Riding then walking

[faustus]

Partly inspired by the 'proper' mountain thread, got me thinking about various times i've thought about/wanted to go biking somewhere to then go for a walk. Usually a hill or mountain that is nicer to walk up, but really it can be anything at all - going for a walk on a nature reserve where bikes are verboten, or somewhere where it's either nicer to walk or you just want to. Keeping this specific to walking as things like swimming, skiing, parascending have different equipment requirements! So:
- Anyone do this? Use their bike to get somewhere and then have a walk and then go home? Doesn't need to have an overnight stay, interested either way.
- Any tips or inspiration? Was thinking flats would be a necessity, backpack and hydration reservoir very useful and better than lots of frame luggage for simplicity and security, but where and how to hide the bike, lock it up?

Thoughts and pictures very welcome!

[benp1]

It's pretty common for munro baggers to do this, sometimes they're quite a distance to get to

I do it sometimes. Usually just take a big lock and attach the bike to something. Rarely likely to be a problem if it's left somewhere sensible. I don't really see it as that different for cycling to any other activities or errand and leaving the bike parked up

[Bearbonesnorm]

It's not really something I tend to do on purpose but it's not uncommon for me to ditch my bike somewhere and wonder off on foot. Usually I'm not gone more than an hour at most though.

[redefined_cycles]

I've often thought about this and how them over the grand canyon do it. Putting the bike on the back. But am impressed and fascinated at how they manage the GC like this...

Keen to hear more stories/thoughts. Thanks Ben.

[whitestone]

Like Ben says, I've done it for Munro bagging. Hills like Seanna Braigh ( just inland from Ullapool) are a long way from the road but have an estate track (in this case to Magoo's Bothy) that go right past the base of the hill so a two hour trudge becomes about half an hour on the bike then on the way back it's mostly freewheeling back to the car

It's common to come across bikes "abandoned" at the end of tracks - Ben Alder is another that comes to mind. Of course the remoteness of Scottish hills means that you are very likely to get back to find your bike still there.

[Moder-dye]

Yeh I have, as above in the Scottish hills. Usually just locked and hidden as best I could behind a bush or heather and then waymarked on my GPS.

I've also done it when I was working. I often had to check on long linear paths that meant walking there and back or back along a road, so I'd drop the bike off and walk from the far end and then cycle back. Made for a nice day in the office

[Boab]

I once cycled from Dalwhinnie to Culra bothy on a Raleigh Super Tuff Burner, while wearing placcy boots. Wandered up Ben Alder the next day with full winter gear on and totally shagged my knees. Pretty sure the Munro books recommends cycling into the Tarf Hotel bothy from Blair Athol for a spot of bagging too.

[GregMay]

We do it in Scotland quite a bit to avoid the long walk ins on access tracks. Works well. But we then tend to be running over walking...

[Mart]

I’ve done that - when leaving the bike at the track end.
I usually take out the thru axles and lock the wheels to the frame.
Never had any bother even on poplar routes

[Johnallan]

I like to ride to fell races when I occasionally fancy one. It's a shame mine is usually the only bike there considering most runners are fairly local but still drive the short journey.

Cycling/running the national 3 peaks is something I fancy but I imagine the bike and luggage would be at risk in the honeypot areas.

[jameso]

Went to Nepal with my bike a few years ago.. rode a few miles then walked for the rest of the trip

[Alpinum]

Went to Nepal with my bike a few years ago.. rode a few miles then walked for the rest of the trip

Walked with or without the bike?

Most of my bike trips to the mountains see me walking. Either carrying or pushing the bike
I like to say you weren't mtb'ing if you didn't have to carry your bike.

For those trips with planned hiking inbetween riding I have quite a bit of love.
I love both riding and walking, but actually should mix it up more.
There have been some back yard trips, leaving home with loaded bike and hiking gear, ride for a couple of hours rather than take public transport (and not get as high as with the bike), then leave the bike, wonder off for a couple of days, return back to bike, grab helmet and ride back home.
Did this too with alpine touring skis and bc skis, but the amount of faffing offsets the grand feeling of combining two fun activities.

Went up Llullaillaco (summit) and Incahuasi (200 min shy of summit) on foot. Had ridden there through the Puna de Atacama. Was wonderful; completely self sufficient and by fair means (well... I flew to Chile...). Wanted to go up Ojos de Salado, but was heavily put off by the amount of other folks in their f@cking jeeps, so sponaneously headed for Incahuasi where I was completely alone again. Huuuuuge hills those volcanos >6500 m. Felt tremenously small and vulnerable.

A few weeks before heading to Chile, my girlfriend and I rode across Iceland. Did some hiking (mainly to viewpoints and hot pots) more in the way Stu described. Probably the best way to do it. No faff. Just experiences.
Like when out riding and then you start poking about looking for fossils or following tracks of some heary beast or simply scrambling the last bit to a rocky summit only Danny Madskills would ride down.

[Alpinum]

Cycling/running the national 3 peaks is something I fancy but I imagine the bike and luggage would be at risk in the honeypot areas.

Find a nearby hotel/restaurant to deposit or go by the least used way up with less honeypot gatherers..?

Have had this idea to ride from the lowest point of Switzerland as high up as possible, get into boots and crampons, and walk up Dufourspitze. Was very close doing it some 22 or so years ago, but back then was too focused on riding only downhill, so the cycling bit never happened.

[faustus]

Great replies so far!
I mean, combining alpine hiking and biking is pretty much the dream! Doesn't sound too shabby crossing Iceland by bike then pootling off to Chilean mountains, might have a touch of envy As nice as 'going for a walk with my bike' is, sometimes hike-a-bike can be more pleasurable without the bike (a heretical statement for on here).

Locally to me, there's not much terrain - including appropriate footpaths - that I don't ride on anyway as it's all nice 'southern XC', so getting off to walk wouldn't be for long. But I definitely want to go to somewhere nice like the Skirrid, which i've wanted to visit for a while as a wee day trip, and ride to it and then hike up, then ride a bit more after. Other areas that have come to mind are coastal walks which can't be ridden, especially ones that are a bit busier.

I think I probably have a bit of a psychological rigidity when biking for 'sport', which perhaps others might share. Once 'on a ride' you set yourself up to not get off if possible, and generally not do other activities. But I think if I make more effort to break that and mix things up a bit with walking or whatever else I fancy, then I think i'd get a richer experience. I've long had it in mind, just not really done it much, so time to change things a bit...

[jameso]

Went to Nepal with my bike a few years ago.. rode a few miles then walked for the rest of the trip

Walked with or without the bike?

With. Or, carried to be more accurate. The HAB World Cup Was worth it for the few miles we did ride and the overall experience.

I have done a few rides with walks along the way, mainly on road bike tours in France. A few walks up into the Ecrins, up the hiker's paths towards the glacier areas. Hid the bike behind a tree/bushes. I want to ride the TNR on my MTB one year with hiking boots and do some minor peak scrambling along the way for better views.