Bivvy a Month 2024

[Leerowe76]

March BAM, well where do I start. Was meant to be the Dales Divide which turned out to be a mare on most fronts tbh. Had a decent first day on the Friday riding mostly with Dave Riley and meeting up later with Allen before an almighty soaking and then getting cold and not being able to warm up properly and then crashing in the bird hide in Malham, personally a poor effort but prep wasn't all that good but we had a laugh on route back to Arnside the following day after a real chilly night in the hide in completely inappropriate sleep kit (lots of lessons learnt) So here's a few pics

1000045366-01 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

20240329_115131 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

20240329_121726 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

20240329_140910 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

1000045420-01 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

1000045433-01 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

20240329_204905 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

Screenshot_20240331_140757_Strava by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

20240330_101641 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

1000045482-01 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

1000045538-01 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

Typical the weather was great the following day, but the mileage covered on the first day just wasnt enough. May have another go next year we'll see

March BAM Complete 3/12

[JudithG]

any idea in the end of who was it that did the coughing??
[/quote]
I'm thinking it was a badger or fox... Maybe there was someone else camping somewhere nearby - there are the odd tent about in the are as Bristol's homeless don't always go to the city centre (can't blame them!).

Photo for completeness

[JudithG]

Another great set of reads since my last visit folks (wow, ouch and yay! I think covers lots of them!)

My first bothy - April's effort

This Welsh bothy (by Grwyne Fawr Reservoir) has been on my must visit list for a while. But wimped out due to it being too cold/what if there are people already there/not enough time allowed to get there. So yesterday was the day.

With thoughts of getting moving in my head the Post Office let me know my new saddle would be arriving sometime before 2:30. So I opted to wait around for it, as with an 6 hour ride ahead that'd put me into be about 9pm if I didn't stop much. Spent time setting up the rest of my bike and packing.

I finally set off about 3:30pm with a loaded bike (18kg), no snacks (to force myself to sort food on the move), and knowledge that the biggest hill I've ever cycled up would greet me at the end (and likely I'd have to hike the last 4km as it left tarmac).

The weather was good, the familiar ride across the Severn saw wind over ride doing its thing, and then on to Chepstow. I was trying a different route out of Chepstow and it was so much better than the lung busting climb I'd usually tackle

In Usk's co-op snacks resupplied, 50k in. Checked Abergavenny had a fish and chips shop that would be open and headed onwards.

Lights needed at Abergavenny, and food. Then headed on up. And then surprisingly down. And then up, and quite honestly it wasn't as relentlessly uphill as I thought. Stretches of 15% but most much easier.

6.5k from the end my front light gives up. Which was fair, I'd not charged it that much as I forget about doing these things and only flung it on charge for a bit before I left. Onto the spare light. Noticed it had a red light on top, really hoped that didn't mean it was nearly out. Put it onto flashing mode just in case (subtle entry to your wild camping, I'm sure!) Then it too died with 3.5k to go. Oops. (Charge your lights, kids!)

Sadly the last 4k was off tarmac. It was dark (beautiful stars when the clouds parted), rocky underfoot, boggy and parts (the new shoes are well and truly christened now!), and the track went on for hours!

By the light of my phone I pushed on. I was tired and resorted to counting my steps to keep going. I could hear the water on my left and it felt like a steep drop down to it. Counting, counting, counting.

At the reservoir I didn't see the track go through a closed gate, so lost some time and energy with that. And then a little while later missed the small gap in the fence for the final path down to the bothy.

Key note: Don't take your bike down the track to the bothy. Especially not in the dark, by the light of your mobile phone, at nearly midnight, with bikepacking gear. Sheep trails, on a steep slope with a drop into the reservoir and poor lighting can cause frustration, tears and moments of near death. Awake Judith would have ditched the bike sooner.

Having arrived at the bothy to find it full upstairs (three uni students studying outdoor activities and leadership apparently!) I tried to squeeze in downstairs, which made of a less than ideal space, and temperatures drop lower than expected. Decent blocks of sleep despite this.

Morning views were amazing. Not sure if the rock climbing with bike back to the main path was better when you could see how stupid you were being. Slowly, slowly, carefully, carefully.

With compede on the blistered heels, walked the 4k back to tarmac. And then struggled to get the joy of cycling back. Finally bailed at a lovely garden centre and called for help and some dry shoes.

