I have recently been trying to decide as to what my first major bikepacking route will be (I have toured off road before but not lightweight) and this morning at exactly 9 am whilst on my first coffee it hit me :idea: . As I live in Edinburgh I have decided to take the Union canal to Falkirk, pick up the Forth and Clyde canal to the north of Glasgow where I will then take the West Highland Way to Fort William. A quick route plot gives it a distance of 150 miles but this was a very quick plot so I know in reality it will be longer(will have to do a more careful plot). Then depending on the time it takes/time I have, I can either get a train back to Edinburgh from there or reverse the WHW back to Glasgow and get a train from there.
I reckon I could make Loch Lomond for the first night as most of the first day is on canal paths followed by not too much altitude gain, then make Fort William on the second night. I will be going mid week so hopefully there won't be too many walkers on the WHW. :D

Forgot to mention, I will post when I have decided when i'm going and I am happy for people to join me even if it's just for the West Highland Way.

After discussion with the wife I have decided to start on Tue 10 April.

I am now thinking I will do the route over 3 days and then decide whether to return home or extend the trip. The reasons for doing it over 3 days are that I have found out that the West Highland Way is 96 miles long and I want to enjoy the ride rather than just push myself. I have also found out that there is a wild camping ban (local bylaw) along the south east shoreline of Loch Lomond so I will probably have to bivi earlier than I planned on the first day.
The ban was introduced last year and is enforced with a £500 fine by both the police and national park wardens. It runs from spring to autumn and was introduced due to both overuse and misuse ( people partying and leaving rubbish probably) of this stretch of the shoreline as it is within easy reach of the Glasgow area.

I hope that the prevailing winds aren't too bad on the first day out as it could turn what should be an easy days cycle into a very arduous task indeed.

If anyone is interested I would be more than happy for you to join me. I am not paticularly fast but do get the miles done. 8-)

Sounds like you've got yourself a plan there Ray ... enjoy it

ray,

how set are your dates for this trip???

i ask as it's looking 99% likely that we're going to have to change the dates we were planning on heading back to blighty (was going to be end of april and first two weeks of may).

this means not only i won't be able to do the Dyfi Enduro but also that i can consider other routes than the TCW (in order to get to or from the Dyfi).

your trip looks perfect (as i'll heading to yorkshire to visit friends/family anyway and so i'm part-way there) but i doubt we'll be back by the 10th.

no worries if this idea is a non-starter i thought i'd ask (and nothing is certain yet anyway re: our dates in the uk).

cheers, gairy.

Hi Gairy, sorry but i'm pretty much tied to starting on the tenth. Stepdaughter is back at college soon after that so I will be back on horse care and driving duties. Keep in touch about when your coming over and maybe we could arrange something.

no worries - was just a thought.

if it looks like we'll be back by then i'll let you know.

cheers.

Hi all. I'm still setting off on the Tues 10 April to do this ride. I will be bivvying that evening at Garadhban forest just north of Drymen about 20 miles along the West Highland Way if anyone would like to join me. Apparently there is an official wildcamp site (?) that is easily found at the NW end of the forest so that's where I shall be.
Weather forecast for the coming week in that area is looking good with only showers predicted with good visibility, light winds and dry nights.

Good luck, should be a great route

have fun sir!

shame the dates didn't work out otherwise i'd have joined you - maybe next time???

let us know how you get on.

Hi Gairy, will be taking photo's and do a write up on my return, and yes, maybe next time. Latest news is the wifes given me the go ahead on a couple of extra days if I want it so I may do the WHW double, depends on how i'm feeling and the weather conditions. :)