ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Tue May 14, 2019 9:56 pm May BAM in progress.

It's a high one


DSC_0368 by Colin Cadden - Flickr2BBcode

Looks lumpy. How'd you make a comfortable Bivvy spot?

Oh yes, forgot to mention - I did my May Bivvy at the WRT. Lovely time with Ben and Jase, highlights include a field of cows, some tussock yomping (but not much, enough to make it a proper WRT), eating at a 4 star hotel, playing dominos in a pub we had to ourselves, a near perfect Bivvy spot we found in the dark on Sunday night and a collapsed wheel bearing that took a while to diagnose but happened very quickly and made the third day pretty much like riding with a rear brake stuck on but with the wincing of hearing the bearing disintegrate and wondering whether it would collapse!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2348270966

House move taking up time now, so not even taken photos off my camera properly yet....but some on the strava link.

I'm still tallying up the Bivvies though.

Zippy wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 10:38 am

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Tue May 14, 2019 9:56 pm May BAM in progress.

It's a high one

Looks lumpy. How'd you make a comfortable Bivvy spot?

The initial spot was a wee bit lumpy but careful rock placement made it all work fine. In fact, I hardly needed a pillow. When I relocated after the wind turned I was on a bit sloping rock shelf that I've used before and I knew would be a good spot.

A sad two day trip north to Aboyne, to clear out my late aunts house and hand over keys to new owners, gave me an opportunity for a bivvy, ...and a big drive.
Drove up Tuesday night, cleared house Wednesday morning (not on my own thankfully) then drove to Ballater for lunch. Packed up the bike and headed off up Glen Muick in 25 degrees and a greenfly explosion. Guilty pleasure of a coke from the fridge at the visitor centre and a seat in the shade brought some respite. Headed west and north over to Gelder Sheil - bit of pushing up the rubbly section then an irresponsibly fast hoon down to the bothy. Some bits were freshly graded and rolled and were almost as fast as tarmac.

Now the last time I slept in a bothy was 15 years ago, at Carnmore, and before that I spent a lot of time in the Galloway bothies which were spartan and could be wild.....so this was a bit of a shock;

Bunks! Toilet! furniture!
Cut some wood, and relaxed in a glorious evening. Had the place to myself, slept soundly until 5.30, and a glorious morning;

Reluctantly left and headed down to Easter Balmoral and then Ballater for cafe opening, then back to Aboyne to hand over house keys and the long drive back to Calderdale.

Late April saw me set off from home to Uig in Skye where I was joining up with seven other folk to spend 3 days riding in the Outer Hebrides.
Four and a half days of pleasant mostly road riding by way of Oban, Mull, Ardnamurchen and Mallaig saw me to the docks in Uig.





Accommodation was bunkhouses of varying quality, but nothing that quite qualified as a bivvy.
After meeting up and catching the ferry to Lochmaddy, we spent 3 fun but windy days riding on the Uists, Benbecula, Berneray, and finishing on Harris. Again bunkhouses and hotels were our digs, definitely more touring than bikepacking.





The ferry from Tarbert took us back to Uig, where I retrieved my rucksack with my sleeping kit in from the boot of one of the cars, and Chris and I set off to find the Lookout Bothy. The others chose not to join us, driving to Portree for a more comfortable night in the Youth Hostel. I now had way more kit than I needed, but I had to get it all back on the bus so it had to come with me.
The day that started cold, dark and windy had turned into a beautiful evening. As we rode the 15 or so km to the start of the path, we could see the bothy shining in the sun on the headland.





2.5 km of offroad track took us to the hut. The only other people we saw were a French couple wild camping, who either didn't know you could use the bothy...or didn't want to.

one way of getting through a gate





4







We were surprised to find that on such a glorious evening, and on a bank holiday that we had the bothy to ourselves. Many photos were taken, we had no food with us having eaten on the ferry, so we just drank a "little" whisky.
Up at 5am to catch both the early sun and the bus back down to Glasgow, then train and and the last of 8 ferries home.





5/5

Excellent. I saw Iains photos and spotted a BB jersey so I was wondering who it belonged to.

Lovely trip that Mark. Gotta be one of the best views from a bothy surely.

5/5 for Fraser and I. Fraser had entered the Galloway Hillbillies Off-Road Duathlon at Kirroughtree near Newton Stewart. The race is a combination of trail running and mtb-ing. We decided to make a weekend of it combining the race with a bothy trip.





Fraser had a great race to finish 3rd.



After the race comes the re-fuelling. After grub, we drove round to the start point for our trip to Clennoch bothy. We had a bit of an epic getting to the bothy.



Still can't see the bothy Dad.





Eventually we got there. Clennoch has a bit of a reputation of being a cold place as there is no stove. Not surprisingly, we were the only occupants. As a precaution, we took the heavier sleeping bags.



We woke up to a cold but beautiful morning. After some breakfast and a tidy up, we headed back to the car.









A view over to the Rhinns of Galloway.

Happy to get May ticked off as the calendar is rammed. No plans yet for June. Another successful trip.

May - 5 out of 5.

The usual routine of a commute in to work on the loaded up singlespeed and an early finish to head off into the Peak for Friday night.

Feeling like there was no rush now that the nights are nice and light, I stopped for a cuppa at Buxworth Basin.
Cuppa tea. Buxworth by Chris Farley, on Flickr

Then a nice steady trundle round Dove Holes Quarry and over to Peak Forest, Oxlow Rake, Pindale and down to Hope for a beer.
Untitled by Chris Farley, on Flickr

On to the track round the south side of Ladybower reservoir and I found a nice pitch tucked away in the woods with a view over the water.
May BaM by Chris Farley, on Flickr

Followed by food and watching the light fade.
Evening on Ladybower by Chris Farley, on Flickr


The next day I had to be back early for family duties so took the train back from Bamford.

