OBH is only open 12-2pm due to staffing issues.
Anyone have pdf maps of the route they'd be willing to share? I think I have the 'old route' and could patch in new bits I guess.

Parking update: I rang Real Food Cafe, who said the 'usual' car park was managed by TJ's Diner next door (which is the old Tourist Info). They were pretty sure TJ's would say no if asked. I rang the Green Welly Stop office who reckoned the car park wasn't owned by TJ's and it would be OK to park, so long as it's away from the diner. Google Maps show "TJ's customer parking only. No overnight parking. CCTV in operation"
Green Welly have no long stay, though will allow overnight parking for a night.
By The Way site no longer allow parking, but suggested the Lower Station, which appears to have a few spaces and the website says is free and covered by CCTV. Think I'll go there.

What day/time is the depart and who from here is on there? Looking forward to a bit of dot watching. Sorry if someone's already answered

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Thu Apr 28, 2022 7:46 pm What day/time is the depart and who from here is on there? Looking forward to a bit of dot watching. Sorry if someone's already answered

Start is 28th May, normally at 9.00am (but may be earlier ??)

People from here - only Alex Berry I think, although lots of familiar names on the startlist
https://highlandtrail550.weebly.com/startlist.html

A couple of nice touches this year - ride dedicated to Alan's friend Bruce Dinsmore who sadly passed away last year, and also Yann who passed away last March. Plus money raised towards the John Muir trust by each entrant.

slarge wrote: ↑Thu Apr 28, 2022 7:59 pm

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Thu Apr 28, 2022 7:46 pm What day/time is the depart and who from here is on there? Looking forward to a bit of dot watching. Sorry if someone's already answered

Start is 28th May, normally at 9.00am (but may be earlier ??)

People from here - only Alex Berry I think, although lots of familiar names on the startlist
https://highlandtrail550.weebly.com/startlist.html

A couple of nice touches this year - ride dedicated to Alan's friend Bruce Dinsmore who sadly passed away last year, and also Yann who passed away last March. Plus money raised towards the John Muir trust by each entrant.

Thanks for that Steve...

Hi, I'm riding. Absolutely no idea where we'll end up parking for 4 days till my hubby gets up there an books into the campsite again. Last year the hotel let us use their parking as they were covid closed.

Coffin road diversion was a piggin nightmare last year - 5 mile of gravel road then what felt like 30 miles of singletrack and felt like about 15 of them were walking along a path no wider than my foot with a bike up or down-slope of me by 2ft. The riverside had fallen trees on and the gorge path went in and out of gullies, up hill and down dale. I swear it took 6 hours longer.

OBH was 50/50 helpful. Certainly didn't feel super-welcome (or that might've been the plunging temperatures but I'm pretty sure they turned the radiators off to make me leave). They're not open on Sunday this year so that'll be interesting for the majority of the field. I'll be trundling in on Monday so will see what happens. I always carry enough food to stuff 'em anyway. It was -1 deg at OBH and +8 in Ullapool so I left... though I did get a burger out of it.

I might also bail if the weather report is bad... but unlikely once I've got that far!

Look out for a grumpy old lady on a navy blue Cotic!

TrepidExplorer wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 6:50 pm what felt like 30 miles of singletrack

Pretty much spot on - Lochivraon to Poolewe. It all depends on what mood your in. The problem with the Highland Trail is that people tend to be wrecked by the time they hit the great wilderness so fab techy / nadgery trail = PIA. I've always told myself to aim to get to the start of that bit in good order but it's nigh on impossible... When I first did it after starting at Contin and cutting through the Fannichs it was amazing (very sunny weather also helped)

Good luck!

I'm aiming to set off from Fort Augustus tomorrow for a tour around the northern bits. Alan's let me register on the tracker, which makes it easy for family to see where I am/still alive. Was originally looking at an ITT, having seen a forecast of sunny and dry for weeks, but new job now starts on 16th, so playing safe. Plus I've ridden the WHW sections recently. Looks like it may be damp......

Enjoy Andy, just seen the route is up on Trackleaders - looks like a different way into Torridon by the path alongside loch Coulin. When I tried this 20 odd years ago it was a swamp in places so interested to see how you get on....

Edit - too late he's started. Looks like he went on the high route of the GGW after Fort Augustus - wonder if the lower route is closed due to fallen trees?

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Mon May 09, 2022 1:38 pm Enjoy Andy, just seen the route is up on Trackleaders - looks like a different way into Torridon by the path alongside loch Coulin. When I tried this 20 odd years ago it was a swamp in places so interested to see how you get on....

Edit - too late he's started. Looks like he went on the high route of the GGW after Fort Augustus - wonder if the lower route is closed due to fallen trees?

I did the low route last week - no tree issues but there is continuing engineering works going on (it's been over three years now). My biggest problem was diggers swinging booms around when clearing ditches/spreading new gravel on estate tracks.

As a note Road of 1000 Puddles had a distinctly low number of water features but the big ones were still bike-consuming (the weather in the northwest looks horrendous this week so this might change)

TrepidExplorer wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 6:50 pm Hi, I'm riding. Absolutely no idea where we'll end up parking for 4 days till my hubby gets up there an books into the campsite again. Last year the hotel let us use their parking as they were covid closed.

