Great loop that. I've done most of it a couple of times, but going via Loch Pattack. I like your extended version. Glen Banchor could be added too, along with the Loch Cuaich bit. I reckon anti-clockwise would work better? Oh - and did you not stop at the Skyspace at Craiganour? I did fancy going u...

Loving that gloop! Just need some proper cold weather to freeze it up nicely... Really need to get my act together for BAM additions. Here's August's effort which involved some gravelling in a big circle around Loch Ericht. Inasupicious start at the head of Glen Garry http://highlanddrifter.com/wp-c...

I'd always written this off, as I'd feel bad being away from the kids for long enough to get the miles. However I did manage it a couple of years back when I had to work the days between Christmas and New Year, meaning I could get a lot of miles by adding to my commute in the morning and evening, pl...

Enjoyed that, I could feel the late summer warmth emanating from the page...

I have used my Montane Hydrogen Direct jacket to death over the last few years. The exposed Polartec Alpha fibres inside give an instant warmth when you put it on and it can shrug off a fair bit of rain too in a similar manner to a lightweight Buffalo jacket. I never take my Rab Microlight down jack...

In my book, that's fine since you're setting out for a bivy on the the overnight at the end of the month. I've probably done the same myself plenty of times as I'm always away late for short overnighters.

I've had the Escape for a few years now and would say it's ideal for use in the manner Colin suggested, to get your head down for an hour or so on a big ride like the Cairngorms Loop. I also use it occasionally instead of a bivy/sleeping bag combo when temperatures overnight are in the teens, which ...

Looking forward to reading Trep's post when I have a bit of time, as they're always a good read. However I am roughly two months behind on everything so here is my July BAM, which was a night out in Glen Quoich with one of the youngsters. http://highlanddrifter.com/bam-2020-july This was the day aft...

Some great route intel there - do you think you prefer the latest changes to the previous sections?

Must be fake news! I had a freaky deja vu moment where I looked down and noticed the moisture in the air condensing into droplets on the hairs on my arms in the exact same way as the previous ride years before.

Have been saving this up to read at leisure. Really enjoyed it as usual and am looking forward to doing bigger rides like this as the kids grow up. Funny how some places always have the same conditions. The Road to the Isles has had spectacular skies every time I've passed that way and the pylon tra...

Yup, in September 2017 I finished 3rd and also last out of about 20 starters!

Here's Bob casually strolling across the Fords of Avon on the Saturday afternoon.

That's an increase of 8 over last year's September group start finishers!

Is the group start cursed? I'm not sure I've ever seen a group start without some "interesting" weather...

Yep, really enjoyed that - captured the despair of the Fealar Lodge section perfectly. At least you were quick enough to do it in daylight!

Cheers Colin, looks like he's set up camp on the handy patch by White Bridge. How's the weather been overnight up your way - forecast showed heavy rain? Can't decide if pulling an all-nighter in the rain is more depressing than trying to go to bed in it!

Morning update - looks like Sean has stuck with his non-stop strategy and gone right through the night, leapfrogging Steve and Bob who both looked to have bivvied just after Aviemore and are in Tomintoul in time for breakfast/restock. Sean has already passed through Braemar and doesn't look to have ...

Greetings from mission control: https://i.postimg.cc/d1dJ0tzf/IMG-20200912-182606-1280.jpg I was hoping to have a whole bunch of windows to stalk, but some people were selfishly more interested in actual bike riding than providing working links for me to live vicariously through them. :wink: All I k...

Very useful - just tried that with the power button on my Xiaomi Mi A2 and it did the same, ta

Enjoyed that greatly, love a bit of historical detail for the landscape.

Loads of good points there, especially the snacks! I think the hardest thing is not to get too ambitious with your plans - what constitutes a successful trip to you won't necessarily match up with their opinion. Luckily, their threshold is much lower, as just going out for an adventure with a parent...

Mine's the same, zooms in on Nashville, then flies across the Atlantic when the tracker's active. I find with Spotwalla, that if you just ignore it it works fine. I always spend ages messing about at the start of a ride I'm tracking, thinking it's not updating and re-adding the share address. The la...

Really wish I could join you for this, but please feel free to stick up some tracking links at the weekend to keep us entertained. Unless Colin has got you sorted out for Trackleaders? For avoiding the Feshie crossings, I noticed an old picture looking back to the first crossing the other day which ...

I agree, you've got the answer right there - just add a couple of Voile straps to the drybag and you're done. I used the exact same setup this weekend just gone: https://i.postimg.cc/4NfkQ3d1/52316672-Unknown-1280.jpg I've used the Alpkit drybag with a couple of straps much more than my harness or f...

I did a couple of bivies last year with minimal kit to see what I could get away with: http://highlanddrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/49416592_Unknown-1280-768x512.jpg This consisted of a Klymit Ultralite V pad, a SOL Escape bivy and my old silk sleeping bag liner. Think I had a light polarte...

Just trying to catch up here with my paltry efforts during lockdown. I really struggled to feel motivated with being limited to the back garden, but have got nothing but admiration for those who made the best of a bad lot and put in some highly entertaining posts in this thread! April - went for a p...