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Nice promo video from Castelli
Nice wee video. I'm intrigued as to what they did with their kit if they did it over multiple days. Their bike bags only look big enough for minimal kit.
Nice video, the badger is on my to do list for sure.
Nice wee video. I’m intrigued as to what they did with their kit if they did it over multiple days. Their bike bags only look big enough for minimal kit.
The camera crew chucked it in the back of their Transporter
Has anyone done this, how long did it take?
I've had it on my to-do list for a while and was down to do it in September but couldn't justify the time away.
It's normally a two day ride. About ten hours in the saddle each day. Some do take longer but it wouldn't be a challenge if you took a week to do it.
Best time to do longer rides in Scotland IME is late spring or early autumn so you get longer days, warmer weather, shorter grass/foliage and less midges. Less snow too.
I'd be looking to do it in about April or May.
Good write up here:
https://www.theracingcollective.com/scotduro.html#entry
It’s normally a two-day ride. About ten hours in the saddle each day.
I have ridden it in full twice, both times from Glasgow heading north, good luck with two days and ten hours a day!! the non-stop ultra-endurance time is just a fraction under 20hrs. It's a very challenging ride over 3 days @ 10hrs/12hrs a day, relentless climbing and then dropping down again, it can be tough, but one of the best rides in the UK. Gravel bikes - big "no" from me, I would pick a 29er hardtail or full suss, they were picking up punctures in the video and carrying no baggage. If you head north the hardest day is probably the last, from Fort Augustus to Inverness (via the high route). To quote Donnie Campbell (the current record holder):
Donnie, of Inverness, said: “It was a whole new level of suffering. It was cold, wet, muddy and hard going.”
I'm not taking anything away from your achievement as a hundred km a day off road for three days in a row is impressive.
However......
I was talking about 10/20 hours moving time rather than total time. 20 hours total would be be very fast.
I was merely comparing it to what others have told me (who's completed it) and what I've achieved on a full loaded full sus (and I ain't no lean athlete).
Looks like Donnie wasn't lucky with the weather either. I imagine it would have been a bit less suffering if it'd stayed dry.
I was talking about 10/20 hours moving time rather than total time. 20 hours total would be be very fast
The Badger is brutal, the bits in that short film make it look like an easy Sunday ride, two days and you would need to be super fit, that would equate to 110 miles a day, off-road, over very tough terrain with loads of climbing >2800m of climbing each day!! Day 2 has many small streams, water bars to cross etc.. best months are June/July/Aug. We abandoned a trip at Corrour in late April 2019 when it dropped to 5 degrees, don't underestimate this ride and the potential for the weather to turn quickly, but it is a cracker and very enjoyable 🙂
p.s the record IS 20hrs moving time! Rab was averaging 11.8 mph, we we're unsupported and carrying backpacks (very fit riders) and averaging 8mph and that was brutal at times. This was likely 3mph in some sections - Great Glen Way, General Wades Pass, Killin climbs etc
Omg that looks so good!
Is it best done North to South or South to North?
Prevailing wind is from the South West but arranging a train with your bike would be easier to book to Inverness.
Not sure about which way the route would be easier, but as it's essentially a coast to coast route the amount of ascent would be the same.
I think it's better south to north as you a riding from the Glasgow lowlands into the highlands, it's nicer to roll into Inverness and stay above the Black Isle Brewery in the centre. Climbing would be tough in either direction. I did;
- Day 1: Glasgow to Killin (you ideally want to push on into Glen Lyon but there is little/no accommodation)
- Day 2: Killin to Fort Augustus - This is the big day
- Day 3: Fort Augustus to Inverness, only around 60miles but relentless climbing and descending, fantastic last day and route into Inverness.
Book bike on early from Inverness. We stayed in B&B's carrying weight would really slow you down.
Dividing it up into 4 days is better in my view as an enjoyable trip, adding the extra overnight in at Ossian youth hostel or alternatively at the Corrour Station House, if your budget allows.
