Hi folks,
I may have landed myself in it at work...they are doing a charity walk of the West Highland Way and were looking for volunteers. I suggested (half-heartedly) that the MTBers in the office could offer support by carrying some water bottles and snacks to hand out to the walkers - the route is being split into 7 sections varying from 9 - 19 miles.
I'd suggested that the biker(s) would start at the end point of a section and ride down to the start to meet the walkers along the way and offer some water/snacks - this was concerned a good idea...but it now turns out I'm the only MTBer available that weekend to do it.
With that in mind, I need to select a section and I've got a fancy for Kinlochleven to Bridge of Orchy - I think it is about 15 miles each way and I'm likely to need to do it both ways.
I know it is a big place to go biking but I've never seen a profile shot of how steep or long the climbs/descents are...it appeals to me but I want to know (roughly) if I'm going to make a complete tube of myself and only just survive it!
I'm not super fit but I can ride all day and have no issues with hike-a-bike - I've got plenty of fear so real techie stuff is likely to get me walking (which I don't have an issue with - just gives me a scope to improve on!) but I've never done this area before and not sure what to expect.
Cheers.
here's tyndrum to fortwilliam. misses out the hill at bridge of orchy though and it was plotted yonks ago before the satelitte data got hi res over all of scotland but should give you an idea..be difficult enough carrying your own water btw, never mind the walkers.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/811220
I reckon its as good/bad going one way as it is the other. The climb out of Kinlochleven is a slog, but riding down the Devils Staircase makes it well worthwhile. Its not fast though, quite knarly.......
Lovely part of the WHW for scenery too, and the Bridge of Orchy Hotel has a nice big leathery couchy relaxy loungy drinky bit! 😀
Great fun!
btw fwiw, if loaded with water(I'd be walking regardless! :D), you'll be walking up either side from kinlochleven to kingshouse. Particularly, up the Devils stair case, and the single track at the top of the fireroad from kinlochleven to the devil staircase.. kinghouse to bridge of orchy is cyclable. Your idea is insane btw! 
let the walkers carry their own water.
Yes, I'm thinking it is daft, but it's likely to be 4 500ml bottles of water and some powerbar type stuff...they are only walking after all...might just do Kinlochleven to end of Devil's Staircase and then back up and down Ciaran Path...I dunno...I'm clearly thinking biiger than my boots so why stop at just that!
Thanks for the info so far.
scotland is not short of water especially along that stretch. Its a fair old climb over the devils staircase 1800 ft in 3 miles or so. from kinlochleven south.
edit 20 miles, 3000+ foot of climbing totalish
Like TJ said. You don't need to carry a lot of water, just a mug.
Kinlochleven is the lowest point on the entire route. Top of the Devil's Staircase is the highest. Enjoy! 😀
Volunteers to do whaaaat? Don't you just like set out and err, get walking?
Besides, I'd always thought that struggling along the WHW with a ludicrously overloaded Bergen was a rite of passage...
Madness to be shuttling water to folk on foot when they have an abundance of great watering stops (and food) en route e.g between B of O and Kinlochleven: Inveroran Hotel, River (Shira?) at Vicky Bridge, River Ba @ Ba Bridge, White Corries Cafe & The Kingy. Plus it's easy enough to nip down to the Coupall @ Altnafeadh before the climb up the DS
The idea was to get me biking and not walking...each section will have 4 walkers all fitted...my offer was just to get me out of marshalling...I'm not expecting to be carry much more than I normally do. Kinlochleven is a nice part of the country and I fancy the staircase as I've never done it before. Suspect I'd get up and down then turn around as the walkers would be going up as I was descending the staircase.
I'd just start at kinlochleven and walk up to the top with the walkers, get you a bit of company, and then afterwards just go and do your own thing.
I've ridden that section before going North to Kinlochleven.
It's a long push to the top of Devil's Staircase but not particularly difficult.
The ride from the top down into Kinlochleven is fantastic though and more than makes up for the push to the top!!!