CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
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RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
Classic ride starts at Tyndrum then up the West Highland Way to Bridge of Orchy, tarmac to Inveroran and left at Victoria Bridge to Clashgour, over the 'shed to Glen Kinglass and down to Ardmaddy, then south on Loch Etive to Taynuilt and train back to wherever. Lovely country.
There are unbridged crossings of the Abhain Shira and Allt Suil na Curra which could be non-trivial and also the Allt Coire Beath which is but a charming brook.
Tentage !!!! I am currently using quite a large, 3 person tent but am looking for recommendations for smaller lighter tent? I don’t want a bivvy bag but deffo need something lighter, not really depth of winter stuff either. A good spring to autumn , camping in snow ain’t my thing any more. The most important thing is weight !!! I am getting slow and carrying bricks n mortar is slowing me further !!! Any recommendations not too expensive either ! I could just get a taxi to a b+ b compared to some space shuttle material accomodation units !!! A good smallish cheapish light tent ?
@unhurt/iwrats
this one? http://dave.davebanks.com/route_16.htm
The most important thing is weight... not too expensive either
As ever pick two from light/cheap/strong. Hilleberg Akto is light and strong.
@steveo
That's the very one. A full day's riding for all but superheroes.
splitshift - not sure what your budget is, but I have this and it is light, stows easily, goes up quickly and is a reasonable size.
This ride looks interesting - any idea what the tracks are like?
EDIT - I see the link above has lots of photos, looks doable.
@Morningsider
Mostly very doable with an entirely ludicrous kilometre in the middle.
@ morningsider that looks good, poss bit expensive but I’ll look on the usual used sites, or save pennies!!! Thank you !! I’ve been slowly just bumbling about unannounced just stopping where I feel like it, but I am perhaps now planning, very loosely a two week trip north , not sure where, just north . I feel that with plans come limits, I am on my own just doing my thing, I love it, sometimes you just gotta go where the road or lack of it takes you !!!
@splitshift maybe worth looking on gumtree and the like for second hand tents?
@IaIn McR outline your debatable plan and suggest some debateable dates.
- edited for missing i
hmm well, surely part of the adventure is not having a plan ?
1. assemble at Waverley.
2. frantic last min purchases from pret/boots/The Pasty Company.
3. plead with Guard to let more than 2 bikes on.
4. get off at Tweedbank (possibly wait for those who were not able to sweet-talk the guard).
5. Curse at the hilliness of the 30km of backroads to the dacha.
6. pitch tents / marvel at closeness of the pub.
7. next day bimble to Kielder – it’s about 12k as the crow flies so in reality it could be about 90k. Get lost, curse at the hills, trundle back the right side of the Border (emergency car / broom wagon option may be available with Mrs R).
8. campfire, wonder at the lack of wee flying beasties, try not to think about the 30k back to the train.
wild swimming opportunities abound, both nr dacha or the vastness of Kielder Water ***
As Spike said: We haven't got a plan so nothing can go wrong.
*** Swimming, bathing and paddling are not permitted at any time in Kielder Water
@splitshift, you didn't say how many it was to sleep.
Decathlon do a one man version which is cheaper:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/trek-900-1p-trekking-tent-id_8492462.html
Vango are pretty good value for money generally.
Nevis 200 for £77. 2kg though.
Vango Soul 100 is smaller (but a bit lighter) and pretty cheap, but billed as a 'starter' tent.
The Nevis 200 looks like a pretty decent bike touring tent at that price - yes a wee bit heavy, but I wouldn't trust the Soul 100, looks like a festival / can retreat t car if necessary tent.
@Iain McR
*** Swimming, bathing and paddling are not permitted at any time in Kielder Water
What????
That's the very one. A full day's riding for all but superheroes.
I think a nice relaxed overnighter would be more my forte just now
hmm well, surely part of the adventure is not having a plan ?
Thats as well structured a plan as I've ever had.
It's a glorious route. I reiterate, in full and knowing futility, that it includes;
Three river crossings.
An absurdist kilometre.
Something else which I have forgotten.
Those with bairns should pick dates?
Sorry brains.
Early April? Assuming the weather returns to something like normality things should be basically settled, Sunrise is approaching a civilized hour and sunset isn't too early.
Sorry , just me, but don’t like tomb like single person , prefer two person but as usual needs to be unicorn like, perfect, cheap and exactly like I want ! I’ll check out all those suggested , thank youze!!
Bivvy bag? All the space you can possibly need (when its dry)
https://www.alpkit.com/products/hunka
Yes, but often you will be sharing all that space with midges...
Early April for Glen Kinglass, March or May for Debateable Dacha?
You need to get higher, midges generally give up at 500m :D
It quite often snows in early April.
Stevio been there, again don’t like, unicorns required, a nice two man/ person would be a suitable size for me, like to have a bit of room to chuck my kit , single coffin types are just too claustrophobic for me, bivvy bags are great for emergencies but just not for me!!roughing as smoothly as I want !! I know my likes might be not to everyone’s requirements but I do want to enjoy the experience! I did have a great supermarket hoop tent that was double skinned and had a porch, it was designed / marketed as 3 man , but the hoops were such that the bag wasn’t too big, it was quite light, it felt like a hotel , but my son lost it while doing some west highland way reccie ( I suspect alcohol was involved!) best tent I ever owned was bought as a birthday present for me, it was offered I think, in the observer newspaper , it was lost when a visit to hospital was required after a fall on Ben Nevis, not me but we left the casualty in hospital and were offered transport back to home, we were only 17, we can get it next weekend, it was gone, including my rubbish sleeping bag and my fathers Primus stove!
Worst was a canvas, no ground sheet no fly sheet offering, while walking across knoydart, 1976, the fantastic summer, except knoydart !
It quite often snows in early April.
Like I said, settled weather...
can midges survive snow ? Suddenly I am more interested.
Snow!? Hang on - what happened to talk of a pub? Imagine the weight saved not having to transport booze.
So we need a midge-proof beer tent with an open fire, yes?
Okay, late April?
Getting light a bit early but should be approaching warm.
Schools go back 22nd April, following weekend? Morningsider and I will be due a couple of hours peace.
@morningsider That's just the plan for Taynuilt - even if camping, can dine & swally in the comfort of the pub. Though, er, if snow WAS forecast I'd be looking at getting a room at the hotel.
@Iwrats a midge-proof beer tent with an open fire Pretty sure that's a "pub".
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