Cycling the West Highland Way

[Lovewookie]

Hi all,

On the 21st June I'll be rising early in the morning and getting on my bike to ride the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Ft. William. The route itself is 98 miles with nearly 4000m of ascending, so should be pretty tough.

The more daunting thing is that we're planning to do the route in a day. We reckon we should be able to complete it within about 15 hours, depending upon mechanicals and injuries.

route here: http://www.west-highland-way.co.uk/theroute.asp

I've decided, with the help of my workplace, to try to raise a bit of money for charidy, namely the Uganda Schools charity.

More here: http://www.bunonoschooluganda.org/

I've set up a sponsor sheet online, so you can make your pledges there if you will.

http://www.sponsorformsonline.co.uk/...hoolUganda.asp

I'll post up how it all went once I can walk to the pc.

Cheers

Wookie

[slicer]

Sounds pretty sweet, but aye, pretty taxing on the old legs lol.

There are bits that you look at, even driving and think are a gentle gradient, but go on for a long time and then there are bits like just after the bridge at Bridge of Orchy, which must just be a bitch lol. Will be rewarding to complete none-the-less, and it's an amazing route

[Largest of Gregs]

I was sure you're not allowed bikes on most of it

[slicer]

I was sure you're not allowed bikes on most of it

Heh, cunt of a walk then

[LesMTS]

I was sure you're not allowed bikes on most of it

You're allowed to cycle but they point out that you'll come across parts of the way that are designed specifically with walking in mind which may cause problems.
Some friends and I looked into doing this years ago, but over a long weekend, might think about it again now I've been back into cycling for a while.

[Lovewookie]

Scottish access laws are great. You can pretty much bike wherever you please when there is a visible path present (grazing things permitting).

We're not going to be doing the section north of Inversnaid, we'll be cutting over the water to the road and linking back onto the WHW further north. That side of Loch Lomond is either pretty boggy or very hikey-bikey, either way, not the best for conserving energy.

[slicer]

...we'll be cutting over the water to the road...

Now that would be interesting to see

[Lovewookie]

Slight change of plan, it'll be on the 28th now. The 21st clashed with my daughters show.

one extra week of 'training'

[I'm Your God Now]

I walked it a while back, t'was dynamite, but the bikes are restricted here and there.

[Lovewookie]

There were little advisory notices scattered about and around the WHW, asking people not to cycle bits of it as it was provided for walkers, but these weren't legally enforcible so they took them down when the Core Paths were being reviewed (as some still are) along with the right to roam in the rest of the UK. Never sure where that went up here, don't think it would change much.

[Lovewookie]

just a punt if anyone wants to pledge money. I've raised over £100 so far.

As for the training, well, I could be better, but I managed a shorter 55 mile ride to Rowardennan and back in just over 4 hours last week, at a slow to medium pace, probably a little faster than we'd plan to ride as we'll try to conserve as much energy as possible, so we should be on target for an aim of 10 hours if all goes well.

I have lots of energy bars, energy gels and plenty of drink and a bike that needs a bloody good check over.

[Lovewookie]

well, that didn't go quite according to plan.

Friday night, I was feeling a bit rubbish, had a cold coming so was having second thoughts about going ahead. Mrs Wookie was feeling rubbish, so that was another factor, but what put the nail in the coffin for that weekend was that the other guy who was doing it with me had to go in for emergency root canal work on Saturday morning.

needless to say the trip has been postponed, again. We're looking to do it on the 19th July.

Hopefully the weather will be better too

[slicer]

You's are no having much luck

Hope all goes well when the 19th comes