Nah that was one of the easy hike-a-bikes (even with a fat bike) It was the gruesome climb out of coire Granda that was was hard (now no longer in....)boxelder wrote:Have you reccied the vertical cow field after Loch Broom?but the rest of it will be completely new to me
It's the hardest bit and never gets a mention
At least it should be dry.....
HT550 - 2017
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- fatbikephil
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Re: HT550 - 2017
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Talking of which, what (if any) are the changes for 2017?htrider wrote:Nah that was one of the easy hike-a-bikes (even with a fat bike) It was the gruesome climb out of coire Granda that was was hard (now no longer in....)boxelder wrote:Have you reccied the vertical cow field after Loch Broom?but the rest of it will be completely new to me
It's the hardest bit and never gets a mention
At least it should be dry.....
- whitestone
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Very minor as far as I can make out.
A diversion to avoid hydro-electric works on the Pattack
A slight diversion at Corrimony bothy to avoid lekking capercaillie.
A small change at Duchally Lodge in Glen Casseley because of a locked gate
The diversion in Ft William around the soldier's bridge
I don't think there are any others, 2016 veterans might know if there are.
A diversion to avoid hydro-electric works on the Pattack
A slight diversion at Corrimony bothy to avoid lekking capercaillie.
A small change at Duchally Lodge in Glen Casseley because of a locked gate
The diversion in Ft William around the soldier's bridge
I don't think there are any others, 2016 veterans might know if there are.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: HT550 - 2017
That's as I understand it too Whitestone.
Re: HT550 - 2017
2924 miles per Gallon
- whitestone
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Had a (rare) thought.
If any of the foreign entrants happen to be reading this thread be aware that the UK has recently, as in this weekend, switched between issues of Five pound notes. As of 6th May the old notes are no longer legal tender. If you get UK money before leaving home then you may be handed some of the old notes but you won't be able to use them. Best to use a cash machine when you arrive in the UK.
If any of the foreign entrants happen to be reading this thread be aware that the UK has recently, as in this weekend, switched between issues of Five pound notes. As of 6th May the old notes are no longer legal tender. If you get UK money before leaving home then you may be handed some of the old notes but you won't be able to use them. Best to use a cash machine when you arrive in the UK.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: HT550 - 2017
Thank you Whitestone. No need to make this trip more expensive then needed.
Does anybody know how in general the conditions on the route are at the moment? 'Normal', or very dry, wet, boggy, etcetera?
Does anybody know how in general the conditions on the route are at the moment? 'Normal', or very dry, wet, boggy, etcetera?
- whitestone
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Re: HT550 - 2017
We did the Northern Loop ten days ago on the May Day bank holiday weekend and things were very dry - I started a thread on it - http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... =10&t=9902 . There were still some boggy bits but nothing major. Things have been very dry in the north of Scotland recently but there's nearly three weeks to correct that!Bert wrote:Thank you Whitestone. No need to make this trip more expensive then needed.
Does anybody know how in general the conditions on the route are at the moment? 'Normal', or very dry, wet, boggy, etcetera?
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: HT550 - 2017
I rode the "path of 1000 puddles" yesterday. I think we'll need to rename it the "path of 6 or 7 puddles" this year.Bert wrote:Thank you Whitestone. No need to make this trip more expensive then needed.
Does anybody know how in general the conditions on the route are at the moment? 'Normal', or very dry, wet, boggy, etcetera?
There's a couple of the really deep ones that you'd need to be pretty brave to ride through but it's much easier to get around them now as the boggy ground on either side has dried a lot.
Re: HT550 - 2017
Is the path of a 1000 puddles the beauty that goes allong the Hydro bothy, and ends just before Contin?
Well, it looks that if it will rain for the next three weeks, the ground can still absorp most of the water. ;-)
Looks a lot better then two years ago, when around this time the wet conditions were decleared a force to be reckonned with.
Well, it looks that if it will rain for the next three weeks, the ground can still absorp most of the water. ;-)
Looks a lot better then two years ago, when around this time the wet conditions were decleared a force to be reckonned with.
