With the extreme wet weather at the moment maybe there will need to be some route changes but they will have to wait until the spring. The only change I'm planning on is the start of the Fisherfield prologue at Croftown. Last May I'm sure I saw that they had cut a trail in the hillside behind the co...

It was me that added tarmac before road. It doesn't say that in the article, sorry. There is a very big road to Fealar Lodge which is definitely maintained but not tarmac. That is only 5 miles from an Sgarsoch.

On the way through Fisherfield the HT route passes within a few hundred meters of the most remote point in mainland Britain. It is just to the south of the trail on the flank of Ruadh stac Beag and is a disappointingly small 6.48 miles as measured from the nearest tarmac road. Via the Highland Trail...

Here's the up to date startlist. Women 1. Jenny Graham (2015) 2. Amy Souter 3. Fiona Massey 4. Jill Libby, Canada 5. Marketa Marvanova, Czech Republic 6. Shona Oldfield Men. 1. Phil Clarke (2014,2015) 2. Ian Barrington (2013,2014) 3. Paul Horabin 4. Eric DeJong, Canada 5. Dan Lockery, Canada 6. Mart...

That's great news, it's about time there was an event to showcase the fantastic riding on Exmoor. I shall try to be there.
It sounds tough, that's about the same amount of climbing as Lakeland 200!

Greg, you haven't ridden the northern loop have you?!

I've added some more names to the startlist for the group start next May. I'll probably pick another four from the remaining "wild card" entries and leave some places reserved for people with a "qualifying ride". Women 1. Jenny Graham (2015) 2. Amy Souter 3. Fiona Massey 4. Jill ...

Leaving Fisherfield on the Postman's Path via Letterewe to Kinlochewe it is going to take at least three hours from where you turn left up the Strathan Buidhe. It was less than an hour to Poolewe from here via the old route. You will need to leave Ullapool with plenty of food since this is the most ...

As a "qualification ride" for Highland Trail I would certainly accept a Cairngorms Loop started from any point on the route. I think it's important that people don't have to drive for an hour to get to Blair Atholl when they live near another part of the route. The group ride starts there ...

Here's the latest startlist. It's forty riders now which is the number I'd like to see lining up in Tyndrum but because the pre-start drop out rate is usually around 35% I'll add more names in the coming days. Women 1. Jenny Graham (2015) 2. Amy Souter 3. Fiona Massey 4. Jill Libby, Canada 5. Market...

I've just added five more names to the start list above.

Here are the first 35 names for the 2016 group start. Year denotes previous participation. Women 1. Jenny Graham (2015) 2. Amy Souter 3. Fiona Massey 4. Jill Libby, Canada 5. Marketa Marvanova, Czech Republic Men. 1. Phil Clarke (2014,2015) 2. Ian Barrington (2013,2014) 3. Paul Horabin 4. Eric DeJon...

So far I've received over sixty requests for places on next year's group start.
I've sent out emails to the first 20 lucky riders that have been successful.
I'm still accepting entries but you'll need to include some details of your bikepacking experience.

I noticed that!
The signs said stalking takes place from 1st July to February 15th. Maybe no one pays to shoot Roe deer?

Enjoy the smooth cycleway and save your energy for the Devil's Staircase!
If you are doing the new section on any day other than Sunday you should contact the Finnart Estate as signs indicated that stalking was likely until February 15th.

http://www.finnartestate.com/p_list.html

The bottom loop from Tyndrum to Fort Augustus and back is 268km with 4700m of climbing. A day in mid December will have less than 7 hours of daylight. I'd suggest that from near Laggan you go back via the 2015 outward route to Loch Ossian and then catch the train out from Corrour. Of course Dave kno...

In the email from the organizer it says the start is on June 18th. The off road is mostly gravel roads/doubletrack especially in the east. Maybe 5% singletrack, no very long technical sections. The amount of climbing (35,000m) is the main difficulty, I was often glad of an easy cruise down from the ...

Entries are now being taken for the 2016 Navad 1000 which is a 1000km bikepacking event across Switzerland from Lake Constance to Lake Geneva. It's the same route as this year so you can expect 35,000m of climbing and great scenery. There is around 50% tarmac but mostly on very quiet roads. Very lit...

Mountainbaker, I've sent you the new route...again.
Purty, the Welsh C2C will definitely count as a "qualifier". It was indeed properly hard and even had a day of proper Highlands weather.

I'm not sure I'd call the Cairngorms Loop easy, especially at this time of year.

Everyone that requested the gpx should have it now. The Coire Lair descent has definitely been damaged a lot since I was first there in 2012. You would think the major hike to get up there would put most people off but on Strava there are 187 recorded passages for this year alone, you can probably m...

I’ll be taking entries for next year’s Highland Trail in six weeks so I’d like to make public a few changes I’m making to the route. On day 1, after just 3 miles on the WHW the new route will take a right turn at Auch. There follows 65 miles through all new territory. Scenic double track up past Loc...

I recognize that view! Good in that direction isn't it?

I'm going to be there. It's been dry all week up north so conditions should be great.

Remember you don't have to start from Staveley. If you start from Coniston and overnight in Pooley Bridge the difficult sections come earlier both days and you get the easy, fun trails between Ambleside and Coniston at the end.