Crimble Bimble, Magic Pan and the Woods of Doom

Ever busy since my last post. I’ve completed lots of workouts on Zwift over the past 12 weeks since renewing my subscription — mostly on the Gravel Grinder plan. One recent workout with the Phantom saw me spin my legs at an incredible max of 160 rpm. My VO₂ max scores have been at their highest — 47 for running and 53 for cycling (noting this here in case they never go higher!). Sadly, my weight seems to be increasing with it. Parkrun frequency has dropped a little, but that’s ok — I’ve done plenty of other stuff.

I got my new ‘lead-in’ car at last. This was a bit of a menace though, because it was dropped off a day earlier than planned (thankfully, family members were in to get the key etc.) — and I got a different car than I thought I’d ordered. I’d looked at quotes for a Fiat 500 and a Kia Picanto and, in my wisdom, morphed these two together and thought I was getting a Fiat Picanto. Hmm. I ended up with the Fiat, which I didn’t want as it only has three doors.

The first test drive was awful — I couldn’t get it started. After faffing about for some time, it turned out the steering lock was on, so the key wouldn’t turn. Next problem: almost zero fuel — and once at the garage, I couldn’t open the petrol cap (forecourt guy came to the rescue). As if things couldn’t get worse, I could hardly see out of the windows as they were cloudy inside. My girls like the car, despite calling it a “girlie car.” They first thought Aunty Jackie had rocked up, as she has a similar car (mine’s hybrid).

Not only have I got a new car, but we’ve also had new windows fitted too. At last, we can close off the draughts in the front room and landing — and now Spoon can open her bedroom window and Moo can close hers! Work on the fireplace continues — now there’s even room for Santa. Would be nice if the log burner is in before Christmas.

Completed another wild camp with Jamie, which was great fun. We decided to hammock in the Woods of Doom. It was creepy entering the woods as I could see eyes watching us — not sure what sort of creatures they belonged to. After a bit of faffing and passing the remnants of another’s possible camp spot (beer cans, plastic, noodle pots, rubbish), we set up camp. It was very cold, about 1°C, but we were mostly prepared.

I did a naff job of setting up my tarp. First time I’ve used this particular one — my huge DD Tarp (2.9 x 3) — and perhaps it’s just too big? My ridgeline was way too long (about 10 m) and kept getting caught up. I think I’ll trim its length and maybe look for slightly thicker cord. I’m also thinking it might be better to attach the tarp to the ridgeline with prusik knots and carabiners rather than feeding through the loops. For someone who’s camped loads, I felt very inexperienced. After some tinkering it was up — not brilliant, but workable. I should’ve lowered the sides to keep out the breeze.

This was also my first camp using the funky SRL (structured ridgeline) that Phantom and I had spliced together. We set it at approx. 83%, the ‘sweet spot’ according to our research. This gave a bigger sag than I’ve traditionally had, so I had to hang the straps higher to avoid dropping too close to the ground. It felt ok, and it was nice to have a line to hang my clothes and light from. I might try 90% next time to compare (the Goblin King suggested that, after all). I slept ok, not perfectly. The under quilt did fine, and I was grateful SJ had cinched the ends (though I forgot to tighten them until morning — hence the cold feet).

Cooking was a much better story (for me, at least). I’d brought along my MSR frying pan for its debut wild camp test and it was awesome (despite me attaching the handle upside down). In a better‑than‑Gordon‑Ramsay style, I chopped onions and peppers (using my new Opinel No. 7 knife and ‘cheap‑as‑chips’ eBay chopping board) and cooked a Shakshuka. I kid you not, it was delicious — Jamie and I were both pleased. The avocado oil and spices just elevated it. Usually, I let others cook when wild camping, but this new frying pan was aces. Jamie commented he had pan envy. His pan was really quite naff, and the sausages he was cooking kept tipping out before being abandoned. (No doubt Jamie will invest in an MSR fry pan next time.) Shout‑out to Phantom for supplying gas for the trip. In view of no sausages, I cooked a pack of bacon — which turned out perfectly crisp thanks to that pan.

Following day, we spoke to Jonny Mitchum about said pan, and I think it’s only right I quote him here:  

*“The Fabled Magic Frying Pan! Behold the Pan of Peerless Panache: a feather‑friendly, fine‑forged, flapjack‑flipping phenomenon — a sizzle‑savvy, stick‑slaying, sausage‑searing stalwart that laughs at limp eggs, fears no flame, and turns timid trail meals into gloriously golden grub. Compact, charismatic, and criminally good at crispy bacon, it’s the backcountry’s boldest breakfast boss.”*  

Couldn’t have said it better myself — nice one, Jonny.

I awoke a couple of times in the night and heard plenty of creatures — the hoot of an owl, the bark of a deer, and the snore of Jamie. He heard strange noises too; one was me having a dump at 5 a.m. Lovely to see the stars and the moonlight shining bright.

