Mariner wrote:
Just had a look on OS as I remember the area below that path as featureless bolder strewn nothingness but there is a path shown on the other side of the river which will take him to the end of Loch Ossian and then at the other end is the SYH and the station. Very steep descent though to the river.
Well, it looks like he's made the track that leads down to Corrour Shooting Lodge and like ianfitz suggests, bailing out to the station?
Had no power from the start. Began to struggle after Bridge of Balgie then after Loch Rannoch began to vomit. By Ben Alder I needed a lie down in the bothy.
Got going on the single track climb then dinged my rim on a water bar so the tyre wouldn't hold air fitted an inner tube which blew a few water bars later.
Decided to scratch as there was no way I could do the route justice
I can confirm Dave's assessment of the way out! I was walking alongside Loch Ossian when Phill Clarke (htrider) rolled up! He gave me an inner tube so I could get to the station.
Struck lucky here and got a bed for the night Now waiting for a train
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Hope they let you on the train. I had a long exchange of emails with Scotrail about just turning up at Corrour without a ticket and a bike and they gave long explainations why I couldnt.
I got the train down from FW to Tyndrum last year and the grumpy guard made me hang my bike by the back wheel.
Charged at me and knocked me off my bike. I crawled up with the b*stard stood over me. Screamed and jumped over a wire fence. Absolutely sh*t myself. Picked up some dead wood and threw it at them until they went back in the field where they should have been.
After that a collected my bike which now has a broken garmin and bent brake lever. Tried pedalling but couldn't. Got to a down hill road section and couldn't even place my leg on the pedal, never mind pedal
CONFIRMED SCRATCHES 27/5/18: Stu Cowperthwaite, mechanical; Karl Booth, cow attack (!); Bob Wightman, heat; Alan Sheldon; Justin Atkinson; Shona and Rich all unknown reasons. [Scythe emoji]
Is that an example of having the last laugh! Glad you can make light of it - but sounds really scary and that it could have been a lot worse. A crap way to exit the HT.
Is that an example of having the last laugh! Glad you can make light of it - but sounds really scary and that it could have been a lot worse. A crap way to exit the HT.
Definately having the last laugh. Not many times I've been really scared but lay on the floor with the cow standing over me was one of them.
Karl wrote:
Definately having the last laugh. Not many times I've been really scared but lay on the floor with the cow standing over me was one of them.
Always next year!
All you have to do is say "moooove". They understand that type of language...
Cr@p way to have to scratch though. Having said that, it'll bring you a certain notoriety!
We go out into the hills to lose ourselves, not to get lost. You are only lost if you need to be somewhere else and if you really need to be somewhere else then you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.
Charged at me and knocked me off my bike. I crawled up with the b*stard stood over me. Screamed and jumped over a wire fence. Absolutely sh*t myself. Picked up some dead wood and threw it at them until they went back in the field where they should have been.
After that a collected my bike which now has a broken garmin and bent brake lever. Tried pedalling but couldn't. Got to a down hill road section and couldn't even place my leg on the pedal, never mind pedal
I'm having steak for tea tonight!
Karl, firstly glad you are ok. But that is a legendary scratch that should rightfully go down in history. Don’t forget to eat that steak wearing Doc Martins and a leather jacket.
Glad you got a train OK Bob! Hadn't twigged you'd exited by that route
Was interesting to see everybodies lines through (not very) boggy bit before Ben Alder - some people seem to aim for the worst bits! My mate Rob who was leading a Dof E group spoke to Michelle Dulieu - her pedal had fallen apart so she was struggling to ride anything other than smooth terrain. She was hopefully going to get sorted at Lagan wolftrax and I guess she did given her track.
Looks like carnage out there, guess the heat is doing for a few folk (it was 25 degrees as I exited Ben Alder area earlier.)
Karl as per Dave B you get the prize for the best scratch excuse! Will be having roast beef too tonight
No bother Bob although you looked like a bottle of whisky would have been more welcome
Huw Olivers Spot hasn't updated for an hour - always a worry when its somewhere like the Northern loop (by a river crossing)....
Philip FT seems to have stopped moving as well
Huw has moved but looks like he spent 3 hours stationary below the bealach horn - a tale to tell there no doubt. Phil FT has also jumped back to his previous position so must just have a lazy spot tracker.
Javi is nearly 3 hours ahead of where he was this time last year
Now waiting for a train
