RIP wrote: ↑Wed Jun 23, 2021 9:06 pm Very nice Colin. Oystercatcher eh? Oysters for your tea then?

Third night out here. Sunburnt yesterday, soaked today - proper Welsh weather. Done my Welsh C2C anyroad (Liverpool Bay to Cardigan Bay that is!)

Tonight's bijou accommodation below, having to wing it a bit.

6/6, 6/12, 65/65

Would be interested to hear how this fared as a sleep spot - eminently perfectly suitable, as would be a church porch which are usually open - but.... any visitors??? Or do you worry that there might be???

The Cumbrian wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:48 am dilapidated and rusting ladders and cables. I shudder when I think of it these days, and the state they must be in now, the best part of 30 years later.

"dodgy" .

Did you do 'Snakes and Ladders'? It's getting harder now. Been some nasty falls of rock. They seem to have fenced off Dali's Hole too.

I'll post up some nerdy quarry filth photos at some point for any fellow sufferers .

Verena wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 12:37 pm

RIP wrote: ↑Wed Jun 23, 2021 9:06 pm Very nice Colin. Oystercatcher eh? Oysters for your tea then?

Third night out here. Sunburnt yesterday, soaked today - proper Welsh weather. Done my Welsh C2C anyroad (Liverpool Bay to Cardigan Bay that is!)

Tonight's bijou accommodation below, having to wing it a bit.

6/6, 6/12, 65/65

Would be interested to hear how this fared as a sleep spot - eminently perfectly suitable, as would be a church porch which are usually open - but.... any visitors??? Or do you worry that there might be???

I'm a big fan of graveyard/church/chapel-based accommodation. Only visitors were a couple of sheep, and some rooks at 5am. Obviously there were a few ghosts roaming around during the night but they are normally too ethereal to cause any trouble. On the positive side you usually have a tap, plus presumably a bit of protection from Him/Her Upstairs . Anybody rolls up, say you're claiming sanctuary . In this particular instance I think the chance of a visitor would be very low TBH.

RIP wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 7:30 pm

The Cumbrian wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:48 am dilapidated and rusting ladders and cables. I shudder when I think of it these days, and the state they must be in now, the best part of 30 years later.

"dodgy" .

Did you do 'Snakes and Ladders'? It's getting harder now. Been some nasty falls of rock. They seem to have fenced off Dali's Hole too.
.

We took a rope with us and I recall a couple of abseils down the rustier / crumblier bits.

I needed to pop in anyway to thank xxx (*) for guiding me through the top side of Beddgelert Forest in the fog and rain yesterday. It was reasonably dicey up there, as indeed the six dejected (to say the least) DofE'ers opined after I'd got them back onto the correct side of the fence at the col. Good job I was passing at that moment I think. Nobody else around. Not sure that route in that weather was very fair on them. The routes down through the quarry to Pennant are not obvious and there are some extremely dubious inclines and tracks with gaping holes in them.

(*) insert deity of choice here

RIP wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:00 pm I needed to pop in anyway to thank xxx (*) for guiding me through the top side of Beddgelert Forest in the fog and rain yesterday....
:
:
. .. (*) insert deity of choice here.

don't mention it but...
I was trying to keep a low profile.

The routes down through the quarry to Pennant are not obvious and there are some extremely dubious inclines and tracks with gaping holes in them.

I was keeping it interesting for you.. you're still here get over it.

^ . I am nowt but the gods' plaything.

Had actually already got June's BAM done when we did the KAW earlier. However a near last minute entry to the Jennride gave opportunity for another. This being the Lakes ...

I took the hammock

That meant we needed to find a bivy with both a flat area for Cath to use the Gatewood and a couple of trees about the right distance apart so I could use the hammock. I'd an idea where we might find such a place so after a meal and a couple of drinks at the ODG we perambled along Great Langdale and climbed up over towards Little Langdale. The initial spot was OK for the hammock but not for camping so we decided to check out a field just off route.

The gate took a bit of opening as the latch was hidden behind some rather prickly brambles. Definitely some flat for Cath, but what about the trees? By pure luck the only pair of trees in the field were just the right distance apart and didn't have any deadwood hanging there.



It was a clear and warm night so it was well past 11pm before it got anywhere near dark. Sunrise was before 5am!

Your early morning vista sir ...


A nearby boulder proved a suitable base to make a brew and some porridge.


Unfortunately the midges didn't seem to have got the message that they don't like sunlight so packing up was basically us being midge smorgasbord Some steady riding got us into Ambleside about five minutes before the café opened. We were soon joined by quite a lot of other riders.

A last minute decision last night for a quick overnighter.
Short ride/mostly push up from the Glen Lednock car park up to the where the track ends and dumped the bike and kit, carried on on foot to the summit of Ben Chronzie. Very nice clear night and could see for miles. decended back down and set up the new lunar solo and Bearbones carbon pol for it's maiden pitch and what a night for it.




Up early and decended back to the van after a coffee as had to get to work, Lovely morning

Really pleased with the new tent and thanks to Stuart for the quick delivery of the carbon Pole, Looks top quality

Ok I give up image hosting aint working

You need the version of the link that ends in .jpg


Anyway, nice fotie. Glad you like the tent.

Very nice, 'Routes. Were the shepherds delighted?

