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Just wondering if anyone here has rode the West Highland Way in a Day and what sort of average time people take to ride it.
I've seen Rab Wardell's monster Fastest Known Time which was pretty inspirational to say the least, but as a personal challenge I would like to undertake it in a day.
Yay. Go for it.
I'm a complete punter and did it in 17.5 hours. That was with loads of leisurely stops to eat humongous amounts of food.
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/on-saturday-i-went-for-cycle-ride-and-extended-picnic-ineats/
@thegeneralist that is an hilariously brilliant menu you tackled there!!
I did it in horrific weather on a broken hire bike
http://andrewhowett.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-wet-highland-way-race.html
It took sages
That's made me smile this morning. Hats off @thegeneralist for the ride and that epic eating
Done this twice, south to north and vice versa. First time around 15 years ago on an Orange Patriot. 19 hours inc a massive feed at the Green Welly!
I am really up for giving it a bash this year.
I’ve put it on my must do list and must make it happen this year.
Can't recall which thread it was recently but I was blethering on about setting up a date for a few people to make an attempt on the same day. Alas it won't happen this year but (apologies for the stereotypical English assumption that partakers will all be arriving from the south...)
18 Friday 18 June people congregate near Milngavie.
Saturday 19 June: bags drop at Milngavie station from maybe 6am. People set off in dribs and drabs. A bunch would be most excellent to share the nightmare gate opening duties along the Blane Valley.
9am. I finish my breakfast, drop my bags (with AMS Scotland) and head on up.
Everyone drifts north at their own speed. The van could drop spare clothes,food and lights at agreed points on the route ( Kingshouse Hotel?)
13:00. Three course lunch at Inversnaid Hotel.
Fast, early people get to Fort Bill from 5pm onwards, pick up their overnight bag, check into BnB/hoteland ( put the Binatone on snooze &) start drinking. Everyone else staggers onwards through the night ( I arrived at 03:30 last time).
Sunday morning 11 am cutoff. AMS van sets off south from the Fort, with bikes, bags, people etc.
Van picks up stragglers/abandoners on the way south to Milngavie.
4pm, van returns to Milngavie, disgorges people, bikes and any uneaten food that I haven't managed to scavenge.
All drive home.
I can't quite decide if AMS Scotland is the best option for support van, or if I should just cut to the chase and get a Sainsbury's delivery van to follow me....
Whaddaya think?
Full disclosure, the above is not in compliance with the ITT self sufficient, no pre-booked assistance blah blah ethos.
Because I can't be arsed suffering, and wouldn't be able to get my food supplies along the Loch Lomond ladders.
😃😁
Quite happy for the proper hard bastards to do it properly if they want, but I know my limits.
I'm tentatively thinking of doing it over 2 days with my gf parked up in our motorhome half way. Sure there's plenty of dog walking to keep her occupied whilst I'm riding.
13:00. Three course lunch at Inversnaid Hotel.
Was shut when we passed in August, looked like it had been for a while.
Otherwise, I'm up for that!
You’ll need a day just for the push from inversnaid to top of the loch.
I was planning on giving myself a target of 12 hours
Failing that doing it in a day
Unless you've a pathological need to do the WHW, I'd do something else.
There are loads of route that will give you far more riding, views, less-folk etc.
But if you do want to do it, I'd start at Bridge of Orchy and go to FW and back. All the best bits, none of the bad bits.
A few years ago/a hell of a lot lighter & fitter I did it in 16 hours. It was more to tick off the list...it’s a bloody awful route, well the first half is anyway. It’s more a challenge than an enjoyable if I’m honest. As good as Conic Hill/Devils Staircase are, it doesn’t make up for the push/carry fest along Loch Lomond. I was self supported, with another lad who had to drop out at Rowardennan. At the time I reckon I could have knocked a couple of hours off. Now I’d be looking at 16-18 hours with no mechanicals.
Long been on my list. I think I've ridden more than 80% of it in various chunks so it would be nice to string it together. I'd be happy with anything inside 24 hours, that allowing for relaxed stops en route.
I did it in 17 hours over 2 days (and great glen way day after). Its a hefty ride to do in a day, conic hill, devils staircase and the climb out of kinlochleven are all pretty brutal, esp kll and the walky bit at loch lomond is just horrible.
I have ridden with Rab and he is super fit and amazing technically and he took some serious prep to do it in the time he did.
Water will be your biggest challenge. I drank over 3l a day doing it, **** carrying 6kg of water!!
