Touring Scotland

I don't think it was mentioned in the ATM guidebook. I think I had a steak pie and chips or something at McGregors and their cakes are awesome, so I'm happy with my decision :)

I'll mark in down though, in case we go through again - I'm looking at Faultline maybe for next year, Cairngorms Loop or something shorter if we decide to bugger off for xmas.

EDIT: If it's this https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Aberfoyle+Butcher/@56.1783449,-4.3830608,17z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1saberfoyle+butchers!3m5!1s0x4888f77a4efb73d3:0x79d407a6288a257d!8m2!3d56.1783386!4d-4.3809795!15sChJhYmVyZm95bGUgYnV0Y2hlcnOSAQxidXRjaGVyX3Nob3A?hl=en-US it's permanently close according to Google.

Or is it the Aberfoyle Deli?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Aberfoyle+Delicatessen/@56.1783449,-4.3830608,17z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1saberfoyle+butchers!3m5!1s0x4888f77bbaafe707:0x8cc94dc9d3c0bbd0!8m2!3d56.1783934!4d-4.3825685!15sChJhYmVyZm95bGUgYnV0Y2hlcnNaFCISYWJlcmZveWxlIGJ1dGNoZXJzkgEEZGVsaZoBJENoZERTVWhOTUc5blMwVkpRMEZuU1VSaGRYTnVNbTFuUlJBQg?hl=en-US

aberfoyle deli. a good ride to do is the THREE PIE GRAVELFOYLE ride - pie at the start, do the north gravel loop, back into aberfoyle for another pie, do the south gravel loop, end in aberfoyle with a final pie. lovely stuff

Why did no one mention this BEFORE I went to Scotland FFS! :)

Do you have a route map for this ride? I really liked Aberfoyle (probably because they fed me but also because it's quite pretty around there)

Day 3's up: https://thehippy.net/blog/an-turas-mor-glasgow-to-cape-wrath-day-3/

I thought you were doing ATM starting north of aberfoyle! if I’d known you were starting in glasgow I might have even ridden out to say hi

not sure if this link will work https://strava.app.link/JpSPjTgzqkb

albannach MGGA ride is similar (but longer/harder)

I'm planning on Glasgow - JOG - Glasgow next year, so this is useful research! Was going to do Sustrans routes, might mix in some of this too.

ATM is Glasgow to Cape Wrath - why would we get a train to Glasgow only to start the route in Aberfoyle you crazy coconut!

The only bit we didn't do was the very last 20k because there was no ferryman (oh no, spoilers).

Cheers for the link I'll have a look.

Have you looked at Great North Trail? It was what we were going to do initially but we ran out of time. It has two branches one to Cape Wrath and one to JOG. The JOG one is meant to be a bit dull but I still want to tick it off - that's why I'm looking at the Faultline route now, with a plan to go back to Cape Wrath too.

I thought ATM was some highlands only pish - if it’s outside the central belt, I switch off !!

Every day is a school day... https://www.anturasmor.co.uk/

Thanks I'll check it out for the way up. Then planning to come back via the coast: Inverness, Aberdeen, Edinburgh. Camping the whole trip hopefully.

https://thehippy.net/blog/an-turas-mor-glasgow-to-cape-wrath-day-4/

Nice. How was the Tyvek by the way?

I should've mentioned that in the blog I guess.

Um, I guess it worked. We mostly pitched on nice, smooth ground so wasn't a big drama. The grrl's Topeak Frontloader pushed everything into the cables so cut holes in the drybag and the Tyvek. I ended up putting a crisp packet over my stem bolts to stop a similar thing happening to my drybag with the tent in it.

crisp packet over my stem bolts

>>>>>> hacksnbodges thread

I was also using a stroopwaffle packet stuck inside another crisp packet to keep the Anker battery pack dry.

😆 all the crisps. Ultralite life.

Food packets are quite handy for all kinds of things. We used the Decathlon spag bol bags as bowls for the whole trip.

Thanks for the blog.. Great read. What would you say the right bike choice is for the ATM? Gravel or MTB?

Ah, a question as old as time...

The right bike is the one you have under you when you leave Glasgow. :)

We got around on gravel bikes with tyres from 45mm to 54mm. I'm certain we could've ridden slightly more of the steeper stuff with a mountain bike with lower gears and we could smashed over or through a few more of the drains and bigger puddles/streams with a mountain bike but getting off and walking was such a non-issue I wouldn't have bought new MTBs for such a trip. Also, probably would've increased (my) chances of crashing on an MTB because I'd hit everything harder expecting the suspension or tyres to soak it up and speed outweighs skill for me. MTBs probably would've made packing tent etc a little bit easier, if we both had bar rolls.

So, if you have a gravel bike, ride that. If you have an MTB, ride that. Clear as mud?

I see from twitter that user hippy aiming for some more scotland touring during december - good luck and godspeed. it's likely to be cold and wet, though you can get the odd lucky week where it's just wet OR cold.

as an alternative to WAAT you could also look at:

• portions of the central belter, to keep you near train stations
  https://www.apidura.com/journal/the-central-belter-scotlands-longest-bikepacking-trail/

• coast to coast, on the john muir way
  https://johnmuirway.org/doing-route/cycling-route/

these are likely to be less strenuous than WAAT, though also less picturesque I imagine. argyll really is a hidden gem. you could luxe it up a bit by staying at nice hotels/b&bs instead of camping? always meant to stay here: https://www.portavadie.com/

people might have other suggestions.

y u no @ me? ;)

Yeah, I saw some of their shorter routes on http://bikepackingscotland.com/routes/ but it was the WAAT I was initially interested in given its close prox to Glasgow. Then again I've not looked at the others.

We definitely want to camp - but part of this is because we want to test the camp kit to see how feasible winter camping is. The bailout options need to be there in case it gets silly before it gets dangerous. I've not had a close look at any routes yet, just kinda sussing out the 'winter, u mad bro' vibe first.

I have time off over xmas hence the idea. Thanks for those tips btw, I'll check them out later.

I follow u on my burner account I use for memes, trolling annoying people, and posting about video games : )

you’re never really that far glasgow or a train/bus on the WAAT and as I say that pt of the country is gorgeous so probably worth doing that. WAAT website has lots of tips for sights and food too, which is good. FYI - I didn’t know this but that portavadie hotel also has camping pitches (plus a nice resto w beer and decent scran). wish I’d known that before I wild camped in the car park : D

trolling annoying people

:-*

I'll have a better look at it over the next few days. Do you know what the deal is with ferries in the off season though? I presume the bigger, more populated islands still have reasonable connections but some of the smaller ones won't be serviced? I need to get the route into RWGPS and marking up services and stuff.

@hollow__legs you've been summoned.

A little birdy told me you may have done WAAT recently and might have some knowledge to share?