Coffin road diversion was a piggin nightmare last year - 5 mile of gravel road then what felt like 30 miles of singletrack and felt like about 15 of them were walking along a path no wider than my foot with a bike up or down-slope of me by 2ft. The riverside had fallen trees on and the gorge path went in and out of gullies, up hill and down dale. I swear it took 6 hours longer.

OBH was 50/50 helpful. Certainly didn't feel super-welcome (or that might've been the plunging temperatures but I'm pretty sure they turned the radiators off to make me leave). They're not open on Sunday this year so that'll be interesting for the majority of the field. I'll be trundling in on Monday so will see what happens. I always carry enough food to stuff 'em anyway. It was -1 deg at OBH and +8 in Ullapool so I left... though I did get a burger out of it.

I might also bail if the weather report is bad... but unlikely once I've got that far!

Look out for a grumpy old lady on a navy blue Cotic!

Go Trep... Go Trep... Go Go Go.. May Allah make it easy for you and bring you weather that's not too hot, nor cold... Not too wet, nor dry

My hero

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Mon May 09, 2022 9:41 pm
Go Trep... Go Trep... Go Go Go.. May Allah make it easy for you and bring you weather that's not too hot, nor cold... Not too wet, nor dry

My hero

Him and Mother Nature work together to make this happen I'll be unstoppable!

Thanks for your prayers.

Im currently on the start line:

Here is a bit about the kit:

Alex Berry
Age 40
Disley, Peak District, UK
THE CAUSE: Every year i try to raise a bit of cash for the Kinder Mountain Rescue Team, and this year is no different. I have set up a just giving page here, and if you can spare a few quid to support the team, i would be very grateful! The more i raise, teh faster i will be inspired to go!

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alex-berry-ht550

THE BIKE: I will be riding my 2019 Cannondale F-Si Hi Mod World Cup Team Replica with a carbon lefty Ocho fork (which I have wrapped with 10meters of frame protection). Everything on the bike is designed to go fast and be light. The only change to the stock configuration is a set of Ergon GP3 grips and a 27.2 Brand X dropper post. I’m running stock ENVE M525 wheels along with a Schwable 2.25 / 2.35 tyre combo, SRAM XX1 Eagle 12s groupset. It’s a bike designed for short fast XC races, so it will be interesting to see how she / me holds up during this event.
BAGS: Wayward Riders dropper post harness with ortleib dry bag, and ortleib dry bar bag on the bars. Apidura road framebag modified to fit, alpkit top tube bag and an old camelback HAWG rucksack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I have been generously been lent a light weight tent, mat, midge net, head torch from good friend, James Eldridge. I’m really trying to keep the weight down, so the majority of my weight is dehydrated expedition meals that I will be carrying along with a stove in my backpack and a power bank for my Garmin. I’m taking an Exposure 6 pack and Diablo, as I expect that I will be riding in the dark as much as possible. To supplement night riding im also carrying a Patagonia Nano-Air hoody to hopefully keep me warm.
I have just bought some Specialized Recon 2 shoes, and I’m very impressed with how easy they are to walk and hike in, which could be a massive saving grace on the hike a bike sections.
All in fully loaded with the backpack and 2 bottles of water, my test set up comes in at 18.6kg.
If the forecast looks terrible I will stick a mudhugger mudguards on the rear.
Plan 4 days (ish)

Thats only slightly more than my bike weighed in 2015
Good luck although I'd put the mudhuggers on in any case...

Looks like Andy has missed out the Northern loop which is fair play given the weather. Now hiding in Sheneval bothy by the looks.

Looking forward to watching your dot Alex. The bike looks great in your Strava pics.

If the forecast looks terrible I will stick a mudhugger mudguards on the rear.

Go with the mudhugger, it's been very wet under tyre this week.

Ive already put it on!

Guy Walley from the IOM off on an ITT - started at 7pm which is novel.
I also see that Thomas Burbach who was second home in 2019 is in this year on an Ice Cream Truck - oh yes.
67 people so far!

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri May 20, 2022 7:25 pm Guy Walley from the IOM off on an ITT - started at 7pm which is novel.
I also see that Thomas Burbach who was second home in 2019 is in this year on an Ice Cream Truck - oh yes.
67 people so far!

To reach Ben Alder Cottage at midnight?

Around 7pm is when the Glasgow-Oban train arrives at Lower Tyndrum (done this myself).

Looks like Guy has spent a fair while on the Northern loop, wonder what the trail conditions are like. I also see that Hugh Oliver is doing a packrafting trip round the lochs south of Suilven.

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 6:46 pm Looks like Guy has spent a fair while on the Northern loop, wonder what the trail conditions are like. I also see that Hugh Oliver is doing a packrafting trip round the lochs south of Suilven.

It's been pretty constant light rain for a couple of days now. That annoying type. Some trails around here are a bit wet again (though they do dry quickly).

Hope its as sunny up there today as here....
Of course this time last year it was absolutely lashing it down on the northern loop!

Dont suppose anyone has any last min tips for me? Ive never ridden in scotland, so not really sure what to expect other than expect trench foot and to be bitten by midges and ticks.....

Make sure you hang your food in a bag from a nearby tree, or place it in a Wild Haggis-proof container.

They like it if you know all the words to "Chocolate Girl" by Deacon Blue, so maybe pop that on in the van for the drive up.