Off-Road Touring in the UK?

HebdenBiker

I like the idea of MTB touring with as little tarmac as possible, and will be having a go at the Pennine Bridleway before winter sets in.

Any other recommendations for multi-day off-road tours in GB?

andymiller

South Downs Way
Ridgeway
there is an MTB version of the C2C and a Scottish C2c

CumbrianMan

Trans Pennine Trail (Southport to Hornsea) mainly off-road

Way of the Roses (Morecambe to Bridlington) mainly on-road

Coast to Coast (Whitehaven/Workington to Sunderland) both on-road and off-road routes

Walney to Wear (Barrow to nr Sunderland) don't know about this one

Reivers (Cumbria to Newcastle) sorry, don't know full details

Do a Google on the above for more info.

ibob

A friend and I did the Scottish C2C off-road, carrying panniers with full camping gear so that we could wild-camp & bothy. Photos here to whet your appetite! http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomward/se ... 465010638/

andymiller

ibob wrote:

A friend and I did the Scottish C2C off-road, carrying panniers with full camping gear so that we could wild-camp & bothy. Photos here to whet your appetite! http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomward/se ... 465010638/

is the route published anywhere?

jphil

Thanks a lovely set of pictures Mallaig - Stonehaven I'd love to do a trip like that someday, as I look out of my bedroom window in East London!

simon_adams_uk

I did an off-road Scottish C2C earlier in the year (my CGOAB write-up is long overdue...) which took this route as inspiration: http://www.offroadadventures-online.com/rr059.html

Route summary was:
Day 0 - Travel to Strathcarron (or could be Kyle of Lochalsh) by train
Day 1 - Glen Affric
Day 2 - Fort Augustus
Day 3 - Newtonmore
Day 4 - Braemar
Day 5 - Ballater (easy day / catch-up day if delayed)
Day 6- Montrose
Day 7 - train home

Vast majority of the ride was off-road. Several river crossings and lots of single track. Took a MTB and was thankful of the very dry weather as it would have been even more brutal in places with heavy rain and mud.

I travelled as light as possible and used a bar bag, mid-size camelbak, and Ortlieb dry bag bungeed to the top of a rear pannier rack. Conventional (side-mounted) panniers IMO would be a disaster as they'd be perpetually bumping up and down.

HTH
Simon

priory

look at the west highland way and fort william to inverness

One of the owners of jervis cycles in Ripley Derbyshire did an end to end almost all off road and might give you the route.

deal

Sarn Helen, North to South Wales. Some parts are supposed to be fairly technical.

Most people seem to ride routes based on this guide - http://www.mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_SarnHelenTrail_details.htm

.gpx files and memory map .mmo and routecards that seem to follow the above mentioned route can be found here - http://www.mtbtrailfinder.co.uk/html/ro ... l_main.htm

Im thinking of riding the route this summer.

heatonrider

http://www.mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_guides.htm

wyrdhead

Did a 4 day Scottish Coast 2 Coast a couple of years ago - mostly off road, tough, but fabulous fun - Aberdeen to Fort Williiam over the Corrieyairack Pass.

Last year did the Welsh C2C, Caernafon to Cardiff, another great one also over 4 days.

gpx's are available if anyone interested.......

"If you worried about falling off the bike, you'd never get on."
Lance Armstrong[/img]

cyco2

The Thames has a foot path most of the way and is good fun to ride with many sites on the way. The Ridgeway crosses it at Streatley. Living nearby I have ridden it several times from Lechlade to London. On one occasion doing a circular route of river and road in 2 days. But its best to take it slowly to take in the sites. I can help with accommodation if needed.

photographicsafaris

Basically Newark to Bath

It follows the old Roman road, so some imagination is required to follow the bridleways, but its another one

andymiller

photographicsafaris wrote:

Basically Newark to Bath

It follows the old Roman road, so some imagination is required to follow the bridleways, but its another one

The Fosse Way? I did parts of this many years ago on a motorbike and I had the impression that it's mostly tarmac road. Looking at the Wikipedia page there do seem to be some sections that are 'off-road' but it's not clear how much.

The BBC did a great radio programme about the Fosse Way which might still be available to download somewhere.

Waderider

Mentioned already is a variation on the Scottish 'classic' off road C2C, the 'Tim Woodcock' version from Ratagan to Montrose. I did it about 1997 and it is a cracker.

There is also the Ullapool C2C, that I haven't done, but there is one further north from Kylestrome to Doll. It's doable in a day if your fit, although I camped near the Crask Inn.

I did a week last year, getting the train to Fort William and cycling back home to Glasgow off road (mainly). Out Ardnamurchan via the Singing Sands/Ockle side, through the middle of Mull, off road about 50% of the way to Loch Awe from Oban (a map would show you, can't remember all the names!), then the Kintyre way to Claonaig, ferry to Ardrossan and sustrans home.

There is plenty of scope in the Gorms for long MTB tours, taking in Tilt/Feshie/Larig Ghru etc. and even munros.

The access laws in Scotland lend themselves well to MTB touring, and if you can cope with portage and travel light all of Scotland is one big off road tour.

The long distance footpaths tend to be a bit dull, but old drove roads and military roads are well worth exploring.

EnglishChris

wyrdhead wrote:

Did a 4 day Scottish Coast 2 Coast a couple of years ago - mostly off road, tough, but fabulous fun - Aberdeen to Fort Williiam over the Corrieyairack Pass.

Last year did the Welsh C2C, Caernafon to Cardiff, another great one also over 4 days.

gpx's are available if anyone interested.......

I'd be definitely interested in the GPXs. I'll PM you.

dilemna

andymiller wrote:

photographicsafaris wrote:

Basically Newark to Bath

It follows the old Roman road, so some imagination is required to follow the bridleways, but its another one

The Fosse Way? I did parts of this many years ago on a motorbike and I had the impression that it's mostly tarmac road. Looking at the Wikipedia page there do seem to be some sections that are 'off-road' but it's not clear how much.

The BBC did a great radio programme about the Fosse Way which might still be available to download somewhere.

Didn't Blue Peter's John Noakes walk the Fosse Way many years ago in Go with Noakes?

pollys_bott

HebdenBiker wrote:

I like the idea of MTB touring with as little tarmac as possible, and will be having a go at the Pennine Bridleway before winter sets in.

Any other recommendations for multi-day off-road tours in GB?

Did you do this, or has anyone else done it? I've done the Tissington Trail a couple of times this summer with the kids, loved the scenery and the lack of motorised vehicles & the concept of having that for about 300 miles is very appealing...