Bivvy a month 2023.

[boxelder]

I've only just realised why they are called under quilts I wondered how they gave any warmth when you lay on them
Can you not just attach them to the underside of the hammock? I've probably still misunderstood.

[whitestone]

I've only just realised why they are called under quilts I wondered how they gave any warmth when you lay on them
Can you not just attach them to the underside of the hammock? I've probably still misunderstood.

You don't lay *on* them - they are slung *under* the hammock, i.e. the hammock is between you and the underquilt. Usually you clip the UQ's suspension onto that of the hammock just beyond the end of the hammock then you can adjust things separately. This means that the UQ is free to fully loft in the same way that the top quilt does. Most underquilts are generic (in the same way a sleeping bag or quilt is generic) in that they can be used with any hammock, usually these are what are known as gathered end hammocks, however there are some manufacturers that make integrated hammock/underquilt systems where the underquilt clips on, usually using snap-links or similar.

Edit:
Think of the hammock as a U-shaped piece of fabric wrapped around you. The underquilt is a further 'U' wrapped around the outside of the hammock. The top-quilt is then like an 'n' on top of you.

Hope that's a bit clearer - it's one of those things that's obvious when you see everything set up.

/Edit

The standard answer in the hammocking world is: look at Shug's videos. So here's his underquilt playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... PGHjdyGqsL

[Verena]

November BAM last night, yay!

As we all know by now, it's not easy to get out of the door this time of year....

It helped that I had already packed my things last weekend, and I already had my bike in the back of the car, ready to just take out and ride into the night...

Weather was stormy and rainy, so perfect for a spot I have been meaning to try for a while, and it was everything I had hoped for. Most importantly, dry, and also flat, and it was a mild night and I was armed with plenty of warm everything, so it was really rather cosy.

Here's me ready for the night

IMG_20231119_051718 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

The storm and associated noises did keep me awake quite a bit, so I'm afraid my intended breakfast waffle didn't make it past 2.30am....
IMG_20231119_052056 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Difficult to describe, but the views were actually quite cool, looking either way up at the sky via the curve of the bridge.
Not the best picture, but here's an idea, took ages to get anything like daylight of course.
IMG_20231119_065659 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

First coffee at 5.30, the bridge at times acted like a wind tunnel, so note im promptu use of my boots as a windshield...
IMG_20231119_053250 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

When I was packing up, I discovered that canals do in fact have a little bit of a flow after all.... I shook out my bag of crumbs before repacking it, only to spot my small yellow dry bag with the exped pump in floating slowly away from me...oops.. I got it back out just in time!

I was enjoying myself so much that I went for a little ride along the canal in the pissing rain, just for fun. The autumn leaves floating on the canal looked amazing, as did the last few leaves on the trees, which by now I think have all been blown off...

Here you can see my bridge again in daylight.
IMG_20231119_142355 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Now I know you all want to ask this: was I not worried someone was going to walk or cycle right into me in the night???
Well, this is the clever thing with this one, it is basically a dead end(ish), as the proper canal path crosses over the top of the bridge at this point, so there's no real reason for anyone to go underneath (except for fishing, and some canal boat tourists in the summer).

11/12

[RIP]

Brilliant - canal bridge, another "first" methinks? Yes, the leaves are very pretty on the water. I had a curious leaf experience today as well: our park is full of them, lots of yellows and browns. Our road leads into the park on one of its corners and there's a gap between high walls with a couple of bollards in the gap. As I arrived at the gap the wind suddenly became very strong indeed. It swirled zillions of park leaves up against one of the walls in the park, rushed them along it, and round the 90 degree corner into our road, where they continued in a long low billowing cloud. Difficult to explain but it looked like millions of high speed butterflies zooming along catching the sun as they flew. Wish I'd filmed it.

[fatbikephil]

Tunnels, caves, now bridges!
I've a few up round here but it would be a case of getting up before dawn to avoid dog walkers, cars or trains....

[riderdown]

When I was packing up, I discovered that canals do in fact have a little bit of a flow after all.... I

The flow is constrained to allow ducks and wildfowl to swim against the current. CRT tried to develop their assets to act as water supply transfers over 20 years ago. The potential Vyrnwy transfer to supply London will use a canal connection to the river Thames from the Severn.

If you think about it canals allow water to be released into locks which drop levels and locks often have a bypass to allow flow past them and they leak, so a flow should be expected.

[sean_iow]

*Where* did you get cold? On top? From underneath? Head end, feet?

I'll start a new thread in General to avoid bogging this down with hammock talk, I know how we like to stay on-topic around these parts

[Lazarus]

On topic just for sean

The flow is constrained to allow ducks and wildfowl to swim against the current.

