Topic: Doan Bivvy (Read 22501 times)

ChuckMcB · « **on:** July 07, 2013 »

Planning to meetup on Meelbeg, but ended up running late/biting off a bit too much.

2100 start from Carrick (plant) Little car park. Planning to do another bivvy on the top of Ben Crom, while watching out for lights from Meelbeg. Hit Ben Crom dam just as all light was failing. Anyone know if there are fish in BenCrom? Saw several big ripple marks being formed on the water, insects being eaten off the surface from below by fish or above by bats.

2330 no sign of light at the top of Meelbeg (you guys must have been around the other side), decided to find a spot high on the side of Doan instead (catches the sun early). Came face-to-face with a badger on the Ben Crom River, it ran that way, I ran the other way and Bow spent a couple of minutes rubbing himself in the spot the badger had been in before I figured out when he was up to (great, badger fleas in the sleeping bag!)

0000 found a spot almost at the top of Doan in a large patch of Bog Cotton (anyone else notice that bog cotton has gone mad this year? There is tonnes of it about). Nice view down Silent Valley. Watched clouds roll in around Donard and drift down the valleys, hoping for a cloud inversion.

0500 Sun woke me up. Photo, roll over, sleep.

0700 With no wind, the midges were out in force. Woke up being eaten. Another quick photo and up to the summit were the wind was just enough to keep them away. Big monster Spanish omelet for breakfast (eggy burps for the rest of the morning!)

Sat am/pm: Dropped down and over to the foot of Bearnagh. Contoured around to Hares Gap. Along the Brandy Pad, then down beside the Annalong River to Carrick Little, with lots of water stops along the way to cool down. Back to car park at 1700...was wee bit broken.

Rich.H · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2013 »

Nice day you had there, I must be going mad or something because my brain keeps telling me those white flowers are snowdrops. Yet all common sense screams it's July and they have all gone, what were they?

LandyLiam · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2013 »

Quote

anyone else notice that bog cotton has gone mad this year?

Now that you mention it, yes. Here's a pic on the side of Donard last week, the stuffs everywhere.

Mourneman · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2013 »

Nice photos as usual Chuck & karma to you for the path building you've been doing with the MHT

Rumblebum · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2013 »

It looks like you had a cracking wee camp too mate, it's just a shame that we missed each other.
We were saying though that our next camp is hopefully gonna be on the side of Ben crom, it seems to be a mountain that's forgotten about when it comes to overnighters.

whoRya · « **Reply #5 on:** July 08, 2013 »

I love the flexibility of your mindset Chuck, just walk until you feel tired then 'pitch-up' for the night.

Wolf_Larson · « **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2013 »

Very nice pictures !!

t18con · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2013 »

amateur question here..... when you guys talk about a "bivvy" do you mean sleeping in a bivvy bag, or is it a general term for any type of sleeping without a tent... like under a tarp or similar??

Ed · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2013 »

I would take it to mean any camp where a bivvy bag is the form of shelter in use.

It is the purest form of outdoor experience. I've many a fond memory of standing on my bivvy, stripped off to boxers and t shirt, in the freezing cold, driving rain and blasting wind - about to climb into my sleeping bag / bivvy for the nights shelter. It's really rather bracing - and thoroughly enjoyable.

I'd say I enjoy the miserable bivvys more than I enjoy the serene ones.

ChuckMcB · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2013 »

Quote from: Rich.H on July 07, 2013

... my brain keeps telling me those white flowers are snowdrops. Yet all common sense screams it's July and they have all gone, what were they?

It's Bog Cotton aka Common Cottongrass. link, link, it was one of the plants that really bounced back after the Annalong valley fire a couple of years ago and (so I'm told) a good indicator as to the health of a blanket bog.

Quote from: t18con on July 08, 2013

amateur question here..... when you guys talk about a "bivvy" do you mean sleeping in a bivvy bag, or is it a general term for any type of sleeping without a tent... like under a tarp or similar??

I would go with Aragorn description, just a bivvy bag....but many, including myself, start off with a tarp as well, until I just realised it kept me (and my hot water bottle) awake and it's just as bad as a tent for blocking the view .... if you pick the right spot (sheltered from wind etc) you really don't need it. I've yet to have any real stinkers like Aragorn describes, I pick my nights. Give me cold over wet any time.

Quote from: Mourneman on July 07, 2013

Nice photos as usual Chuck & karma to you for the path building you've been doing with the MHT

Thanks MM. This night hike was one of the first time I've really used the path I've been helping on and off with the last two years...it was actually pretty cool to walk down the path, look down and recognise some of the stones I helped place.

Ed · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2013 »

I second the thoughts on the tarp.
By blocking the view they take away the one big thing you're gaining with a bivvy - unobstructed views
They also flap about and make a racket in the wind.

When the weather turns south I just zip my bivvy shut, then everything's fine.

It's roomy enough too, I've managed to remove a down jacket, compress it, compress a sleeping bag, don my trousers and coat, put my belt on - all without unzipping or leaving the bivvy.

Id say this week would be perfect to convert a few folks to the bivvy

whoRya · « **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2013 »

Quote from: Aragorn on July 08, 2013

It's roomy enough for two, I've managed to remove a down jacket, compress it, compress a sleeping bag, don my trousers and coat, put my belt on - all without unzipping or leaving the bivvy.

LandyLiam · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2013 »

I can hardly get my socks off in a tent without getting cramp, I'd have no chance in a bivvy bag.

RedLeader · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2013 »

Great stuff Chuck, looks like it was a top night. I've never heard of badgers in the Mournes but I suppose there's no reason why not.

ChuckMcB · « **Reply #14 on:** July 09, 2013 »

Ahh now we've touched on something that could kick off a war

but it's worth mentioning what's classed as a bivvy;

A bivvy

or a bivvy

Former gives you more room (unless you are freakishly tall like me)...but is more like a simple tent, latter is just a bit water/wind proof bag for your sleeping bag, so you can be a bit more flexable with where you setup.

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Author Topic: Doan Bivvy (Read 22501 times)

ChuckMcB

Doan Bivvy

Rich.H

Re: Doan Bivvy

LandyLiam

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Mourneman

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Rumblebum

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whoRya

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Wolf_Larson

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t18con

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Ed

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ChuckMcB

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Ed

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whoRya

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LandyLiam

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RedLeader

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ChuckMcB

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