Anyway this weekend looked like it was going to be cold but dry - perfect! I wasn't fancying anything too arduous as I'm having an easy month or two bike riding wise (I find this more necessary as I get older) My last five bivvies have involved some serious distance so I was due an easy one. I decided on a spot I'd found a few months ago in the woods above Dunning Glen - only about thirteen to fifteen miles away depending on my route. Its an ideal pitch - level, well drained and sheltered. The forecast was for it to be cold, breezy but dry so this seemed ideal.
I didn't muck around, just left the house after tea and pedaled straight out there, mainly on (quiet) roads. Apparently we've to stay in our own Council areas just now so I happily broke that 'rule' three times in about 2 miles. Given that I would be meeting exactly nobody all ride, I didn't feel particularly bothered by this. Of course the dry evening manifested itself in a series of light drizzly showers and one more prolonged one as I approached the climb into the forest. Looking up revealed only stars and the moon so it was hard to see where it was coming from. Anyway I reached the spot and got pitched up dry in a snug space under some trees. Only an hour and a quarter and twenty-odd K but I was quite happy as I relaxed in my bag (3 season plus quilt!) with my book, food a couple of beers and some whisky. Sleep came instantly and after being woken once by the dawn chorus and falling a sleep again I finally surfaced at a truly decadent 9.30 - ten hours sleep!
After a leisurely breakfast and a wander round the area to check out the views I packed up and headed back up the hill a ways and down a nice single track to the Dunning road. Straight across this and onto a track which takes you in Corb Glen and down towards Auchterarder
This substantial moor was my next objective. Its an old Right of Way from Auchterarder to Glendevon village and quite a climb. Given my one gear much of this was walked but the soggy trail made this no great loss. We seem to have had all the rain that didn't fall in March, April and May in November.....
The top looking north. Snow on Ben Chonzie filled my heart with joy as snow in November often precludes excellent winters.
The descent too was seriously soggy and I received a fine spray of glaur over my legs. I'm sporting a new, longer and wider rear mudguard and this was its first trial. It made a slight difference....
From Glendevon I headed straight up the hill over to Glen Quey then an oft used route round the side of Seamab hill, down to Muckart and home via various byways and highways. Just December to do now!
View homewards with a raincloud incoming, I actually missed it for a change
