UK rider(s) for Glasgow to Cape Wrath

[campbellrae1]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anybody fancied doing a trip from Glasgow to Cape Wrath in Scotland later this year, maybe September? Got a route that follows the West Highland Way(WHW), then Great Glen Way(GGW) and then a mix of back roads and off road to Cape Wrath. It's quite a distance but almost all of the GGW is forest road and fast to ride. The remainder of the ride from Inverness is a mix of forest road/estate tracks and walking paths linked together by single track roads. Can send a rough map of the route if interested, think it comes out to be 300 miles or so.

I'm 21 but been backpacking for nearly 10 years and touring for a couple. This will be my first proper bikepacking trip though!

Thanks,

Campbell.

[D45yth]

Hi Campbell,

A couple of questions...You'll be doing this on a mountain bike won't you?  Are you catching the train back to Glasgow when finished?

Cheers, Dan.

[campbellrae1]

Yes, mountain bikes(well, my Salsa Fargo). Once you have got to Cape Wrath there are a few options but it's a long way to the nearest station. The closest being Lairg 56 miles away by road. Currently trying to find a good looking route up the west coast and back down the middle to Lairg that doesn't involve more road than dirt and it's proving a challenge finding tracks I know to be mostly ride-able! Other option being along the north coast to Thurso at about 70-75 miles of road riding.

There is a bus service from Durness to Ullapool during the summer with a bike trailer, and from there it's not too far to Lairg and can be done mostly off road. So there are some options other than adding another load of miles!

[D45yth]

I think I'll pass thanks...I did wonder what kind of bike you used when you'd put that you'd toured for a couple of years.  I'm a mountain biker through and through, so would probably hold you up on the smoother stuff.
I'd be coming from Cumbria too, it seems the logistics could be a nightmare for me!

Hope you find the best way to tackle it and a companion or two as well.

[campbellrae1]

Thanks for the interest! I've raced my MTB since I was pretty young(9 or 10) in XC so I have my XC race bike but really don't fancy loading a 9kg bike up with enough kit for a this kind of trip!

Must admit that getting the time off work/a pass from the girlfriend before the bus stops for the year is looking increasingly unlikely, might just have to wait till next year for this one! At least that way I can try riding some of the northern sections that I haven't walked/ridden before and maybe come up with a better route!

[D45yth]

Have you seen the Scottish trip reports over on Bear Bones Bikepacking?  There may be some food for thought there?