We're doing this on Saturday, with a fool-proof bail out plan should it go wrong (as the weather forecast suggests it might).
Who else has done it and how long did it take?
I've allowed 14-15 hours, assuming an hour for the hike-a-bike along loch lomond side. This does entail a a 3:30 departure from my sister's flat on Great Western road, what tyres for dodging weegie scrote bags who've just been thrown out the pubs etc etc...
Took me 11 1/2 hours, BUT that was cheating and starting at Balmaha AND taking the ferry from Inversnaid to Inveruglas.
Not exactly the purist's approach...
Fast though nonetheless!
Starting at Balmaha saves you 20km (?) but they're easy and flat, so maybe add another hour and a half at an easy pace, plus the hour walking gives 14 instead of 11 1/2. Add another hour for not being a trans-alp competitors 😉 and i think 14-15 is reasonable... maybe say 16 to be safe.
Hope my dad doesn't mind a late drive to Ft William from Oban...
Add another hour for not being a trans-alp competitors
Ah, but this was [i]back in the day[/i] when I was less fit than I am now and I was doing it on a Raleigh Grifter.
You'll be fine! It's the first half that's the slow bit. Once you get to Crianlarich it's very quick going to Glencoe. The Devil's Staricase slows things a bit, but once you get to Kinlochleven, you're 2 hours from Fort W.
Haha, you don't fool me! Once i get to Kinlochleven I'm one hell of a climb, and 2 hours, from Ft William.
The Bridge of Orchy to Devil's Staircase bit should be easy miles but most exposed to the weather, that'll make or break us i think.
Looking forward to it!
FAIL.
Worst thing is i KNEW the section from Inversnaid onwards was terrible, I had just forgotten how long it would take, it was 9 hours before i got to Tyndrum!
12 hours got me to Kingshouse, but all the chips and coffee in the world weren't getting me over the Devil's staircase (the horizontal rain was definitely a turn-off)
115km of the way ridden, 135km in total. I honestly hadn't considered not finishing, need to scale down my ambitions slightly i think!
Dude!
Fair play for even [i]trying [/i]it this weekend. Pish weather makes things doubly hard.
Go back and succeed on a nice day in the Indian Summer which is just around the corner...
A description of the Lomond-side bit would be appreciated. I've walked it twice, but some time ago and not with my biking head on.
Awesome!
3 of us on singlespeeds got from Fort William to Glasgow city centre in 19.5 hours last Friday.
We left the WHW at Rowardenan and just followed the roads to Glasgow.
Left Fort William at 6am Friday reached Glasgow at 1.30am Saturday.
We had 5 punctures which probably cost us about an hour. Apart from a good feed at Tyndrum no other stops of more than 10 minutes.
Quite a long day in the saddle!
The side of Loch Lomond is mainly unrideable for around 4k near Island I Vow. This includes carrying bikes up and down stone staircases and wooden ladders. Probably need to allow an hour for this 4k section and bear inmind that there is about another 8k of tough riding where you'll be on and off the bike up steps and the like.
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I should say that it wasn't all carrying bikes in the dark and in the rain. Some good bits too:
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and sweet riding:
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although there was a fair bit of pushing in the rain.
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[i]A description of the Lomond-side bit would be appreciated. I've walked it twice, but some time ago and not with my biking head on.[/i]
the unpleasant (by bike) bit is between inversnaid to inverarnan. rest of loch lomond is fine as long as you take the forest road option between ptarmigan lodge and north of rowchoish.
lots push/carry bits due to big water bars and the like. takes a frustratingly long time - think it took us 3 hours. wouldn't "ride" it again unless i wanted a complete WHW.
think it probably took us about 3 hours too, but we were noticeably slow. It included mood swings and breaks for temper tantrums with bikes thrown to the floor!
Bloody hell Tom, just a little bit humbling! 😯
That said, for future 1 day attempts I might actually try it north to south, instead of leaving the two hardest climbs until the end.
Best bit was the early morning amble from Milngavie, including an owl on collision course with my headlights, and no rain till Conic Hill. Actually being able to pedal hard and use the big ring after Loch Lomond-side felt good too!
Hmmm. I've walked bits of this and supported 2 walking expeds up it but never done it myself. I think I'll wait for a sub zero weekend this winter and give it a go over the 2 days. In bike effort terms where is a good half way overnight hotel/bunkhouse/B&B stop. Nearby bar essential!
