot and pitched tarps ready for the night


Now while we had started getting kit up it had started to rain showers at first but getting stronger. One thing i should mention about my mucker is that he bloody loves a fire, so we made a fire pit collected logs and set the fire up ready for darkness to hit.

Around 7 it started pissing down and we both ducked under tarps and decided it was time to eat.

With the realisation that there would be no fire tonight Wayne spiralled into a drunken stupor with the aid of a few wife beaters and hip flask


It pissed down all night the rain was like drums on the tarp thank god for whisky and co-codomols

Morning came and the weather improved and we decided we would ride the beach back down to the van


Again Ideas proved to be our undoing and the lack of looking at tide times, we got to a critical point on the beach and realised we would be likely making use of the coast guard and air ambo if we carried on the beach with the tide really ripping in. We back tracked to the base of Cwm Ivy cliffs and had to push up and over towards Whiteford Bay carvan park to rejoin the coast path.

I hate rude starts to the day and this was a rude start, photo does not do it justice another type 2 fun situation


We also had our hopes and dreams dashed when we found the cafe at the campsite had not yet opened for the season, when Wayne finally stopped crying i picked him up off the floor and gave him a cwtch we smashed on towards Broughton bay and did a few cheeky pics



Now its at this point i decide to take pics of Wayne coming down a little rocky steep section and its at this point Wayne decides to age me by ten years, i'm sat just off the cliff edge prob no more than 3-4ft away thinking Wayne will head towards me and pass on my right buuuut noooo he goes to my left and didn't realise till i showed him how close to a nasty big old drop he'd come... His cheeky response " dont worry the rocks at the bottom would have stopped me "


Its here the weather changes on us again and we start to ride into mist, rain and salt spray from the incoming time and a whole new biking experiance.

wait a few minutes in wales and the weather goes from this

to this


With the tide coming in and not a lot of beach left to ride on we had to get on with the job of riding, the first few hundred yards were on sand and easy going, this then turned into a narrow section and was covered in pebbles the size of cannon balls for pretty much the rest of the beach so at least 2 miles, great fun normally to ride on but with waves coming in crashing and rolling the pebbles back down the beach it was a bit intense like riding on a moving carpet of sea foam and slippery balls, we had to time the waves to drop down and do a quick sprint then watch for the next set coming in and sprint back up to higher and drier pebbles, i got a bit giddy at one point from watching the water hitting my bike and the pebbles moving and didnt see a big set coming in, the next thing i know i'm hit with a massive wave and get soaked up to above my knees and me and the bike are now about 4ft in sea water and i'm starting to fall and get pulled by the outgoing wave to the right, i managed to unclip and rolled myself inland ( Type 3 fun??) , after a change of underpants and catching up with Wayne we decided to move inland.

A brief ride through Llangennith caravan park led us to the coast path, in the distance we could see a figure bent over walking a few paces then stop and repeat, when we came level it was a old guy who looked old enough to remember the time before dinosaurs walked the earth, we had a chat and he remarked on the bikes and we wished each other a good day, i hope he got home ok and isnt still out there walking.

One last long climb to Rhossilli village led us to the main road and a quick spin to the van, a quick change into dry clothes and were were heading home all done before 1030... we stopped at a cafe to reward ourselves with lots of artery clotting fried food, i can highly recommend Georgie's Diner just off the A48 near pyle if your hungry after a wee bivi trip.

Our next Bivi adventure, unless i get itchy feet will be at WRT hope to see you all there

[BigdummySteve]

3/3 little trip up to a local airfield, most of the trails were in better condition but the climb up an old trail was like riding through a shallow river. After a few beers with my old skydiving pals I made my way back to an abandoned farm for the night. A cold but beautifully clear night warmed by down and malt. One thing I learnt was just how good tubeless is, I pulled about 3-5 hawthorn twigs out on the way there which self sealed and perhaps half a dozen more while cleaning the bike. Also my seat bag rubs on big hits, a braced bagman had been sourced, although not as light or trendy as seatpacks the carridice is ace so it's staying. WRT next unless I manage another night out before.