Photos (got myself one of the Flickr accounts to try to bombard you with pics):
1 - Bothy by Judith Gordon, on Flickr
2 - Morning view by Judith Gordon, on Flickr
3 - Path to the bothy by Judith Gordon, on Flickr
4 - The missed turn for bothy path by Judith Gordon, on Flickr
5 - Off road track by Judith Gordon, on Flickr

[RIP]

I need to re-read properly in the morning because had too much ale now, but initial reaction: .

[Blackhound]

JudithG - that sounds like a proper adventure, one to remember.

I got out last night, I was supposed to go out last weekend but as soon as my foot touched the floor out of my bed I felt a sharp pain in my knee that had been troubling me for a few days. My proposed 80 mile ride had two climbs that I knew I would be unable to ride with full kit so I stayed home. As we are off to London later today and off on holiday on Wednesday time was running out.

A little nature reserve I have previously used was flooded last month and is still marshy now. I decided to head to another nature reserve about six miles from home I often pass but had not gone into as bikes are not allowed. I knew from a bridleway that runs alongside there was access at one point so I headed to this bit and on a bit of flat open ground found a couple of benches and set my tarp up next to them. I noticed I was down two pegs so I was unable to peg out the midpoint on each side but it was ok, last night was not too windy. I settled down to mint tea, dark chocolate covered cranberries and brazils and read Jenny Graham's book. I got tired thinking of what she had done. As usual, I could not get off to sleep until the early hours - certainly after 2am. About 0530 I woke and needed to pee and as it was getting light decided to break camp and go home.

Heading home I detoured to see how the upgrade to a cycle path was going. It is being tarmaced and will make a nice spin in and out of Derby of about six miles (Part of NCN 6). I also had a look at the LNR mentioned in the previous paragraph - it still needs a few weeks without rain before I will perhaps return. I then pushed onto Maccy D's for an early brekkie and was home about 8am. I managed to clear the dishwasher and hang the laundry before herself emerged. No getting out of chores for me.

4/12, 28 consecutive months (29 nights)

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5snvAVMGNE

[benconnolli]

I failed on my first trip to Gwyn Fawr bothy too.

Rode like 95% of the distance from home. Was unable to pick up food in Hay on Wye as it was the literature festival and totally packed with articulate pissheads.
Ended up bonking, my light running out, giving up on finding the bothy. Slept on the path and had weird dreams of horse-children passing me on their way to school.
Nice bothy but it is indeed tiny and the most accessible to lots of England so often packed.

[Boab]

Top work JudithG! Sounds like a proper adventure.

With my daughter out at her girlfriends and my wife out for the evening with a couple of her friends, I was at a loose end. As I'm on-call over the end of the month and with the weather being settled, for a change, I decided to head out for my bivvy. I decided I fancied seeing some bluebells and stopping for some coffee and cake, so initially considered headed to Waresley & Gransden Woods, as the it's by far the best place locally to go and see a fantastic display, followed by a visit to the Hot Numbers Roastery.

However, after a poor week of sleep and two and a half hours of ice skating in the morning, I was getting pretty tired as the evening approached. Then the usual anxieties kicked in, I'm not fit enough, it's too far, I wont have enough food, there's no water resupply, I've not got the right clothing, etc, etc, etc... I was getting dangerously close to sacking it all in and sitting in front of the telly self medicating with some beer. Thankfully I decided to head towards Wicken Wild Camping (currently shut), as it's not too far from Wicken Fen, which has an outside tap, then head for The Breadline at Phoenix Bike Park.

Getting out the door was a relief, even if it was slightly chillier and blustery than anticipated. It was nice to find out that the trails had mostly dried out too, obviously some of the bad bits were still bad, but by and large they were much dryer than I was expecting, which was nice.



I took the Exped DownMat with me this time, so I wasn't cold during the night, like last month. The Thermarest quilt doesn't really play with the mat nicely though, so I do get the occasional cold spot, which is frustrating. According to Fitbit though, I had the best night sleep of the week, but a country mile, which was surprising, as it felt like I was lying there awake for all of it. While the eye mask is certainly working wonders for keeping everything dark, I might have to upgrade it to one with eye cups, so there's no pressure on the eyeballs, as that's not so nice.