It's constrained as it would run out of water as it all flows down from.the highest point ( occasionally runs out .in very dry summers ) to each subsequent level./ pound (.some lower levels have rivers/ streams feed into them but its pretty rare)

Also as a pound ( the bit between locks) loses water the level drops in the pound and boats no longer move or can get into the side
.i never heard crc / bw say anything about birds when.we were out of water and moaning at them we were stuck, it was always a water shortage.

The flow is generally just locks being used ( 50000+ gallons).depending on lock size.sonlike anynwagerway it flows downhill.allbeit very slowly (.you can empty s shirt pound pretty quickly by opening the sluice gates ( on.the lock gates)

Lived on a boat for about a decade

[sean_iow]

Back off topic, if the ducks cant swim fast enough to go against the current cant they just get out and walk on the tow-path?

Having ridden several hundred miles of tow path this summer I did spot that they are being topped up by flow in at places and at others there are overflows. In some sections between locks (especially when the locks are close together) the level appeared to be dependent upon water from the lock above.

[Lazarus]

Locally to me there is an overspill.into the local.river (.goes under canal) but no inflow ( about a 12 mile pound)
I think they gererally try to avoid rivers feeding in .


Pounds between locks are easily emptied and sometimes you had to go to the highest lock and let water go all the way down .

[Blackhound]

Canal bridge doss has been done before by myself. Probably last year, I slept under a remote bridge on the Grantham canal hoping not to be disturbed. Up and away early.

Edit:,26/27th March 2022, will be in last years write-ups.

[whitestone]

Locally to me there is an overspill.into the local.river (.goes under canal) but no inflow ( about a 12 mile pound)
I think they gererally try to avoid rivers feeding in .


Pounds between locks are easily emptied and sometimes you had to go to the highest lock and let water go all the way down .

The Leeds-Liverpool Canal has several ( at Rishton, Foulridge, Barrowford and Winterburn) large reservoirs near to its highest point to feed it. It also uses quite a number of feeder rivers. I did think that the latter would be flow regulated but there have been occasions where they've had to open the overspills to avoid the canal getting too full and potentially bursting its banks.

[Lazarus]

The Leeds-Liverpool Canal has several

Also on Leeds liverpool...wondering if its just the two pounds I known well.that dont have feeders ?

Locks have over spill channels so I assume heavy rain causes the risk of flooding. ( sometimes lock keepers open the gates as well.if it's really bad ).. it will ultimately pour over lock gates(.annoying.as you often cannot open the gate to go up or down.)


* isn't Foulridge the highest ressie on the west side ?

[boxelder]

Edit:
Think of the hammock as a U-shaped piece of fabric wrapped around you. The underquilt is a further 'U' wrapped around the outside of the hammock. The top-quilt is then like an 'n' on top of you.

Yep, got it now. Sticking the ground, for the foreseeable though.

canal bridge, another "first" methinks?

We used to occasionally bivi under the viaduct in Ingleton to go climbing. Wasn't comfortable - orange plastic bivi bag, not flat, not very sheltered and too young for a decent 'beer blanket' to add a layer of comfort.

[Verena]

*Where* did you get cold? On top? From underneath? Head end, feet?

I'll start a new thread in General to avoid bogging this down with hammock talk, I know how we like to stay on-topic around these parts

[Verena]

Canal bridge doss has been done before by myself.

I thought as much, sure it must have been done before...

I did wonder about just how level it would be, and how wide, i.e. what would be the chances of rolling into the water in my sleep... ?

This spot was generously wide and very flat, and I only had one brief moment where I had woken from a very deep bit of sleep, started to roll over and snuggle up a bit closer to the wall, and stopped myself mid roll as I was suddenly not quite sure which side was water and which was wall...

[Verena]

Looks a fab trip that. Plus some other good stuff going on too

in all that weather, in them there wilds, brilliant

[Verena]

We used to occasionally bivi under the viaduct in Ingleton to go climbing. Wasn't comfortable - orange plastic bivi bag, not flat, not very sheltered and too young for a decent 'beer blanket' to add a layer of comfort.

Beer blanket

[Bearlegged]

I've made it out! And it's not the last or even penultimate day of the month! And the pub is warm!

[RIP]

Knew you wouldn't let the side down . Of course t'pub had nowt to do wi' it .

[Verena]

Ah, but did you make it out of the pub??

[RIP]

Ah, but did you make it out of the pub??

It never even crossed my mind that Bear might have literally just 'gone to the pub'! I'm too trusting me .

[Bearlegged]

I can confirm I made it out of the pub. Despite this place's tendency for threads to drift (or indeed veer wildly) off-topic, there are Standards To Be Upheld, and if it had just been a trip t'pub, I'd have kept it in the "What are you drinking?" thread.
Also, my antisocial streak means I've not engaged in one of Reg's "Where are you sleeping?/Well, funny you should mention it..." conversations.

