July Bivvy

This one was meant to be another wet weather practice bivvy and the forecast for the weekend was certainly looking like it would deliver, right up until Saturday morning when the forecast changed and suddenly it looked like another sun fest. In the event I stuck to my plan of heading into the Ochills as I couldn't be bothered doing anything more drastic plus I wanted to watch the Tour de France live coverage.

So it wasn't until 5.30pm that I trundled off into the evening sunshine tracing a well used route to Glen Devon by various back roads, tracks and trails. An old drove road goes down Glen Devon and very pleasant it is too. You then cut across a couple of fields, pick up a back road to Blackford and then turn back south climbing steadily on a good track.

This passes the various springs that supply the highland Spring Water factory in Blackford. After a good climb you then go through a narrow pass and after a bit of faffing down to upper Glendevon reservoir. This was my chosen spot. It also supplies my water so in effect my tap water is Highland Spring Water....

My first choice was a bit overgrown so I actually ended up in the reservoir - well not in it as such but on the level banks that have been exposed since last April thanks to a dry summer and snow free winter.



So I sat in the evening sunshine, eating food and drinking beer. None of your daft dehydrated sachets and fancy carbonators, just two bottles decanted into two bike water bottles. Eventually at 10.30 I turned in and slept soundly through to 8. It did rain in the night and the morning was breezy and cloudy.


There is a path here somewhere

My route took me round the north side of the res on a nice single track and then up a big moor climb to Skythorn hill. This is looking a bit vague these days and only the farmers quad is keeping it open.


On the climb - the reservoir (and my bivvy spot) in the distance

From there it was along the ridge up to Tarmangie hill and then further ups and downs to Innerdownie, a long descent a long climb up to Seamab hill and then another long descent to Muckhart and home.

Summit of Tarmangie hill, 645m; the hills near Crianlarich and Tyndrum in the distance

Lots of bracken bashing today!