I couldn't be arsed to get up, which is most unlike me on a bivvy, I'm so anxious not to be discovered, that I'm usually up and away super early. I rolled out of the tent around 08:00, which put me around two hours behind schedule, but as The Breadline wouldn't open until 09:00, this meant I didn't have to cycle around the houses for a bit. [mode rant=on]Does anyone else get absolutely off when you ask for an Americano and they ask if you want milk in it...? IT'S A BLACK COFFEE! If I wanted a white coffee I wouldn't be asking for a black coffee, would I... FFS![/mode]



Anyway, it was relatively nice to be out. The weather was good, loads of spring flowers to admire, birds signing in the trees and the smell of wild garlic, lovely. A couple of trails were a bit squishy and on one you could feel the bike sinking into the soft mud, but the general lack of liquid mud was nice.



Lack of riding eventually took its toll though and I started to struggle after about 75KM. I just kept plugging away, but the legs were just getting heavier and heavier and felt like they were on the brink of giving out. I knew how much further it was to the house, as I was getting closer to home and the mental calculations said I'd finish on 99KM, which would never do. So it was literally riding round the houses at the end till I knew I'd be over 100KM by the time I rolled up the driveway.



While it was nice to get out and go for a longer ride, the desire to get out and ride just doesn't seem to be there at the moment. I'm finishing this up after going for another ride this morning, but the normal joy of just riding my bike seems to have been replaced by a torrent of negativity. That and all the anxiety I've been suffering from before heading out the door is making me question what the point of it all is, BaM is supposed to be fun, not a chore to be suffered. Maybe the WRT will reignite the spark, but given the state of my legs, I fear I'm in for a weekend of pain and suffering.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11179843446
2024: 4 / 12
Total: 42
Streak: 4

[samwise]

Thankfully I decided to head towards Wicken Wild Camping (currently shut)

It's a shame that they closed this place

[Boab]

Thankfully I decided to head towards Wicken Wild Camping (currently shut)

It's a shame that they closed this place

When I phoned them about booking it in December last year, they said they were hoping to open it again later this year. I'm assuming the composting loo needed moving or something like that.

[psling]

Having arrived at the bothy to find it full upstairs (three uni students studying outdoor activities and leadership apparently!) I tried to squeeze in downstairs, which made of a less than ideal space

3 upstairs, they must be good friends! That bothy is full with one person in it, overflowing with two
You did very well to find it in the dark, never mind get down to it

[sean_iow]

Thankfully I decided to head towards Wicken Wild Camping (currently shut)

It's a shame that they closed this place

When I phoned them about booking it in December last year, they said they were hoping to open it again later this year. I'm assuming the composting loo needed moving or something like that.

I have a friend who owns a wild campsite (composting loo/solar heated shower) and the issue he has is all the pitches are grass as are all the tracks/paths. The site is basically just lots of clearings in a little woodland that was planted about 20 years ago. The constant rain for the last 6 months means it's not possible to drive to the pitches and as the site is clayey soil he will struggle to even mow them at the moment. They are always open for bikes/walkers though (shames plug) so if that's the sort of place you'd like to stay it's here

https://campwight.co.uk/

They also have some glamping options but unlikely to interest anyone from here

[gecko76]

I'll have you know I was glamping with my wife and bairns just last week.


Somehow I still ended up sleeping outside in a tent.

[RIP]

Looks quite cosy but I have to say that the tree up the back there rather gives the game away .

[MuddyPete]

https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpB ... hp?t=24496

This month's adventures

[Rapideye]

So managed to get out for a fairly local one last night. As usual left later than I wanted but got to my spot, about 8 miles from home, quicker than I thought I would. Passed a couple of deer who kept an eye on me until I passed.


Passed through Aylsham and skirted the National Trust property and park, Blickling Hall. This is usually quite a busy area but tonight it was pretty quiet. You can rent this place as a holiday home from the NT...about £400 a night.


Exited the park and rode a quiet road until I turned off onto a footpath to another quiet wood. The wood was lovely with deer mooching about and bluebells out. I then realised I'd picked up a puncture from the footpath. Balls. This was my first trip on the Tempest and had exchanged items in the tool bag. I'd even packed a spare tube. What I hadn't checked was whether I had the tool to remove the through axle. Div! Attempted to patch the puncture but only had temporary patches that didn't hold. I'd have to try and sort it in the morning.


