Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
- Dave Barter
- Posts: 3611
- Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
- stevewaters
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2019 9:23 am
- Location: Dark Peak
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Nobody is "in" until they have made the £50 donation to the John Muir Trust and forwarded the receipt to me.
I'm pleased to say this new initiative seems to have been very well received so far.
I would never give a 14 year old a solo place on the group start!
I'm pleased to say this new initiative seems to have been very well received so far.
I would never give a 14 year old a solo place on the group start!
- Jurassic pusher
- Posts: 448
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 8:24 pm
- Location: West Dorset
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
If an application for the group start is not successful, does anyone know if you get a "thanks but no thanks" email? or if it is a case of silence tells the tale?
Asking for a friend![Embarrassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
Asking for a friend
![Embarrassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
- whitestone
- Posts: 7868
- Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:20 am
- Location: Skipton(ish)
- Contact:
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Here's R J Sauer's account of his HT550 from 2016 - https://bikepacking.com/plog/highland-insomnia/ along with some stunning shots. And this ...
If you've been there you'll know to within a metre or two of where he was standing.The Highlands always seem to have an encore. A never-ending setlist of scenery. Only a short distance along the trail, the plateau squeezes into a deep valley. I go numb immediately. This can’t be real. Even the sun seems to be taking its time to set, awestruck by its own illumination.
I stop. Perched front and center to a widescreen, panoramic masterpiece. Truly what must be one of the great gems of our world. I’ve never seen anything like it. A place where words and images are powerless. I strain my neck in either direction just to take it all in. It must be fake. Fiction. A fairytale.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
The view to the causeway in Fisherfield, I presume?whitestone wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 9:09 am Here's R J Sauer's account of his HT550 from 2016 - https://bikepacking.com/plog/highland-insomnia/ along with some stunning shots. And this ...
If you've been there you'll know to within a metre or two of where he was standing.The Highlands always seem to have an encore. A never-ending setlist of scenery. Only a short distance along the trail, the plateau squeezes into a deep valley. I go numb immediately. This can’t be real. Even the sun seems to be taking its time to set, awestruck by its own illumination.
I stop. Perched front and center to a widescreen, panoramic masterpiece. Truly what must be one of the great gems of our world. I’ve never seen anything like it. A place where words and images are powerless. I strain my neck in either direction just to take it all in. It must be fake. Fiction. A fairytale.
![Geek :geek:](./images/smilies/icon_e_geek.gif)
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Just reread - that is indeed a special moment at that pointwhitestone wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 9:09 am Here's R J Sauer's account of his HT550 from 2016 - https://bikepacking.com/plog/highland-insomnia/ along with some stunning shots. And this ...
If you've been there you'll know to within a metre or two of where he was standing.
![Thumbs up! :-bd](./images/smilies/113.gif)
2924 miles per Gallon
- Jurassic pusher
- Posts: 448
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 8:24 pm
- Location: West Dorset
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
edit, email from Alan received. Maybe another year.Jurassic pusher wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 7:51 am If an application for the group start is not successful, does anyone know if you get a "thanks but no thanks" email? or if it is a case of silence tells the tale?
Asking for a friend![]()
- fatbikephil
- Posts: 6550
- Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:51 pm
- Location: Fife
- Contact:
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Not if its pishing with rain and the cloud base is at 150mwhitestone wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 9:09 am Here's R J Sauer's account of his HT550 from 2016 - https://bikepacking.com/plog/highland-insomnia/ along with some stunning shots. And this ...
If you've been there you'll know to within a metre or two of where he was standing.The Highlands always seem to have an encore. A never-ending setlist of scenery. Only a short distance along the trail, the plateau squeezes into a deep valley. I go numb immediately. This can’t be real. Even the sun seems to be taking its time to set, awestruck by its own illumination.
I stop. Perched front and center to a widescreen, panoramic masterpiece. Truly what must be one of the great gems of our world. I’ve never seen anything like it. A place where words and images are powerless. I strain my neck in either direction just to take it all in. It must be fake. Fiction. A fairytale.
- whitestone
- Posts: 7868
- Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:20 am
- Location: Skipton(ish)
- Contact:
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Well if you'd been going quicker you'd have seen ithtrider wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:35 pmNot if its pishing with rain and the cloud base is at 150mwhitestone wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 9:09 am Here's R J Sauer's account of his HT550 from 2016 - https://bikepacking.com/plog/highland-insomnia/ along with some stunning shots. And this ...
If you've been there you'll know to within a metre or two of where he was standing.The Highlands always seem to have an encore. A never-ending setlist of scenery. Only a short distance along the trail, the plateau squeezes into a deep valley. I go numb immediately. This can’t be real. Even the sun seems to be taking its time to set, awestruck by its own illumination.
I stop. Perched front and center to a widescreen, panoramic masterpiece. Truly what must be one of the great gems of our world. I’ve never seen anything like it. A place where words and images are powerless. I strain my neck in either direction just to take it all in. It must be fake. Fiction. A fairytale.
![Very Happy :grin:](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Can anyone point me to a video of the HT550 that popped up on Instagram recently? It was an ITT I think and the film looked promising - just didn't have time for a view there and then.
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
No surprises that the HT 2020 group start has now been officially cancelled.
I had a place but plan to take up Alan’s offer of a deferred spot on the 2021 start. Anyone else?
I’m looking at it positively, it’s an extra year to prepare :)
I had a place but plan to take up Alan’s offer of a deferred spot on the 2021 start. Anyone else?
I’m looking at it positively, it’s an extra year to prepare :)
- Dave Barter
- Posts: 3611
- Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm
- fatbikephil
- Posts: 6550
- Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:51 pm
- Location: Fife
- Contact:
- stevewaters
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2019 9:23 am
- Location: Dark Peak
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Absolutely !
I am consoling myself by regularly following the whole route using the "Fly Through" function on the OS Online mapping (3D Satellite mapping) on a relatively slow setting. - It's not much, but it helps me re-live it a bit.
I am consoling myself by regularly following the whole route using the "Fly Through" function on the OS Online mapping (3D Satellite mapping) on a relatively slow setting. - It's not much, but it helps me re-live it a bit.
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
OF interest to anyone planning the route, or the event, in the future -
the wee cement store bothy just before the Orrin reservoir dam has disappeared.
Nothing left but a concrete pad.
Pic taken yesterday.
2020-04-13_06-43-13
the wee cement store bothy just before the Orrin reservoir dam has disappeared.
Nothing left but a concrete pad.
Pic taken yesterday.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49770431002_756570765c_5k.jpg)
- whitestone
- Posts: 7868
- Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:20 am
- Location: Skipton(ish)
- Contact:
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Ooh! That'll change a few strategies.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Was it unstable?
Never slept in it but once sheltered from the sun for a while behind it
Never slept in it but once sheltered from the sun for a while behind it
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
It looked OK in 2018 when I went past. It wasn't a MBA maintained one though?
Adventure without risk is Disneyland - Bikemonger
-
- Posts: 8144
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:56 am
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
It was basic but always seemed pretty sound.
There is another (open-sided) shelter/bothy very close by.
There is another (open-sided) shelter/bothy very close by.
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
Only ever stopped there for a break, but it wasn’t that bad that it needed to come down. Unless something happened to it over the winter
![Image](https://veloviewer.com/SigImage/21149/2/6/M/p/bjlniozzzz.png)
Re: Highland Trail 550 - 2020
I passed by last September on the way to Inverness, I seem to remember there being a crack on the inside wall by the window (I assume this is why there were glass panes missing)