Highland Trail 2019

[redefined_cycles]

*sorry... Other way round

[landel]

Liam Glen is just at the Coffin Road. Things are pretty close at the pointy end. It's going to be an interesting evening\night. I hope the weather is a bit better for everybody out there.

[Escape Goat]

I hope the weather is a bit better for everybody out there.

I think the weather is better for them the next few days...can I ask, is the route the same every year?

[summittoppler]

...can I ask, is the route the same every year?

I'm no expert mate, but I think it is the same every year unless Alan makes it even longer!

[landel]

A few years ago it was the HT440 and then Alan added the top loop. I think there are some slight variations due locked gates, bridges out etc but mostly it's the same.

[Escape Goat]

...can I ask, is the route the same every year?

I'm no expert mate, but I think it is the same every year unless Alan makes it even longer!

Alan, Allens, Alun, Allans are all awkward, so I wouldn't put it past him... Cheers mate!

[whitestone]

For the past few years it’s been basically the same with a few minor variations to account for forestry work and similar closures. People reccie the route and let him know of any problems prior to him sending out the final GPX.

This year the main change was avoiding Laggan Wolftrax by using Glen Shirra.

[AlasdairMc]

If he did drop it it is giving a position of 56°29'39.9"N 4°41'58.8"W.
He might want to collect it after it has stopped updating.

Thanks for those coordinates - they’re absolutely bang on. I’ll ensure Nelson gets this back (despite it being shiny and an inReach - much nicer than a Spot)

[Alpinum]

I hope the weather is a bit better for everybody out there.

I think the weather is better for them the next few days...can I ask, is the route the same every year?

From my beaten memory and a few exchanges with Alan about the route development - some 5.5 years ago:

2013 the route was about 720 km long (I did a few detours for the views and got 730 km).
2014 Alan added the northern loop, making it two visits to Oykel Bridge and upping it to about 890 km riding. In Torridon he added a short but fun section.
2015 People moaned about the Torridon section...
2016 Ben Alder section instead of WHW start, Fisherfield exit changed. Torridon reduced to a fragment. For me the sum of the changes made it worthwile to ride it again in 2016, after riding it in 2013. Despite the lack of Torridon's fun.
2017 Think pretty much as 2016.
2018 Little hill towards the end added rather than going around on road.
2019 Can't remember them, but I thought a few tiny changes had been done.

2020 Alan will finally realise it's still full of boring and too easy non-MTB riding and throws in some Munros and more bogs.

Weather seems to be improving from what the forecast says. The sunny spells will be enjoyed

Go Karl!

Go Jenny! (wasn't fun to see her slow down on the last bit in 2016 - I hope she can turn it around this time and up the pace)

[summittoppler]

Its now showing LG as being on the road and not taking the right turn off road, or is it just a blip?

Good to see the 4 of them so close together.....

[ScotRoutes]

I can't think of any reason to be heading up that road. There's no shop or accommodation.

[Escape Goat]

I can't think of any reason to be heading up that road. There's no shop or accommodation.

I just think he turned the wrong way :(

[due]

I can't think of any reason to be heading up that road. There's no shop or accommodation.

Still going

[Escape Goat]

Last three minutes is still at the end of those trees. So annoying for him when he figured out. He will have just missed the gate on the right

[Mart]

3 riders in the Orrin cement store. I hope it's dried out a bit.

I stopped there, some of the glass in the windows had been smashed, so put some planks up over what gaps I could.
Would leak a bit given a bit of wind
The door leaves plenty of gaps too

Cold and draughty!

[Escape Goat]

Screenshot_20190527-181221_Chrome by Escape Goat, on Flickr

[Mart]

Looks strange - maybe a mechanical?
There is a hint of a passing place on Google maps just where he is

Come on Liam

[summittoppler]

No signal now for LG on my latest refresh.......
Dot watching is friggin ace! Who would have thought it would be so addictive?

[Chicken Legs]

Looks like Liam is heading for Ullapool, at some speed !!

[Escape Goat]

No signal now for LG on my latest refresh.......
Dot watching is friggin ace! Who would have thought it would be so addictive?

I go ten minutes, panic, remember I've not checked , check then all is good....for ten minutes.

My friends check their Instagram straight away in the morning, I clear all, head to doteatcher and look to see where everyone is.

[journeyman]

Adrian is hoofing it. Bert leaving the top of the Bealach Horn and probably still wearing a cheeky grin (and an OBH
towel round his middle!):-bd

[Escape Goat]

What on earth is going on?!

Screen Shot 2019-05-27 at 19.14.49 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

[fatbikephil]

Liam is heading back to Ullapool - shame to have done so well and now he has to back track. Hope he is able to get back on it.

Torridon got shortened after 2015 as Allan was a bit concerned how desperate it was right after Fisherfield given the weather that year. Plus the erosion from the all the weekend warriors on the Annat descent was / is horrible and Alan didn't want to add to it. The new route misses a chunk of road riding as well as being a really nice techy climb and the best of the rad descent to Achnasheen. The postie path went in to miss a big road sections and the tollie path which everybody except me hated..... Alan wanted to get everybody off the WHW as soon as given the numbers starting and the busyness of the whw, hence the revised day 1 route (which is much nicer!)

Glen Shirra was a worthy addition even though it misses out Laggan wolftrax with the cafe, bogs and bike shop. FA is now only 90 miles from the start. I wonder when he'll make us reverse the corrieairyack on the return leg!

[BobCatMax]

Has he dropped something?

[Mart]

Just seen on Twitter that Liam’s scratching
He was going so well up to that point too