Hi,
I am thinking of doing the WHW on the Tue and Wed before Easter .
I am scheduling approx 8 hours for each leg , with an overnight at Tyndrum, as it is almost the middle and has 2 train stations.
For logistical reasons I would train it up to FW , then cycle south with 50 miles to cover the first day . Then South to the finish and a short road ride across to Dalmuir to get the train back up to the B an B @ Tyndrum.
I am hoping 8 hours is enough to allow time wise.
Would i be daft to solo it ?
Is there still likely to be snow or sleet around ?
Is the 'hump a bike' boulder section worth avoiding with a road section or ferry ?
I am hoping bigish tyres (2.3) and a short travel lightweight FS will be suitable.
Are there sections without mobile coverage for miles?
Is it actaully a load of tish and best avoided and i would be better riding around all of the 7 stanes in the time i am away for?
I can ride 30 - 40 milers down sarf no problemos , but the elevation is just something we dont have to deal with
please remember i am not Rob Lee but a slightly overweight weekend warrior with a dodgy lower back
Top ten finisher though. Can't ignore that fact.
I haven't ridden the Loch Lomond-side section, but everyone I've spoken to who has says 'don't'. Having said that, I'd probably want to [s]ride[/s] complete the whole thing.
There is unlikely to be significant snow, and you should be able to foresee this a week ahead, allowing you to modify plans if necessary.
There are significant sections with no mobile coverage, but your bike choice sounds sensible.
i did it over two days in the summer from Fort Bill we also stayed in Tyndrum it was torture 10hrs to Tyndrum then 11hrs to Glasgow missing out Benglaussfarm-Inversnaid hotel we had to cycle to Tarbot as the hotel ferry was off we caught the tourist ferry back to the hotel we averaged 6mph the climb out of Kinlochleven is awefull we totally underestimated the challenge considering we walked it the year before if you want anymore info email me and i will give you my mob number ghwardatbtinternetdotcom
I had a little chat with Rob Lee (dude) at the premier of Find. As a leisure ride he recommend starting after Loch Lomond. Having backpacked the whole route, I could understand why - a lot of pushing is fine for a mission, but not for fun. I do really fancy that actually.
He sounded like he wanted another attempt so I wished him luck!
I'm doing it with a mate in mid-May.
We're doing it over 3 days though, we've booked nights in Bridge of Orchy and Inversnaid. Really looking forward to it. As you're doing, we're taking the train to Fort William and heading southwards.
I don't think I'd want to do it solo, but kudos to you for doing so.
I've heard the Loch Lomond side is pretty grim when its wet, but passable in the dry...... Good old Scottish weather your relying on there then! lol
Ok, So how about a 'split' WHW attempt. Stay at Tyndrum O/N and start early ish and ride north . Aim to get to FW in around 10 hours ( average of 5mph) then train it back to Tyndrum .
There is a train at 1730, and that takes you straight to Tyndrum in about 2 hours.
Next day explority take pootle South from Tyndrum, and see how the legs are working and take into account the weather , wind strength etc
Every hour work out distance covered and elapsed time. Then if after 2-3 hours headway is pityfully slow , its constant mizzle and I have slipped off the boulders and cut my ankles on the shores of Loch Lomand Bail out.
I think its an about face and retrace steps as without local knowledge making a loop out of it would proove difficult. Theres always the A82 .
Interesting take on it but imo it just wouldn't be the same travelling North / South nor would missing bits out / fannying around with different permutations. The LL stretch is purgatory but its all part of the challenge. I'd rather get it out the way earlier and be heading for the hills than leaving all the good stuff behind early on and heading for a bunch of fields / suburban Glasgow.
What Heatherbash says. Anyway, if you don't do the whole route, then it's just a ride in the Highlands.
Yeah, thats been my take on it too, if you're not doing the whole route, then you might as well go somewhere else as there is better riding in the highlands.
HOWEVER I think the WHW is a brilliant two/three days, would recommend it to anybody. I agree that south/north would be the best way to ride it, who wants to finish to great day's riding with 10 relatively flat boring miles approaching Milngavie? I'd rather warm up on that stuff.
Also, if you skip the Loch Lomond bit, you will be missing out on some nice little sections of trail before/after the unrideable bits.
Oh, and remember, with low gears and a big rear tyre, the Devil's Staircase from Alltnafeadh WILL go (well, except perhaps for one of the drainage ditches) 8)
I think the advantage of cycling it north to south is that you approach most of the hikers face on, rather than constantly sneaking up behind them. I've also heard the Devil's Staircase is much more fun on a bike southwards than north, but I suppose thats a matter of opinion. I know we won't be missing out any of it, weather permitting or not!!
