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Really keen to do the highland trail 550, however not so keen on the idea of doing it self supported and hauling all my gear around. Does anyone know if it's possible to do the route stopping in B&B's, campsites/hostels/hotels etc and/or are there companies that would guide/support a group trip around it?
Thanks
Kenny
There are no companies doing guiding and baggage transfer, though I guess that's all down to your budget. Pay enough and you'll get someone.
You could easily put together an itinerary to avoid hauling camping gear, though some of the days might be long and you'd have to book early as, in some places, there are few options.
Towns/villages/hotels/B&Bs do exist on/close to the route but they may not be at regular intervals so you may have to do a long day or two to get between hostelries. This is particularly true the further north you get, for instance after the hotel at the bottom of Glen Cassley you have all of that glen, over to the next glen, along that, around Bealach Horn down to Achfary and then over to Kylesku. Even at a race pace that's nine hours or so.
Similarly getting across Fisherfield is a big day: I took twelve hours from Ullapool to Kinlochewe though this year's route would have been slightly different exiting at Poolewe but would take maybe a couple of hours longer.
There are quite a few bothies on or close to the route that make the above less committing.
From memory so might have forgotten some there are hotels at the following:
Fort Augustus + campsite
Invermoriston
Cannich + campsite
Struy
Contin
Oykel Bridge
Rosehall
Overskaig (possibly - it was shut a year ago but might have been reopened)
Kylesku
Lochinver +campsite
Oykel Bridge
Ullapool
Poolewe
Kinlochewe
Strathcarron
Dornie
Tomich
Fort Augustus + campsite
Fort William + campsite
Kinlochleven
Kingshouse + campsite
Bridge of Orchy - an hour from Tyndrum
With that lot there's a big day getting to Fort Augustus - there might be something off-route when you get to Laggan.
Not heard of any companies supporting it, Scotroutes may know. Edit - too late!
Lots of threads with info over on the Bearbones forums.
Thanks to everyone that commented, obviously it's a long way off happening in the current lockdown but it gives me something to dream about!!