The Station does great grub and is happy to serve breakfast as well if you're using the youth hostel overnight option before setting off to Ardverickie & then the Corrieyairick to sweet FA. And yes, south to north is also the more fun way to do it, just my tuppenceworth. This gets the gates and people of the WHW before Drymen out of the way early, instead of being a blight on the last day. The drop into Inverness at the far end is pretty sweet and the riverside route into town is fairly civilised too.
Dividing it up into 4 days is better in my view as an enjoyable trip, adding the extra overnight in at Ossian youth hostel or alternatively at the Corrour Station House, if your budget allows.
The Station does great grub and is happy to serve breakfast as well if you’re using the youth hostel overnight option before setting off to Ardverickie & then the Corrieyairick to sweet FA. And yes, south to north is also the more fun way to do i
Thanks all for the useful advice!
I'd consider doing over an even longer period, and wild camping at spots on the way. I'm so much more of a pootler these days!
South to North also means you do the Corrieyairack in the right direction.
When planning to-from Inverness with bikes, keep an eye on your total train prices (and stress levels) versus doing a 1-way hire car. There’s a very convenient Arnold Clark in Inverness for hire cars. When we did it (2 of us) it came out roughly the same price as getting the train, but with none of the “what mood are Scotrail going to be in today” stress.
scotroutes
Full Member
South to North also means you do the Corrieyairack in the right direction
I know your thoughts on directions but doing the GGW, over the pass then into the big estates is a really amazing experience. Seemingly endless amazing riding after 70 (or whatever it is) tough miles to start with.
On getting back from Inverness ..
There are more spaces on the ScotRail trains now.
One-way van hire is available.
There's an excellent courier service able to get your bike to anywhere in the UK.
I did it last year. 3 days (B&Bing) was reasonably relaxed. 2 would be definitely possible, but you'd need to start early and know you could make it to Corrour station hostel.
I did N->S. Don't think there's much in it either way.
Day 1 - Inverness->Laggan. The best riding. Corriyairack was hard going up and a pig of a descent on a gravel bike.
Day 2 - Laggan to Killin. The best views and proper wild feeling. Enjoyed the descents off Rannoch Moor and to Glen Lyon
Day 3 - Killin to Glasgow. Easy riding. Aberfoyle/Queen Elizabeth Forest Park was pleasant, but after that its all a bit meh back into Glasgow.
Yeah, I don't think there's any doubt that the middle section is the highlight, either way. There's a lovely 120km "gravel" loop that takes in Corrour and can be done in a day. Start at Dalwhinnie and then the Station House makes for a good lunch stop.
I did it a couple of years ago over 2-days. If you're getting the train make sure your bike is booked on, we had to deal with an angry conductor who had to be sweet talked into not booting us off (we had only booked 1 bike on, not 2. Ironically the space for bikes is no bigger than a shower cubicle so barely space for anything more than 1 bike). The route itself was amazing albeit pretty rough at parts on a gravel bike - Glen Lyon being a highlight. I think overall going N-S is probably easier physically than S-N. If I did it again I'd still go N-S but maybe do it over 3-days to take in the scenery etc more. We had numerous mechancicals so were quite up against it.
cheers for the replies
think I would be doing it N-S and probably jumping on the train at Milngavie to get back to glasgow
I looked at Arnold Clark but they have an extra £150 charge for a one way van hire, so will just be taking a gamble on scotrail
I looked at Arnold Clark but they have an extra £150 charge for a one way van hire,
Do you need a van? We just hired a car and chucked the bikes in the back
the space for bikes is no bigger than a shower cubicle so barely space for anything more than 1 bike)
Things have moved on.
will just be taking a gamble on scotrail
From Milngavie to Glasgow there's no choice. I wouldn't take the gamble on a bookable service though. It could really spoil your whole trip.
just checked enterprise , one way with a van is only £100 all in.
One way for a car a lot more