OK , but the problems come about with train from Tyndrum to the southern start point . It doesnt leave till 10ish , so a start at 1200 , for a South - north ride, or a 0800 train to FW then cycle south .
Plus how long is the unridable stretch, roughly are we talking 10 miles + or 1 - 2 ?
If it is not worth bothering with would anybody be willing to lead a ride or recomend a route /gpx something ??
My cousin ( decent roadie.- top 10% Etap rider) lives in Dunkeld , if there is any riding round there . Cheers STM
No no, its definitely worth doing, and if your logistics mean riding it north to south then so be it, it'll still be good, and like Neil F says, the Devil's Staircase could be considered better going the other way anyway (I prefer fast pedally descents to techy steep ones, hence my preferrence for S-N).
I'd say the unrideable stretch takes about an hour-ish on foot. There's no denying its hard work as there are some rocky bits where you have to sort of manhandle the bike through. Its quite an exciting stretch of path though, and if you just accept you will be pushing for a while, and perhaps ensure your bike is easy to carry (no awkward bits where you want to shoulder it) then its all just part of the experience. After that you get some very nice techy trails till you reach the BeinGlas pub (take cash, don't expect a smile) then the riding is quite easy for a while and you make good progress.
Its a good ride as it feels quite epic (probably the reputation) but there are many many options for bail outs if it goes wrong.
Probably being thick here - why would you need to start in Tyndrum and get a train South?
because its roughly in the middle, plus tyndrum as 2 stations , and there is a B and B with availablity when i need it.
So to leave the car loaded with stuff at the b and b should be secure , then get a train in the morning and ride for a day.
I have never been to the area , or have any idea of any where else to stay with rail access . the idea of the whw is its waymarked and covers a stunning part of the country .
Got it in one. Like the biggest 'red route' in the country, with added mountains.the idea of the whw is its waymarked and covers a stunning part of the country .
hehe, I have plans to start from home (Killin), via Loch Lyon and head for Fort Bill up the WHW at about the same time...An email to citylink conformed they would carry my bike if I could remove wheels. Whoop!
I've ridden the WHW twice (and also bailed out injured from a short 3rd attempt) so I know it fairly well. Firstly I did it South to North across 3 days, stopping in Inversnaid and Bridge of Orchy; then North to South in 2 stopping at Crianlarich.
I'd have to say the 3 days for me was more enjoyable as you have more time to relax in pubs and soak up the scenery etc, but I'm not a fast rider so I'm sure many could manage that on a 2 day run. Additionally the July weather on the 2 day was absolutely shite and my friends bailed out!
I did the Loch Lomond section each time, and I'm pretty sure it took about 2 hours last time from the head of the loch to Inversnaid.
Particularly for someone not from Scotland I'd agree that South to North is the better way - it get's the easy, dull miles out of the road first and give yourself a finish in the nicer scenery.
The Devil's Staircase is ridable in full heading South (but I walked a lot of it out of Kinlochleven) but you've got a long slog up for a short lived (admittedly good) descent. Going north however the climb would be a struggle, but the descent lasts much longer and is much more technical.
Is the WHW doable on a hardtail? Also do you need maps or is it all well posted?
Easily doable on a hardtail, I've done Tyndrum to Fort William three times, twice on a hardtail and once on a FS.
I would recommend South to North, mainly for the Devil's Staircase, and also for the descent to the ski centre at Glencoe. It's a nice 'no brake' challenge from Rannoch Moor, I reckon that's far more enjoyable than descending South to Ba Bridge on tarmac.
We have a 3 man team doing south to north end may. 3 dayer so plenty of time for pub stops. Still to decide if ht or fs is steed of choice. Only bit ridden before is devils staircase And descent to KL, iTs great.
Bri-72 we are also a 3 man team going s-n end may. What dates you on it? We are leaving Miln on 27th
We are weekend before. Will try and make sure some beer and crisps left in the pubs :o)
Is a 1x9 or even 8 speed alfine sensible? Or will I need more range of gears?
Ta
Depends how much you want to climb 8)
I had a decent stab at the Devil's Staircase by doing a motocross impression in 22x34, and the climb out of Kinlochleven was murder with tired legs and a granny ring last time I did that.
The climb above Crianlarich has a steep pitch or two, and the one out of Bridge of Orchy might have you out of the saddle on 1x9.