[ChrisF]

Managed to squeeze in a last minute March bivvy on Friday.

I rode in to work on my single speed with bags attached, then headed off after work towards the Peak for the evening. I'd heard the terrible news about Mike Hall at lunch time so he was in my thoughts much of the day. I rode with him a bit years ago, before he became an ultra endurance legend, so have followed him ever since. It seemed somehow fitting that I was riding out into the hills that evening and I stopped in Edale for a pint and raised a glass to his memory.
I found a spot to pitch the Silshelter part way up the Jacobs Ladder track and had a quiet evening as the light faded.
Rain rattled off the tarp on and off in the night, but the weather picked up a little at dawn, and I had a mellow hour of riding over to Hayfield and home to New Mills. Back for breakfast.
A couple of low quality phone pictures:
Home for the night:IMG_0497 by Chris Farley, on Flickr

Kitchen:IMG_0501 by Chris Farley, on Flickr

Top of Jacobs LadderIMG_0503 by Chris Farley, on Flickr

[whitestone]

Another last minute (night) bivy. Thursday afternoon and Friday morning I did the Trans Cambrian ITT. Found a very cheeky renovation project so for obvious reasons no photos or location.

3/3 for the year, currently on a run from last year of six or seven.

[Scattamah]

Going east-west, the 'renovation'....it's not the one on the right just before a gate and has a bothy-green door, is it? (trying to be distinctly vague here to not give it away). If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's been like that for some time.

Greetz

S.

[whitestone]

Yes (vaguely)

[dorsetshirelad]

3/3
Inspired by recent Bivi A Month post I was keen to head off for March's adventure in dry condition and avoid such adjectives as " misery, soaked, etc. The weather duly came up trumps with blue skies a warm wind and dry tracks.

My destination was 30 miles away, which I decided to do after work, these days after work means, anytime the missus gives me permission, being retired now.

I arrived at my bivi spot expecting it to be quite, the previous residents having left around 300 BC, decamping to a nearby hill, until ousted from there by the Romans several centuries later.
The site had been occupied since 3000 BC, but I was the only living soul spending that March night there, 5000 years since its first occupation.

The ride was characterised by the summer conditions, being in shorts and t-shirt was a treat, my bike being almost as mud free on arriving as setting off. Comfortable riding on country lanes and bridal ways only having to get off and push on the final steep climb to the top of the hill fort.
Along the way I stopped for a cuppa and sandwich at a mates, he's building an Arts&Crafts style house
out in the back of beyond and left with a couple of free range eggs for breakfast.


On arriving I picked a good spot to take advantage of the sun setting over Blackmoor Vale I wasn't disappointed as I got a brew going. Suitable refreshed I rehydrated my savoury beef, veg and rice, as the sun went down. The clocks having sprung forward that week end it was still quite light a 8:15 but didn't really get too dark all night, with a brilliant starry sky.
I settled down for a well earned sleep, but the sprits of days passed that still inhabited that hill played with the flaps of my tarp all night through, pretending to be a breeze blowing up the hill.

After breakfast I set off for home, taking a slightly more direct route but detouring to pay a visit the last nights hosts new settlement. The breeze had subside and all was peaceful as I passed through.
Travelling along dismantled railways, country lanes and bridal paths, I made good progress, arriving back at lunch time.
It's always good to get home, it was another brilliant trip, and a good tick for March, the main adjective that characterise my outing is exhausting, primarily through an over active imagination .

[RIP]

'Expecting it to be quiet, the previous residents having left around 300BC' . These bridal ways sound intriguing though, a good place to pick up a Lonely Heart perhaps? .

[dorsetshirelad]

Re: Bivvy a Month 2017.
Post by RIP » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:50 pm
'Expecting it to be quiet, the previous residents having left around 300BC' . These bridal ways sound intriguing though, a good place to pick up a Lonely Heart perhaps? .

Yeah just me and the auto corrrrect.

[slowupslowdown-under]

Busted a move and rode over the South Australia border into Victoria to try and find a campground called Moleside on the banks of the Lower Glenelg river.

