The Bear Bones Winter Event has become a bit of a regular feature these days. The format varies from the usual 'follow this route exactly and do it as quick as you can / want to' formula to simply providing a number of grid references which you can bag by any suitable route. This format is also used for the 'Welsh Ride Thing' in the spring, which I will do at some point.
Anyway a fair few folk expressed an interest when Shaff on the Bearbones forum suggested an alternative Winter Event for those who couldn't be bothered trailing down to Wales for the real one. The format was as per the 2021 pandemic edition - you get paired up with someone, provide them with half a dozen Grid Refs round their chosen location, they do likewise and then off you go to try to ride round them all in a weekend.
In the event only a fairly select bunch signed up so I ended up giving Shaff his GR's and Jon AKA Lazarus gave me mine. He graciously asked me for some hints to avoid sending me on some horrible death march so I provided a few pointers.
Anyway, my GRs duly arrived and thanks to a last minute day off work to cash in on a fab weather forecast I planned to get going Friday Lunchtime, bag as many as I could be bothered that afternoon, bivvy somewhere and do the rest the next day. Thanks to Lazarus's ace map appraisal, he picked out 7 spots (two were optional) that I knew well and in fact bar one had been to dozens of times. Better yet, they all could be linked by trails, cycleways and largely traffic free back roads. Ace, no route planning needed just head out and grab 'em all.
So off we go then - first stop Culross (pronounced cooross) on the Forth estuary coast. Rolling down the village main street I could see Ben Cleuch (my highest GR) bathed in sunshine. We are just starting another cold snap but as the season has progressed it's not to be as cold as the last one. Of course a sprinkle of rain came in soon after... But this didn't sour the easy run downhill via various back roads, a bit of the west Fife cycleway and the odd trail to my first GR.
A very nice place although the irony that the best view is enjoyed by the Council house tenants rather than the posh old house residents does amuse me. As it happens the UCI World Championship road race is slated to come through here in August, the narrow cobbled section providing one of the few obstacles on what otherwise looks like a typically dull UK cycle race route.
Many of the old houses have pan tile roofs. The pan tiles came over from Holland and were used as ballast in the ships that would return full of coal from Lord Elgin's various mines that were dotted around the area. He (and his descendent) was a model Scottish large landowner - hidden away in a big posh castle that no-one could get near, horribly exploited the locals to extract his coal for maximum moola for him and minimum moola (and terrible working conditions) for them. He also tried to block access rights from applying to any of his property....
A fairly average load out. I'd decided, on the strength of a very dry weather forecast, to go bivvy bag only. I don't know why as it's actually heavier than my DCF tarp, pole, pegs and borah bivvy but I fancied given it an outing and the thought of just unrolling it somewhere and diving straight in appealed, having just read 'The Book of the Bivvy' by Ronald Turnbull
So from sea level I was off to 725m! The 'optional' GR was on the West Fife way if I hadn't fancied dropping all the way down to Culross. But I bagged this anyway as it's on-route to Tillicoutry and the long old climb up into the hills. After a steep pull out of Culross I followed various trails, a direct route through Devilla forest, cycleway then more nice trails pretty much to the start of the climb.
In the spirit of the undertaking I went for the direct route up the hill from Tilicoutry woods which on any bike is a solid push. In theory this is the best way to tackle a big climb on singlespeed as you'd be pushing anyway so best go via the shortest route. Or something.
Looking back across the upper reaches of the Forth estuary and the Campsies in the background. A brief pedal on a nice bit of singletrack followed this before a final heave to the top.
Summit of Ben Cleuch with the West Highlands laid out in the background.
Looking down the Forth to the Borders hills.
I must have been up here a couple of dozen times over the years but it's got one of the best views in Central and Southern Scotland. In theory you can spot some of the bigger peaks of the Cairngorms from up here (I have) however today they were shrouded in cloud - hopefully dumping snow on them!
I followed an oft used route along the ridge via hills, Andrew Gannel, Skythorn, Tarmangie and Innerdounie before a lengthy descent to Glen quey, more climbing round the side of Seamab hill and then the final plummet to Muckhart.
I suppose I could have had a pint here as it's a good boozer that I've not been to for years but it looked quite busy so onward I went, dusk approaching. The next GR was at Milnathort. I could have climbed back into the hills to get there but I couldn't be arsed. Instead my route took me via more backroads and a bit of cycleway. Crook of Devon proved a small shop but it didn't have much so I grabbed a cheap coffee to wash down a ham roll and crisps. Milnathort provided a far better offering - a Nisa which had a Stuarts bakery counter (there appears to be a bakery war going on in Kinross-shire and West Fife - this used to be the preserve of Stevens or Baynes!) Anyway more pies were purchased and a couple of beers for the evening. But next up was the next GR!
This took the form of one of the bird hides beside Loch Leven - in theory it's most remote so least likely to be used the next morning. I arrived just after 8 thanks to the ham roll taking its revenge on my digestive system and figured on eating more food and having a beer before rolling out the bag, just in case a late night dog walker turned up. They didn't and the temps were dropping (-1 so my second sub zero bivvy!) so I did my bivvy standard of eat, drink beers (Stewarts Radical Road) and read until nigh on 11 when my eyelids started to droop.
Now all evening, I'd been aware of much honking, screeching, flapping and splashing from nearby. Peering out of the window revealed very little but I figured the geese / ducks / swans or whatever would knock it on the head later on. Except they didn't so my nights sleep was somewhat interrupted. Just after 7 I figured on making a move in case any early morning bird watchers turned up.
Anyway, after using the well appointed loos at Vane Farm nature reserve (open 24 hours - I could have had a heated bivvy!) I stomped up the climb over Benarty hill and took an easy option for the descent. I passed the Lochore Meadows Conservation Volunteers' (me and various other reprobates) extensive coppice areas and into the fine Oak woodland of Harran Hill. Somewhere on the fun descent I picked up a hole - I seem to be plagued with punctures at the mo. It sealed but on pedaling around the loch it kept letting go. At the castle (GR6) I set to with a plug but in my haste forgot to take a pic. It's just a lump of masonry so no loss! Then back round the other side of the loch and up again through Blair Adam then out onto the moor for the final heave up to Drum Glow, the final GR.
Soft focus unintentional - the camera must have fogged up... Anyway if it was clear you could see my hilly route of the previous day. Near home now so off down the precipitous descent (which I bottled as I could only get my seat down a couple of inches) plough through the woods, one final tussock fest and then the quiet road home.
Total distance was about 120k in 10 1/2 hours of riding with 2500m of climbing so a good ride by any measure. Whilst it didn't take me anywhere new I really enjoyed a different focus to one of my usual local rides and quite enjoyed not aiming for a particular spot to bivvy. March next and hopefully warmer and lighter. I'll probably leave it until the end of the month for maximum daylight but I'll see what the weather is doing. After the last couple of years' numerous damp bivvies, I'm going to be a bit more selective this year. I'm also eyeing up various cheeky shelters for some easy sleeps!