No breakfast the next morning — we’d eaten the night before. A refreshing cup of tea was welcome though, helping to warm us up ready for dismantling camp. We left no trace, unlike those before who’d left piles of rubbish. As we cycled back to my abode, I could see how cold it was — my gloves were frosting up.

Back home, the adventure wasn’t over. Oh no — we had a cycling outing planned. We scoffed down some rounds of toast and then met up with Phantom and Red for a gravel adventure dubbed *The Crimble Bimble*. It turned out to be a lovely 85 km (give or take) ride over mixed surfaces.

First leg was a road cycle to the Greenway, where we met up with Jonny M. Nice catching up with all the lads. Phantom was on his brand‑new gravel bike and Jonny had a new one too. Jamie had a recent bike fit. Great just chatting, cycling, and dreaming of adventures past and to come. We all had a laugh remembering Meekon’s fall that one time.

Red

Jamie

Jonny Mitchum

Phantom

The route was decent — mostly flat with a tough uphill section off‑road. The up soon turned to down, and it was so bumpy my bottle ejected from its cage. We hit real quagmire sections for a spell before a short road stretch, where Jonny punctured. Soon sorted with this foam sealant and a stop (thank goodness) for some food before hitting the Greenway again. Food was awesome — I had a pigs‑in‑blankets toastie with chutney. Different, but delicious.

Jonny left us where he’d joined the trail. The rest of us cycled an alternate way home, adding another gravel section down to Coughton Court. We cycled past the Woods of Doom and reached home where we’d first begun. Grateful for good friends, the open trail, and the promise of more misadventures ahead.

It’s now Sunday — a day of rest. Well, a day of little physical activity anyhow. Got a bunch of stuff to wash, unpack, oil etc. Also got a head full of adventure. More awaits…

Christmas is coming

The last couple of weeks in November were full of happenings and mis-happenings. Some things good, some things bad. Some things quite ugly.

I managed to catch up with my blind buddy Roger for a tandem jolly. We hadn’t cycled together for a while, so this was nice. Roger had hinted at a short cycle since we hadn’t been out in a while, however, we cycled about 50k all in. Must have cycled nearly another 50k getting too Rogers and back.

Continued cycling a number of Zwift workouts. Some of these were with the Phantom who continued to complain they were ‘stinkers'. I ditched 1 workout cos my legs were so sore - probably from my cycle with Roger. Managed to cycle outdoors on 1 occasion too.

My car got scrapped which was mix of emotions. The car was pants, had no air-con or modern features but it was my means of transport to work. I’m currently car less and am awaiting a lease car which is likely to take months. 

GP called me with positive news. He said my good cholesterol had increased and the bad cholesterol had decreased. He felt bad cholesterol was still too high (at level 4 and he would like it to be level 3). I’ve got 6 months to continue better habits and convince GP I’m targeting my cholesterol.

Thrilled to bake my bread

My headspace has been filled with wild camping ideas, and I practiced making bread. The bread is improving but I haven’t nailed it yet. Cooked a successful shakshuka though which even SJ seemed to enjoy. SJ has completed an awesome DIY yob on my hammock under quilt which now enables me to cinch the ends. 

SJ's handiwork

The Phantom has learned to splice and all being well, he’s agreed to help me make a structured ridge line (SRL). I have an over quilt ready for Spring - Autumn seasons too. Took out my DD tarp and its massive - can’t wait for my next hammock adventure.

Home Office

And, an old pair of curtains

SJ has also fixed me new (old) curtains in my office which I love. Our home is having a kind of makeover - new windows coming, a log burner and a bike shed too. Koo koo ka choo!

Two further ParkRun’s were completed, both in wet weather and both at Arrow Valley. The first of these was with my mate Flairio who successfully completed her second walk to date. My times were 27:31 and 24:28 respectively. Weirdly, my running V02 max has increased for the first time in absolute ages and is currently 47 (cycling score dropped to 51).

Other things to note included the festivities surrounding the Studley light switch on and a dad's day where we all ate too many sweets and watched Stranger Things. I’m sure if I thought hard enough more stuff could be discussed, though I don’t really have the energy. As ever, further adventure awaits.

Lluest Cum Bach bothy kit list November 2025

All items were housed in a massive Bergen back pack, that had a hood containing 2 pocket compartments and an additional 3 relatively large pockets towards the bottom of the bag.

Hood pocket: Waterproof jacket and trousers (were wearing on this adventure).

Hood inner pocket: Pen, paper, postcard, electronics, glasses, loo roll, candles, head torch, (will add small camp light in future).

Main body: MSR solo tent/pegs/poles/foot print (actually left in car on this occasion), bivvy, foam sleep mat, air sleep mat, 2 x down sleeping bags, inflatable pillow, thermal liner, fuel, food, spare clothes and merino pyjamas, down jacket. (Used dry bags to ensure items stayed dry).

