Bivvy a Month 2021

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Verena
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Verena »

It was a choice between unpacking my stuff and cleaning my bike; or going out again - guess which one I chose....
Nipped down to my favourite river spot again last night, only this time I have photos.
I thought as it's July it's high time to add some summery girly flair to this thread, so I wore my recently acquired floral trousers (haute couture a la Aldi) - very comfy to sleep in actually.
Even had a little swim in the morning while airing/ drying my sleeping bag and mat.
Then a little pootle and home.
7/12
ImageIMG_20210715_223620 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
ImageIMG_20210715_223747 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
ImageIMG_20210716_043141 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
ImageIMG_20210716_050347 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
ImageIMG_20210716_051403 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
Image2021-07-16_07-11-11 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
Image2021-07-16_07-04-34 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by ScotRoutes »

Lovely spot that.
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by fatbikephil »

Most stylish PJ's on a bivvy competition??
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Borderer
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Borderer »

htrider wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:18 am Most stylish PJ's on a bivvy competition??
Pointless. Verena has already won.
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by fatbikephil »

Borderer wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:11 pm
htrider wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:18 am Most stylish PJ's on a bivvy competition??
Pointless. Verena has already won.
No I disagree, she has set a very high bar to be sure but that just serves as motivation :-bd
Come on Reg your bound to have something to contribute here!
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by RIP »

X_X
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
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Verena
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Verena »

Borderer wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:11 pm
htrider wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:18 am Most stylish PJ's on a bivvy competition??
Pointless. Verena has already won.
Why Thank You :cool:
Raggedstone
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Raggedstone »

6/6 for 2021, current run 30 .
A bit late again to post . Junes BAM was done on the last day of the month the intention was to do two nights and get June and July done in one trip but that didnt work out .
Having read Mikes post about the Cotswolds bikepacking route i decided to do the Northern half starting late Wednesday afternoon from Andoversford i have done alot of riding in the Cotswolds so knew most of the route . Its a fantastic time to visit as the wildflowers are at their peak i especially like the Cranesbill which lines most of the lanes .
ImageIMG_20210630_163215813 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
Across Cleeve Hill keeping eyes peeled for errant low flying golf balls and down to Winchcombe where i saw this place i will have to have a word about the spelling .
ImageIMG_20201112_150840834_BURST000_COVER_TOP by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
I followed the route to the pub in Snowshill hoping to get some water as i was nearly out, there is a tap outside which one of the patrons who was having a fag break kindly gave me permission to use :smile:
it had been a very enjoyable ride so far with quite a few bivvy spots the next section to Chipping Norton was all on road and takes you past
Obliquatory photo
ImageIMG_20210630_190856068_HDR by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr

Got to Chipping Norton and have to confess to leaving the one true path by getting some food and treats from a Co-op i asked where the Spar was only to be met by vacant stares !! its a different world .
The intention was to stop before Blockley so i could get breakfast at the cafe in the village which is supposed to be good, it had been pretty hot and now the temperature was perfect Blockley came and went and i was enjoying the riding so much that there was no way i was stopping . The light was going but i was on familiar ground so onwards into the lovely valley that comes out at Hinchcliffe to find somewhere to stop, it seemed like a good idea it wasnt the valley was shrouded in mist so better keep going back up to the open ground of Condicote lane . Time was running out at 11.15 a nice field of grass with tracks from a tractor was to tempting to pass so popped through the gate and made my bed and retired without any use of lights as i could see a house not to far away and they were still up .
ImageIMG_20210701_042349554 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
I was up at 5 and everything was covered in condensation and dew the reason for the tractor tracks became apparent if i had gone another 50 meters ( spelling borrowed from my local Doctors surgery) i would have been on a part of the field that had been cut and i would have been a lot drier . I arrived in the honeypot village of Lower Slaughter at 6 and was the only person there it is the first time i have been able to appreciate the beauty of the place .
ImageIMG_20210701_064929408 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
ImageIMG_20210701_065008975_HDR by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
Stow for breakfast then, it was only 3 miles from the bivvy spot but its not that kind of route after a lot of climbing and many miles i got there to find nothing open apart from a Baguette shop which had an open door but was closed after a short chat they kindly offered to make me a breakfast roll which was well recieved .The route out of Stow was the first bridleway on the route i hadnt ridden before and was very nice . Onwards into Oxfordshire to find a field with a new building and a massive queue of people snaking around outside i asked a cyclist who was taking pictures what the hell was going on apparently its a farm shop belonging to someone called Clarkson nothing to see there then . According to the route guide there wa a cafe at Chaddlington which there was i had a great time and laugh chatting to the locals a highly recommended pitstop . It was getting very warm by now so after lunch under some trees it was onto Burford for water and a cream tea . It took a bit of finding but there is a tap to the right of the main enterance to the church and as luck would have it a cafe behind you that lets you take your bike through into the garden and does a superb cream tea . Next objective the pub at Cold Aston for a cold drink and crisps and then find a bivvy spot leaving about 20 miles in the morning back to the van , i was happily sitting there with my lime and soda when the phone rang the upshot was i had to go home so out with the map and back to the van so the last night first night plan will have to wait .
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by RIP »

Well spotted with the farm name :smile:
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
sillybigfella
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by sillybigfella »

Forgive me father for I have sinned, it has been almost five years since my last bikepacking trip. Yes, really…

With an upcoming trip to the Gower next weekend, I thought I’d better rummage in the garage and see if the mice hadn’t munched through everything. Sadly they hadn’t, so a trip was planned from Machynlleth up to Trawsfynydd via Dyfi Forest and Coed y Brenin returning the same way and finishing in Barmouth.

