Highland Trail 2015

[Richpips]

Cross as close to the loch mouth as possible. presuming it's not been raining hard, It's slow flowing and not deep.



This was how deep it was when I crossed.

[AlasdairMc]

If you look closely on the satellite view, you can see the sand delta jutting out into the loch, which gives you an idea of where you should cross.

[whitestone]

If you look closely on the satellite view, you can see the sand delta jutting out into the loch, which gives you an idea of where you should cross.

This strikes me as one of those "how did they find out to cross there?" mysteries. It really isn't the most obvious crossing point!

[Ian]

For reference, it looks pretty daunting in the dark, but I stuck to the GPS track and it turned out to be ok. Was top of thigh for me when I did it.

[AlanG]

I'd say stick to the GPS track for this river crossing and don't go wandering about in the loch looking for the sand bar! I've done it three times and it has never been a problem, the deepest I've found it was just above my knees in 2013 when I crossed about 10-12 hours after Ian. On the approach I had met walkers who told me it was between waist and chest deep but they generally cross further from the loch where there are two separate, narrower rivers. The river bed at the GPS track is just small stones/pebbles and is very gradual, there are no sudden changes in depth or boulders to catch you out. In 2012 it was barely ankle deep and you could have easily ridden across.

[kbrembo]

Yip....stick to the gps line.....don't panic

[Bert]

Good to know! This wouldn't look like the most logical place to cross to me.

[Mart]

Another view of the crossing (looking South)

[fatbikephil]

Lets just hope the river hasn't flooded enough to wash out the gravel bed. Mind you in that case my plan is to rip out the 2 tubes from the bike, inflate them and the spare as much as they will go (we're talking fat bike tubes here) and then float across.

[Alpinum]

The true reason for a therm a rest x-lite...

Was dead easy when I forded it. I wouldn't bother...

[fatbikephil]

The true reason for a therm a rest x-lite...

Was dead easy when I forded it. I wouldn't bother...

Oh aye thats a good idea, so I float the bike on its inner tubes, I sit on the thermarest towing it, using my crud catcher as a paddle!

[KamelTrek]

Hi - does anyone have HT550 cue sheet from previous rides?

[AlasdairMc]

Hi - does anyone have HT550 cue sheet from previous rides?

Not me. I have paper maps though (PM me for link) and you can easily make a cue sheet importing into bikehike and tracking the elapsed distance of certain points.

[fatbikephil]

Calling Alan G
Alan - is the updated GPX file you sent out your track from last year? The reason I ask is that I noticed a couple of minor route deviations off the marked path - specifically on the descent down to Cam loch on the Suilven path where there are a couple of wiggles, at Cam Loch itself where you seemed too have hit the beach rather than follow the path line, Strath Mulzie where it looks like you were in the river at one point, on the route out of Strath Sealga it looks like you've crossed the river a couple of times and there are some rather drastic shortcuts on the path up to Glen Affric from Morvich - I take it these are these just GPS variations and can be ignored or do some represent better lines to take on the ground?
Phil

[AlanG]

The GPX track is the same one that we used last year and is from a 2013 ridden track. I probably reduced the number of trackpoints in Bikehike for those with antique GPS units. Generally I will have followed the trail on the ground which does not always match exactly the path on the O.S. map. If you switch to the satellite view you will see the GPS track is pretty close to the track on the ground and it is the O.S. map that is a bit off. I don't think there were any navigation issues last year if people stuck closely to the GPX track. If there were, no one told me! Ioana's fence related tears were when she left the line by a few 10s of meters. Obviously you don't need to ride in the heather/river if the line is 3m to the right or left of the trail!

[AlasdairMc]

Ioana's fence related tears

She wasn't the only one that didn't find the gate...

[fatbikephil]

Thought as much but thanks for the clarity - I tend to follow my nose in any case...

[Bert]

On the photos from Richpips I can see a rigid fork. Does this mean the HT is doable like this?

[NewRetroTom]

I rode it on a fully rigid steel 29er last year. It wasn't always super comfortable, but worked fine for me. If you're used to riding a rigid bike off road you should be fine.

I would recommend high volume tyres for improved comfort.

[NewRetroTom]

I'll be using the same setup again this year, so can't have been that bad!

[Bert]

Thanks! I don't have a suspension fork, so I don't know anything else but riding rigid (all steel).

It will be 2.35 (on 30 mm rims) for me. I'm considering 29+ for the front, but that might me a bit much.

[KamelTrek]

If you are booking a train ticket from London, you may not get a bike spot on the Glasgow to Tyndrum leg. Virgin told me there were no spots for bikes. You'll have to contact Scotrail directly. They were very responsive and reserved a bike spot for me.

[whitestone]

Thanks! I don't have a suspension fork, so I don't know anything else but riding rigid (all steel).

It will be 2.35 (on 30 mm rims) for me. I'm considering 29+ for the front, but that might me a bit much.

You could go 27.5+ which gives the same effective diameter as a 29er. It's something I'm considering: an SP P8x dynamo hub laced up to a 45mm rim with a 3.0 tyre. I know it fits because the guy who designed the bike fitted the same (not hub) to one of his bikes.

[AlasdairMc]

I'm still debating which bike to take. My El Mariachi saw me through last year, but since getting my Stooge it hasn't been ridden at all. I will be using a dynamo hub up front on a Flow, and if the El Mar gets chosen probably a 2.2 Nic, but if Stooge a 3.0 Knard as it's rigid.

Train-wise, get booked quickly. I've got my space on the 6pm one from Glasgow on the Friday night. I still need to sort out my accommodation as I'd rather not bivi the night before...

[Bert]

Thanks! I don't have a suspension fork, so I don't know anything else but riding rigid (all steel).

It will be 2.35 (on 30 mm rims) for me. I'm considering 29+ for the front, but that might me a bit much.

You could go 27.5+ which gives the same effective diameter as a 29er. It's something I'm considering: an SP P8x dynamo hub laced up to a 45mm rim with a 3.0 tyre. I know it fits because the guy who designed the bike fitted the same (not hub) to one of his bikes.

27.5+ is an interesting option, but for the same amount of money I might just buy a Reba. Plus I'm not sure a 2.8 will fit the rear fork of my Ritchey P-29er. Concerning 29+: the Bontrager Chupacabra seems to be an excellent tyre at only 920 grams.