[Closed] Our Highland Trail 550 write up.

Great write up! really enjoyed that and well done to you both on completing with so little training

Thanks Mark.

A friend said to me some years ago to enjoy my time cycling with Tom, as once he was a teenager he would most likely divert his attentions away from cycling with his Dad, to hanging out with his mates.

Thats me with ny lad at the moment 😢 . Congratulations to you both, I’ll crack a beer a read the rest now!

That makes it sound almost relaxed and 'easy'...!

A lovely read, well done you two.

Well done great effort from both of you enjoyed reading the blog.

Fabulous again Rich (and Tom). Seems to me that you did the perfect HT550 - round in under 8 days but taking in all the right food stops 🙂

Cheers for the write up Rich and Tom, always enjoy reading your tales. Well done, yet again!

Matt it was hard and I tried to make it sound harder than usual without being to intimidating. 🙂

Colin, we were spot on for food stops along the way, not through planning especially. It was great to see the Struy Inn open after passing it closed numerous times before.

Glad you all enjoyed the write up.

Enjoyed that. Thanks

Enjoyed reading that, well done to you both. Sounds like superb dad/son time too... Many happy memories made on these trips.

Ooo been waiting for this. Gets excited

It does sound rather tempting... 🙂

Enjoyed that, thanks - really need to get mine written up before I forget what happened!

It does sound rather tempting…

+1

Anyone for a group potter next year?

Are there plenty of places to eat and stock up on supplies?

plenty

All things are relative.

Can you just enter the HT550, or is this the one you need to earn your entry by proving yourself in similar/less demanding events?

There's a limited start list and it's essentially by invitation. You need to apply for an invitation though and prove/show  you're likely to finish it in the 8 days.

You can, of course, ride it at any time. Do it in under 8 days, following the self-sufficiency rules, and you get a name check on the website.

Are there plenty of places to eat and stock up on supplies?

More than you might think but not as many as you might like! 🙂

There's a few sections where you need to have sufficient supplies with you (Fisherfield for example takes nine hours or longer) and sometimes they are a bit like buses as two or three supply points come in quick succession. Last year I had six sit down meals and seven snack/resupply stops. I didn't use at least half a dozen eating/supply points either because I'd just visited one or I passed when they were shut.

@spooky - for the group start you need to have a few "qualifying rides" under your belt. But it's an open route so you can tour or ITT it at any time but it's not considered good form to do so immediately around the time of the group start, a week before or a few days after is generally fine.

Inspirational, except I have insufficient motivation to thrash it.

Well done both of you. Thanks for sharing that

Good write up. Enjoyed reading it. 100+ miles and 10000 feet on the last day after all the other stuff. I would have cried. Well done to both of you.

Great write up. I have just finished the west highland way with my 9 year old. This looks like a good challenge for him and me in a few years.

Enjoyed that read Richpips.  Well done to both of you.

Great write-up and great achievement. Well done to you both You've whetted my appetite.......

Really great achievement, massive congratulations, especially with that epic last day. Are you frequenting Northern Grip again this year? May need to seek you out for advice for 2019’s HT550.