Best of luck to him.

Luskentyre on Harris must be the best beach in Britain. Thick with golden, clean, unspoiled sand.

Camusdarach beach (where they filmed Local Hero) is not far behind, as is the whole coast there from Arisaig to Morar. Sheer stunning majestic… really hard to describe how beautiful it is without breaking down and weeping….

Did that with a group about 6 weeks ago, in fact posted on here that it was a horrendous route. Luckily that day it had been dry for a while, but still was boggy, great tussocks of grass and hike a bike for a long time. Didn’t help that we took wrong route from Burncrooks, turning off just before the dam and the path just ran out. Was some very faint trails but they kept going the wrong way. Was better once past Duncolm, and the track to Greenside was interesting….

104 miles on road for the Trossach’s ton, including to and from parked car to start/finish. But harder than that was 97 miles from Torriden to Ullpaool with full luggage including tent, camping equipment etc. Roads up West Cost are not very flat…..

Most on MTB is 65, but that did include some tarmac.

Aim to better both this year.

1. 5
2. 15.4 miles round trip direct. Have been known to extend to 45 miles on way home, and/or 20 on way in.
3. North Glasgow
4. 16-18mph (moving average)

Well up here in Glasgow those colder days have barely departed.

Well, if you head near Glasgow, maybe a suit of armour could bein order. This happened on the route of my cycle commute home:

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The midges will be out – Skin So Soft or Smidge.
Bring your passport too – we might be independent by then.

If leaving your bike outside, a vicious devil dog tied to it is better than a kryptonite lock. Though sometimes the dog gets stolen and the bike is left….. 😉

I see not problem…. But a CAA spokesperson said: “The CAA can confirm that at no time did a Ryanair flight enter the notified area of high contamination ash over Scotland this morning.”

It was all safe….

So, what’s your problem? Was it an illegal flight? Was anyone at risk, do planes not fly over population centes anyway? It just shows that there is no need for flight cancellations.

Ours is a great club – Glasgow Meet Up, we have rides for all abilities, encourage and help newcomers, have weekends away, days away and ride a whole heap of the local trails. Something for everyone usually. We listen to all feedback and are very happy for people to suggest alternative routes and places. Lots of informal rides as well with like minded people meeting through the forum. And best of all, its all free! What’s not to like….

People keep coming back so we must be doing something right!

I got a Magicshine year and a half ago, got another in October. Both still perfect, last well over 3 hours each. Total cost about £100, used twice a week for most of the winter. Use 1 light when its not too bad and 2 when you need bar and helmet and full glare. Might buy another in September for spare…..

Cannot fault them at all.

Light up here till about 10pm ish now…. 2*700 is fine for a dark rainstorn in December…. Magicshine all the way, anything else is just for show.

Good for you…. cycling in the rain is fun……. I think!

Last night one of the guys keeled over with cramp in his calf. He lay on the track as I held his leg up, bending his foot around, and massaging the back of his calf…. thank gawd no-one else was about, and there are no pics! He made recovery….. but was still sore back at base.

-1 for +1, gets on my tits!

+ 1,000,000

Lights thread in May? Get real…..

Great details and info from all.

Think i will give it a go on the 11th June. Spend night in BofO, and head off sharpish. Probably do Taynuilt and back past Loch Awe and Glen Orchy on the road. Though will condsider the turn right at Etive and up Glen Etive, Kingy, WHW option.

Cheers balfa, had heard the Orchy route was closed, and happy enough to meander up the lovely wee road. Take point about WHW up from BofO rather than the road round, and will definately do this – how much of it is ridable up the way?

Have done the Rannoch Moor crossing and it was fine. But may schedule this in for the Sunday…..

Great place for a weekend.

How is the Ardmaddy to top of Loch Etive section? Heard the path round bottom of Starav is a bit dodgy…..? Love the road up Glen Etive and road biked it a few times this year.

The driver returned to the scene and owned up. She was probably in shock from the collision – callous and selfish – maybe, but people act in stange ways.

There is nothing to suggest she had tried to evade justice or was responsible for the collision.

She acted incorrectly, yes, and is rightly punished for that.
Baldy tyre – not good, but would it have made any difference.

Specualtion will not help here, neither will castigating the driver.
Very sad outcome all round.

Pistola what route would you recomend for the Whangie, so that it was a circular?

Great day out, didn’t beat last years time, as rode first half with a slower mate, but really loved it. Definately again next year. Better bike, better prepared might just have a crack at 4.15!

