Highland Trail 2019

[sean_iow]

Whats with the OBH? I thought that in 2018 they had been pretty welcoming..... Maybe better to use the Achness hotel??

I had dinner at the Achness in 2018 and they were great. The next night I got to the OBH after 9pm and it seemed like making my cup of tea was bordering on too much trouble, hot food, or any food other than crisps and a mars was out of the question.

[whitestone]

So given the option between this



and this



which would you choose? Both sleep two.

[slarge]

Being the skinflint that I am, that woodshed looks appealing......

Where's the Achness hotel?

[fatbikephil]

Just after the turn off at Rosehall going up Glen Cassley a few miles down the road from the OBH.

[sean_iow]

I ate at the Achness with Mike and Bas. Pascal arrived and was looking at the menu, he doesn't speak hardly any English. When the landlady came over to take his order to warn her of his limted english he says 'I am French' to which she replied 'Dont worry love, it's not your fault'

[Richpips]

I ate at the Achness with Mike and Bas. Pascal arrived and was looking at the menu, he doesn't speak hardly any English. When the landlady came over to take his order to warn her of his limted english he says 'I am French' to which she replied 'Dont worry love, it's not your fault'

[Karl]

Day 4 has now been released. Link on the 1st post. If I was quick this would be my last day, luckily for you guys there's still 2 more to come

[Karl]

So given the option between this



and this



which would you choose? Both sleep two.

Option 3 please Bob, my bivvy bag in the freezing cold just so I could be mad at Javi again

[whitestone]

Sshh about that newsagent on the sea front! Not everyone knows it's there or that it opens early, err

How far did James get with the Shenavall wifi code before he realised?

[Howard]

Great read Karl

Whats with the OBH? I thought that in 2018 they had been pretty welcoming..... Maybe better to use the Achness hotel??

There was a change of ownership.

Achness also changed hands this year (crap for the new owner with Covid shutdown), but he is a cyclist so could well be a good option for future....

[fatbikephil]

The strath sealga crossing looked to be OK in those photos, about the same as when I did it in June....
Getting good weather through the great wilderness was a bonus given what happened on Saturday and sunday. Keep 'em coming

[FLV]

Enjoying this Karl, thanks for posting.

I was trying to save todays for later but enjoyed a little work skive for a read instead

[stevewaters]

The Achness Hotel at Rosehall let me and another bikepacker pitch on their lawn and they left the back door open so that we could use the toilet etc and dry stuff off - superb.
That was in May 2019 so perhaps before the change of ownership.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2381340869

[Karl]

Day 5 is released. Link in 1st post. Spoiler alert, it's not the end!

[sean_iow]

I've got tomorrow off work so I'm going to have to read the last installment in my own time, you should have peddled faster to be finished today

[Bearbonesnorm]

Day 5 - yay

[TrepidExplorer]

Thanks for sharing Karl.

I wanted to post an update on the Strathcarron Hotel.

I stopped in there on my reccy in June at about 8am. There was already one bike parked outside.

The landlady was inside (looking exhausted) but made me Haggis in a bun and a coffee. Her and her husband came and sat outside in the sun for a chat.* They had literally just moved in.

They had been working in Dubai but decided to come home to Scotland and bought the hotel on a business loan, not completely on a whim but still, taking a chance. She flew home to Edinburgh on Thursday, spent some time with her family then drove over on Saturdy. She'd been up till 2am cleaning rooms for a booking for 12 on a "conference" on Monday morning.

She reckoned the rooms hadn't been cleaned for months and had to go into the village and buy the shop out of cleaning products.

When they arrived on Thursday, a local produce merchant popped in to offer her samples. Apparently he blacklisted the previous owner for not paying his bills. The food was so good, she'd left a voicemail on his phone before he got on the ferry back to the Isle of Skye. I can certainly vouch for the haggis.

I hope they're still there next year.

*sunshine not guaranteed

[fatbikephil]

Nice one Karl. I too had a bit of a frosty response at the Morvich campsite in '17. I wandered in to get water thinking I'd also use the loo. The warden appeared (wee man in yellow vest) and started giving me a hard time for taking water without asking. I pointed out that his site was on the edge of a large wilderness area and they should be accommodating for back and bike-packers taking water and using the loo to avoid people digging holes everywhere but he was having none of it - a classic wee jobsworth including the whiny nasally accent

So I also sat in splendour further up the glen...

I was at the Strathcarron hotel in June too and got well fed
Thinking about it they were pretty accommodating in 2015....

[Karl]

The last day of a grueling ride is upon us. Day 6 link is in the 1st post.

[fatbikephil]

Enjoyed all of that Karl, well done!

[slarge]

Tough old ride that one Karl - kudos for finishing in the face of all those issues.

Mental note to never buy a used sleeping bag from you!

[landel]

Really enjoyed that. Well done and thanks for sharing

[Bearbonesnorm]

[techno]

Just read the whole thing, brilliant!
Thanks Karl.

[FLV]

Final day, best read yet. Top stuff mate