. Did you spot the blue plaque in Bugsworth .

No I didn’t. I just looked it up, an interesting story, thanks Reg.

I was being a bit cheeky - as well as the real one there should also be one for something not entirely unconnected to our esteemed proprietor .

Oh yes, yours truly was indeed born and bred in that fair village.

5/5 for Joe and I.
We camped out four times in May, all in the USA.

One soggy wildcamp in a wet forest.


One at a nice (free) lock-side campground.


Once at a picnic shelter that kept us out of biblical rain that hung like a curtain round all four sides of the structure.


and finally here is a photo of the nicest one - at a free lock-side campsite on the Erie Canal trail. I think that's allowed as we didn't pay for it.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 10:05 am Oh yes, yours truly was indeed born and bred in that fair village.

Ah, now I understand. Perhaps we should get a Bearbones style plaque erected to the doyen of British bikepacking.

Like this?

I was going to mention that but knew you'd be along with a pic. Tis ace!

you mounted that really fancy plaque with drawing pins?! Couldn't find any blu tack or chewing gum?

Thursday finally got my act together, and went to a favourite spot just 2.2 miles away. Decided I would try out this no tent business and just lay out my sleeping mat (Klymit X-Lite, so not much there) on a permavent sheet, with sleeping bag on top, with my Z-Packs tarp-tent laid on top.
BAM May 2019 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

That was easy enough but The Midge was present being near the stream, so had to put the midge net on.
I was too hot, the midge net was very restrictive, I couldn't hang my arms out, so guess what... enough of that, and in 10 minutes I was in my tarp-tent in comfort perfectly protected from the midge.

BAM May 2019 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

The stream:
BAM May 2019 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

Sandwich for breakfast then made my way up the big hill (with a lot of rests, north wind against me) to the BG Cafe for breakfast, and a huge pot of tea.
Ever onwards with great though uphill ST thrown in, some fantastic and tricky riding, through Tockholes (more secret track...) and eventually to Darwen Tower. More secret track (that's mainly what ST means ) then the track across Darwen Moor.

Now if you know this area you may have ridden across what used to be a bog, but there has been a track of sorts across it for ages (in fact it was a miners' track a long time ago). And someone (my mate says it's a bloke from Darwen) has made it very neat and spent a lot of time doing it up. Before I embarked from the gate post, I saw someone coming towards me pushing an old bike and carrying a shovel... it was the secret trail-builder. So had a long chat with him and some very interesting accounts of the history up here, and hereabouts.

He mentioned the plane wreckage near Whimberry Hill, two Hurricane fighters and one pilot had a girlfriend in Bolton, and they had agreed to do a few aerial stunts to impress her, but sadly they collided and met their ends.

Ever onwards across the moor and take the track down towards the Strawbury Duck for a pint, when I met two mtb'ers coming up, and ended up having another long chat ! They were a couple of climbers (and mountain bikers) from Burnley who I have met in the past when bouldering, and one of them when I was climbing in Ceuse in France.

A well earned pint (one white finger, a very cold wind) then a pleasant detour then home.

About 33miles and 4300 feet ascent

Some great quality riding there

May done, so 5/5 for the year Just a short 30 mile overnighter this weekend in my local patch in Ayrshire... Shitty weather but glad to be out there!


https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7z8bdpE6V ... txc5945gkj

Right I'm back in having failed Feb to May. Will push through to next May......
So May bivvy on the Great glen Way after baling out of the highland Trail - mucho rain but managed a cosy night and 8 hrs solid kip

Already got May done so this is an extra one.

Was thinking of riding into Gorton bothy on Saturday but heading into Tyndrum along the WHW I noticed a shed. A quick reccie showed the back of it was still dry. Later that evening I returned and dossed down. I had to move a couple of times to avoid splashes from holes in the roof but eventually got to sleep.

At about 3am I’m woken up by a noise, I made a startled cry. It turned out to be a horse wanting to get in out of the rain! My cry startled it and it trotted off no doubt annoyed that I had nicked its shelter. There was no horse muck in the shelter though or evidence of animal usage.

Up and away early doors to check on the HT riders.

Oh wow... only 3 to 4 days left. I best get my finger out and get it clocked off and find a nice place without too much litter to sleep out

BAM in progress.

Almost never happened but mtb had been made ready so no excuse (except the fear and wind and anxiety and not having a decent bivy spot in mind ).

Was interesting trying to balsnce the monii bag, borah bivi, mat that was being air inflated, and the lightweight PHD bag, without everything flying away... mat almost went but i nabbed it...

Then into bivy and bag on top of mat and both bivy/Sbag wonky and wrong way... But, it'll do.

Now for forty winks so zippy can tick me off too when he does his count up/medal of honor thingy...

So I had a couple (actually it was 1.5) hours sleep and then awoke to a touch of morning light. It was blowy. So decided I should wait and capture 3 shots of different light shades.... Then I'd be off as the end one would be when sun had come up...







Managed to get '40 winks' or a bit more in between that time.... Got up, ensuring nothing gets blown away. Packed up and put on shoes which were making pulling their weight well by acting as my pillow (beneath the mat ).



As you can see (although it is a little blurry but you have to just take my word for it) I left no trace and no fires had been lit... nor midges harmed.

Then I proceeded at 0430 in the morning to go and have (what seemwd like) probably the best ride of my entire life. Even found a tiny stream that was overflowing and causing havoc. I crossed it without too much fuss

Thanks whoever started this lovely game of BAM off