scottish c2c official route?

[Justchris]

Just wondering if Is there a scottish coast to coast accepted route and itt time. Did a google serch and there seems to be quite a few start points.

Thanks.

Cc

[Mariner]

I think its called A2A - Aberdeen to Ardnamurchan.
Not sure if its ever been ITT'd but just saying that will bring an avalanche of recorded times.
I am working on a route incorporating Aberdeen to Breamar (Deeside way) a complete CG Loop then either Fort Augustus or William and onward using HT550 route(ish) in reverse.
As you can see its only planning at present but hope to give it a go next year.

[ScotRoutes]

Do one you fancy and set it up on http://www.selfsupporteduk.net/

Glasgow to Inverness via the WHW and GGW is a sort of C2C and already has some times laid down.

http://www.scotoutdoors.com/features/cy ... e-the-gt24

[Justchris]

Yeah. I supose someone has to step up and post one up. I have been mulling it over. A few weeks ago I suggested it to gary tompsett. Kind of hopeing he would bite.

The main routes seem to be ardnamurchan to montrose. Ardnamurchan if your doing self supported is a complete pain to get to. Its 60 miles from fortwilliam.

Trail rat from this forum had a good route from kylerhea to montrose. Its a more logical route. Scotroutes I believe you helped him with a route. Its more logical as there is a train station at both ends. I like this route. But I fear it is a little short, but i could be wrong. What I would like is a route that even the really fast guys realistically have to sleep during. But not utterly daunting to an reasonably accomplished rider. Gpx anyone? Or parts of would be helpful.

The other one is southern upland way. Dont know how rideable it is. Pushing has never bothered me unless the midge are out. A bonus on this route as Iit should be midge freeish.

Thanks.

Chris

[Mariner]

Ardnamurchan if your doing self supported is a complete pain to get to.

Isn't that the point if it was easy it wouldn't be as much fun?

I take your point though that if you start or finish at Ardnamurchan it would be a pain.
The route I have in planning finishes at a remote spot with no direct access. Paths are few and far between so its a hike a bike to a restaurant, bar, camping and facilities then a short boat ride to a major town with train station.
Most of the route is based on existing routes - Deeside Way CG Loop etc - just a matter of splicing them together or just load up the next relevant bit and let the gps sort it out.
I have no experience of going off piste with gps for the last leg without paths but used to maps so will use both and also try the Garmin 'I want to go there, function.

[Trail-rat]

I actually set out to ride to stonehaven on local trails i know well over from te phonebox in glen esk to char bothy , then through glen dye to cairn kerloch , then through drumtochty to stonehaven.

And if the trail had been open or it was a weekend i could have snuck through id have gone down by loch pattick and up the back of ben alder lodge so should have been a longer route.

How ever i spent too much time fucking about having fun so i had to shorten a couple of days to get back in my allotted time. - ended up at 450km it was supposed to be 550km.

As a route it would make a good itt , good mix of fast ridable, tough hikey bike climbs , minimal road and a gos through a few food places.

Downside , it is a summer only route as the kylerhea ferry shuts down for winter,

Ill post up my write up from stw when i get a chance.

[Trail-rat]

Also i did it in 5 days as a holiday , theres no doubt its possible in 2-3 days but your not doing it in sub 30hrs.

- and with that the gauntlet was thrown down..... Waits for aidan to post a 29hr finish time !

[Trail-rat]

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic ... -pic-heavy

Photos and route

Can russell up a gpx on monday out of my office laptop most likely if anyone wants to have a close snifter at the route.

[Justchris]

Trail rat. The gpx would be great.

I did a rough route using heat maps and 'my route' and it came to 220 miles but that was to montrose. An almost interly off rd route to stonehaven would be could be ideal.

Ardnamurchan. This has been popularised by guided rides. Doing the c2c with a paddy wagon staying in BnBs and hotels. Its an easy first day to glenfinnan. To break them in gently. Yes its the most western point on mainland scotland. it doesnt go to the most easternly point making it into a fairly insignificant point imo.

The guided holiday rides also use the deeside way. Because its easy. Its good if your in a guided group. But its just not tough enough imo. A decent route to me would would be one where it would be accepted as hard enough to help you qualify for the ht550 mass start. A route where you can do the last fourty miles in under two and a half hours wont cut it. Other than two slight climbs its down hill all the way on mostly paved surface. In a reasonably tough route the final leg should have a few decent climbs, and intresting stuff. To intice people who have already done the popular routes in scotland. So heading to stonehaven, montrose or arbroth makes sense. Glenmuick, clova and bridge of dye would have the terrain to make the cut.

I feel for a new route to be suscessful/desirable to do it should be accessable as well as reasonably tough.

If you drive their how do you get your car back. If you get the train to fortwilliam you have a 60mile cycle before the clock even starts. No resupply, not ideal.

By all means if you think i am wrong i am open to criticism. I dont have all the answers. But unless someone lays down a route and a time i recon i am going to do this mid may next year.

Cheers

Chris

[Justchris]

I think its called A2A - Aberdeen to Ardnamurchan.
Not sure if its ever been ITT'd but just saying that will bring an avalanche of recorded times.
I am working on a route incorporating Aberdeen to Breamar (Deeside way) a complete CG Loop then either Fort Augustus or William and onward using HT550 route(ish) in reverse.
As you can see its only planning at present but hope to give it a go next year.

Mariner. My criticism of the deeside way does not in any way suggest your proposed route is easy in any way.

Its just not so suitable for what i have on mind.

Just wanted to clarify that.

Chris

[Mariner]

Chris

Absolutely no problem.
My thinking was fetch up at Aberdeen Station off the overnight train and quickest way to CG Loop.
Can you have such a thing as too easy a ride?

[Trail-rat]

As a heads up mariner, the 201 between aberdeen/braemar/aberdeen is actually a coach and will take bikes. Have used them as a bail out a couple of times with mechanicals , fatigue, buggering cold weather.

[Trail-rat]

Oh and deeside way is my route to the office. There would be dead people if you sent the last leg of a coast to coast "time trial" down there......

Its inhabited by morons with headphones in and their invisible dogs on extendomatic leads.

Ive stuck a mega horn on my commuter bike now as im fed up of them not hearing my bell over their music.

[Moder-dye]

Trail rat that GPX wouldbe useful. Definitely a route for me as the ferry drops me off in Aberdeen so I can just get the train like you did and cycle back for the ferry home I did the Deesside way linked to the Speyside way via Loch Builg this year and fancy something a bit more challenging for next year.

Cheers

kevin

[Trail-rat]

where can i upload an 11meg GPX ?

GPSIs is 8meg max.

[Trail-rat]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... sp=sharing

does that work ? both routes on there - the red route is the proposed route the other route is the route i did

Can email across the full merged GPX if anyone wants to play in basecamp or something

[Justchris]

Chris

Absolutely no problem.
My thinking was fetch up at Aberdeen Station off the overnight train and quickest way to CG Loop.
Can you have such a thing as too easy a ride?

You could get the train to blair athol. But you would have to change at perth for it, but it wouldnt really make your day longer, if you got the sleeper to edinburgh then on up the perth line.

[Moder-dye]

Cheers that google map is good enough for me

[Single Speed George]

There is a ratagen to montrose route I have trieda few years back it's in a book I have of routes in Scotland, goes over some pretty hard but good mountain biking, I got rained off though might try again in summer