Scotland

[Chew]

Seems like Scotland is the place to be this summer.

Because of the industry i work in, we have to have a 2 week break every year (good and bad). Always wanted to go proper north, and visit the Outer Hebrides, so it seemed like a good excuse to go up and explore.

Planned a route taking me from Oban, up the islands, across to Ullapool, down to Fort Augustus (following the recently published Highlands route), across on the C2C route to the Carngorms, most of the Carngorms loop, before finishing off the C2C to Montrose.

In the end i ended up doing 964km over the 2 weeks and 12km of climbing.

Island Hopping
A very early start to catch the trains up to Oban to catch the ferry across. Up at 4, and the ferry wouldn't dock on the islands until 8.30 at night. Everything worked like clockwork, all of my interconnecting trains arrived on time and the conductor on the train to Oban kindly rang ahead to the ferry to make sure they didnt close the cargo bay doors early as there was only 10 mins before the train arrived and the ferry left.

I'm not sure where everyone else was finding the rain from, i had 4 days of hot sun.



There are some fantastic beaches on the islands.
Theres no real offroad options on the islands, but i was more than happy to crusie along the empty roads taking in the views. Barra is great, only small and just spent the night there before catching the ferry across to the next island



The riding over on Uist is easy if a little dull. Its mainly flat, and the scenary isn't as spectacular as some of the other islands. The beaches of Harris are amazing.

Finding somewhere to camp was resonably easy, and with the sunny weather it was a delight. The strong island winds where keping the midges at bay, and it was just a case of getting the right balance between enough wind to keep them away, and be sheltered enough in case the weather turned.
Very glad i decided to take a tent. The Terra Nova has a bit of a nack to putting up, but practice makes perfect.



After the flatness of the other islands, Lewis comes as a bit of a shock to the system. They have also modernised the roads on the island, from singletrack and twisty, to straight and wide. Took the road out the east of the island. Bit of a trek but worth it. Pretty much sums up the islands



It would have been great to have spent the night over this side of the island, camping on the beach, but it was a bit too far away from the ferry terminal and i needed to make that sailing as not to put pressure on the other part of the route.

The sailing was good, and we even had the dophins come say high on the way across to the main land.

[Taylor]

Looks nice.
I'd like to go back up there again soon.
After your four days of sun did the storms arrive?

[gairym]

that's a nice looking trip you had yourself there!

[didnothingfatal]

That first photo of the beach, looks fantastic!

[Chew]

Highlands
The weather was still holding as i was probably north enough to be missing the worst of it. The days were warm with cold nights.

Short ride off the ferry northwards to my first Scottish Bothy of the trip



A nice bothy. 2 rooms downstairs, and once upstairs, so there would never be an issue if you arrived and people were already there.

In the morning there was a bit of rain in the air, but nothing major. Some riding through some great countryside, into what felt like the end of the earth. The ride into the middle of nowhere on some good land rover tracks was a bit of a highlight.



I was aware that the weather was closing in, and the wind was picking up, but had seen a good little disused house on the map. No windows or doors, but thankfully the wind was blowing on the back of the building, rather than through the windows. The sheep had been in a few of the rooms, but one was good for the night.
A good nights sleep, and not too many thoughts of axe murderers roaming the countryside.



The next day involved riding back to town and getting a good meal inside me at the first cafe i found, which is easier said than done in the highlands. The afternoon started with heavy showers in one valley, but once over the top, glorious sunshine and a great decent down into Cannish



Stopped the night in Cannish to get a walm shower and wash my kit after living like a trampfor the week.
The following day started off the same weather wise. Cold morning, heavy shower, glorious sunshine. It was bouncing it down in the afternoon, and i was out in the open, with no chance of cover, but at least i knew there was a chance of cover comming up. Sods law said it would stop raining before i got there and it did.



Good enough a building to stay the night if needed. With all of the rain, i couldn't ride around the lake as it had filled up, so it was a push over the rocks on the shore line. The decent off the other side is superb. One of those times where you wish you werent on a loaded bike, so you could open it up a bit, rather than having to play safe, with all of the extra weight.
I had noticed on the train up that the sole of my shoe was starting to peal off but thought nothing more of it. On the road section i noticed that the whole front part of the sole was hanging off The heavy rain, pushing over the boulders must have been too much for them.