Hailstones just help cool me down….. soon be time for slog up Maryhill Road…..

Could have been someone jogging that the driver hit. Car at fault sue him.

Etape Caledonia in the pouring rain…… 😯

BoardinBob – Member
It’s as cold and wet as mid November in Glasgow right now

Bollox!! Shorts, sweat vest and light top and I am baking…. even at 7am, also fingerless gloves. Might not be short sleeve weather yet, but believe me, it is far better than November! Even the rain has a slightly above freezing, refreshness to it.

Keep those SwampThings on….. you will need then for the great wee new trail down from Mugdock!

We took off cross country from before the Dam at Burncrooks, tried to follow a quad bike trail, but it petered out and went in wrong direction. We then just headed as best we could for the back of Duncolm and got onto path there to Humphry, which was actually pretty good. From there along the ridge to Greenside, followed by a narrow path along a cliff to the Greeny dam, down to Cochno, and back to Craigtoun Village via the Snab.

GiantJaunt – Member
Part of my job is to take people on guided walks which often take place on routes I like to cycle in my spare time, so I’ve proposed to my bosses that offering ‘guided cycles’ might be a very popular thing too. It might also be a good little earner in my spare time as well.

I don’t have my Summer Mountain Leader Certificate but I don’t intend to take people anywhere that remote anyway. I’m guessing insurance might be a requirement too. Does anyone know what certificates are requirements and which ones might be useful?

Thanks.

GJ, I have TCL and am keen to possibly use this. I also have experience in leading cycle rides. Could be quite interested in what you are proposing to your bosses, that is if you may require another TCL. Assuming you are not too far away from North Glasgow. Don’t know how to drop you a PM!!

Over the Kilpatricks a few weeks ago, and over the top from Burncrooks to Humphrey was brutal – no paths at all, just large boggy tussocks and a lot of hikey-bikey. The bits either end were good fun, but over the middle was a real dissappointment. Still to do the Whangie, maybe next week after the Etape!

TCL is widely accepted and allows you to lead grpups of up to 6 people up to 600m in height and within 30 minutes of a safe place. It seems to me the most widely accepted and recognised qualification.

Wave G 6.57am staying in campervan just outside Pitlochry

Not mentioning a time…… 😉

Just would love to be a little faster than last year.

Second one for me too…. but hoping not to be an hour slower!! Don’t think I will be quicker though, but if I can get on a few quick wheels who knows. Just hoping the wind id kind and is not too strong on return leg along Loch Rannoch

Meet Up Group[/url]There is also a super friendly bunch at Mountain Bike Glasgow – Meet Up Group, suitable for beginners and those returning to cycling. Very easy going, all free, just like minded people enjoying a trip on 2 wheels. We ride mainly Mugdock/Carglas/Carbeth but also do rides all over central Scotland and beyond. Nice and easy paced rides, usually 3 or 4 a week.

Meet Up Group[/url]

Hainman, no idea why the links not working… I have tried again.
What loop do you do in the Kilpatricks? We went from Burncrooks to Humphrey and Greenside a few weeks ago and it was a bit hike-a-bike.

GJ, lots of trails about. Always evolving…..

Click on above link for the Meet Up Group. This week there are rides Monday, Tuesday and Thursday – they leave from Milngavie Train startion car park.

For GMBC see link below:

From Istanbul to Motherwell you will be fine….. but when you cross the Glasgow City Boundary, probably no insurance company in the world would be mad enough to cover you….. 😉

Gloves keep my hands lovely and clean/uninjured (ish)

Nothing clever or cool about getting a skinned/bloodied hand. But if you want to get one go right ahead…. But each to their own.

To be honest, it is a personal choice. I wear gloves virtually always on bikes as I get blisters from long cycles (Road and MTB) Gloves ease that and as an added bonus will rip before my skin does.

However, have sometimes cycled without gloves. No big deal. Lets move on…..

GiantJaunt, the Maountain Bike Glasgow Meet Up Group is free to join, and you have to simply register to sign up for a ride – no commitments, nothing. The GMBC also do rides, on a Wednesday for beginners and you just go along and ride, you can then decide later if you want to join. See the relevent websites for details.

Will no doubt be more along soon…. But look up Loch Eck MTB routes, also Ardgarten Circuit, Corrie Grogain (from Arrochar), Lochgilphead Fire Trails. Also if you like the roads there are pretty quiet and run along Loch Fyne, so a trip down to Otter Ferry and over to Tighnabruich is very relaxing.