The weekend got off to a less than ideal start when the train from Newtown to Mach was rammed and they weren’t letting any more passengers on. The fact that I had reserved a bike space was neither here nor there to the conductor and his shrug confirmed to me that he wasn’t interested nor did he care. Two carriages on the one of the hottest days of the day of the year, crazy. Leaving a somewhat shocked family on the platform having to explain to their inconsolable children that they were now not going to the beach, and the buckets and spaces were being packed away for another day, I made my way home, picked up the car and drove to Mach. From there, I wound my way up though forest, byways and lanes stopping in Corris for a massive breakfast burrito to fuel the 400m climb out of Aberlefenni heading for Dolgellau.

ImageBikepacking by Paul McCullough, on Flickr

Cue picture of bike on bridge.

ImageBikepacking by Paul McCullough, on Flickr

Just south of Coed y Brenin.

CyB was packed to the rafters with young bucks and gnarled old blokes on £5k bikes who really should know better. But how I envied those ebikes… The weather was bloody hot and with an NRW flapjack and a can of Tango, it was time to be off for the nights accommodation.

Now what I’m about to say will cause some shock and disappointment amongst you. Brace yourselves, but I stayed in a campsite. I told you this was a confessional… But with a level piece of grass, free showers, a kitchen, cold water on tap and a picnic bench, I don’t mind saying it was marvellous. I was so knackered, I even thought of asking the bloke of there was any space left in the glamping pods, but I stuck to my task and with a weary sigh, pitched the tent and got a brew on. Did I say they had showers? Wonderful. The earplugs I brought came in very handy for the noisy campers and the even noisier seagulls on Llyn Trawsfynydd.

ImageBikepacking by Paul McCullough, on Flickr

I somehow dropped my favourite hat along the way so it was a good job I was returning back along the Sarn Helen road back down into CyB and the plan was to go back to Dolgellau and then along the Mawddach trail to Barmouth where my wife had planned to pick me up (with the bribe of an ice cream). However, my legs and posterior protested too much at the suggestion of any more miles, so I made it as far as Dolgellau and thought I’d had enough, let’s not ruin it. Sadly, the hat remains MIA.

ImageBikepacking by Paul McCullough, on Flickr

All in all, about 80km done I think and now looking forward to a takeaway Chinese tonight as a reward for my efforts.

1/7
I’ve been abart a bit
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Well, good work on not simply saying bollox to it and going home Paul. :-bd
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Verena
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Verena »

Nice one :-bd

That hill between Machynlleth and Dolgellau, remember it well....did it the other way round than you did it... remember meeting a couple of totally pissed blokes swigging from bottles of wine coming up towards us, pushing their bikes, on a blazing hot day....

Showers, nice..I know at least one place on the Gower where we'd be able to sneak a free one....o no wait, it'll be raining, the whole weekend will be one long refreshing shower :-bd
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JoseMcTavish
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by JoseMcTavish »

I've really enjoyed catching up with all the posts in this thread, whilst fully aware I haven't done any yet this year! I am still going however so please bear with me whilst I catch up...

The lockdown period really got me down to be honest, but I managed to force myself to squeeze some time in amongst a hectic time at home. I suppose only having to sleep in the back garden made it easier to do at the last minute, at least.

January was a cold and snowy one:

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February was cold but springy:

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March was bright then misty:

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Very few words here:

https://highlanddrifter.com/bam-2021-january-to-march

I do however, feel like the BAMing did help me out of a funk at times, despite being stuck at home. Plus there was always the distant hope of the next proper bivvy slowly approaching... :smile:
ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by ScotRoutes »

As reported elsewhere, I've volunteered to help replace the deck on a bridge over the River Eidart in the Cairngorms. I was asked to check out the condition of the timbers and to get some measurements to took that as an excuse to head down for a bivvy.

Weather was looking settled, but breezy so I opted for bivvy bag and tarp, the midge being less of an issue and that offering more flexible pitching options in an area somewhat lacking in dry, flat ground. On the way up Feshie, I opted to take the dry, high, but exposed line, bypassing the double ford otherwise required. I passed 6 or 7 other tents on the way up to the Eidart. I guess that counts as fairly busy. As I neared the Eidart, I had that choice of the old, stony walkers path of the newer, mussy quad track. Normally, I'd choose the former but this time the quad track had dried up and it was like a soft, brown motorway. I met 8 other cyclists coming towards me (two pairs and a quad), evidently doing through trips. When I got to the area of Colins Howff, I spotted what I thought was a jumble of rocks on a wee hill but it turned out to be the ruin of an old sheiling. It was sheltered, dry and not overgrown so I bagged that as my bed for the night. As I did so, I heard some chatting and two more cyclists appeared - this time heading for the Geldie. I shouted a friendly hello and it turned out that one of them recognised me!! After a wee chat I urged them to press on. It was already well after 8pm and they were making for their car at Linn of Dee.