As luck would have it what was the next shop i came to? a cog makers. They couldnt do much, and when i asked if there might be anywhere near to get some other shoes they said Inverness!!!!

Aviemore was an option enroute, but that was a good day away, and a big hill in the way. I set off for Fort Augustus with all my fingers crossed in hope of finding a shop open selling super glue to at least try and give me a hope of the shoes lasting a bit longer.

RESULT!!!!! Found a shop in Fort Augustus, selling the usual tat of Loch Ness Keyrings, fudge & kiss me quick hats. But they were also selling boots as well. I was so happy :D



Celebrated with a pub dinner before heading up to Blackburn Bothy for the night. Another place where i could happy spend a few nights if needed.



The next morning it was the 782m climb over the Corrieyairack Pass. Ridable up if you have the legs (i didnt), but no views from the top, as i was up in the low level clouds. The down off the other side is great, if you down mind the foot high water bars (no bunny hopping these). The Glen on the other side is amazing. This photo doesnt do it justice in the drizzle.



Then down into Lagan, to topup on short bread.

[Taylor]

Can we have a route map please Chew? To put pictures to places on the map.

More cracking pics.

Really jealous now.

[Ray Young]

Lovin this, like a mini series unfolding in front of you. I too am jealous

[Chew]

Just for you Taylor



I'll post some more up later in the week

[valleydaddy]

Fantastic Chew really jealous, I have family in Lewis and Plockton and always dream of riding around there

[Taylor]

Top job.

But

What about the islands route?

[Chew]

Some people are never happy



(no i didnt packraft the sea bits)

[Chew]

Cairngorms
This was the part of the trip i was looking forward to the most, and it didnt disappoint.

When i was planning the route, one of the issues was how many miles to do each day. Too many and i'd be rushing and not enjoying myself, too few and i'd me kicking my heals at the end of each day. 60k a day on the GPS sounded about right, as i knew it would be closer to 70k on the ground. That left me a bit short on distance over the two weeks so i decided to include the two inner sections of the Cairngorms loops.

If you haven't visited the Cairngorms, make sure you do.
The place makes you feel like you've gone back in time with the mountains and trees looking like they've been there for millions of years.



I was having too much fun on the singletrack in the forest to take too many photos, but i made my way up to Ryvan Bothy for the night.



Its on a main walking route, so gets a fair amount of use during the day. Its a bit grotty and damp, but another roof over my head for the night.

Next morning, was a damp start, on a good track, until you start getting to these:



The mountains are big and the drainage ditches are of the same scale. Thought better of trying to bunnyhop these. The path slowly gets worse and unrideable, but at least the sun was trying to come out, so i was happy to keep pushing.

Eventually the path stops and its time to man up.



There was ment to be some stepping stones, but with all of the rain which was about the river was running high, and quite fast, and they were covered over. So time to remove shoes and socks, roll my shorts up, and get on with it.
About knee height, and a bit easier with the bike once you work out to point it upstream rather than across the river as it just wants get washed away, and drag you with it, which makes for a few twitchy moments

Bit of a lye on the grass as my feet dry in the sun, before the shoes go back on and more pushing, up to the next rise. At this point i'm slightly cursing Steve, wondering why i'm doing this.

On the top of the rise theres a few Dutch guys and this



They ask me if i'm going to ride down there, and say i'm crazee <dodgy dutch accent>
All of that pushing is soon forgotten, with more miles than smiles on the singletrack that just improves onto a fast open road, as the sun pours down.



Hats off to anyone who did that section back in April.

Then it was onto the second section that takes into the Glen Fishie, which is amazing. The rivers had a bit of fun with the road down there, but theres some great singletrack up on the hills, if a bit precarious at times. The light was fading, i was getting tired, and it would have been better with an upladen bike, but it makes a good excuse to go back again sometime.



The Ruigh Aiteachain Bothy came into view and the wild ponies where there to great me. It was like some kind of fairy tail scene.

Its a fantastic Bothy, and there was even wood there when i arrived, so i was able to get a fire going, and dry my damp socks. A fantastic end to a fantastic day.



Another sunny morning with more single track riding to then pickup the road to Aviemore to pick up more food.

[Ian]

Chew, that looks like such a superb trip. Ace photos too 8-)

[gairym]

agreed - looks like an epic!

[Mike]

nice one chew, me and hux did a trip in april to the west coast. Scotland is so good for touring aint it. Have u by any chance still got the gpx route for ur tour that i could use please to have a look at parts of ur route as were thinking about heading back up with the bikes soon to do something similar??