Got tent up just before it got dark and had a couple beers. Pretty happy with the whole spot. Pitched at the edge of the wood and a field. There were a couple of houses and farms near by but I was hidden from view. For some reason the wind had picked up and it made quite a racket through the trees and tent. This kept me awake quite a bit. Regularly thought about the puncture and at one point had a dream about camping next to a busy pavement.


Set the alarm for 5am to be able to take down tent before any farmer came walking across the fields or taking out their dogs. This would also allow me to have another go at the puncture. That didn't work. I'd just try to limp the 8 or so miles home. I did need to be home for kids duties and calling the Wife for a pickup wouldn't really help. I got to 3 miles from home, after many stops to pump the tyre back up before having to walk. A bit of a pain but no real issue. Got home in time to take the dog for a quick run and then get ready for youngest football.


I was glad to get out. The spot is one I'll return to.

[sean_iow]

I'd originally planned to get out last week but riding home from work in the rain on the chosen day made me suspicious that weather forecast for dry and clear might not have been right

I pushed it back to Monday but looking out the kitchen window on Monday evening to see rain bouncing off the recycling bin again made me wonder how accurate the forecast was. Why the sudden aversion to rain? I wanted to sleep in the hammock without having the tarp up as I realised I always put the tarp over the top even when the forecast was dry. Also, I now have the tarp in snakeskins I could string it up ready and in the event of rain it would be easy deploy.

I had considered heading out early and eating dinner out, but came to my senses, 2 days without rain doesn't mean its suitable for eating fish and chips on the seafront just yet. I did manage to leave home before it got dark and took the quite back lanes the longer way to add some distance and just enjoy the ride. As I rode through the back of Brading I remembered there is a nasty kick-up in the road on the route I was thinking of taking. A change of plan and off-road detour would miss that out and I'd go past Ashey Station. No sign of any trains so safe to cross at the level-crossing. The last train had gone past at about 15:00 and there wouldn't be another until nearly 11:00 the next day. Is Ashey technically a Halt as it's a request stop?



Onward and upward from the station (halt) and it was clear the winter rain had taken it's toll on the track with some deep washed out bits to cross. I approached the woods I was heading to from the far side to be able to ride past the car park and see if there was likely to be anyone about, all quite. The wood in question is split into 3 by roads and the section I was heading for is the least used. On entering the path it was obvious the mud was too deep to ride so I'd be pushing uphill. After exploring for a while, lifting the bike over fallen trees across the path, retracing my steps, more fallen trees and more mud I arrived at an area of pines spaced far enough apart for my needs. This area was also flat and free from undergrowth. I've bivied here before, that time in the bivi bag and struggled to find a level spot to lie down, I was less than 50 feet from my previous spot and spoiled for choice for flat bits I didn't need as I was in the hammock

Set up and in bed it was nice to be able to look up into the trees and see the moon through the tops, something I used to enjoy in the bivi bag and have missed in the hammock. Surprisingly quiet in the woods, no rustling or animal sounds and only the faintest noise of traffic. The wind did pick up in the night and I'd only taken the 150 quilt to use as a top-quilt so on the limit temp wise. I'd wisely put the down jacket on (Decathlon lightweight) which saved me from a cold night. I could feel the breeze across my face without the shelter of the tarp but not bad enough to want to get out and find my buff to put on. All too soon it was 05:30 and the birds were up followed 30 minutes later by my alarm going off. Not a bad view to wake up to.



Getting out of the warmth an getting changed is always the worst bit. I've made a pillow bag for the hammock which is fleecy and I had put my jersey inside and this had kept it warm, note to self, use the base layer to stuff the pillow next time so as not to have to put on a 6 degree top first thing



I probably would have been warmer with the tarp down but as well as not having the view it would be more to pack up.



Packed away and no trace I'd been it was time to head out. Briefly tried to ride the main track but this was worse than the path I'd used to tunred off onto that, at least I could ride it (just) as it was downhill. More lifting over trees and I had made it to the tarmac. At least the conditions deter any early morning dog walker, or any time of day dog walkers, from venturing in this far. I think they stick to the section of woods on the other side of the road which has maintained gravel tracks.

The climb up the road seemed hard but I always find it hard going this early on, dropped down the Havenstreet and called in at the Steam Railway car park. This is the next stop along from Ashey.



