So circumstances meant that just four of us met up at Bean Loved in Skipton. Eric and myself on fat bikes, Cath on a mixed 29er/plus and Zippy on something, well zippy. After lunch - come on this is a social ride, a bit of (steep) road work got us to the BW over Barden Moor:
At this point it was obvious that our route would be mostly into the wind, oh well.
We were quite excited about the hailstones sticking around on the summit of the moor. Little did we know ...
The descent down to Rylstone chilled us but the climb out of Hetton warmed us up a bit.
The climb up to Weets Top was a race against the oncoming dark. It was also pretty hard work with the sodden ground meaning slow going. Lights went on just before the very top. At this point we were meant to head to Mastiles Lane then work our way over to Settle and the pub. However an executive decision saw us descending to Goredale then Malham and tea in the Listers Arms, we'd then head to the bivy spot.
Some of the customers (and bar staff) were a bit shocked at us heading out again. The Cove Road was a bit of a grind, it's rare I'm in bottom gear, the road was also starting to get icy. The track over the top was, hmm, interesting in places with frozen sleet on limestone rocks. Descending the other side and the team were getting a bit twitchy in the increasing wind and sleet showers. "Just a couple of hundred metres after the next gate" I promised. Except I'd forgotten a bit of the track so it was a bit longer. Eventually the relevant gate appeared and we descended to the barn.
Eric was going to pitch his Trailstar but once under shelter he changed his mind
We got settled in but during the night Eric had to move as he was in a draught from the door that led through to the barn. With rising light it was time to get up and ...
There'd been over 15cm of snowfall overnight! Getting back was going to be interesting. We got packed and were away by 9am.
Our bivy in the background (the good shippon is on the far side, the barn and the shippon on this side have collapsed roofs)
What had been straight forward last night was now 15-20cm of snow covered track and hard work! I didn't even brake on this descent as the snow slowed me enough.
The next couple of km to the summit of the track were a mixture of pushing with a bit of riding where we could. Any slight incline was usually a matter of time before you were off and walking.
Eventually we got to the top and parked our bikes.
So we had the descent. A couple of hundred metres downwards and we were pushing, the snow even deeper as it was on the lee slope and had drifted. I'd earlier been moaning about walkers not taking the same path through snow so as to make things easier for everyone, you'd see lines of post holes spread across 20 metres of "trail". Then we came across a trail made by the local cattle, at least they know what to do. Easy going got us to within 200m of the road.
We had planned to go around Malham Tarn, on to Weets Top then down to the café at Airton but it had taken us two hours to do just 5km so there was no way we'd be doing that! Another executive decision. Carefully back down the Cove Road to a late breakfast in the café in Malham. Lots of slush on the road to Airton. It was then that things went from the sublime to the ridiculous as the BW from Airton to Bell Busk was as wet and muddy as I've ever seen it and any chance of dry feet went out of the window as we had to wade through ice cold water to get to one gate. One more BW to get to Gargrave then it was road back to Skipton.
More coffee (and cake) then we all made our way home.
A cracking weekend. Thanks to Eric and Zippy for the company.
Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
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- whitestone
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Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
Last edited by whitestone on Sun Dec 15, 2019 7:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
Only a smidge more snow than we had.
Re: Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
Well done you lot looks like a cracking trip!
Gutted I couldn't make it. Next time maybe.
Gutted I couldn't make it. Next time maybe.
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Re: Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
Well done everyone and thanks for taking the time (and possible frozen hands) to take them pics. Especially the ones of the the total whitewash... I wondrr if there's such a barn close enough (30 miles range) to me for my next BAM out...
- Escape Goat
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Re: Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
Yes mate!! Love that! Will have to check the route out. Looks like you had fun!!
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Re: Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
Disappointed that I could make it, but seems like you all had a proper adventure.
Re: Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
A fine looking trip, gutted I missed the snow
Re: Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
Sunday morning in at least 4 inches of snow !
IMG_2957 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
First time I've bivvied under a roof ! (and glad of it too )
IMG_2955 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
Putting the Trailstar up in the woods would have been fun
IMG_2954 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
Chris looking quite fresh !
IMG_2952 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
Me not so fresh...
IMG_2951 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
A rare shot of Bob (he usually takes the pictures), and Cath
IMG_2953 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
The fat bike weighed a ton, I had pogies on which were very good, a big bike lock, a duvet jacket just in case it was below, biscuits, sarnies, enough energy bars for 2 days, AND that fat bike innertube is another story..
Cold fingers on Sunday morning on the 3 miles push push push, even with pogies on...(Saturday warm fingers all day)
And having put a new chain on (I change/rotate chains very regularly, clean them in unleaded, then wax them, ready for next time, AND measure how much stretch and more than 0.5mm I bin them !) but this chain went on and it was a new chain, and started slipping, so I had to make sure I was in a low gear so there wasn't too much tension (lowest gear uphill, (it would have been anyway )
New cassette is ready for me at my local bike shop.
All character building stuff
The food and ale in The Listers was excellent, I really wanted a dessert but the Cove Road was on the menu instead... and it was grim going up there...
But great to meet up, and thanks to Bob, Cath, and Chris.
That's 24 bivvies put of 24 months
IMG_2957 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
First time I've bivvied under a roof ! (and glad of it too )
IMG_2955 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
Putting the Trailstar up in the woods would have been fun
IMG_2954 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
Chris looking quite fresh !
IMG_2952 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
Me not so fresh...
IMG_2951 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
A rare shot of Bob (he usually takes the pictures), and Cath
IMG_2953 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
The fat bike weighed a ton, I had pogies on which were very good, a big bike lock, a duvet jacket just in case it was below, biscuits, sarnies, enough energy bars for 2 days, AND that fat bike innertube is another story..
Cold fingers on Sunday morning on the 3 miles push push push, even with pogies on...(Saturday warm fingers all day)
And having put a new chain on (I change/rotate chains very regularly, clean them in unleaded, then wax them, ready for next time, AND measure how much stretch and more than 0.5mm I bin them !) but this chain went on and it was a new chain, and started slipping, so I had to make sure I was in a low gear so there wasn't too much tension (lowest gear uphill, (it would have been anyway )
New cassette is ready for me at my local bike shop.
All character building stuff
The food and ale in The Listers was excellent, I really wanted a dessert but the Cove Road was on the menu instead... and it was grim going up there...
But great to meet up, and thanks to Bob, Cath, and Chris.
That's 24 bivvies put of 24 months
Re: Yorkshire Winter Bivy 2019
Hi All,
I had a really good weekend away, nice to catch up with Bob and Cath, nice to meet you Eric. I’ve not really got anything to add to everyone else’s words. I took a few photos which I hope to have uploaded over Christmas time (I have a backlog!).
Strava here: https://www.strava.com/activities/2939607303
The snow made the journey up worthwhile (the journey back was a bit crap…new A14 bypass lacks traffic data and was closed, so took 45 mins longer to get home than to get up – and I stopped 3 times on the way up!). It was very much a winter bivvy, thanks all!
I had a really good weekend away, nice to catch up with Bob and Cath, nice to meet you Eric. I’ve not really got anything to add to everyone else’s words. I took a few photos which I hope to have uploaded over Christmas time (I have a backlog!).
Strava here: https://www.strava.com/activities/2939607303
The snow made the journey up worthwhile (the journey back was a bit crap…new A14 bypass lacks traffic data and was closed, so took 45 mins longer to get home than to get up – and I stopped 3 times on the way up!). It was very much a winter bivvy, thanks all!