Hello, right so I'm planning a trip up the east coast of Scotland on NCN 1, and will be camping on my own for the majority of the (2 week) trip.

So nothing extreme, but I've never done anything like this before. I could have made it easier by staying in B&Bs but I wanted to do something more challenging (and cheaper)! So any good tips for camping?

My main concerns are:

1.Water
2.Evening meals/breakfast
3.Keeping clean (if you catch my drift…) <- a particular concern. Not to go into too much detail but I have suspected Crohns disease and things can get 'uncomfortable' so I need to keep as clean as possible. I'm guessing a load of wetwipes will help, but keeping chamois clean..?
4.Pannier security doing touristy stuff
EDIT 5.Pedals/shoes – currently use eggbeaters – would something with a platform be more comfortable as I tend to get numb feet if I'm riding long distances in them.

Cheers folks!

My main concerns are:

1.Water

No 1 concern is not water but midgies. Skin So Soft comes recommended.

Pannier security really should not be a problem in most places.

Can't beat porridge for breakfast and could even microwave it on many campsites (if you intend not to rough camp).

Take spare shorts and hope the washed ones will dry as you travel. You can put them in one of those washing machine net bags on top of your luggage then you don't look like you are flaunting your knickers.

Are you free camping or stopping in Campsites?

1) water shouldn't be an issue to get it form taps, but take some iodine tablets to sterilise any water taken form rivers (tastes grim mind, but saves you from Gardia)
2) Small stove + pan + super noodles for emergencies, otherwise it's failrly easy to carry 48 hours worth of food & even scotland has shops.
3) If you stay in campsites, take your kit into the shower for a rinse. getting it dry is the challenge.
4) Lock 'em to your rack, lock bike as per normal rules
5) You've answered that yourself. The last big tour I did I used flat pedals & wore hiking boots. Nice & comfy all day plus something to walk around in.

nb I've never been to that bit of scotland so if it's local info you want then I can't help

1. Purify if you can't use a tap
2. erm…get a stove & cook! Meusli for brekkie.
3. wash in stream etc if wild camping. Strap washed shorts to panniers to dry while riding (good luck)
4. Leave on bike but take valuables, should be fine unless in city?
5. Stiffer shoes? I've always just used spds…

North East scotland, midgies shouldn't be that bad, usualy more central and west.

1. In Scotland and other high country parts of the UK as long as there has been recent rain, you are a bit up a hill and the stream has a good fast flow I've never had a problem drinking from stream direct. I would not pick water up if in a valley or if it's been dry e.t.c.

2. Porridge + milk powder + sugar + dried fruit in morning. Anything for evening meals.

3. As above, although I would suggest not using padded shorts if you can get away with it. Much cleaner on tour. Unless your planning on massive days you should be ok. (Well I know I am, I suggest more people try and ween them self off of padding except for the biggest rides)

4.As above. Just make sure your stuff looks ramshackle too, less appealing.

5.As above.

Dont't wash stuff in streams, take away water from streams, wash then tip water on ground that way the water is filtered rather than dirty water being directly placed into the water course.

Also take a trowel for pooing, a plastic one is light and tough, burn toilet paper or carry out don't bury.

Even if you are going to try the skin so soft take some high strength DEET as well.

Assuming you are wild camping:-

Water – I have drunk from scottish rivers for decades and have never caught anything from them – neither has anyone else I have heard of. Obviously you only take running water from a stream with no buildings or animal pens immediately upstream of where you are. There is no shortage of good clean water in Scotland.

If its midgy then camp a bit higher up / away from fresh water / bogs / streams.

I would and do use my SPDs – and a pair of flip flops for around the campsite

Pannier security – eveything really valuable goes with you. Cable lock and padlock to lock the bags to the bike so the whole bag can't be swiped easily, insurance.