The presence of more sandy tracks than I had counted on plus the loss of daylight savings meant that I had my first solo, totally in the middle of nowhere night ride.

It was amazing - the starshow was immense but riding through a combination of managed pine woodland and dense eucalyptus was interesting at times, made moreso by the presence of literally hundred of 'roos. I must have disturbed one per 20 metres for over 20km!. As soon as my light reached them they would spring up and bolt across the track, and some of these buggers were up to 5 foot.

Eventually made it to the campground, deserted (as always), pitched the nx1 and got a decent nights kip.

Woke at 530am to get back to the truck by 930am. Beautiful morning - the type that puts a crazy smile on your face. Light fog in the trees with bright sun rays punching through. Forgot that I got gifted a spare half an hour when I crossed the border again which was useful!

140km in the end and my map has been extended again. Saw no more than 6 people in that distance. Ordering a SPOT tracker now though - you just wouldn't be found and there is zero mobile coverage as soon as you venture off the beaten track.

The Tripster was superb. Its a perfect bicycle for this part of the world. I may even upgrade to the V2!

[Sussex Paul]

4/4

Took out a friend on Saturday night who has never been bikepacking before, and doesn't really ride other than to the shops. I managed to fit him out with some of my old gear plus some borrowed lights and we headed off into the hills. We were cruising along nicely, but after a few miles he managed to go over the bars and somehow snapped the quick release lever on his front wheel. We tightened it up, but without the lever there was nothing to hold the tension, so we decided to cut the ride short and find somewhere close to bivvy. We tramped around a bit, and found a small group of trees that provided some shelter.

We set up, shared some drinks and some stories before calling it a night.

With just a short ride home the following morning we brewed up and headed back. We might have a convert

[Scud]

Scraped this trip out in on Friday 31/03 for March's effort, but taken me til now to post up.

Trip to the coast to Burnham Ovary in North Norfolk see the seals and cause it felt right to raise a beer and spend the night in the bivvy and mull over Mike Hall's passing.

Lovely night and great clear skies.

[PeterC]

Late post (again). March bivvy done on 22nd/23rd March so 3/3.
Some good photographs above so I thought I'd stick in a few to show you the flatness of the Puszta, and just what the local riding is like for me at the moment

The ferry across the river Koros is off at the moment so a sneaky crossing of the railway bridge to get to the other side.
DSCN1377 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

Then heading north along the dyke past an abandoned cattle farm (all arable now). Potentially a good winter bivvy location.
DSCN1379 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

The long and winding road isn't often winding.
DSCN1382 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

Walkers hut on the River Berretyo, which drains the Hortobagy nature reserve.
DSCN1381 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

There were flocks of storks flying overheard heading north, this one was settled on it's nest, possibly waiting for it's partner to turn up.
DSCN1383 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

The route got a little rougher.
DSCN1380 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr
DSCN1385 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

Led past some beehives the occupants of which were very active in the warm (25 degree) spring sunshine.
DSCN1386 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

The planned bivvy spot, which was rather nice grassland screened from the road by woodland, was now surrouned by an electric fence containing a herd of cows so had to push on a bit. Looked at a couple of spots which weren't so good and eventually found this one. Only about 100m off a public road but I hoped the scrub would break up the outline of the trailstar enough to be inconspicious. It did
DSCN1388 by Peter Cairns, on Flickr

During the night got clobbered by quite a violent thunderstorm (not in weather forecast) which was fun, as it hit the wind had some pretty strong gusts and I had to nip out and re position a couple of pegs. Great watching the lightening though.
Although, the terrain isn't the most exciting, there was masses of wildlife. Hares(lots of); Red, Roe and Fallow deer (some rather large herds of Fallow); flocks of Storks overhead; Buzzards everywhere: Great Bustards grazing on the puszta; a Marsh Harrier, a Slow Worm and a couple of Kestrels. A grand night out.