Re: HT550 - 2017
Yep.Bert wrote:Is the path of a 1000 puddles the beauty that goes allong the Hydro bothy, and ends just before Contin?
The road between Ledmore Junction and Oykel bridge is currently closed due to wildfire. It was closed a couple of days ago then reopened but now it's been closed again.
- whitestone
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Crikey A check on the BBC site gives this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-h ... s-39843175 The bottom photo would seem to indicate that the fire near Lochinver was to the south of Suilven since it looks like it was taken from the East.touch wrote:Yep.Bert wrote:Is the path of a 1000 puddles the beauty that goes allong the Hydro bothy, and ends just before Contin?
The road between Ledmore Junction and Oykel bridge is currently closed due to wildfire. It was closed a couple of days ago then reopened but now it's been closed again.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: HT550 - 2017
Wow, it is dry then. A little rain wouldn't hurt. Hope this blows over in the coming weeks. Wouldn't want to find myself near a wildfire.
- fatbikephil
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Between now and the 27th its bound to pish down horrendously long enough to dampen any fires and make the trails nice and wet again! Didn't the Tour divide get moved a couple of years ago due to forest fires? be ironic if the Highland Trail sufferes a similar fate....
Re: HT550 - 2017
I'm more than happy to risk ANY amount of wildfire over pishing rain.
The fact I only suffered 3hrs rain in 4 days last year is starting to weigh increasingly heavily on me as the days tick by ....
The fact I only suffered 3hrs rain in 4 days last year is starting to weigh increasingly heavily on me as the days tick by ....
Re: HT550 - 2017
Presuming the weather stays something like, Tom and I will be heading up again.
We're aiming on being finished in time to watch the start.
We're aiming on being finished in time to watch the start.
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- fatbikephil
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Good on yer, if at first etc etc....
I've decided I'm not looking at weather forecasts until the day before when I'll choose layers to wear and make the bivi bag or tent decision....
I've decided I'm not looking at weather forecasts until the day before when I'll choose layers to wear and make the bivi bag or tent decision....
Re: HT550 - 2017
Either this is going to be a supremely fast completion or you have more faith in long range Scottish Forecasts than I dohtrider wrote:Good on yer, if at first etc etc....
I've decided I'm not looking at weather forecasts until the day before when I'll choose layers to wear and make the bivi bag or tent decision....
Re: HT550 - 2017
If you wait for the right weather in Scotland, you'll wait your whole life.
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Hail and fire, boils (well kind of, more like snot) now this https://stv.tv/news/features/1388044-mi ... ting-bugs/
Re: HT550 - 2017
Interesting. Anybody any tips for repellents? Or will a headnet and arm-/legwarmers do?
- whitestone
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Multi-level defence is the best approach: try not to stop in midge friendly locations (some might say this is defined as Scotland!), so find somewhere with a breeze and away from heavy vegetation that might give shelter, so avoid woods and forests. Then keep fully covered with light coloured clothing: arm and leg warmers plus headnet. Then something like Smidge. DEET based repellents don't play well with nylon.Bert wrote:Interesting. Anybody any tips for repellents? Or will a headnet and arm-/legwarmers do?
For some reason midges won't go into buildings, even open sided ones, it's possible that they won't fly more than a certain distance from vegetation or that roofs fool them into thinking it's night.
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Thanks! Very useful.
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Is anyone following the ITT attempt currently going on now? No movement for over a day, so I'm wondering whether this is SPOT trouble or a scratch?
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Re: HT550 - 2017
Looking at this http://trackleaders.com/highland17i.php ... el_Wilcock It might be that he's not turned the unit on this morning.AlasdairMc wrote:Is anyone following the ITT attempt currently going on now? No movement for over a day, so I'm wondering whether this is SPOT trouble or a scratch?
Edit: things should be very dry now - I was looking at Lars Henning's shots on here http://www.bikepacking.com/routes/highland-trail-550/ and the shot of the steep drop into Glen Golly in particular which was taken in a dry year. Two weeks ago the left hand channel of the river visible in that shot was virtually dry as we walked across it to have a snack on the "island".
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry