HT550 - 2025

[NewRetroTom]

Has Emma's pace eased off a bit?
At the rate she was going early on I was assuming she was going for Lee Craigie's course record, but Emma's now a bit behind where Kerry was this time last year (just out of Dornie vs halfway up the climb to Camban).
Kerry just missed the record, so looks like it's probably safe now.
Maybe it's just the weather taking its toll. Not the year for setting records!

[fatbikephil]

The pace mid pack generally seems a bit slow which is understandable given the wind...

A lot of folk who bivvied in woods past FA and invermoriston barely made it to the obh (or not at all ) whereas normally youd get up into glen cassley on sunday night

[boxelder]

The 'other' river crossing I've had trouble with is just before the descent to FA on the return leg. No recollection of it from 2015, but struggled to cross it in May '23.
Records seem moot, considering Bealach Horn was missed?

[NewRetroTom]

Records seem moot, considering Bealach Horn was missed?

I don't think Alan is planning to put Bealach Horn back in again. The route has changed (slightly) every year. General trend has been for it to get easier.
2024 vs 2015 I reckoned was maybe ~4 hours quicker having taken out northbound devil's staircase followed by Meannanch to Loch Treig bog fest and replacing the Coire Lair pass in South Torridon with its lower neighbour.
Records still being set though.

[Hyppy]

Riding to Achnasheen to catch a train this morning with the rain hammering down and a car pulls up along side me, with someone half-hanging out the passenger window. It was a still-bloody faced Kerry, grinning like a loon and shouting, ‘Go! Go! Go! I lost my bike in a river!’

[touch]

Records seem moot, considering Bealach Horn was missed?

I don't think Alan is planning to put Bealach Horn back in again. The route has changed (slightly) every year. General trend has been for it to get easier.
2024 vs 2015 I reckoned was maybe ~4 hours quicker having taken out northbound devil's staircase followed by Meannanch to Loch Treig bog fest and replacing the Coire Lair pass in South Torridon with its lower neighbour.
Records still being set though.

2015 was statistically the slowest year.

Average times (in hours) for all grand depart finishers:
2013 106.32 *
2014 144.43
2015 150.82
2016 133.06
2017 127.10
2018 130.50
2019 No data
2020 No data
2021 142.22
2022 133.26
2023 132.01
2024 132.32

*2013 was significantly shorter. No top loop, I think?

[NewRetroTom]

Yes 2015 was a bit special!
2013 was the 440 rather than 550.

[NewRetroTom]

still-bloody faced Kerry, grinning like a loon and shouting, ‘Go! Go! Go! I lost my bike in a river!’

This is brilliant! What a legend.

[PeddarsWayJason]

Riding to Achnasheen to catch a train this morning with the rain hammering down and a car pulls up along side me, with someone half-hanging out the passenger window. It was a still-bloody faced Kerry, grinning like a loon and shouting, ‘Go! Go! Go! I lost my bike in a river!’

Absolutely hard as nails

[whitestone]

Records seem moot, considering Bealach Horn was missed?

I don't think Alan is planning to put Bealach Horn back in again. The route has changed (slightly) every year. General trend has been for it to get easier.
2024 vs 2015 I reckoned was maybe ~4 hours quicker having taken out northbound devil's staircase followed by Meannanch to Loch Treig bog fest and replacing the Coire Lair pass in South Torridon with its lower neighbour.
Records still being set though.

A pity. Bealach Horn was one of my favourite sections (the other was the Postie Path). Never done the full Coire Lair ascent and descent- I think Alan took it out for 2016 onwards.

Not sure how much damage is being done to the line around BH but makes sense to change it if he thinks it’s unsustainable.

[NewRetroTom]

Not sure how much damage is being done to the line around BH but makes sense to change it if he thinks it’s unsustainable.

I don't think that was the reason for taking it out - I think it was the remote, uneven, no phone reception, no easy bail-out, very exposed nature of the route there that made it a bit scary for Alan as organiser.
Easy to visualise someone getting into serious difficulties up there and not being able to self-extract. Mountain rescue could be a good few hours away if the cloud was down and coastguard heli unable to get in.

[boxelder]

Re: FKT - 2015 and 2016 was still about how far could you get on day 1 and make opening time at Contin store. Since Neil B and Chris Hope etc in 2017 the whippets haven't stopped until after the second OB Hotel passing. What was your stopped time in 2015 Tom?

EDIT: just found the Trackleaders replay and you seemed to stop for a few hours each night. DH this time is sub 8 hours stopped time I think.

[fatbikephil]

Riding to Achnasheen to catch a train this morning with the rain hammering down and a car pulls up along side me, with someone half-hanging out the passenger window. It was a still-bloody faced Kerry, grinning like a loon and shouting, ‘Go! Go! Go! I lost my bike in a river!’

Nice one! PS - where are you getting the train too?

2015 - I finished in 6 days 4hrs and was the sixth person back, that's how slow it was!
The thought of doing the full Annat - Coire Lair route after Fisherfield at my age....

Just thinking - part of my problem this year was still working on a Thursday finish which I would never have done under any circumstance. Note to self - don't make plans, just ride and see what happens - what I did in 2015!

Looks like people are finding hotels etc OK. I'm thinking the wretched NC500 is starting to fade in popularity.

Anyway I had an extremely pleasant run to tyndrum on the train today but didn't hang around, just grabbed the motor and headed home.

[whitestone]

Re: FKT - 2015 and 2016 was still about how far could you get on day 1 and make opening time at Contin store. Since Neil B and Chris Hope etc in 2017 the whippets haven't stopped until after the second OB Hotel passing. What was your stopped time in 2015 Tom?

EDIT: just found the Trackleaders replay and you seemed to stop for a few hours each night. DH this time is sub 8 hours stopped time I think.

In 2017 Neil B stopped for around 10hrs in total and a riding time of 72hrs (approx). I had a riding time of 80hrs and an overal stopped time of 42hrs. Mind you, I did have six sit down meals and another half dozen or so cafe stops

Apart from the Ben Alder singletrack there's little if any technical riding, or at least riding that requires a lot of attention, until you hit Fisherfield. So hitting it in one block is certainly feasible if you can manage the sleepmonsters. Then again easy ground is often when your concentration lapses. Personally I do need at least a powernap at intervals. In 2017 I rode from the Teahouse bothy to the finish in one, no naps, about 270km and took 31hrs. A month later I did the YD300 in 29hrs but had a 2hr powernap at Ribblehead station.

The thought of doing the full Annat - Coire Lair route after Fisherfield at my age....

Bloody youngsters!

[boxelder]

It would be fun to see a 'replay' map of the fastest rider from each year, for comparison.

[Hyppy]

Riding to Achnasheen to catch a train this morning with the rain hammering down and a car pulls up along side me, with someone half-hanging out the passenger window. It was a still-bloody faced Kerry, grinning like a loon and shouting, ‘Go! Go! Go! I lost my bike in a river!’

Nice one! PS - where are you getting the train too?

Inverness, where I actually had a beer with her too. It’s a mental tale. Proper scary mind.

I’ve now ridden back from there via Whitebridge and am camped up somewhere beyond Fort Augustus. There are no midges.

[fatbikephil]

Riding to Achnasheen to catch a train this morning with the rain hammering down and a car pulls up along side me, with someone half-hanging out the passenger window. It was a still-bloody faced Kerry, grinning like a loon and shouting, ‘Go! Go! Go! I lost my bike in a river!’

Nice one! PS - where are you getting the train too?

Inverness, where I actually had a beer with her too. It’s a mental tale. Proper scary mind.

I’ve now ridden back from there via Whitebridge and am camped up somewhere beyond Fort Augustus. There are no midges.

Looking forward to the tale!

[Mike]

I’d like to know if Kerry found her bike Iv not read it anywhere

[Keith74]

I’d like to know if Kerry found her bike Iv not read it anywhere

Yeah the stalker on the estate found it the next morning and pulled it out so Kerry has now been reunited with her bike.

[PeddarsWayJason]

I’d like to know if Kerry found her bike Iv not read it anywhere

Yeah the stalker on the estate found it the next morning and pulled it out so Kerry has now been reunited with her bike.

Has Kerry posted anywhere about the story of what happened? I had a look on her Insta and couldn't see anything.

[boxelder]

Strong finish from Graham Cottingham - nearly got sub 4 days.

[boxelder]

Records seem moot, considering Bealach Horn was missed?

I don't think Alan is planning to put Bealach Horn back in again. The route has changed (slightly) every year. General trend has been for it to get easier.
2024 vs 2015 I reckoned was maybe ~4 hours quicker having taken out northbound devil's staircase followed by Meannanch to Loch Treig bog fest and replacing the Coire Lair pass in South Torridon with its lower neighbour.
Records still being set though.

2015 was statistically the slowest year.

Average times (in hours) for all grand depart finishers:
2013 106.32 *
2014 144.43
2015 150.82
2016 133.06
2017 127.10
2018 130.50
2019 No data
2020 No data
2021 142.22
2022 133.26
2023 132.01
2024 132.32

*2013 was significantly shorter. No top loop, I think?

I know hours feel longer on the big climbs and HaBs, but those times look wrong - last year's time was sub 82 hours wasn't it? You finished sub 140 hrs in 2015.

[landel]

I’d like to know if Kerry found her bike Iv not read it anywhere

Yeah the stalker on the estate found it the next morning and pulled it out so Kerry has now been reunited with her bike.

Has Kerry posted anywhere about the story of what happened? I had a look on her Insta and couldn't see anything.

It was on her Instagram when you click on her profile picture but it's been pushed out now with newer updates. Hopefully she posts it back up as a reel when the dust settles.

[touch]

I know hours feel longer on the big climbs and HaBs, but those times look wrong - last year's time was sub 82 hours wasn't it? You finished sub 140 hrs in 2015.

Those are the average times for all riders from the group start who successfully finished.

[boxelder]

I know hours feel longer on the big climbs and HaBs, but those times look wrong - last year's time was sub 82 hours wasn't it? You finished sub 140 hrs in 2015.

Those are the average times for all riders from the group start who successfully finished.

My bad. Must learn to read more slowly....