[Chew]

The insparation and routes mainly came from here:
http://www.selfsupporteduk.net/
I'm not going to take any of the credit for the route. It was a case of taking the Ullapool to Fort Augustus, part of the Highlands route, and joining it to the widely published Scottish C2C and then adding in part of the Caringorms loop, with a sprinking of imagination and sense of adventure.

To the Sea
Judging the amount of water to carry, isnt an issue, as there is plenty about, but carrying food is a bit of a balance. Too much and its lots of extra weight, too little and running out isnt much fun.

On the way to Aviemore i ran out, so it was a case of running on empty with the fuel light on. Aviemore is a bit of a strange place so it was a case of filling up at Tesco, and getting out of there quickly.

The rain finally caught up with me and as well as the effects of 14 hours in the saddle the day before. It seemed to take forever to get to Tomitoul and the overflowing river at the end of the offroad section, didnt help lift my spirits either. Thankfully there were plenty of spaces in the YHA, so a good opportunity to get walm and dry, while giving my kit a clean.

The next morning it was a case of heading out in the drizzle, stocking up on snacks at the local shop before heading out into the wilds again.



Got to the top of the next big hill, and bump into the two dutch guys i'd passed a few days before, before a great decent into Braemar. One of those drops thats a nice gradient, thats fast enough to just let the bike go without toughing the brakes.

Then it was a climb up the other side of the glen, to one of the Bothies on the Royal estate.



Its s bit cold in there and i'm damp from riding in the drizzle all day. I dont mind getting wet, if i can get dry again. Damp, cold and tired arn't a great mix, so can sympathise with those who have cut trips short due to poor weather. Time to keep walm and eat.



The next day, it was a drop down the hill back into the Royal estate. Liz and Phil we not about so no issues in riding through, although i expect that there was someone keeping an eye on me. An easy ride into Balater for one of the best tasting all day breakfasts i've had. It surprising how good food tastes when your really hungry.

A bit more easy riding along an old railway track and back into the forests again. The clouds openned and it was really bouncing it down with rain. After spending some time hiding under trees, and scouring the map, i find a few buildings, where i might be able out of the rain more, rather than huddling under a tree and getting rain down the back of my neck ever time the wind blows.

The first one isnt accessable but the second one is a little hut used by walkers to get out of the rain. I was just hoping to be there for a while until the rain passed, but it didn't so i decided to spend the night there, and cross my fingers that i wouldnt get rumbled.



The next morning the sun was trying to pop out, and i had an option to go over Mount Kean (a Munro), which was something i was looking forward to.



As it came into view, the peak was under the clouds, but the closer i got the more the cloud lifted. Part of me wanted to go over the top, another part of me wanted to play it safe and take the option which goes around the side.



You get about half way up the climb and it plateau's out, and you have to make the decision to go over the top, or around the side.

The cloud keeps taunting me, lifting and dropping, showing and hiding the peak. Its decision time, its clear, so i go for it.
5 mins later the heavens open again, so its time to backtrack and get back down to the plateau as quick as possible. Mount Kean will still be here another day, so time to make sure i am.

The drop off the other size is good, with jumps for drainage rather than gaps. Then theres a bit of cheeky gate jumping to go down the land rover track rather then the footpath.

After that its just a spin down the road to the end.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Fantastic :D

I'm liking the Bear Bones hat, product placement too

[gairym]

how long was this trip....?

seems like you were out there for months!

[Chew]

Just a 2 week trip. You've be surprised what you can do and the ground you can cover. Each place you visit seems like another day, even if you visit 5 places in a day.

Hope you enjoy your Alps trip Gairy

[royAB]

Great read chew... almost a holiday in itself. Ta

[Ray Young]

Ace, wish I could get away for more than a few days at a time.

[99percentchimp]

Excellent serialisation Chew - really enjoyed the read and great photos! Thanks for posting.

[matt_outandabout]

Fabulous trip - thank you for sharing it, really inspiring.

[yeti342]

Amazing trip mate ...

[BenS]

Bothy on the Royal (Lochnagar ?) estate looks like Gelder Shiel. I spent a new year there and skiing back to the car as the light was fading I surpirsed a couple of the (I presume) royal protection officers who had some seriously big guns that they quickly covered up!