I would love to do it in a group but would take 3 days and really enjoy it!
Also bike and tyre choice is important, i ended up buying an anthem 29er to do it and felt it was perfect.
Water will be your biggest challenge. I drank over 3l a day doing it, **** carrying 6kg of water!!
It's the West Highlands. Water is never a challenge (except when it's all frozen).
Even if it is VERY cold, you'll always be able to find liquid water.
Don't let anyone put you off, it's a modern Scottish pilgrimage!
Enjoy the changing scenery, enjoy the awesome bits of trail in between the ordinary bits and the unrideable bits.
Go people spotting, from the clueless neds with their bin bags full of Tennents, the foolish romantics struggling under the weight of the guitar they decided to carry, or the starry eyed Americans having their luggage transferred between the nice hotels and probably having a better time than everyone else!
It's a sort of endless circus, any time I drop on or off of the Way en-route to somewhere else I sort of feel left out when I meet people doing it for the first time. I'm just doing some arbitrary trip across the Highlands, but they're doing the West Highland Way.
Think I've just talked myself into doing it again, d'oh!
Oh and p.s. if you're the reading type I can wholeheartedly recommend reading 'Children of the Dead End', 'Always a Little Further' and 'Mountain Days and Bothy Nights'.
None are specifically about the West Highland Way, but CotDE in particular tells a story of the sorts of people who travelled along the WHW corridor back in the day, including stories about the poor ****ers trekking through snowstorms over the Devil's Staircase from the Blackwater Dam construction site to the Kingshouse Pub, just for a pint!
There's taps all along the way, oak tree inn, rowardenan hotel, inversnaid hotel, Beinglas campsite, green Welly, BOO hotel, inveroran hotel, kingshouse, tailrace inn.
Water ain't an issue.
But if you do want to do it, I’d start at Bridge of Orchy and go to FW and back. All the best bits, none of the bad bits.
I get your sentiment, the best biking is without doubt after halfway, but as 13FM says, it's a bit of a rite of passage.
(I'd start at Tyndrum though, it's lovely from there down past Dorain.) 😃
Im thinking of doing it over 2 days but thinking a trek Slash probably isnt the proper weapon of choice for it. My mate has a trek Roscoe I could probably borrow. Where would be a decent place to stop for the night .?
Water will be your biggest challenge. I drank over 3l a day doing it, **** carrying 6kg of water!!
This is just weird. I mean really... As the man said, it's the west Highlands, and more to the point, the valleys and Colls (beallachs?) of the west Highlands. There's water all over the bloody place. You wanna try doing the Cuillin Ridge, now there's a place with not much water ( on the days you'd consider attempting it at least)
I think I carried just over 6kg of water at the start of that one. Blummin heavy.
Where would be a decent place to stop for the night .?
I'd reckon inverarnan or beinnglass farm. That's 41 miles in, leaving 55 for the next day. But those 41 include northern Loch Lomond which is reputed to be trickier than the rest 😉
Amateurs. There's only one decent book about the WHW
Unless you’ve a pathological need to do the WHW, I’d do something else.
There are loads of route that will give you far more riding, views, less-folk etc.
I'd agree on the less folk bit, but more riding, better views, you can't be serious....
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OK. Some of it does indeed suck....
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😁
it’s a bloody awful route, well the first half is anyway. It’s more a challenge than an enjoyable if I’m honest. As good as Conic Hill/Devils Staircase are,
Interesting that you note those two, and perhaps gives an insight into who might be more likely to enjoy it. It's not about the descents, or specific bits, it's about the journey ( God I hate that expression, but in this case it's apt) largest city, past its largest loch, past it famous glen, to the foot of its highest mountain.
Ok I admit it I'm waffling. If you like XC then do it. If you're more of an Enduro or big descent rider then steer clear.
I love it. My two favourite rides of my life are the WHW....
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/wet-highland-way-duathlon-with-the-wean/?links=false%2F%2F
I was working at the Inveroran Hotel the other day and it got me thinking about the WHW. I did most of it, North to South a few years ago and loved it. I’ve been training for a 300k race buts it’s been cancelled so I’m looking for a challenge. WHW in a day on a gravel bike? I’m not looking to break records but fancy trying it. From memory a lot of it would be fine on a gravel bike. What’s the consensus? Achievable or stupid. I might come back to the start on the bike but at a more leisurely pace with a bivvy somewhere.
WHW in a day on a gravel bike?