Left side pocket: Kettle (did not take), water purifier, water bottle, hip flask, tea bags in tin, mug, brown, spork, knife, stove, gas, lighter, rubbish bags.

Middle pocket: First aid, pills and supplements (did not take), toiletries, swim shorts and towel.

Right side pocket: Water bottle, dehydrated food, snacks, whistle, camp shoes, hip flask, sit mat.

Wearing: Usual clothes plus wellies, buff, beanie, fleece mid-layer and walking poles.

A trip to LLuest Cum Bach bothy to see the Goblin King

What a week!

Major transportation issues to kick things off — first, my car failed its MOT in spectacular fashion. The garage quoted £700 for repairs, which, given the car’s street value of about £95 according to one of those “we buy any car” websites, felt a bit like putting a solid-gold handle on a rusty bin. My mother gamely entered the details online, and the results confirmed what the screeching fan belt had been hinting at for months — it was terminal.

Hole in my shoe...

Next disaster: looked down at my shoes and was greeted by my big toe waving back through a gaping trainer hole. Car down, shoes down… naturally, I started eyeing my bike suspiciously. Thankfully, the Zwift bike stood firm — perhaps because it’s only got one wheel to lose in the first place.

Zwift itself, at least, was a relative triumph this week. Two meet-ups with the Phantom: one a proper lung-buster, the other an easy “chatting pace” spin. The toughest of the lot was the seated gear-masher session — the kind that quietly breaks your spirit before pretending it’s good for your fitness. VO₂ max slipped again (down to 51), which was a blow, though perhaps not shocking given the general mayhem of the week. Sunday’s base build ride felt endless — 90 minutes of low-watt pedalling that somehow still left me feeling steamrolled. Maybe I was just worn out from “life admin fatigue”.

Come Friday though, the adventure button was pressed — full adventure mode engaged. The Phantom and I headed deep into Welsh Wales for our latest bothy expedition, parking up in the remote beauty of the Elan Valley. The hike to the Lluest Cwm Bach bothy (or “Lluest Cum Back” as I kept saying, which somehow felt appropriate) was as boggy as it was beautiful. Phantom managed to sink a good foot into a marsh within minutes, establishing the tone for the journey. The mist hung low, sheep regarded us as intruders, and finally, rounding a corner, we spotted the bothy — that squat, stone promise of warmth and shelter.

Before entering, I made the tactical error of exploring a side door. It turned out to be a toilet — or more accurately, a shrine to biological warfare. Pebble-dashed doesn’t quite cover it. Back at the main entrance, Phantom strode in confidently, certain no one was inside. I barely managed “maybe knock first” before he was face to face with a man who would soon be dubbed by Phantoms as “the Goblin King”.

How welcoming

Mindy

Ooh look, a picture of my mother on the wall

Mindy, our unexpected bothy-mate, turned out to be a gem — a Lithuanian traveller with tales, tools, and talents aplenty. The bothy itself was brilliant in that scruffy, characterful way — stone walls streaked with soot, a few sturdy bed platforms, and shelves of “treasure”: forgotten tins, half-burnt candles, matches, stray bottles of water, and even a bong (because clearly it had hosted a range of souls). With a glowing fire and steaming mugs of tea, the three of us settled in like old friends.

(with flash on)

Mindy was a fountain of camping wisdom and introduced us to “bothy bread,” which he whipped up on the stove with an enviable ease — crisp, warm, delicious. He explained the art of the hammock structured ridge line (not the ridge line) apparently 90% of hammock length is the sweet spot… I made a note), and demonstrated using a chain-mail scrubber to polish cookware. The man was basically a walking outdoor masterclass.

We matched his bread with Phantom’s contribution — a Firepot curry that looked like mince but swore it was chicken. Plenty of laughs, more than a few drinks, and a long rambling chat about cycling, camping, and the weird beauty of nowhere in particular. By the time the storm swept in outside, the bothy crackled warmly, our spirits were high, and for a place with no electricity, it truly felt lit.

Sleep came easy. The wind howled, but my Alpkit cocoon and layers of merino worked their magic — a proper toast box of warmth. Miraculously, no midnight pit stop was needed (a got-to-hand nod to Saw Palmetto for that). At 6 a.m. Phantom’s alarm performed its duty, then he promptly ignored it. By seven, we were all up — Mindy packing for an early start, and us firing stoves for a greasy, glorious fry-up, the bothy pan sizzling proudly once more.

We cleaned, tidied, and left the place better than we found it — as all bothy-goers should — then retraced our bog-trot back to the car, chatting about the adventure and half-planning the next one.

Yes, I'm actually washing up!

Back home, flush with inspiration from Mindy’s baking, I attempted “bothy bread: version 2.” Having only fragments of the recipe, I consulted the mighty AI. The resulting loaf could charitably be described as “experimental.” The bread looked insulted to exist — dense, tragic, and somehow both raw in the middle and burnt on the sides. I may not have mastered bothy baking, but at least the spirit of adventure survived.