So, yeah. 5 bloomin' years of BAM.
An improvement on the last couple of months, making it out before end of the month panic set in, it wasn't raining, I took a nice meandering route out to the pub, then headed off into the local woods. I wanted to scope out a new spot, and on inspection it proved to be spacious and flat. Unfortunately, it also proved to be rather soggy, and despite having a groundsheet with me, I opted for a nearby previously used spot instead. Camp was pitched quickly and without fuss, then I found a nice log to sit on with a good view back across Sheffield. A good beer (much better than last month's), some peanuts, and an audiobook of Robert MacFarlane's "The Old Ways". The chapter about the shaman of the Outer Hebrides had me by turns boggling and chuckling.

Not the best night's sleep I ever did have; while it didn't get properly chilly, a strong breeze meant I woke up feeling cold more than I'd have liked, and there were a lot of creaks and groans from the trees as they swayed into one another. My alarm went off just before sunrise, a wide sliver of red breaking through the clouds just above the wide horizon. I dozed a little, then discovered the pre-brewed coffee in my flask was rather lukewarm. Packing was made a bit easier by wearing pretty much all the clothes I had with me, which came in handy given the long downhill back into town with no pedalling to keep me warm. Warmer and more satisfying coffee was procured en route, along with an assortment of baked goods for second breakfast (all swirls £1.50 on Wednesdays ).

Pics here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz8eU5bMLX0/

2023 BAM 11/12
2023 total bivvies 13
Current streak (months) 60

[KernowSteve]

November 11/12 done.
Not often I get out in a forest like area, so with visions of beautiful pictures of pine forests sprawling over hillsides as far as the eye can see off I went.....
It was cold, steep, damp and dark in reality, so much like any other bivvy to be honest.
Headed to an area I knew from some local road rides, were the River Seaton flows down off Bodmin moor into the Seaton valley and eventually the sea at surprisingly enough the village of Seaton..
Finding a flat spot is never going to be easy in a plantation on the side of a valley, although I thought I'd managed it on a patch next to the base of a conveniently situated tree. Waking up at 3am tangled up at the bottom of a bivvy bag having partially rolled down the slope proved me wrong of course! .
Apart from that I managed to sleep OK with just the sound of the River below, which I had assumed would keep me awake but actually turned out to have a strangely relaxing effect.
This morning dawned clear and dry, although damp underfoot and as the light gradually appeared I made a poor attempt at some photos
.
Packed gear up and headed down the lane to the valley bottom and the river itself. Thought I'd carry on to the coast seen as it was sort of in the right direction for home, although started to have second thoughts after 1/2 mile or so... the River had burst it's banks in places and was making progress a bit dodgy on a loaded touring bike! I had initially decided to take my mountain bike but changed my mind when I remembered the dynamo lights are much better on the tourer, and it would be one less thing to worry about
.
Seaton was much as normal really, pretty bleak and desolate in the Winter with just the odd early morning dog walker on the beach although the sky looked nice.
.
Some nice views down to Looe island looking West and Rame Head looking East to finish off a pretty pleasant November bivvy and back home by mid morning.

.

[Stinginglip]

November BaM done locally last weekend. The planned Dales ride went tits up,so I rode 20 miles out into the closest decent woods. Set off after tea with the big front light joining me.
Pretty okay conditions soon changed after only 40 mins when the rain started. I was out now and had the tent so plodded on after donning the rain jacket. Route wasn't great,mainly dodging busy roads using back roads and the firmer known tracks.
Gladly, the rain stopped before reaching the bivvy spot, a quick filter of some water for my supper, brekkie & a brew and then the search for a tucked away flat spot out of the wind began.
It was half decent if a little leaning but I was hidden away & warm. Had some grub,had some booze,had a little read & was soon drifting off.
That was the good bit,woke in the middle of the night feeling pretty ropey. Pukesville was on the horizon...big plastic bag at the ready...shut my eyes for more rest..could've sworn a helicopter flew over me & chainsaws revving nearby...feverish dreams no doubt. Stomach wasn't easing and kinda got the feeling I'd be crawling out of the tent ASAP and doing what the bears do double ASAP
Never pleasant, even at home, I managed more kip. The morning ritual food/brew was the last thing on my mind, felt weak and dehydrated, so slowly packed up and even more slowly set off pedalling home.
It started raining pretty much straight away and I wasn't generating much heat so was pretty cold. I cut some distance off the return leg..down to 15 miles,but it was testing still feeling ill.
Made it eventually, the shower felt amazing and after wrapping up warm I didn't more off the couch all day
11/12...glad that's out the way.
Dales trip planned for December