That's a very short length of track, presumably just to stop the wheels sinking in to the ground. More climbing and past a potential spot for next month, but there might be too much road noise as it's just a small triangle of woods with roads on 3 sides. Arrived at work early at 07:15



The commuter has a refresh with new cracks, BB, chain, chainring, cog, bars and some replacement forks - thanks to Mart. These have a longer AC and a longer steerer than the previous ones so have improved the position. The bike was built out of the parts box as a winter hack in Nov 22 and has ended up being ridden most of the time. After 4000+ miles of rain and neglect it needed some TLC. As the new forks had mounts for cages I've added some drJon strapdecks and have the tarp on one and the hammock on the other. They would fit in the front bag but it's more 'bikepackery' to have fork bags... and drop bars


4/12 for the year and 50 months in a row

[RIP]

Is Ashey technically a Halt as it's a request stop?

https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/jargon ... tion-halt/

"A railway station with minimal facilities where trains will usually stop only on request".

Guess NR should know as they own them (although not Ashey any longer presumably) .

It's quite fun to flag a train down. Did it on last year's WRT at Llanaber just north of Abermaw/Barmouth when I couldn't be arsed to ride back to Mach.

[sean_iow]

I was once involved with a development just outside of Ryde where we needed to lay a new surface water drain under the track to get to the river on the far side. The engineer from Network rail arranged to meet me on site which was just next to a level crossing where a bridleway crossed it. I arrived at the allotted time and waited for him. A few minutes later the train from Ryde pulls up and stops at the crossing, the guy gets out of the cab and the train pulls away.

We have our meeting and just as we're finishing I can hear the train coming back. With this the guy gets a flag out of his rucksack, waves the train down, gets on and heads back to the mainland. It's obvious now that he'd travel there by train but it never occurred to me beforehand.

[RIP]

On my various wanderings one day I'd like to get off the train by mistake at a station and find out I'd ended up at Buggleskelly Halt. Although it's not a really a halt, because part of the definition of a halt is "unstaffed and no goods facilities". Obviously Buggleskelly was staffed (incompetently) by Porter, Harbottle and Albert; and equally obviously it accepted goods traffic because they were keeping One-Eyed Joe's pig in the waiting room for collection and ate one of its piglets for breakfast. Which naturally Joe wasn't very happy about. Although to be fair Joe didn't know the pig was pregnant and the piglets popped out in the waiting room before he could collect the pig, so I'd argue the piglet actually belonged to the lads anyway.

[Bearlegged]

Just outside Basingstoke apparently, though it seems the station has been demolished.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliddesde ... ay_station

Google Maps shows "Adventure forest" just to the SE though, which sounds suitable for a Regspedition.

[RIP]

Mmm... I wouldn't want to bump into One-Eyed Joe though....

(I thought "adventure" was swear-filtered out )

[RIP]

Biked/trained/biked to my chum's then over to the young persons popular music concert, although didn't have to hide the bike under the stairs this time.

I'd like to call him Joe Strimmer, as befits my older outlook on life these days and increased indulgence in futile activities. Topper Lawnedger was on drums, and Mick Leafblower on keyboards. Ended up down at the front yet again, sigh.



Can't get much closer to the action than this really



Was off to the woods afterwards but Jezzer insisted I kipped in his garden. Sod it, I've paid my dues I think. Surprisingly chilly. Jez reckoned down to 1degC in the early morning. Eagle-eyed shelter afficionados will spot my schoolboy error - didn't allow enough room for the front line so the doors are floppy. 3/10, do it again boy.



Next gigpack lined up for the end of May. I can't stop.

4/4, 4/12, 101/101

[MuddyPete]

[gecko76]

A quick overnighter to a spot I camped at with a mate for his birthday last year. He sadly died at the start of this month after a fall in the hills near Crianlarich. The funeral is on Friday, so I took the tent to work on his eulogy.

So many memories, including him and his wife doing Werewolves Of London at karaoke, so this seemed appropriate.

Gonna miss you buddy.

[summittoppler]

April BAM done 4/4

Headed up to Y Cribau as it has stunning views of the Snowdon horseshoe. Pitched here a couple of times before as its a great location.

Headed for the ridge on the far right


3 foot tussocks on this one!






This was taken at 3:45am and you can see the lights of the walkers going up the Miners path on Snowdon, there's also another on the summit itself


5:24am tent door view