Hi sa part of a time workout to try and do this route in a day was wondering how long it took anyone to do this part at a decent pace
Thanks

jim

I've ridden most of it, only bit I haven't is the climb from KLL toward FW. I reckon it would be a good day, Although the devils staircase and the section between Tyndrum ond Orchy can be like sauchiehall street at times.

Ideal, you'll be able to get the train back.

Oh, and I wouldn't be looking to go too fast, you wanna have time to look up, maybe even stop, and take it all in.

I've often thought that I'd like to ride/push the bike as far as practical up the buachaille etive mhor path, as it'd be a great blast back down.

I've only ever done it south to north but I reckon N-S could be better going to Tyndrum. It's not much off 50 miles. Could probably do it in 6 hours if you really cracked on; 8 should be quite realistic.

It's almost all good riding – I reckon the drop from the Lairig Mor to Kinlochleven would be ace. Climb up the Devil's Staircase from Kinlochleven would be a beast and have a reasonable amount of pushing after you leave the hydro tracks; the descent into Glencoe would be very tech in places.

Needless to say it's probably not one to try this weekend – Glencoe had almost a metre of snow last weekend.

Thanks for that ..live on Mull so Know the Area a little but never ridden it .
Mate is going to do it in a day looking at 12 to 14 hours North to south . Other 2 Mates looking at 2 days south to North I would like to try it but not match fit at the min looking at middle of April . or Middle of May.
Do you think the second halve would be quickernd I know you have a long walk along Loch Lomand ?
JIm

When I walked the WHW, the leg up the side of Loch Lomond was tough going. God knows what it's like wi a bike!. Bar the stretch of singletrack at rowardennan, and possibly Conic hill, I don't think it's worth riding any further south than Inverarnan/Inversnaid.

It's about 42 miles so 6 or 7 is realistic.

Unless your mate is superhuman I'd say there is no chance of him pulling off the entire route in 12 hours – the record for the running race is something like 15.75! Admittedly these guys are on foot but they are superfit and fully supported. They'll knock in that bad LL pitch in 1/4 of the time anyone with a bike can.

N/S is not the best option either imho – against the prevailing wind direction and you really dont want to be tackling Loch Lomond late in the day. I'd also find the endless gates and fenced fields on the Glasgow approaches a very anticlamitic ending to it all.

The LL stretch is where many folk come unstuck – usually due to lack of fitness and getting the pace skew whiff. If self sufficient and doing the 'route proper' a more realistic target would be 17 with stops.

Also, the FW to Tyndrum pitch is a relatively easy 40 miles. If you are training for doing it in a oner I'd advise some long 60 / 70 miles routes with 12+ hrs in the saddle

I have ridden FW to Kinlochleven.. and it is some stunning riding..

especially the descent into KLL…
the walkers do look at you as though you are bonkers!!

On a wet day, but well equipped and knowing what I was in for, 12 hours got me to the foot of the Devil's Staircase, with the climb/descent to Kinlochleven then the climb/descent to Glen Nevis still to go…

I think Stuartie_C off here has done it in 15 hours, and I know some masochists did it singlespeed, North to South, in 19 hours.

Would agree though, think it would be much better doing it south to north, and doing the flat/boring early stages in the dark 😀

Yes I think the ride south to north would be nicer . Stevie is super fit I have toi admit and has won a few of the 10 under the ben etc events so i ful expect hime to do it super fast .2 days look the beter option for myself but im still going to train for the big one .
Did you manage to cycle any of the loch section ?
Thanks to all who replyed and any other info you have would be great .
will let you all know what happens
thanks
Jim

Why don't you tag along with your mates who are doing it over 2 days?

All I know is that there's an amazing chip shop in Tyndrum. I recommend the haggis and some curry sauce (cue Homer Simpson-style drooling…).

The lochside section is some of the best riding on the way, until Inversnaid. From Inversnaid you WILL be walking for about an hour, with tiny little sections of riding occasionally.

Thankfully, when you get to the end there's a really good steep descent down to a pub/restaurant/campsite where you can stop and regroup. They're some surly bastards in there though and don't dare try to pay by card!

This might be controversial but a good tubeless set up will really add to your fun, there's a lot of rocks and drainage ditches along the way and it only gets rougher the further in you get so just as you're tiring and getting clumsy, the rocks are getting pointier! I would only go tubeless if you're familiar with the set up and have some faith in it though.

ha ha…..Thank You ..Tubless no will have to just ride what i have im afraid . Islander is one of the other 2 but he is just being nice now as they dont realy want me there im some sort of jinx and Stevie says im a liability .
What is it like to have real mates ?

Anyway struggled to do 12 miles tonight .. getting despondent
jim