The Postman (Kenny) & His Path (thanks Sam Needham & Co)

[redefined_cycles]

https://vimeo.com/372370671

I should also add thanks to Pannier.cc for sending me the little Salsa mag that contained the short story/link. Looks like 'the postman' used to travel 'that path' after all

[summittoppler]

Yeah its a great trail. I rode it back in 2016.
It's from 4:35 to 5:13 if you don't fancy watching the whole thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJQIjN0LCCw&t=

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks Jeff... Truly beautiful that there Outer Hebrides (or Hebrides... my geography is rubbish and to be totally honest I orignally thought I'd found the last postman to walk The Posties Path on the Highland Trail route.

[summittoppler]

Yeah its a nice part of the world on a nice day and I can imagine it'll be pretty dire on a grim one!

[u02sgb]

Thanks, enjoyed that. I, too, thought it was HT Postman's path (which I haven't done as it's not in the "summer" gpx I downloaded). Looks like good riding though.

Stu

[boxelder]

@redefined_cycles - judging by your comments elsewhere about not being keen on exposure/steep slopes, I'm not sure this is the trail for you........

[redefined_cycles]

@redefined_cycles - judging by your comments elsewhere about not being keen on exposure/steep slopes, I'm not sure this is the trail for you........

Nope... It indeed isn't. Just thought I had fohnd the story of the final postman to walk 'the posties path' on the highland trail ITT. Obviously I hadn't but still interesting as I don't mind rockery and trails.. Just not where we get into full-face territory as I walk anyway...

[summittoppler]

Do it, do it!
Even if you walk you bike down it,, you can still say you've been down it.
It's a stunning area to ride. We are not here once, its not a rehearsal, so book a ferry and ride/walk the damn thing!

[redefined_cycles]

Do it, do it!
Even if you walk you bike down it,, you can still say you've been down it.
It's a stunning area to ride. We are not here once, its not a rehearsal, so book a ferry and ride/walk the damn thing!

Thanks Jeff... Might just do that. Something about visiting the last town/village to get a road connection to the rest of the world. Then there is the Stornoway Mosque (looks like it took the local muslim community about 10 years before finally managing to get it built)... Possibly the only mosque on the Isle of Harris

Something about visiting the final village to meet civilisation via the actual 'only' path in and out of there for many many years Shirley... how hard could it be!

[fatbikephil]

Aye that's a nice trail and affy steep in places. Two 0 - 190m road climbs to get out of Rhenigidale and back onto the main road
https://philsbikepacking.blogspot.com/2 ... -tour.html
Guaranteed no sprinting on xc race bikes.

[redefined_cycles]

Aye that's a nice trail and affy steep in places. Two 0 - 190m road climbs to get out of Rhenigidale and back onto the main road
https://philsbikepacking.blogspot.com/2 ... -tour.html
Guaranteed no sprinting on xc race bikes.

Thanks very much Phil... shall read that tonight

[boxelder]

Do it, do it!
Even if you walk you bike down it,, you can still say you've been down it.

Absolutely - wasn't trying to put anyone off. Just a couple of steep bends. Beautiful coast and interesting history.

[whitestone]

I've done the Rheinigedale postie's path in the opposite direction as part of a loop that was in MBR.

I've memory of an article in the Fellrunner magazine about the Loch Maree postman's path but last time I looked I couldn't find it so it's possible I've thrown that issue away. I'll ask, it's possible it's been scanned and available online.

[redefined_cycles]

I've done the Rheinigedale postie's path in the opposite direction as part of a loop that was in MBR.

I've memory of an article in the Fellrunner magazine about the Loch Maree postman's path but last time I looked I couldn't find it so it's possible I've thrown that issue away. I'll ask, it's possible it's been scanned and available online.

Pls Bob... would love to read that. Even if you could find out what issue as the mag might be on the ISSUU app.. ta

[whitestone]

Unlikely to be on ISSU Shaf - the Fellrunner mag is a members only magazine. The back issues have been scanned into PDFs but it's a case of going through the three issues per year.

[redefined_cycles]

Unlikely to be on ISSU Shaf - the Fellrunner mag is a members only magazine. The back issues have been scanned into PDFs but it's a case of going through the three issues per year.

Aha... ta

[whitestone]

OK, found it. https://fellrunner.org.uk/fellrunner/2008_Autumn.pdf pages 87-98. It's actually about the section not taken by the HT550 but between Letterewe House and Poolewe.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm not sure what the requirements were to be a postie in years gone by but they must have been hard. There's a 'post path' in the next valley and up or down is seriously hard work. Riding down is fun but the handful of people I've directed there over the years have often chosen to walk it ... the exposure is 'interesting' and it feels like you're about to ride of the edge of the world

[fatbikephil]

Aye nay driving your van to outside the house in those days. I know of three - this one on Harris, the one by Loch Maree that the HT uses; and one running from the bottom of the Applecross road, round the southern coast of the peninsular to Arighig drishaig then over the hill to Applecross village via Toscaig. It pre-dates both the bealach na ba road and the north coast road.

[whitestone]

Apparently the Loch Maree postie also visited Carnmore House on an irregular basis, presumably would head that way if he was lightly loaded or on a weekly visit.

Stu, is that the obvious track you can see heading down from near The Star? http://streetmap.co.uk/map?X=286870&Y=294836&A=Y&Z=120

[Bearbonesnorm]

It is Bob. Officially a FP but when you know the landowners ...

[Dean]

Aye nay driving your van to outside the house in those days. I know of three - this one on Harris, the one by Loch Maree that the HT uses; and one running from the bottom of the Applecross road, round the southern coast of the peninsular to Arighig drishaig then over the hill to Applecross village via Toscaig. It pre-dates both the bealach na ba road and the north coast road.

I know of two more near Ullapool, one that skirts the south coast of Coigach (just the 56km round trip for the postie) and a second which takes the boat across Loch Broom and goes to Scoraig (which still has no road access)

Here is Rhenigidale: https://www.heritagepaths.co.uk/pathdet ... p?path=169
Also don't visit that weblink if you are a historical RoW nerd and have things to do.

[redefined_cycles]

Aye nay driving your van to outside the house in those days. I know of three - this one on Harris, the one by Loch Maree that the HT uses; and one running from the bottom of the Applecross road, round the southern coast of the peninsular to Arighig drishaig then over the hill to Applecross village via Toscaig. It pre-dates both the bealach na ba road and the north coast road.

I know of two more near Ullapool, one that skirts the south coast of Coigach (just the 56km round trip for the postie) and a second which takes the boat across Loch Broom and goes to Scoraig (which still has no road access)

Here is Rhenigidale: https://www.heritagepaths.co.uk/pathdet ... p?path=169
Also don't visit that weblink if you are a historical RoW nerd and have things to do.

Oh wow... this is becoming a right little history/geography lesson. Mr Senior and Mr Cooper were our G teachers at school.. a right pair who'd have caused a right laff on this forum. I never really got geography (or the BS history they taught us for that matter... the UK washed version )

[Dave Barter]

We walked the spur to Molinginish in October, that was an experience. Never ever take a bike along that

[fatbikephil]

I know of two more near Ullapool, one that skirts the south coast of Coigach (just the 56km round trip for the postie) and a second which takes the boat across Loch Broom and goes to Scoraig (which still has no road access)

Here is Rhenigidale: https://www.heritagepaths.co.uk/pathdet ... p?path=169
Also don't visit that weblink if you are a historical RoW nerd and have things to do.

Oh aye the Coigach one, I'd forgotten. Friends took (carried) their bikes round that one, proper RSF stuff.....