After getting off to a good start with my winter bivies I had neglected to set any time aside for a June one. The main reason for this was that I had always expected this to be covered by the HT550, so in doing it quicker than expected, I had sold myself short on some bivy time! Inevitably, I realised my neglect late in the month, leaving me scrabbling about for some bivy kit on the last night of the month, as usual after getting the uncooperative kids to bed. I rolled out the house about half ten, with a vague idea of what I was doing.
My plan was to head North along the coast, using the service roads through the golf courses to make quick progress, before veering off into the dunes for a pleasant midge-free bivy. After a quick dash through town, I cruised along the promenade before crossing the Don and making my way towards Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. It looked like I’d timed it just right as there was a steady flow of cars leaving the course and the club house looked deserted as I nonchalantly spun past.
The road through the course was a real pleasure, undulating along between liberally sprinkled fairways. Eventually it gave way to a section of dirt, before following vehicle tracks through some light rough to link up with the next golf course along. Everything was matching up with my aerial reconnaissance on the OS maps site, so I reached the hole that looked like it had an adjacent path into the dunes and skirted round the edge of the tee to make my exit from the course. The dunes here are pretty eroded, so there was no handy sheltered basin to set up in, just a straight drop down to the beach. I couldn’t be bothered with the thought of dragging the bike back up in the morning, so I threw my bivy down where I stood and made myself a brew whilst looking out to the new wind farm at sea that Trump is so fond of.
I wasn’t planning on sleeping too long, as I wanted to be through the rest of the course before any avid golfers appeared and had an opinion on my presence there, so I was up and packed not too long after 0400. It was a pretty dull morning, but still warm as ever this summer. I followed the footpaths through to the Murcar clubhouse and then stopped on the access road for a snack, just as one of the mowers revved up in an outbuilding. Perfect timing.
Next, I made my way through sleepy Bridge of Don, linking paths round the back of the housing to stay as off road as possible.
Eventually, I dropped down to the Don and made my way along the riverside paths, before climbing up towards Hazelhead and home. I even had time for an extra nap before the kids woke up! 6 out of 6 bivies complete so far.
