4-day Trans Highland Adventure - tips? - Singletrack World Magazine April 13, 2010

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This topic has 16 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by mountainchub.

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4-day Trans Highland Adventure – tips?
mountainchub
Free Member

I'm heading up to ride from Fort William to Aberdeen beach on 29th but trying to decide on the best energy and food and drink to take. And also what stuff to pack so it's all pretty light.

A) I'm thinking of taking a barrage of SIS drink sachets – they're light and easy to carry and I can fill up on water on route at different points.
B) Make my own super flapjacks! Anyone have any genius recipes?

I've got a rucksack for carrying some basic clothes and gear, a 5-litre saddle bag for all tools/spares, and a 5-litre handlebar bag for camera, maps, wallet and food etc

Any suggestions for other stuff?

Cheers
Dan

Cheers y'all
Dan

Posted 14 years ago

AlasdairMc
Full Member

Take what you need for the day, stop at shops en route.

What is your route?

Posted 14 years ago

TandemJeremy
Free Member

Avoid carrying anything on your back IMO

Take waterproofs, extra jumper, sunscreen, midge repellent.

You could have any sort of weather happen

Posted 14 years ago

mrmichaelwright
Free Member

you will probably have every sort of weather, all at once

Posted 14 years ago

mountainchub
Free Member

Sounds like a plan, I'd need to stop off for water at various points anyway.

Route is train to Fort William, great glen to fort augustus, corrieyairack pass, laggan, newtonmore, feshiebridge, glenmore lodge, ryvoan bothy, glen brown, tomintoul, south through a glen I can't remember the name of to Gairnsheil Lodge, Ballater, Dinnet, Aboyne, Banchory, Aberdeen to the beech. The latter bit from ballater to the beech is a bit ropey at the moment but I reckon I could get onto the old railway line for the majority of it – I'll be wrecked by then anyway so a flattish route to the beech will be welcome!

Should be cracking four days :o)

Posted 14 years ago

mountainchub
Free Member

I'm hoping for nice weather but prepared for everything weatherwise with the exception of -16C

Posted 14 years ago

gonefishin
Free Member

corrieyairack pass

Snow shoes might be useful. Not sure about the pass exactly but there is still a fair amount of snow on the hills at the moment, not all of which will be gone by the 29th.

Posted 14 years ago

mountainchub
Free Member

Hmmmm lets hope the sun continues for a while before then! I'll take my waterproof socks in case! No way of predicting so I'll hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

Cheers!

Posted 14 years ago

mountainchub
Free Member

hmmm hope the weather gets better for Fort Augustus – metguess says minus figures for the whole week before!!! Eeek

Posted 14 years ago

13thfloormonk
Full Member

something I learnt on a three day trip this weekend: Ditch the waterproof socks and just get some good merino ones instead.

My feet ended up wet anyway with the sealskinz, then got cold and uncomfortable.

With the merino socks they got wet but stayed warm and comfortable, so much so that i stopped bothering to jump the wet bits and just walked right through them (there was a lot of hike-a-bike…)

A merino one with those thin goretex waterproff outer socks would be a winning combo i reckon…

Posted 14 years ago

pistola
Free Member

I've done your route, but starting from Ardnamurchan Lighthouse. The glen south of Tomintoul is Glen Builg and is a cracking ride. I'm not jealous in any way.

Posted 14 years ago

singlespeeddan
Free Member

Damn that sounds like a good trip. Let us know how you get on. I was thinking fort william to glencoe. Glencoe to Pitlochry. Then Glen tilt to Braemar then home to Aberdeen.
However my plan is for later in the summer. good luck

Dan

Posted 14 years ago

mountainchub
Free Member

Monk – Great idea on the merino socks! Will pop out and get them today :o) sorry to hear of your wet feet travails!

From Ardnamurchan would have been great but I don't thave enough holidays left for that :o( boooo My mate whyter's done the same trip but I think he started at the far end of Skye not sure where though. Totally excited about it now…

Just a question how have people got from Braemar/ballater to Aberdeen? Am I missing a trick by looking to the old railway line?

Cheers
D

I'll sort out pics of the trip and post em up when I'm back!

Posted 14 years ago

thomthumb
Free Member

don't take energy food – take real stuff – you are supposed to be enjoying this 😉

as for superflapjack

i like this one with nuts, raisins and choclate chunks mixed in. ace.

sounds like a good route – look forward to pics.

Posted 14 years ago

13thfloormonk
Full Member

Good point thomthumb!

I've gone on trips before and kind of forgotten why I'm doing it (i.e. fun!). Energy food becomes a chore no matter how tasty it is, peanuts + raisins + bananas are a good compromise.

Stop lots, eat lots, stop in every little village and pop your head into any wee shops that are open, and remember to enjoy the hikey-bikey too! It is possible if you relax, stand upright and enjoy the views. I had some recent epic hikey-bikey but took a moment to enjoy where I was and was rewarded with red kites hunting overhead, and views of a sunset over Glen Coe that I'll never forget.

One compromise I think I'm going to make in future is not taking a lock. I just spent 3 days carrying one (half a kilo) in my rucsac and never used it once. Worth thinking about because half a kilo (this was a light lock) is significant..

Posted 14 years ago

thomthumb
Free Member

couple of energy bars in the bottom of a pack – just in case.
go bars are the best for this – they have indestructible wrappers and being the worst tasting means your never tempted!!

but for normal eating real food FTW.

as for the lock i pretty much agree – either find a really rubbish lock that's to stop some one walking off with it or use helmet straps!!

Posted 14 years ago

mountainchub
Free Member

Great tips all, many thanks – can;t wait to get going now!!!

Posted 14 years ago