UK endurance mountain biker, and Team Syncros Endurance Team Manager, Rob Lee has announced that he will attempt to ride the full length, and back again, of the West Highland Way later this week. The West Highland Way is Scotland’s premier long distance route and runs from Milngavie, on the outskirts of Glasgow, to Fort William which sits at the foot of Ben Nevis. The route itself is 96 miles (154km) and so Rob will undertaking a journey of some 192 miles (308km) through some of the most scenic off road wilderness in the UK.
No stranger to such undertaking Rob was the first rider to take the South Downs Double record without a support crew, back in 2008, and has ridden a double version of the Pennine Bridleway, and linked all of the 7Stanes Red Routes, in his following rides, as part of his Seven Deadly Spins project.
This ride will be the sixth ride of that series and looks likely to be the hardest one yet. Having recently returned from filming and reconnaissance rides of the route Rob had this to say about the upcoming challenge:
“The route is really special, it goes through some amazing countryside and covers some really tough trails. I particularly like the way that it regularly changes and throws up so many variables that kit and bike choice are a really serious consideration. Looking back on the other rides I’ve done of this type this one is by far the toughest. The distance is no higher but the terrain itself is much harder to pass over at any great speed. I’m in fantastic shape at the moment, having worked very hard with my coach over the Winter, but even so I think this challenge is going to take about 32 hours to complete. This time I’m going to go supported; it makes sense really as we are producing a film about endurance mountainbiking so there will be a crew following me. I think this ride is hard enough as it stands so why make it harder? Whatever happens it’s going to make for some very interesting viewing. The scenery is so good and Mark (from film production company Reset Films) has a real eye for capturing visually stunning, and inspirational footage for the movies he makes”
This season Rob is working on a joint project with Mark from Reset Films – the makers of acclaimed mountainbike move ‘Home’ – to produce a new film that captures the spirit of the ultra-endurance adventures these riders undertake. The crew will be following Rob on this ride and gaining footage from trail, air and water as they search for the best vantage point.
The ride is scheduled to start at 11am on Friday this week (the 16th) from the southern end of the trail and Rob hopes to be finished some time before midnight on Saturday! As with all his challenge rides online viewers will be able to track his progress from the live tracker page, on his blog site, as well as following live updates via Twitter.
Tracker Page: http://roblee7ds.blogspot.com/p/live-event-tracker.html
Live on-the-ride Twitter updates: @RobLee7ds
West Highland Way Double trailer from ResetFilms.co.uk on Vimeo.
Comments (12)
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Good Luck!
Yep Good luck!
Does the 32 hours include stopping for filming? as I think a bloke’s run the length one way in about 16 hours.
Crikey!!! Very best of luck to Rob on this one, Great attempt!
Awesome! Good luck.
don’t forget the chamois creme!
Good luck, and good see see a MTB film being made that’s not all about phat gnarr being pinned.
Respect if he breaks 32 and sticks with the route proper.
Respect anyway for having the balls to tackle that Loch Lomond stretch twice in one day 😉
Good luck – I hope the recent warm weather doesn’t entice the midgies out…..
Respect due if he does it, which he will no doubt! Bloody fit whippets!
Brilliant Just cant fathom that … But he will meet head on at some point Stevie McInnis from the Island of Mull that day who is doing it from Fort William to Glasgow one way only but will be trying for a good time .Stevie is ,doing it for funds the Local Scout Hall and the Isle of Mull Cycle Club No back up …will give you his time when he finishes
Jim
Respect anyway for having the balls to tackle that Loch Lomond stretch twice in one day 😉
Oh god yeah. Once in a year is enough for me… 😉
Good luck to you
but the bad news it is has been done a good few years back by two folk from Glasgow. 10 hours riding each way and they had a few pints in Fort William too!