Anyone involved with this. Looks interesting...
https://www.anturasmor.co.uk/

It looks a great ride, yet another adventure to add to my list! I`m going to have to live until I am 100 to do it all.

The Trail is waymarked on posts and gates along the way. Look out for our distinctive waymark signs

Interesting. Working for both Scotways and Sustrans I know how much planning and negotiation goes into getting waymarkers installed.

The Trail is waymarked on posts and gates along the way. Look out for our distinctive waymark signs

Maybe in the way the Caminos in Spain are marked with a simple yellow arrow in paint? Though prob not if it's all above board.

Scotroutes, seems that there's a lot of routes popping up in Scotland these days, is it related to the tourism success of the NC500? Read an interesting article about US bike tourism and value to local areas recently, all really positive.

jameso wrote:.

Scotroutes, seems that there's a lot of routes popping up in Scotland these days

Meh. Too many if you ask me (grumble, grumble, grumble). We're in serious danger of removing any semblance of "exploration" as folk just stick to these published routes rather than make up their own.

There is definitely an NC500 effect. Look at what Markus Stitz is doing in Argyll, with funding from the tourism sector there. We've got other areas trying to compete with the NC500 and willing to call it "bikepacking" even if it involves spa hotels. Truth is, regardless of how "wild" certain parts of Scotland are, many of these routes are using the same major through-ways. This one, the GT24, the Crossduro and, yes, the HT550 all have shared elements.

(goes off to mumble in the corner about the "old days".....)

A bit hard to tell from the low res maps but it looks like it shares much of the HT550 route from Loch Rannoch as far as the top of Glen Golly. Then again there's not that many options not to share at least some of the trails.

Not sure the route needs markers if there's a GPX and map available, it's not as if there's a junction every 100 metres on these tracks.

Edit: Hmm - https://www.anturasmor.co.uk/race

Meh. Too many if you ask me (grumble, grumble, grumble). We're in serious danger of removing any semblance of "exploration" as folk just stick to these published routes rather than make up their own.

Grump Those that 'adventure' will carry on doing so. If the tourist board are funding routing efforts then they must see a benefit, that's a good thing for cycling generally. Might not be my/our cuppa generally but i've enjoyed marked/pre-mapped routes as much as finding my own.

I generally share Colin's grumpiness but don't really have a problem with this ... however, I'm not sure quite how you can proclaim to be ' Scotland's Premier Long Distance Mountain Bike Trail'. Seems a bit cheeky and maybe even niave.

whitestone wrote:
Edit: Hmm - https://www.anturasmor.co.uk/race

They claim it's Scotland's longest mountain bike race... It seems to be 200 miles short of that honour.

They claim it's Scotland's longest mountain bike race... It seems to be 200 miles short of that honour.

See, what did I say ... niave

Interesting that the route heads down Strath Dionard - I seem to remember that the Dionard Estate weren't too fond of bikes on their tracks. Things might have changed over the years though.

I found this justgiving page - https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding ... -cycleclub

I found this justgiving page - https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding ... -cycleclub

Really don't know what to think about that ... or the signage in general. Personally, unknown, exploration, discovery and possibly even risk are important parts of the 'bikepacking experience'. Once people start to smooth the rough edges, then some of what actually makes it great is removed and the experience dumbed down. I'm all for encouraging people out there (no, really I am) but let's not pander to peoples inherant softness.

sean_iow wrote:

whitestone wrote:
Edit: Hmm - https://www.anturasmor.co.uk/race

They claim it's Scotland's longest mountain bike race... It seems to be 200 miles short of that honour.

Yes & No; 'that' race, isn't a race. It just looks a lot like one...!

Personally I really like the idea of doing this as a group start / race / whatever. I expect Ian F might even be able to do this without sleeping.

Yes & No; 'that' race, isn't a race. It just looks a lot like one...!

Really, it's called the Highland Trail Race.

I see the Obscura Mondo Cycling Club 'group' has a Facebook page but seems only one like and one member and the only other google hit is to do with the crowd funding.

https://www.facebook.com/Obscura-Mondo- ... 741695273/

Does seem a bit odd to crowdfund £2k for way marking when I'd assume there'd be better uses of money on the route and potentially better sources of funding for a bona fide group/club/association.

For me I'm just interested in doing a route along the cape wrath-ish route sometime before carrying on up through Orkney and home.

Part of my grumpiness stems from the development and popularity of the NC500. Maybe it was the wrong thing to bring it up in connection with this

They're certainly being a little presumptious given that the HTR550 is quite a bit longer and (in many regards) a lot tougher.

ZeroDarkBivi wrote:

sean_iow wrote:

whitestone wrote:
Edit: Hmm - https://www.anturasmor.co.uk/race

Yes & No; 'that' race, isn't a race. It just looks a lot like one...!

Personally I really like the idea of doing this as a group start / race / whatever. I expect Ian F might even be able to do this without sleeping.

The other race that's not a race used to have an 'r' in the title for race but both seem to be the same race but not a race format At 'only' 368 miles the very fastest in good weather might finish in under 2 days?

Part of my grumpiness stems from the development and popularity of the NC500.

You're lucky ... mine just stems from being a tw@t

http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra- ... rail-race/

Can I also offer age as an extenuating reason for my grumpiness?

sean_iow wrote:

ZeroDarkBivi wrote:

sean_iow wrote:

whitestone wrote:
Edit: Hmm - https://www.anturasmor.co.uk/race

Yes & No; 'that' race, isn't a race. It just looks a lot like one...!

Personally I really like the idea of doing this as a group start / race / whatever. I expect Ian F might even be able to do this without sleeping.

The other race that's not a race used to have an 'r' in the title for race but both seem to be the same race but not a race format At 'only' 368 miles the very fastest in good weather might finish in under 2 days?

I was surprised they suggested 8 days. The one barrier to a fast finish is a dependency on a ferry crossing at Durness. I reckon sub 4 would go quite nicely

If you have to use the ferry crossing for their ITT route that also limits time of year. I was at Durness at easter one year and the ferry was only just starting to run and with his smaller boat; said he wouldn't take the bikes on it, and in the end it didn't run anyway due to weather.

There's always the wet HAB around the head of the inlet though...

Packraft

ScotRoutes wrote:Packraft

Or balloon tyres and outriggers

Signposts ? So it's a sportive ? Figures.

When I eyed up the off road route from Contin to Durness on an OS map a number of years ago I should have patented its use 'cos I'd have made a fortune by now (joke...)
Using the descent down to Strath dionard indicates a complete lack of route knowledge. There is no way this could be described as requiring medium bike skills.....
Better to go up to the Hope road from Gobernuisgach and then along the old road over to Eriboll. I notice they do make a dig at the NC500 however so I'm generally in support - better to promote bike touring than car touring any day of the week.