In the highlands I doubt you will have any great issues

Keeping clean – wash in the river – clean underwear / shorts every day. Wash clothes in the riverwater – (edit -note point above )using a biodegradable wash or every few days pay a visit to a launderette.

food – I tend to carry one or two days supply and one emergency meal. I tend to carry dried stuff mainly – one pot pasta and sauce to keep the weight down. A bit of fresh onion and garlic helps a lot.

Lots of cereal bars for me – up to eight a day to keep the calorie intake high.

You will find plenty of pub grub as well.

I have camped in the gardens of rural hotels where there are no campsites in the past – just be cheeky and ask at the bar.

Ditto most of TJs post.

Tesco do anti-bacterial wipes, or "the bothy shower" as I now call them. Just don't squish the packet too much as it will squeeze out all the fluid from the tissues.

I splashed out on a few camping meals, mountain house do dehydrated ones which are light, very easy to prepare and pretty tasty (could probably do with some salt and pepper). Problem is they're £5 each… Pasta and Pesto for the rest of the time. Thick Oatcakes, Pork Sausage and Cheese saw me through two weeks for lunch, tasty, easy and mega calories.

I always carried a pint of milk in a plastic flask. Bit un-necessary and in future I would probably man up and have porridge with water (or milk powder, good suggestion!). Another breakfast option is Stoat's Porridge Bars (maybe just Edinburgh). They're much meatier than normal cereal bars, the Fig and Date flavour is good.

Some Chamois creams boast of a 'mild antibacterial action'. I don't know how much stock to put in this but I've sometimes used them to extend washing intervals, with no 'ill' effects. Easiest way to dry lycra is to put it on and just ride, unpleasant initially but it dries pretty fast!

Maybe think about a sleeping bag liner, I've never used one but my sleeping bag is now getting noticeably clammy and unpleasant, so if cleanliness is paramount then a liner might help (certainly easier to clean!).

bag a bargain:

http://www.fieldandtrek.com/terra-nova-laser-competition-tent-783101?utm_campaign=1105831283&utm_content=1005099788118&utm_medium=email&utm_source=FT100818Terra%20Nova%20Tent

Oops, bit of a sore point there Qwerty… 😀

water is not an issue as you can get it at shops on route if no where else !

midges not a concern – your on the east coast and by the sea for most of it

we used to carry a bag of cookies to eat while riding – i mean a big bag – 2 of us polished off one a day when riding.

When are you planning on going

Cheers for the advice doods.

I am planning to wild camp, but not looked at the route/itinerary yet hence questions about food and water.

I'm fine cooking pasta and so-forth, just wondering if there was any good tips on specifics (there were).

I might consider not wearing padded shorts but will need to do a test ride first 🙂

And I'm going next week sometime, got to be back in Edinburgh for 9th September.

ah well – was gonna offer you a pitch/bed and a shower but im away till end of september 🙁

top tip

If you are worried that your bike will be stolen while you are sleeping in your tent, tie a guyrope to the bike and then the scrotes will steal your tent as well and wake you up

For breakfast those ready-quick porridge (? I'm not sure this is the right name) sachets are quite good, the ones with some flavour/sugar/milk powder, although you need at least 2 or 3. If you're using normal oats put them in water and milk powder to soak overnight then they'll cook a lot quicker in the morning.

As above, a sleeping bag liner is great when you're not washing regularly. I use nappy wipes to clean myself – make sure you get the plain ones though. Once I actually bought melon scented ones or something which were so terrible I preferred to smell of sweat.

I don't know if you've got a handlebar bag but I just keep my "valuable" stuff in there so it's easy to have it with me all the time. If I'm making a long stop and it's not raining I tend to drape my 2nd set of biking kit over my bike to dry which probably also has an added theft deterrant!

all of the above Kit and mind take a camera 😮
i usually just eat boil up porrige mornings and pasta for tea, oatcakes with jam,2 pots so eat out one while other is cooking something,
i carry enough for 2 days extra between shops incase of bad weather/lay up or extra hungry, a good running stream is ok to drink from, cold water shaving can be a bit grim so you could grow a rightous beard 😮
the old baby wipes will keep your nads & pits clean between skinny dips too,