HHmmm the Lochinver Pie shop......... I too bought a second pie (they're more like pasties really), to eat for breakfast. I then found a B+B, so ate it in a hot bath, with beer from the Spar next door. Should probably have stumbled on towards Ledmore Junction...........or not. That pie shop does sav...

Not much etiquette needed in bothies - especially the glorified cow shed that is Carnmore. Camp anywhere away from enclosed land - windy is good to avoid the midges haven't even looked at the Ullapool section of the route yet. You've spotted the need to do this though haven't you? http://1.bp.blogsp...

Post Offices are often a service provided by 'convenience stores' in rural areas. The Wolftrax cafe at Laggan will provide food for late afternoon. They track racers and stay open. Contin stores are the best bet for Sunday, then Oykel Bridge Hotel. The hotel will make up take away sandwiches and stu...

Googles Bunnies....



I'm in

I'd work on 6 or 7 sleeps Marshal at that kind of pace if not familiar with the Highlands. Evening eats or overnights at:
Fort Augustus
Oykel Bridge
Kylesku/Lochinver
Ullapool
Strathcarron/Dornie
Fort William

Experience is from last years route though...

@ctznsmith - lots of common sense in your writing, but surely you wear your waterproof trousers over your gaiters?

Marshal, carry a stove and food. Spirits are broken by failing to get food from a cafe/shop that you were relying on. Being able to stop, shelter and brew up saved me twice on HT550 2015.
The Whistle stop cafe at Kinlochewe is a must...

Don't forget the garage on the road to Glen Affric from Dornie. There was quite a crowd there this year for a second breakfast/brunch after the Strathcarron 'sleepover'.

Not the new longitude Phil - 27.5+
I'd go for a longitude - maybe just the frame to build my own. Don't think Marin have given it anywhere near as much thought, though the price looks appealing.

I agree - the Coire Lair section was marginal this year. One mistake or spot of bad luck would have been really serious. Ben Alder cottage to Culra is great. The Tollie path won't be mourned by most but I quite enjoyed it.

drink a nice cup of hot tea while I ride

my Mayfly folding chair - 800g but I won't camp without it.

Rab vapour rise £75 at Joe Browns?

Not......jealous.....at.....all.........

Looks rubbish

No worries, wasn't sure whereabouts you are thinking. I've stayed at lane foot farm just north of Braithwaite a lot. Gareth the farmer is a top bloke. Have also stayed at mungrisdale and grey stoke village halls, both are good. Mungrisdale probably just ended it for me... Planning to start/finish L...

Great. Let's assume 18-20 March, as busy time for me otherwise. Ian - thanks for the offer, but would be Keswick area. I can prob book a climbing hut for Fri if that's what's wanted, but was thinking campsite and B+Bs or could get Village Hall for base. I'll sort a FB event page and take it from the...

Avoiding Easter school hols and probable event for me on W/E 16 April.........
March 18-20 looks promising? Could be sunburn and/or snow judging by recent Marches up here.
Camping/bivvying not essential - plenty of accommodation options with bothies, YHA, B+B etc

So I got thinking about mapping out a 'mates race' type event along the lines of a low fi Polaris challenge. Mass start 10am, maps and grid refs of checkpoints and GPS of basic suggested route. Extra bits to extra checkpoints gain extra points. 1 hour window to arrive back mid afternoon the next day...

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic ... ing-saddle

Any good? No salesman is he....

Where's the moody bothy?

Unless racing, don't sweat about lightweight. For the price, I like Specialised tyres, in the control or grid casing. Purgatory front, Ground Control rear is a good combination. The Captain for faster rolling.

Who did we speak with at Kielder campsite on wed 2nd who was in the group start then?

My conclusions are that it's not the bike. Look at the average speeds - any bike will manage them.

Come and blast it round the Kielder 101 Rich - the young stoker can ride free.

I've tried Trailblazer and Fat B Nimble on a velocity dually on the front recently. Both tyres fit OK in a RS Rev fork. Tread on the FBN is about 10mm wider and nice rounded profile. The TB is quite a flat profile on the 45mm rim and the tyres 'bellies' beyond the tread. Was hoping the FBN would rep...

Planet Fear shop in Keswick is closing down and they have 30% off everything including sale prices. Of most interest here is probably OMM sleeping bags - Mummery and 'pied d'elepant' type. Also a RAB Ascent 700 at half price.