Another Wee Ride
Wallace1492
Posts: 3,707
Well, after commuting into work on Thursday with full panniers, after work I headed for the Arran Ferry. 6pm boat over and a wee cycle over the String. Lovely night camping on the west side at Catacol Bay. Next day, ferry to mainland and headed north. Through West Tarbert, Lochgilphead and Oban to Port Appin, a few pints of Magners to ease myself after 90 miles in the saddle. camped at a midge ridden woodland just along from the pier. Next day up to Ballachulish, round Loch Leven before the pull up GlenCoe and accross Rannoch Moor, and other night wild camping, this time at Bridge of Orchy. Yesterday up at 6.30am for the cycle down Glen Falloch and Loch Lomond.
Fantastic weekend, 240 odd miles and not a drop of rain. Scenery was amazing, cars not too bad and midges horrendous. Tick count is at 4 so far.
Highly recommend CastleStalkerView cafe - wonderful place, and such charming owners.
Was in bed by 9pm on Friday and Saturday, full days in the saddle with a very full pannier (even dragged a bottle of wine round most of it unopened!!) does tend to knacker you.
Note to self - must get bigger lightweight tent.
Fantastic weekend, 240 odd miles and not a drop of rain. Scenery was amazing, cars not too bad and midges horrendous. Tick count is at 4 so far.
Highly recommend CastleStalkerView cafe - wonderful place, and such charming owners.
Was in bed by 9pm on Friday and Saturday, full days in the saddle with a very full pannier (even dragged a bottle of wine round most of it unopened!!) does tend to knacker you.
Note to self - must get bigger lightweight tent.
"Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
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Comments
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Sounds good. So you just left work one day and just kept riding halfway across Scotland? Good stuff!Do not write below this line. Office use only.0
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stop showing off - it's very unfair to old farts like me with wife and kids in tow
fair play, glad you had a good time.
What tent do you have and what do you do about locking the bike at night?0 -
Nice - well done - pull up Glencoe is something fierce - only done it once with an unladen bike0
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Big Wib wrote:stop showing off - it's very unfair to old farts like me with wife and kids in tow
fair play, glad you had a good time.
What tent do you have and what do you do about locking the bike at night?
Probably don't need to lock the bike if you're sleeping in a tent on the edge of a deserted forest by a loch.Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
My Uncle goes hill walking but cycles to get to the foot of the hills. And just leaves the bike at the bottom of whichever hill it is without worrying it'll get nicked.Headhuunter wrote:Big Wib wrote:stop showing off - it's very unfair to old farts like me with wife and kids in tow
fair play, glad you had a good time.
What tent do you have and what do you do about locking the bike at night?
Probably don't need to lock the bike if you're sleeping in a tent on the edge of a deserted forest by a loch.0 -
Headhuunter wrote:Big Wib wrote:stop showing off - it's very unfair to old farts like me with wife and kids in tow
fair play, glad you had a good time.
What tent do you have and what do you do about locking the bike at night?
Probably don't need to lock the bike if you're sleeping in a tent on the edge of a deserted forest by a loch.
I'd be worried about a monster coming out of the water Steve C0 -
suzyb wrote:
My Uncle goes hill walking but cycles to get to the foot of the hills. And just leaves the bike at the bottom of whichever hill it is without worrying it'll get nicked.Headhuunter wrote:Big Wib wrote:stop showing off - it's very unfair to old farts like me with wife and kids in tow
fair play, glad you had a good time.
What tent do you have and what do you do about locking the bike at night?
Probably don't need to lock the bike if you're sleeping in a tent on the edge of a deserted forest by a loch.
To be fair I did bring a small lock, more for when I left it outside a supermarket somewhere when picking up wine errrr I mean supplies. Where I was camping certainly had no requirement for locking bike.
Tent I was using was a Gelert Solo, that cost £25. Very small, can't even sit up on it, and was not the best for condensation, but did a job. Considering a Hilliberg Akto... but it costs a fortune..."Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"0 -
Wallace1492 wrote:suzyb wrote:
My Uncle goes hill walking but cycles to get to the foot of the hills. And just leaves the bike at the bottom of whichever hill it is without worrying it'll get nicked.Headhuunter wrote:Big Wib wrote:stop showing off - it's very unfair to old farts like me with wife and kids in tow
fair play, glad you had a good time.
What tent do you have and what do you do about locking the bike at night?
Probably don't need to lock the bike if you're sleeping in a tent on the edge of a deserted forest by a loch.
To be fair I did bring a small lock, more for when I left it outside a supermarket somewhere when picking up wine errrr I mean supplies. Where I was camping certainly had no requirement for locking bike.
Tent I was using was a Gelert Solo, that cost £25. Very small, can't even sit up on it, and was not the best for condensation, but did a job. Considering a Hilliberg Akto... but it costs a fortune...
That's another advantage of living in more civilised places, less requirement for locks
. I'm possibly doing the Pennine Cycleway in a couple of weeks & am debating what to take lock wise.
Nice looking tent. I've got a Hubba Hubba HP which is a two man one & only slightly heavier.0 -
Wallace1492 wrote:Tent I was using was a Gelert Solo, that cost £25. Very small, can't even sit up on it, and was not the best for condensation, but did a job. Considering a Hilliberg Akto... but it costs a fortune...
Based on yours (and others') threads about touring with a bike, I got myself a Vango Banshee 200. It looks pretty similar to that Akto, and cost 80 quid. I think it might be slightly bigger packed than the Akto, and it's definitely a 1-man no matter what the website says. It certainly does ok for me on the bike.Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.0 -
Right, I do need a bigger tent. Real pain not being able to sit up, and not easy to get changed in. The Vango looks good, as does the Hubba Hubba. Probably for next year though....."Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"0
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That Vango weighs 2kg! That's incredibly light! How much do tents like the the Hilleberg Akto weigh? I'm tempted - I was just camping in Norfolk for the weekend and my old 2 man tent weighs something like 5-10kg I'm guessing...Do not write below this line. Office use only.0
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Headhuunter wrote:That Vango weighs 2kg! That's incredibly light! How much do tents like the the Hilleberg Akto weigh? I'm tempted - I was just camping in Norfolk for the weekend and my old 2 man tent weighs something like 5-10kg I'm guessing...
The Akto is about 1.4kg (but is a one man), my one is about 1.8kg for a 2 man. The other big difference from the older tents is pack size.0 -
Big Wib wrote:Headhuunter wrote:That Vango weighs 2kg! That's incredibly light! How much do tents like the the Hilleberg Akto weigh? I'm tempted - I was just camping in Norfolk for the weekend and my old 2 man tent weighs something like 5-10kg I'm guessing...
The Akto is about 1.4kg (but is a one man), my one is about 1.8kg for a 2 man. The other big difference from the older tents is pack size.
Wow, worth considering. I was struggling on the trains with 5-10kg tent, 5-10kg rucksack and a dog. Anything that brings the weight down would be welcome!Do not write below this line. Office use only.0
