Bit of a virgin to bikepacking but have all the gear I need (kit addict ) so I just need a route. I've thought of plenty of mental ones (Coast to Coast, Cader to Snowdon like the Alpkit guys, Tour of the lakes etc etc.) but I'm getting the whiff of 'biting off more than I can chew' again.
I'm off on Thursday/Friday and I'm thinking Wales. At the moment I'm making routes on memory map all round the Dyfi forest but get the impression I'll end up on fireroad for two days which could be a touch dull!
Can anyone suggest a good short to medium route that takes in some nice singletrack/bridleways. Any help would be appreciated.
What about the Bearbones 200km route perhaps with an extension of the Doethe Valley if you have time? The gpx route must be on this site somewhere, or one of us can email it to you. Would be a nice 2+ dayer depending on time and how much of a rush/fast you are.
You could start from Rhaydar or perhaps the YH at the top of the Doethe valley for leaving your car. There are a couple of bothies near the route as well if weather turns bad.
IMBA Cambrian Way is a nice 2-3 days as well but is point-to-point. Knighton to Dyfi Junction or see recent thread.
Away from Wales you have the Peak District which has lots of bridleways which can be linked up to do a big loop. I have a book which has a 6 day route but reckon you could do it quicker than that. Don't have a gpx for that though, but shows the possibilities. Never to far from civilisation, or Manchester, up there;-)
Thanks for the advice. We decided to do a 50km route in the Berwyns. Great weather and a great location but the trip was marred by an attack of vomiting on my part after we'd set up camp and had dinner. Very odd, treated the water and ate dehydrated food. Miserable night followed so we hit the abort button the following morning. Here's hoping our next trip is less eventful.
Chlorine will kill bacteria and viruses but it won't kill cysts such as Giardia which are the things most likely to make you ill in the UK. Iodine kills everything but it's now banned as it can kill you too Well worth buying a small bottle from the chemists, couple of drops should do a litre of water.
I dont suppose you were eating/drinking lots of energy bars and drinks? - they make me feel rotten - something drinking water from streams has never done (I do try and choose carefully).
The other thing that sometimes causes me problems is lack of caffeine - I have to try and wean myself off it before a trip or I get the mother of all headaches.
I used chlorine dioxide which is supposed to be as good as iodine but better for you. They may have been from last year which could have reduced their viability.
I do eat energy bars/gels but I have been for years and generally have the constitution of an Ox so that's not normally an issue. I suspect a touch heat stroke and I'm sure some dodgy water had a dance in my guts.
I'm eagerly planning the next trip so it wasn't all bad!
Hi drunkenmonkey, you say "we" and "I" so i'm assuming there was more than one of you out but only you got ill. If you all used the same water source then i'm wondering if this was actually the cause of your illness. Sorry to hear it spoiled your trip.
"The other thing that sometimes causes me problems is lack of caffeine - I have to try and wean myself off it before a trip or I get the mother of all headaches." Hi adjustablewrench, I need coffee in the morning, two cups sets me up for the day, I have to have it, could you not just take some with you?
Giardia using takes a few days to produce "results". The book "How to sub standard in the Woods" provides a good account of various illnesses that can be contracted through poor hygiene and such while out and about.
) so I just need a route. I've thought of plenty of mental ones (Coast to Coast, Cader to Snowdon like the Alpkit guys, Tour of the lakes etc etc.) but I'm getting the whiff of 'biting off more than I can chew' again.
Well worth buying a small bottle from the chemists, couple of drops should do a litre of water.
