Scottish Highlands. Expert advice wanted.
sway
Posts: 7
Live in Edinburgh, but have never seen the Highlands or the Islands, so I've been planning a solo tour for next Spring or summer. I need some expert advice from people who've cycled there.
Some of the things I want to do
Climb Ben Nevis
Cycle around Loch Ness
Cycle around Skye
Explore Cairngorms national park
And most of all, cycle around the remote parts of the Highlands, camping in the wilderness. I want to cycle for hours and not see a single person. I don't know much about the Highlands though.
A rough guess of my route covers about 1000 miles, cycling about 90 a day. This is too much for a first solo tour, so I think I could probably take care of Ben Nevis and Cairngorm on seperate outings, since they're just a hop on a train away.
Anyone ever done this?
Some of the things I want to do
Climb Ben Nevis
Cycle around Loch Ness
Cycle around Skye
Explore Cairngorms national park
And most of all, cycle around the remote parts of the Highlands, camping in the wilderness. I want to cycle for hours and not see a single person. I don't know much about the Highlands though.
A rough guess of my route covers about 1000 miles, cycling about 90 a day. This is too much for a first solo tour, so I think I could probably take care of Ben Nevis and Cairngorm on seperate outings, since they're just a hop on a train away.
Anyone ever done this?
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Set off and camp your first night about 2 or 3 miles from your house. That way you can quickly zoom home and get all the essentials you forgot to pack.
Don't expect solitude in Skye or Ben Nevis, you'll have to go off the beaten track for this. Last time we went up Ben Nevis there must have been around 50 other people sitting at the top having a picnic. On Skye, tourists are like flies buzzing round cows s**t you'll never escape them. Oh, and don't forget the insect repellent and a head net. If the midges attack they do so in their millions and it can drive you insane.
could take the train to Perth and start the adventure from there bike to braemar, good camping spots on linn 'O' Dee
and head over the top for a finish in Elgin coming down into the great glen (its not as easy as it sounds)
err lochnagar is a nice bit but further east at ballater way..........
orkney you have to fly / sail and with all that gear it could be a pain
and the west coast...... well you could be lucky with weather.... could not (in which case it will be premo censored )
other places of note - (tomintoul (bob dylan lives around there)) (strathdon (billy Connelly live around there))
they are nice places, and not busy with tourists......
I hadn't considered Loch Shin, but I definitely will now.
Mainland, the largest island, is pleasingly large with lots of places to ride, and it s very easy to get ferries to the outer islands, doing ou and back day trips if you prefer staying on Mainand, where there us more and better accommodation.
I love it up there, and although it us something of a haul for me to get up there, coming up from Sussex as I do, I have been back several times and will undoubtedly go again.
Agreed. With my wife one of our best tours was to take the train to Inverness, ride across to Ullapool then spend the next 2 weeks wandering down through Lewis/Harris, Islay, Jura, Mull, Gigha and finally Bute. From where we took our 17th ferry crossing of the trip across to Wemyss Bay and a train (via Glasgow) back home.
Much of the ride's on single lanes. Scenery is fanatastic.
Opportunities for some walking on Harris, or only the Island munro outside of Skye on Mull.
When planning your route look for the shortest, most direct road between start and end point, and generally speaking, ignore that road, then look for the route which uses the smaller A and B roads and in some cases unclassified roads. That's where you will find the most solitude. Avoid all of the A9 and most of the A82.
Whilst there is not a lot of trainline you can get trains to Thurso, Kyle of Lochalsh, Oban and Mallaig (via Fort William). From all of these stops and those inbetween you can get straight on to quiet Highland roads. That's how I would do it. (I lived in Inverness for 12 years).
Get used to getting up very early and go in May/June. The sun rises very early and the best views are often found before 0600 with the roads certainly quieter then. You will see more wildlife and more atmospheric views of the hills.
Avon Skin So Soft is a good midge deterrent although none work perfectly. You can often get it in Tisos on Rose Street.
Don't assume that every shop will open late and in some remote areas Sunday opening is limited although this is changing.
Finally remember that our other 2 wheeled friends also value the roads in the highlands and often make full use of the lack of any PC Plod and the long sight lines. Motorbikes will come up behind you very quickly and not always screaming their presence. Dump the IPOD and enjoy the silence.
Have fun. In the right weather Scotland has the best cycling and motorbiking in the world.
I am a big fan of Orkney, as I've mentioned above, and have written a sort of introductory piece, with plenty of photos, to anyone who might be tempted to go up there. If you care to read it, here it is:
http://my-bicycle-and-i.co.uk/2012/an-orcadian-idyll/
The coast road north of Lochinver. Beautiful beaches and stuning mountain views
The road to Ardnamurchan. Takes you though some ancient woodlands and great view at the end.
Bealach na Ba and the Applecross loop. A great hillclimb, lovely coastal scenery and a great wee village at the end.
Strathnaver / Strah Halladale. Very remote and isolated
Let me know if you want more info on the above, places to stay etc
By the way, +1 on the Outer Hebridean trip mentioned above
If you do use rivers for drinking water, while hiking or camping, then yes, use a filter. There are some very good ones on the market but they are not cheap. I used a Katadyn when I was cycling in Africa
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Great views from the top of the Struie: http://www.northernsights.net/struie-fs.html
Sounds like we did a similar route up in the Highlands and have to agree that it was the best part of my LEJOG too.
Definitely want to head up that way again soon for a bit of touring. There and the Orkneys.
Aha! Finally I have a name to put to the place where I had a picture taken en route by a lovely couple. Yes, great views!
Climbing Ben Nevis is one of those things we outdoor types have to do, but it's more a punishment than a pleasure. There are many many better hill climbs in the highlands.
Loch ness is definatly not one of the highlands best bits (but would be in most other countries)
Isle of Skye is spectacular, but so is everywhere else on the west coast. i think Mull is a better bike ride. The Outer Hebridies are just magical on a bike, partly because the bikes often outnumber the cars on the ferry over.
It's just the standard route that's dull.
The Carn Mor Dearg route looks like it would be really good, it was shrouded in mist mist when I tried, so I stuck to the tourist highway; my navigation is rubbish. But I do think the likes of Beinn Eighe make for a better experience. I did that and the Bealach na ba sportive over the same weekend, twas fantastic.
Wonderful advice. After all these years I'd never thought of that...
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