Time to pitch. I thought I'd use the tarp as a "roof" for my shelter, took it out, unfolded it and.... it was the wrong tarp. I'd mistakenly packed the micro-tarp. Now I had a problem. I only had the Tigoat Kestrel as a bivvy bag and it's barely showerproof. That meant that my legs would be exposed to any rain that might fall - and it was looking increasingly likely to rain. I had a brief moment of panic but then realised that I had the Schnozzle bag for my mat, so I slipped the foot of the bivvy bag into that to make a double layer. (Have I just invented the half bivvy bag?)

Normal service resumed. Meal, drink, snack, sleep. I had a decent night and it actually didn't rain.

I got up early in the morning to survey the bridge and check out part of the old Right of Way. I'd spotted a lovely pool last time I was here and fancied a swim but just couldn't find any way down to it short of jumping in from an overhanging rock, which would have left me with no way out :-)

Return to Aviemore was via the new forest track linking Feshie and Tromie. It's a big climb up from Feshie to the start of the track and it (currently?) ends a couple of km short of the good track in Tromie so I had five, relatively easy, river crossings to cope with on the way. If it's ever fully linked up, it's going to be a great option. I even met up with metalheart on the way back for an al fresco lunch at Loch Insh (that was pre-arranged though).

View from the bivvy spot.
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Making myself at home
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Eidart bridge
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Yeah - it was a bit hot.
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Ford over the Feshie. First time I've used this one. It was only ankle deep but I can easily imagine it being impassable.
Image

July BAM done, so 7/7. 56th consecutive month (though some sub standard news at home means that might be the end of my run)
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JoseMcTavish
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by JoseMcTavish »

Great spot for a night out and glad to hear someone is looking after the bridge! Hope the home news isn't as bad as it sounds.
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by RIP »

Yep nice little spot that 'Routes.

Ow, my arse. Just back from my Virtual Winter Event (yes I know). See the (V)WE thread shortly. And yes I know I had until September so I don't know why I'm 'rushing' :wink:

Thrashed hard for 3 hours this morning so felt very bonky arriving home so just had to ram six pieces of toast and three mugs of tea down me as a second breakfast.

Fed up with sore arses so I thought I'd try the Stuart Wright Way - commando. Sorry Stu, not much improvement :sad: . Still, something arrived in the post yesterday which may help.

7/7, 7/12, 66/66. I can give this up any time I want. Yes, I can. I really can. It's nothing like the alcohol/smoking/chocolate addiction threads here. Absolutely no way jose. Anyway I'm not addicted. Not at all. I just have the odd one as a way of relaxing, a way to unwind after a hard day I mean month. Sometimes socially but unfortunately, yes, sometimes bingeing alone. But it's only once a month. Usually. Unless I'm desperate. I've got that number for Bivviers Anonymous somewhere....

(no of course I'm not taking the piss out of various addicts - apart from myself!)
Last edited by RIP on Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
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sean_iow
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by sean_iow »

ScotRoutes wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 11:27 pm
Eidart bridge
Image
Colin, is the bridge on the CL300? It seems familiar but I can't recall* crossing it :???:

* I can't recall very much of the CL, only snap-shops, perhaps after being stuck on the Island for lock-down I was overwhelmed by all the new sights.
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JoseMcTavish
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by JoseMcTavish »

That's the one, thought it may have looked more like this when you went across :wink:

Image
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sean_iow
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by sean_iow »

It's weird that I thought it was closer to the hill behind? But it was definitely dark when I went over so I didn't really get a feel for the setting.
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Borderer
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Borderer »

ScotRoutes wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 11:27 pm Image
I always worry with a setup like that about wind getting under the tarp at night and pulling the rocks down onto my head....
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Borderer
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Borderer »

July for me but not Joe (so far).

I cycled up an extinct volcano, Ruberslaw, to meet a couple of friends who had hiked up to celebrate my friend's 54th birthday. It was cracking weather and a great laugh. I slept in one of the tarps from Joe's shop for the first time, with one of his Tyvek bivvy bags. I also used a quilt for the first time. Not completely sold on the quilt yet but not too bad either. The tarp and bivvy bag were great though and allowed me to watch the sun set and then the (almost full) moon rising. We picked blaeberries and had birthday cake for breakfast.

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Bearlegged
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Bearlegged »

Ooohhh... That looks lovely. No midge nets either?
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Borderer
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Borderer »

Landslide wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 3:20 pm Ooohhh... That looks lovely. No midge nets either?
Naw, they kept away. Just a breeze up the top of the hill, but enough to keep them away.
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Boab
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Boab »

Love a good handful of blaeberries...
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Borderer
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Re: Bivvy a Month 2021

Post by Borderer »

K1100T wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 6:01 pm Love a good handful of blaeberries...
Me too. They are early this year thanks to the good weather.
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