Highland Trail 2019

[touch]

Yes, but he's heading in the wrong direction!
There's plenty of opportunity for outdoors sleeping without needing to go off-route.

[fatbikephil]

Thats where the hostel is(formerly Gerry's) so must have been tempted by a night of luxury - nowt wrong with a tactical hotel / B&B / hostel stay.

[ScotRoutes]

Never thought I'd see "Gerry's" and "luxury" in the same sentence...

[fatbikephil]

Never thought I'd see "Gerry's" and "luxury" in the same sentence...

In comparison to say the Achnashellach station waiting shelter
I believe its been done up since the poor chap passed a way a few years ago.....

[AlasdairMc]

I’ve already mentioned that I’m out of the race this year, but I’ll be in the area for at least a while. If anyone breaks themselves or their bikes and needs a lift back to Tyndrum, let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

I’m likely doing a couple of day rides or maybe an overnight, and will be back at the finish later in the week to pick up a mate.

[touch]

Looks like 2 scratches in Fisherfield this morning. Matt M has gone back to the road at Dundonnell and Martin is heading down the old route towards Poolewe.

There are 2 new starters to watch now though.

[Richard G]

When I come to do it I'm going to have to know where all the bothy / B&B options are in advance. I wont get through 6 or 7 days without sleep, and I very much doubt I'll have learned how to sleep outdoors by then.

[Dave Barter]

Looks like 2 scratches in Fisherfield this morning. Matt M has gone back to the road at Dundonnell and Martin is heading down the old route towards Poolewe.

There are 2 new starters to watch now though.

I really hope Mart does not have an older GPX file? I fell victim to an out of date gpx on my first attempt which sent me up the impossible track from hell near Oykel Bridge

[touch]

I really hope Mart does not have an older GPX file? I fell victim to an out of date gpx on my first attempt which sent me up the impossible track from hell near Oykel Bridge

I dont think so - he followed the correct start through Bridge of Balgie. The older route to Poolewe also had the different start via Kinlochleven.

Greg mentioned yesterday that he had tweaked his ankle, so i'm thinking that he might just be going that way to avoid the Postie Path.

[fatbikephil]

Thats hard luck for Mart - when I saw where he was going I was shouting at the screen to follow the route as its quicker and Kinlochewe could be used for recovery. Doing the postie path with a knackered ankle probably would be a bad idea however.

Hope he's Ok and look forward to the tale. Mat McWhirr stopped in Shenaval early yesterday so I'm wondering if he's broke his bike?? Its great doing armchair speculation....

Looking at one of the two new ITT's my fat bike record is finally under threat

[GregMay]

Mart out with ankle issues.
Matt out due to high water levels.

[ScotRoutes]

Hope he's Ok and look forward to the tale. Mat McWhirr stopped in Shenaval early yesterday so I'm wondering if he's broke his bike?? Its great doing armchair speculation....

Turned back due to water levels I think.

[whitestone]

Apparently the river levels are up - Cath says the Sealga was reported as "deep" on Twitter. I checked SEPA and there must have been a lot of rain Tuesday night to Wednesday morning as pretty well every river in the NW has gone from "low" to above average.

[paramart]

mart binned it due to the rivers being dangerous to x, and his seat knackered, he got a lot further than last year

[fatbikephil]

Oh b*gger, so much for my earlier assertion....

This was 2015 - the water was touching the grassy banks both sides and it came up to my crotch (33" legs). Shorter people than me made it across, so if its this or less get stuck in!

That said your crossing the Loch rather than the river so the level of the loch should be slower to respond (up and down) with a change in river levels. Or something. Ach it'll be fine. Plus the road ride out of dundonald back to schneckie is sh*te so use that as motivation to progress

[touch]

edited: getting Mart + Matt mixed up

[larsmars]

Oh b*gger, so much for my earlier assertion....

Any tips on the best crossing point if water levels are up?

[touch]

Any tips on the best crossing point if water levels are up?

Stay directly on the route on your GPS, that's the best crossing point.

It's quite scary because it's very wide and the riverbed drops steeply from the bank but once you're in about 2-3metres from the edge, that's as deep as it gets and the bottom is flat all the way across from there.

[larsmars]

Any tips on the best crossing point if water levels are up?

Stay directly on the route on your GPS, that's the best crossing point.

It's quite scary because it's very wide and the riverbed drops steeply from the bank but once you're in about 2-3metres from the edge, that's as deep as it gets and the bottom is flat all the way across from there.

Thanks, I did cross in 2016 at that exact spot, but that was a dry year and it was basically knee deep all the way. I suppose as long as there's no flow, it's mainly the risk of soaking electronics, clothes, etc whilst the bike is above your head.

[fatbikephil]

In 2015 myself and Andy Williamson crossed (he went first) just up steam of the line as on the line the waves were a foot high. If there are no waves go on the line and hope.... Apparently in 2014 some guy wandered further out and it was shallower but this seemed a very dubious prospect in '15.

An option (which will DQ you) is to cross the river itself just down from the bothy as per Jenny Graham in '15 - you actually cross the main river and then the side burn coming in from Glen Muice so theoretically there is less water to deal with. BUT - the ground after this is boggy as hell and you might just end up in more trouble than crossing on the line. If the water level is silly high I would certainly have a look at the river upstream as a last resort but the line should be you first choice.

Anyone wishing to run a commercial raft ferry service next week will make a mint!

[whitestone]

In 2017 I crossed slightly upstream, maybe 30 metres or so, of the GPX. It just happened to be where I hit the bank. The first two or three metres the bed dropped to maybe halfway up my shins which was probably the main flow then a couple of metres later it was ankle depth and like that to the far bank. The actual force of the flow was negligible, I'd imagine closer to the loch it would be even less.

If you think about the water's energy then faster flow can carry bigger and heavier material. As it slows down it can't hold or move the larger material so you get banks forming. There's a good chance that further towards the loch there's a "bar" of deposited material making crossing easier if a little "leap of faith".

[larsmars]

Thanks guys, sounds like 'leap of faith' is a good strategy.

[Chicken Legs]

Interesting if you look at the head of the Loch on Google maps satellite image.
Not sure it helps but interesting none the less

[fatbikephil]

Aye seen that - I believe that someone did follow the 'pincers' to get across. If someone goes first, I'll follow
Hmm - the met office forecast doesn't look quite so horrible. Gonna be chilly though, and nay midges!

[AlasdairMc]

I think it was either me or Nik Kinloch that you’re referring to. I went slightly wider in 2014 to knee deep and it was fine, following the sandbank.