Well folks I have found myself entirely free in September. Have been travelling and my MSc has been delayed and will now start on 1st October and not 4th September as it was meant to when I went away. I am mainly based in Dumfries at my parent's house, (I do not have my own pad right now as will be living at the college) with just my car, my biking stuff and a few books. (Most of my other things are in boxes in a garage in London). I have a pretty limited budget and am now thinking on what to do.

It's not like I am going to be bored. It's great I have some more time to really get into various text books I have bought for my studies, and I also need to get fit again after no exercise for the last 7 weeks or so. I also have friends I will visit too in Manchester and Snowdonia, and will be sure to get some Welsh biking in too (Penmancho etc).

But was also up for a bit of inspiration. Not been to North Scotland, so now have time to do a Scottish road trip I have also wanted to do in ages. (Some biking, some megalithic site visiting, maybe an island or two). I also have the British biking race finishing in Gretna with Danny McCaskill doing his tricks there etc.

What would you guys do with a month free but limited budget? Think petrol money, food, and a small number of nights in B&Bs. This is a thread to get a bit of inspiration and ideas. Not just interested in ideas for me, but also interested in what you guys would do suddenly finding yourself freed up for a month.

A month with a limited budget starting near Dumfries……

I'd do a trip to some bothies out in the middle of nowhere.
Take in a few distilleries!

Some inspiration from mrmichaelwright's trip here…
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/pics-from-me-summer-hols

Yep – I remember that thread from some time ago anmd that would be an amazing thing to do.

I think it could be one step at a time. I do not consider myself to have any kind of navigation skills, and up here have been riding the 7 Stanes.

I would love to do that kind of trip maybe with someone who knew what they were doing. I think this is an opportunity to do some non-Stanes riding, i.e. natural riding, but maybe where the navigation isn't such a major issue. I do have the Scottish Highlands MTB book so if anyone knows any rides from that that are suitable for someone like me that would be good.

I would probably need to also buy some additional kit such as sleeping bag etc for bivvying.

I also forgot to say I may think about putting up a thread for a STW SW Scotland Stanes ride on 26th/27th September – Kirroughtree on the Saturday and then Dalbeattie/Mabie on the Sunday if anyone local is interested. That would give me a good goal fitness wise as normally I need a day in between to recover and rarely ride two day's together.

Let me know here if this is of interest and I will put a new thread up in a week or two.

Car + Tent + Alps

i'd have a one month savage training camp in the lakes. swim, run, bike, kayak, hike, whatever, just move as much as possible for as long as possible – and eat and drink lots too

That depends if the wife is with me or not 🙄

Hal

Well I have just had the thought that I am very much single so maybe I should be doing less of the bivvying in the middle of nowhere and being somewhere I may actually meet someone 🙂

Try bothies and bunkhouses with a tent for good weather

http://www.independenthostelguide.com/ also YHA
http://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk/

On the people side, National Front do working holiday breaks (sorry National Trust) but personally I think they're similar organisations.

Personally (and I will be doing it when gf and I get time, maybe in 5 yaers when I retire, maybe before if redundant) – camp Applecross beach for a while, Applecross to Torridon road in blazing sun, whilst stunned with awe at the view (again), Harris & Lewis (again), drive west coast (mostly again), Dunnet Head and the long trails in Caithness, stacks of Duncansbay, Whaligoe steps (ps women could carry a BIG basket of fish up there, try jogging with a rucksack – you'll be fked), Orkney – ring of Brogar (ignoring the signs and lying in the middle early in the morning – also Skara Brae, Maes Howe), Skye (Quirang – again), Garvault Hotel (*apparently most remote in Scotland plus the bike route that leads to it – as I didn't manage it last trip), surfboard with me along the N coast of Scotland, couple of awesome bays MUST have swell, Sandwood Bay (again), lie in the grass on Tiree listening to birds in the amazing evening light(again), stand at Crinan in the blazing sunshine at 7am watching the mist clear(again), the list is endless and up to you

Cheers gusamc – plenty of places there to investigate!

I'd possibly upskill for the when the economy turns and use a tent for campng possibly riding duties. ENJOY YOUR FREEDOM

Dunno how limited your budget is, but a month off for me would mean driving to Biarritz and getting barrelled off my arse, plus some riding in the Pyrenees.

Tent in the back of the car as a backup and drive down towards France, then Germany (Berlin) then back towards Switzerland way. Mainly as a roadtrip.

Cheap flight to somewhere with big mountains. Two weeks acclimatisation and two weeks of high altitude mountaineering (trekking if you don't do climbing). Escape from mobile phones, the internet, satellite television, non-satellite television and all the other crap we've invented to make our lives as cramped and crowded as possible. Ideally with someone you love. 😕

BWD +1

If you were female, I'd be there with you dude 8)

Or, wander down to the Docks, into a Tavern. Get royally ratted and wake up the next day on a great sailing Gallion with the jolly rodger flying from the mast (aye there matey)

If I were female, I wouldn't be posting on this forum. And I definitely wouldn't be going anywhere with you 😉

Darn it. Even blown out by someone who isnt female, but could be in a wierd alternative world 😆

BWD

Yep – luckily for me there were no computers and no mobile phones deep in the rainforest which is where I was all July. Am with you on that one.

But this is the first year I have travelled and (in Cusco) seen quite a few student and early 20 somethings with laptops. Even last year in Peru I don't recall seeing traveller-types with laptops.

As for the European option, well I have been looking through the "Show us your mountain bikes up mountains" thread as well as many other threads and would love to go biking in the Alps. But not only do I not have the budget, I am not too sure I have the skills or fitness right now to really get the most out of something like that.

Maybe I should try the red Fort William route – but even that may be outside of my ability range, especially on my HT Kona?

Well the latest news is that I am catching up with Trekster tomorrow who will show me various local natural routes around Dumfries, so that will be great getting away from the Stanes for a while.

Oh, and on Tuesday I will put up a thread about a STW ride around Kirroughtree, Dalebeattie and Mabie on 26th and 27th September, so local-ish riders look out for that one.

Second iDave – use the month to get fit. It will help your biking (obviously) but you'll be in great shape for your masters. I've just had a week off and used it as a training week – loved it.

CaptJon

Absolutely. Part of my reason for checking interest in a STW ride on 26th/27th is to set myself a fitness goal. I guess I am quite lucky (from the perspective of someone who enjoys riding at centres) in that I am based in Dumfries and have friends in Snowdonia. I will also spend a little bit of time at the Mabie and Dalbettie skills loops so hopefully will improve a tad too.

i'd have a one month savage training camp in the lakes. swim, run, bike, kayak, hike, whatever, just move as much as possible for as long as possible – and eat and drink lots too

Ditto! maybe recce the whole BG round!