Managed to wangle a 5 day trip to Torridon which has been on my to do list for a long time it did not disappoint, plan was base myself near the SYHA in Torridon as the weather was going to dictate my bivvy/bothy plans. Forecast looked good so checked in at the hostel just to get a good nights sleep under my belt then head to a local loop with a couple of riding buddies who were staying all week at the hostel.
First day was a peach with great descents,weather and good beers @ the Torridon Inn
More pics here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/sets/72157649843265874/
https://www.strava.com/activities/289293165
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[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7726/17078501398_781ff18277.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7726/17078501398_781ff18277.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/s2aMsE ] [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
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[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7663/16646546403_346b0c9b35.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7663/16646546403_346b0c9b35.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/rmZUhK ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
Bivvyed out that night and then headed for a loop taking in Craig Bothy(old yha) which took in a fair bit of road work the coastal path 9 miles, was hard work with a laden bike but the views were stunning of Skye. The bothy was well stocked with firewood so all cooking was done on a log stove!
The ride back the following day was a mixture off road and track and pubs 🙂
https://www.strava.com/activities/291254639
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8690/17266335101_8dfa20cd1e.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8690/17266335101_8dfa20cd1e.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/siLtSM ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7654/17240881586_910c2541a8.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7654/17240881586_910c2541a8.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/sgw2r5 ] [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7715/17080657049_1e7dbc7407.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7715/17080657049_1e7dbc7407.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/s2mQg4 ] [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8700/17240870946_59d4cae8b9.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8700/17240870946_59d4cae8b9.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/sgvYgC ] [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
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Day 4 was another loop taking in some of the original route with a few extras thrown in!
https://www.strava.com/activities/291254413
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8783/17266309501_ec911cb42e.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8783/17266309501_ec911cb42e.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/siLmgp ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7669/16643819954_aa3b1a231d.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7669/16643819954_aa3b1a231d.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/rmKVP1 ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7717/17079201590_8d5070d307.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7717/17079201590_8d5070d307.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/s2enAW ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
Blimey, that looks brilliant!
Nice. Did it last year. Will have to do it again this year it was so good.
What bags are you using there?
All Alpkit gear really easy to take off note the extra seat post on the saddle for the seat pack so the dropper did not get damaged 🙂
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bikepacking-with-a-dropper-simple-solution
So lucky with the weather mate. Very very jealous.
Pfft...you didn't even have to get rescued, not like us.
We've been again without being rescued though. 😆
will be there on sat weather looking good [url= http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/Scotland/Torridon/long.html ] Sunny but not warm [/url]
Looks amazing. I'm going in June. You'd better not have used up the quota of good weather! 🙂
gruntfuttock what happened 🙂
Looks awesome - 3rd pic from the bottom is great, gives a real sense of the scale of the landscape
gruntfuttock what happened
A mechanical cockup, bad route choice for the conditions &...................................................................................................not a headtorch between the 2 of us.
Very very stupid & embarrassing. 😳
[i]Looks amazing. I'm going in June. You'd better not have used up the quota of good weather! [/i] ha, definitely all used up 😉
Ah yes remember seeing your seat post bodge, great stuff. Yeah reckon I'll get alpkit.
You're never far from needing to be rescued there.
great stuff!
Thanks for posting those images,I'm hoping to get to Torridon in late September.
Here's hoping for a rain free few days!
*like*
Must get up there! Brilliant pics thanks for sharing
Brilliant photos and looks like a great trip. Glad the dropper solution proved the nay-sayers wrong!
Good luck with late September, Bustaspoke - rain/midges will be out in force.
April seems the ideal time to go no midges but managed to have 3 ticks latch onto me,possibly from a high loch swim and a bivvy out :-(.Got them off with butter but have left marks which are still itchy will be seeing a doc on Monday!
Looks phenomenal, much better than last year when I went.
Where is that big, oh so tempting, rocky slab?