Tyndrum seems like the obvious one. Half way in terms of distance, although day 1 would take you longer due to loch lomond-side.
Avoid the Drover's Inn if you can, miserable ****ers...
Is that the place full of dead animals? I've had a couple of great nights in there, it must have changed.
Perhaps, just past Ardlui.
Think i just caught the lady behind the bar on a bad day, a classic example of west coast we're-doing-you-a-bloody-favour-even-being-open hospitality... 🙄
Anyone know what the total ascent is for the whole of the WHW? Is the route mostly flat with the exception of the Devil's Staircase and leaving Kinlochleven?
Hoping to do this at the end of October and not sure whether to do it in 2 or 3 days...i'm not hard enough to do it in 1 day!
Did this a few years ago, Milgarvie - Fort Bill. Left at midninght and arrived 18 hours later having taken no shortcuts! The East side of Loch Lomond is tough - no doubt about it. The weather was a mixed bag but the rain helped keep the midges at bay.
I calculated the total ascent for our ride (missing out Chronic Hill but taking the road over the hills into Glasgow) at just over 4,000m.
It included mood swings and breaks for temper tantrums with bikes thrown to the floor!
Inversnaid to Inverannan did this to me as well. Also factor in a big gel pack sugar crash halfway along. I think I was actually crying at one point...
Glad I have done it tho.
(Although we didnt finish the WHW that attempt due to crash damage to my knee!).
Thanks Tom, that's a fair bit then! well done.
Not trolling ( much) but can anyone explain to me the attraction in riding the WHW? I have ridden bits of it but some of it is poor for riding. There is much better riding out there if you want it.
Tandem, we've had this discussion before...
Its simple, easily planned, features some great riding (and some not so great, as above...) and takes in some great scenery. Also, and you should appreciate this, its relatively well surfaced and is a realistic proposition even in lousy weather.
The argument of "there's better riding elsewhere" doesn't really stand up, is there a better 150km with such easy transport links, accomodation and facilities? Or one as iconic?
13th floor- OK I see that its just that I know there are a few large multiday routes I would prefer to do - and all estate road, old military road, sustrans routes and so on not delicate and tricky singletrack.
Point taken tho - its about priorities.
[i]not delicate and tricky singletrack[/i]
which bits are delicate?
Absolutely, i've got three or four multi-day routes on the burner at the moment, but i couldn't have done any of them at such short notice, in lousy weather, and still got back to glasgow to help my sister move flat on sunday. Therein lies the charm of the WHW 8)
Marty - plenty of bits of paths in Scotland that if they had the traffic of the WHW on them would be quagmires in no time. Not meaning that WHW is delicate - cos it ain't
Not trolling ( much) but can anyone explain to me the attraction in riding the WHW?
Its legacy, its heritage and just because it's there. You're not necessarily supposed to enjoy it but at least you can say you've done it. 🙂
[i]not delicate and tricky singletrack.[/i]
fair dos. misread your post.
I quite fancy an attempt on this too. I've ridden the stuff North of Tyndrum a couple of times, but like the idea of doing the whole thing in one go.
I've only done it in May/June, how does the Way get later in the year? Is it no go through winter?
It included mood swings and breaks for temper tantrums with bikes thrown to the floor!Inversnaid to Inverannan did this to me as well. Also factor in a big gel pack sugar crash halfway along. I think I was actually crying at one point...
Glad I have done it tho.
(Although we didnt finish the WHW that attempt due to crash damage to my knee!).
Maybe I should add that we were a party of 3 guys and 1 girl... guess which one took the tantrums 😉
They also happened to be the only one on a borrowed bike so it's just as well they didn't manage to break it.
I'd also say the WHW is one of the most enjoyable rides I've been on.
Great scenery and there are some great bits of riding too - conic hill on the way down; some of the singletrack bits before/after Rowardennan; fast fireroad descents through the forest on the way to Tyndrum; rocky descent down to Kingshouse; all of the rocky section between Kingshouse & Devils Staircase; then the descent to Kinlochleven.
It's very easy to organise too. There aren't that many multi-day rides you could do without a map, and it's quite well served in terms of accommodation and shops.
And transport links are good for in/out and emergency bailouts.
Plus it's something everyone knows, so very easy to chat about and a good thing to say "I've done that"