Definitely possible. I've ridden a good portion of it on my old tourer/gravel bike. The main issue for me would be that of fatigue over the course of a long day.
Still think an Anthem or similar is better than a gravel bike, but a gravel bike is better than a Specialized Enduro für example.
Depends what your options are... What's the alternative?
The main issue for me would be that of fatigue over the course of a long day.
I’m going to take a bivvy in case things get the better of me!
What’s the alternative?
Alternative is a full suss with no space for frame bag etc.
WHW in a day on a gravel bike? I’m not looking to break records but fancy trying it. From memory a lot of it would be fine on a gravel bike. What’s the consensus?
I've wondered the same to be honest. I think everything up to 'that' bit of Loch Lomondside would be fine. You'd be walking that section anyway on an MTB so arguably a lighter gravel bike would be an advantage. Everything from Beinn Glas to Bridge of Orchy should be fine, perhaps that wee steep bit leading down to the sheep creep above Auch Glen could be a tiny bit spicy depending on grip levels.
Rannoch Moor is probably faster and more fun on a gravel bike anyway and I've ridden the descent down to the ski centre, yeah my wrists felt it afterwards and it took some care, but it was still good fun.
Devil's Staircase climb probably easier on a gravel bike than MTB.
Devil's Staircase descent - probably a bit bruising, a bit nasty at that stage of the ride, just take it slow?
Climb out of Kinlochleven would be tough, I think it's loose and steep and rough enough that an MTB would be an advantage?
Traverse to Lundavra is all rough loose landy track so fine on a gravel bike, maybe less so with 130km in the arms/wrists/legs?
I've never ridden the final descent into Glen Nevis so couldn't say, I think there's steps in places though but again, you'd probably be walking them on an MTB anyway?
My experience of 130km/140km long gravel days on easier terrain (no rough descents like the Rannoch Moor/ski centre or Devil's staircase) is that my hands and wrists are definitely hurting by the end. I've finally taken the plunge and got a suspension stem so will be interested to see what difference it makes. Would probably also go tubeless just for the lower pressures although I've already rimmed my front wheel twice at only 5psi less than I ran with tubes, so I'm not sure if tubeless is really that big an advantage unless you run inserts. I also run a suspension seatpost for bigger days.
Jeez Ian, you're starting to sound like an old man.
Cheers 13FM, great breakdown. I was thinking about a suspension stem. What one did you get?
Cheers 13FM, great breakdown. I was thinking about a suspension stem. What one did you get?
The Redshift stem that everyone seems to be raving about at the moment. Reviews are more or less unanimously good. Lots of decent looking cheaper alternatives but I couldn't be bothered taking chances. Haven't fitted it yet so can't comment.
Jeez Ian, you’re starting to sound like an old man.
Rats, was about to edit my post to suggest lower gears might be an advantage too, now I'm too embarrassed!
It’s the Redshift one I’d been looking at as well.
Rats, was about to edit my post to suggest lower gears might be an advantage too, now I’m too embarrassed!
I’d better keep it quiet that my new bike will have a granny ring!
I’d better keep it quiet that my new bike will have a granny ring!
I'm on 38/40 lowest at the moment, was defeated by Glen Ample heading south last weekend.
Time to fit the 2x drivetrain for summer, 31/34 lowest but I want lower! Just waiting for Absolute Black sub-compact ovals and I'll have 30/34.
Or throw pride and aesthetics out the window and run my 11-40 1x cassette with my double chainset, not much I won't winch up in 31/40 😀
As previously related, I'm running 50/34 and 11-40.
New bike will have 48/31 with 11/34. Any suggestions on bivvy bags. I like the look of the Snugpak stratosphere as I quite like the idea of a hooped bivvy. I’ve got an Alpkit pipe dream 400 sleeping bag just need bivvy and a mat.
What a timely bump, I was trying to remember the other day which thread contained the hilarious eating accomplishment 😂
My old chum Mr Gary Tompsett has done it on a gravel bike; actually a CX bike, his PX Dirty Disco. He survived and so did the bike. That was 5 years ago IIRC?
Rab W also did his charity WHW ride on his CX, at a rather rapid clip (as ever)
@jodafett I use a Rab Ridge Raider,it has a hooped entrance and a midge net front.Not as easy to get in to as a stratosphere but it's quick to put up when you want to stop and drop.
Re the water chat. I needed it most when I couldn't get it. Like north of rowerdennan.
I now have a good water filter so it wont be any sort of problem next time i do it (and there will be a next time, fancy camping halfway...)