October BAM

I did technically bivvy on the BB300, but I figured on something a bit more relaxing for my official October BAM. The last two years it's been dry and mild for my October bivvy in my favourite woodland spot off the Dunning road but the weather looked less than conducive to such a thing. I mean I could have (a la March) but I was fancying a shed. Two options were available - the bird hide I'd kipped in, in February; or, the wooden gazebo (complete with wood burning stove) at Falkland estate which I'd last used in 2019. This seemed a better bet, given the stove, but in case it was already occupied, the Loch Leven bird hide would be plan B (Plan C was go back home and use my BB bivvy for October!) 

In the event, after a dampish start, the rain went off and the moon appeared. I'd full waterproofs on but figured if I took them off the rain would come on again, but in fact it stayed dry all the way to the spot. I did a recce from a distance but all was quiet. A quick stomp down a grassy track, over the barbed wire fence and we were there. The teepees have gone but there seemed to be more sheds - another toilet shed, plus a storage shed as well as a toilet tent and a couple of those horrible cheapo pop-up tents (unoccupied). But the big timber gazebo was as it had been when I last used it. 

So in with the bike, a quick recce for fire wood (I found a lot of bags of dry logs, I figured a few wouldn't be missed) light fire, settle in for a drafty evening reading and drinking a few beers.

Mighty fine. It wasn't actually that cold, but when you are sat out, the rain is hammering down (it started about a half hour after I arrived) and it's dark, it is actually quite pleasant sitting in front of a hot stove!

Eventually I turned in and had a decent kip, despite forgetting my pillow, waking to a grey dawn and various tweety birds. I dozed for a bit then realised it was 8am, so I had better make tracks before anyone came along to see what the lights were the previous night. In the event I had a leisurely breakfast and departed at 9.

There is a fab bakery at Falkland (Helen's) which supplied a divine bacon and haggis roll, one of the best double biscuits I've ever tasted and a cup of tea. It had rained as I left the bivvy but it dried up for breakfast!

There then followed various backroads and trails, oft used but today very wet. I ventured into Pitmedden forest and took some random turns to check out new trails.

Not ideal on a SS gravel bike. I could have gotten down it but not up. The rain was on in earnest...

Finally, on the last miles, the clouds broke and I actually finished in the sunshine! So all in all a good ride. More horrible weather is to come so I'm glad I bagged this one. November next and possibly something a bit further a field if the weather picks up...