Dufusdip,I know there's no guarentee with the rain but I thought that the midges would be gone by late September 😯
Great stuff postierich. Looks amazing. Really whets the appetite for my trip in June. Its been 4 years since I rode there last. Can't wait.
Good work. Such an epic place.
Bruneep, myself and a group of mates are heading there next weekend as well. Will be staying at the hostle Friday to Monday. What routes are you planning? I'll be in a subaru and riding a Bronson so pop on over if you see us!
postierich, of what you have ridden what routes would you recommend as you have the most up to date idea of the conditions of the trails? Thanks.
Brilliant. Cheers for for sharing
Of the two routes we did they were more or less bone-dry except for the stream crossings I would recommend both routes the way we did it both finishing just down from the Torridon inn in Annat!
A lot of people go up that way but its very loose for a lot it much prefer the decent.
There is a campsite right next to the YHA which is a donation campsite with hot showers! £5 to camp and a £1 recommended to use the showers so if the weathers ok take a tent as the yha was £22 a night and I did not get the best nights kip with 7 other snoring guys! They do not serve food as such but you can buy frozen meals!!!!! and no fry up in the morning .The cafe,shop in the village is good but does not open till 10am.
excellent. Look forward to doing this one day.
Excellent, shame about the weather but what can you do. 🙂
Need to get back up there to do some more!
Due to a possible cancellation of one our group there might have spare twin or double room at inn available Friday and Saturday night. If anyone fancies it.
Was going to ask how the seat pack fared with a dropper... Second post idea is genius
postierich, your Saturday ride (4th) was there a lot of road work on that ride? I'm all about the downs so as long as they are good I can live with a bit of road work and some nasty climbing. We are staying at the hostel so ending there works good for us. Are your 1st set of pictures from that ride?
Only 4 mile road ride flat to the start the others drove there, it was a nice warm up before the start! About a mile back to the hostel from the end!
To be fair did not need to drop the seat post but it worked well as its only a one bolt fit 🙂
Bustaspoke - fingers crossed but can be hit or miss. We do two motorbike trips up to Ullapool a year and stay there a couple of nights each May & Sept and been eaten alive on several occasions in Sept.
Postierich - how many nights in a row did you spend out in bothy/bivvy or tent and could you give a run through of what you took in terms of kit and food? Desperate to give Torridon a go but it is proper wilderness stuff so intrigued as to how much you have to carry to be self sufficient. Take it you split the itinerary between packs?
Did you say balls out in Torridon Richard?
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hostel,bivvy,bothy,bivvy then hostel!
Was quite cheeky and left a bag of gear at the hostel as I had two friends staying there all week!
Kit depends on weather I did not take that much due to the forecast!
The bothy that I used had lots of gas wood and food plus mattresses!
who is that freak in the water?
Bump for the Monday crowd!
Looks fantastic and enjoyed your pics. 8)
How would you rate the variation taking in the Maol Chean dearg singletrack, as good as the classic? which way did you take to get up there please.
Rich - that album is private on flickr.
Hopefully its working now!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/sets/72157649843265874/ <
nope. looks stunning though from the pics on here.
I have done the classic, with Lair descent, was wondering about the higher descent from high on Maol chean dearg, is it worth it, any beta.
Very nice, thanks for sharing
Weather looks a bit sketchy for this weekend up in Torridon 🙁 Maybe I should take my ski's!!!!
Just come across this vid the trail was even better in the dry 🙂
I have done the classic, with Lair descent, was wondering about the higher descent from high on Maol chean dearg, is it worth it, any beta.
I'd say so having done it a couple of years ago in amazing weather!
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Found going up through the Cullin Estate 5 miles down the road a lot easier than going up Annat!
wonderful. thank you
Agree with Postierich, the longer 'classic' route is a better ride.
I really must get that sleeper train booked.
Looks amazing. We were up there a couple of years ago - planning a return trip this year on the way back from the islands.
.... and a great excuse to dig out the photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/simon_r/sets/72157647478659401/with/15023430838/ 😀
Nice pics Simon!