[Al]

4/4 in sunny mid Wales!
Got to use the fake trailstar for the first time in anger, can't get over the size of it - you can fit the bike under it!
Saw a nesting osprey on my travels and found a superb lakeside biviy spot

[JohnClimber]

4 out of 4 in 2017

12th out of 12 bivi a month ride was last night out in the sand dunes of Merseyside.


Via the Grand National near Bechers Brook


Sunrise jig


Bivi

[metalheart]

BAM17 4/4:

RP was the Snack Shack in Dalwhinnie. Me and Scotroutes had lunch (piemonster had had home made fish finger rolls... shoulda known right there...).

Fuelled up we loaded up and departed along route 7 (adjacent the A9) until we got to Dalnaspidal.

Turn off for Loch Garry by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Where we avoided certain death...

Danger of DEATH by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

And we took a right and headed up to Loch Garry.

Colin on the Bridge (instead of under it for a change... ;-) ) by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

And around the Loch and nipped in past the bothy at Duinish (because it was there) before heading over the estate road to Criaganour on Loch Rannoch taking in many fine views of Shiehallion on the way.

Shiehallion by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

We stopped at the loch for a couple of photos and drink in the view

Loch Rannoch by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Loch Rannoch by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

before saddling up and riding along the side until we got to the old Road to Isles and up (apparently) a massively improved road until we hit <pedant alert>Corrour Old Lodge</pedant alert>where we had decided to bivy. We pitched up.

Corrour Old Lodge Bivy Spot by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

And waited for sunset

Piemonster checking out the sunset by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

I was done in and headed to the scratcher about 9.30. I was asleep within, oh, 5 minutes. But woke around 1am. Perhaps removing my fleece and thick socks wasn't the smartest idea I've ever had... But damned if I was getting up to add more layers...

Dawn dawned and the tarp was soaking (but no rain...)

having been barely able to eat in the evening I needed a little sustainence to keep me going to I pfaffed about boiling the kettle and the like. SR and PM were raring to go but having gotten ready I suddenly realsised that my bib short strapped were around my knees to the strip and re-dress pfaff took place before we finally hit the road down to Loch Ossain

Loch Ossian by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Loch Ossian by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

And proper breakfast at the cafe at Corrour Station (opens at 8.30 every day the sign says). So after some Its Sh.ite Being Scottish photos and calling PM an effete arsehole a couple of times just for good measure we saddled up and rode along the south side of Ossian past the fancy new Shooting lodge and took up the new improved hydro road until it ran out (abruptly) leaving ~5km hike-a-bike before the final 0.5-1k scrambling up the heather to hit the good Bealach Dubh path and down the abysmal (cough) single track to Loch Pattack. Then it was over to Loch Ericht and back to Dalwhinnie.

My camera was running out of juice but I'm sure Scotroutes will be along shortly to fill in the gaps.

Saturday was pure dead f**kin pish man... what with the sunshine and cracking views. Sunday was overcast but it never came to anything until we got out of the Snack Shack so who cares. An excellent route from Colin and great company too. Hope you sort out that GPS PM and that you get over those nuts C, what a dampner on things, eh?

[ScotRoutes]

And as if by magic....


http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2017/04/ ... alder.html

[Farawayvisions]

3/3 for me. I found a den in the woods so I decided to bivvy alone. Conversation was a bit one-sided, but I gave it my best shot.

http://www.farawayvisions.com/bivvy-a-month-march-solo/

BAM March solo in the den.jpg (62.41 KiB) Viewed 10387 times

[whitestone]

4/4 for us.

A bivy on the moors above Oldham whilst attempting the Pennine Bridleway. A horrid night with strong winds and rain so found an old shed, sans roof, in which to set up camp.



Apologies to the poor setting up of the tarp but the floor was mostly rubble and getting pegs in and tensioning things properly was next to impossible.

[Borderer]

1/3 for me - a late posting from March. This one is from Portugal, on the beach between Sines and Setubal.

[Borderer]

ps - RayKickButts - I love your posts :) Keep em coming :)

[Bearbonesnorm]

That looks horrible doesn't it?

[Borderer]

It was grim, it really was