RIP wrote: ↑Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:19 am Very nice, 'Routes. Were the shepherds delighted?

Not my fotie.

See previous post

Cheers Colin, updated now

Managed to bag my June BAM on the JennRide with four other boners

Another dry night, used a (water resistant with open mesh) bivvy bag only and no tarp. Think that's now April, May and June with no tarp

Bloody midges were annoying though. Didn't bother with a headnet as I CBA to pack one, rarely need one. Of course this time it would have been really helpful. Although no bits on my face thanks to Smidge. They found some other spots though

EDIT - Jan, Feb and Mar were also bivvy only, no tarp. Wonder if I can make it a whole year?

benp1 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:30 pm

EDIT - Jan, Feb and Mar were also bivvy only, no tarp. Wonder if I can make it a whole year?

You're going to have to now you've mentioned it Ben

Mr R says I have to go to bed as my weekend is finally over.

Thankfully, I wrote up June, just in time.


I had a rather lovely night out with Mr R and Landslide for Solstice but my June pic is my own choice from the Jenn Ride and I liked it a lot.

Did anyone ride past at any point? Just interested if I was so whacked out to even notice or not... since this pic was snapped standing right on the trail... top breeze exposure to avoid the bitey wee devils.

Nice to have second breakfast later on with Ben!
https://trepidexplorer.blogspot.com/202 ... rides.html

TrepidExplorer wrote: ↑Mon Jun 28, 2021 10:57 pm Mr R says I have to go to bed as my weekend is finally over.

Bloomin' fun police.

Advanced notice of:

Thankfully I've made it through 6 months of BAM for once. A worlds first for me as I think I've only ever managed 2 in a row, ever. Now the problem I'm having which might be insignificant for some, but certainly AK don't wouldn't class it as bikepacking.

You guessed it, I'm without a mountain bike for July BAM but have a nice roadie cruiser steel thing. Dream-bike territory so I called it* 'Layla'** but sadly it ain't no mtb. I digress... So the point being that AK don't class going out on the roadster as bikepacking but roadpacking. Possibly a few others don't either but the official line of the bearboner is, 'who cares'.

Right, so that's that off my chest... How'd one go bikepacking on a roadpacking bike and get a good bivvy in but off the road. Hmmm... With 25mm tires and if it starts chucking it down then you've had it if the ground loses gravel. This is becoming rather poetic so I might aswell carry on, regardless that nothing rhymes but at least nowt makes sense.

So, where do I go and what do I do. Do I travel far with the lame excuse that I'm going to catch the sun. Will I have my missus' fireplace done in time, will the gasman turn up for a dime. Do I travel up a hill or up some cobbles. Maybe up a cobbly hill with double chevrons on the grid. So what do I do. Hmmm

Do I travel to the Peaks or upto The Way of the Roses. Actuallythat sounds good as that there area of natural beauty called the Forest of Bowland. Actually that sounds good and that's where I'll go.

Thanks for listening all and don't tell Alpkit... Maybe tell Alpkit but don't buy a Sonder. Hmmm, is this still part of the poem or is it a 'slate'. Whatever it is and whatever you buy, just don't depend on the warranty.

Thanks for listening and for your time.

*sorry, I meant her
** AKA Juliet in Engleterre or Heeree in some other language... erm, now I'm confused. So it must be Heeree/Ranja in punjabi but Layla/Majnu in urdu...

AK don't class going out on the roadster as bikepacking but roadpacking.

Tossers.

Take the steel thing out, push it up something short and steep off road. Wear plus-fours and they'll let you in the Rough Stuff Fellowship too.



Don't forget the beard (essential).

Googling for this photo: I like the approach of "teas and coffees for own food". More of that please at the moment, cafes of the UK!

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:13 am

AK don't class going out on the roadster as bikepacking but roadpacking.

Tossers.

Blimey, who pissed on your cornflakes?
Given the gentle mocking of gravelwanking on here, should it really come as a surprise that the cycling world has come up with yet another niche term?

Muesli. Sugar and salt free.

Ooft! by Jimmy G, on Flickr


Random thoughts on Covid:
Do you think the future is getting grumpy at folk - not for sharing their pics and locations of the best bivi spots but for outting eating establishment that are a)still open b) still serving food c) not so busy you have to book 2 months in advance?

Also, there's no work day better than slinking off to the spare room exhausted to sit amongst draipsed "drying" kit and much improved trying to stay awake at the desk in between skulking off to randomly lie on the floor and wiggle the mouse from time to time to look like you're still present on MS Teams.

Apologies to people with real working jobs who actually *have* to be present to get stuff done.

Aaah, yes Teams presenteeism...it's a skill

Shaf - 25mm will still get you places, and as it's a light build, then it's prime for just walking/carrying. Find a nice road pass and then walk up the hill with your bike, or something like that. Just make sure the road you leave is a fairly minor/quiet one, and a bit of walking should get you somewhere nice and BAM-able?

TrepidExplorer wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:50 am Also, there's no work day better than slinking off to the spare room exhausted to sit amongst draipsed "drying" kit and much improved trying to stay awake at the desk in between skulking off to randomly lie on the floor and wiggle the mouse from time to time to look like you're still present on MS Teams.

My school-night bivis finish in the office so the dying room is the large format plotter and the bike shed I sleep well enough on a bivi that staying awake is not an issue