The summer just hasn’t made any impression this year but I am still hoping for some dry weather and planning to have at least one more trip before autumn.
The Scottish coast to coast route from Annan to Edinburgh looks tempting. Even at my slow pace, I think I’d be able to do it in 3/4 days. I can take the train to Annan and at the other end, either train back from Edinburgh or cycle home along the Forth and Clyde canal. The circular route looks more pleasing to me even though the final day would be a long one.
Since meeting the LEJOG guy on the train from Thurso, I am tempted to think about Lands End to John o’ Groats but that will probably be for another year and will take a lot more planning than I normally put in to my trips. I like to book the train and just go.
Is a much kinder island for cycling. The roads are a bit less hilly than Shetland and the main ones not quite so busy.
Not that I’m going to do much exploring on my bike, mainly going from one campsite to another. I’ve got a friend also on holiday here with a car so as the weather is still wet, I’ll take advantage of having a chauffeur.
For starters, I’ve been here nearly two weeks and no one’s been murdered yet. How inaccurate is that TV drama?
Secondly, Shetland, despite what the Islands tourism industry is trying to push, is not an ideal place for cycling. It’s a beautiful place, the people are friendly and I will definitely return. Just not on my bike. I may bring a bike with me but for touring, nah.
On my multi-night camping trips last year I carried a couple of pre-packed meals with me for times when I couldn’t get to a shop to buy fresh provisions. I only used them twice. Once when I was, to be honest, just too lazy to cook anything else. They were OK as a stand-by and I guess gave me the nourishment I needed.
This time, with me going places I’ve never been before and unsure of the miles I’ll be able to cover in a day, I’m looking to do the same again and carry a couple of ready meals. I’m not sure which ones to buy. Previously I’ve carried wet meals which just need heating up but this time I’m considering getting dehydrated meals. The main advantage I can see is the weight saving as it comes down to a balancing act between edibility and how much extra weight I’m willing to carry. I guess I’ll buy a couple and try them out before I leave. I will let you know how this goes.
I’ve decided on my first camping trip for this season.
I’m going to do the Caledonian Way from Oban to Inverness at the end of the month. I have booked train tickets and the Youth Hostel in Oban for the first night. I intend to do it over 3 or 4 days so I can ease myself back into camping. I’m going to use this as a build up fo my summer tip to the Northern Isles.
I was tidying up this site the other day and wanted to add a few more photos to some of the pages. After going through my photos, I realised just how few I have with my bike actually in them.
I often carry a camera with me, especially if I’m away for a few days. I have a Canon M5 mirrorless camera which is small and light enough to carry in my handlebar bag. It has a 28mm lense fitted and I also take along a 50mm one to capture things that are just a bit further away. I have considered buying a 50-200 zoom lense but will need to decide if the extra reach is worth the weight and the expediture. As I also have a full frame canon which I use when I am out and about on foot, the M5 is only ever used when I am on the bike so I’ve not yet convinced myself.
When I’m touring I also take some photos with my mobile phone. This is mainly if I am going to post them to social media. I tend to keep the pictures in the camera for processing when I get home.
But to get back to my original point, I really must make an effort to include my bike in more of my pictures. I have an anathema to selfies but I suppose I shouldn’t lump my bike in with that.
On the train to Oban to set off on my first big cycle/camping trip. After a few changes of plans, booking and rebooking the ferry, train and first two nights accomodation I’m on my way to do the Hebridean Way
I decided to book a bed in the Youth Hostel in Oban for the first night. this was mainly to suit train times and when I could get my bike on. I also booked a night in a backpackers hostel in Castlebay on Barra. That way I could start my tour fresh as it was to be the only night not in the tent.
Over the weeks while I was preparing my bike and inspecting all my camping gear to ensure it was still in one piece, thoughts about where I should go would spring into my head. They’d grow into epic expeditions, reformulate and appear again as somewhat impossible ventures. I constantly had to tell myself to keep my feet firmly planted by considering somewhere fairly local, for a coup le of nights, as my first venture.
I had a two man tent which was light enough to carry on the bike and my sleeping bag was good enough for summer camping. The cooking equipment I had was adequate for going off in the car for an extended holiday but I really needed some lighter pots and pans. Following a fair bit of on-line research I decided on sea-to-summit pots and utensils. I will do a review on them sometime.
I bought additional panniers and a front rack. The rear panniers and rack which I had on my bike for a year or so, just wouldn’t be enough for all my gear for more than one or two nights. The front rack proved difficult to fit as most racks are meant for rigid forks and I had to fabricate brackets to adapt it for the suspension forks. It took trial and error and a good few changes before I was happy that the set-up was safe.
As a trial run, I decided on a trip north for a weekend. Partick Thistle were playing in an important play-off game against Ross County so I planned a weekend in Dingwall to take in the football and test out my gear. I booked the train to Inverness and planned to cycle the 20 miles from there to Dingwall. So with the bike loaded up (minus the front panniers), I set off. It was the first time I had travelled on a train with my bike and was a good introduction to it as there were no changes on the outward journey. The return was a different experience altogether.
waiting for the Inverness train. Queen St. Station
The weekend went well (as far as the cycling and camping, the football was a different experience altogether). The tent was good and the cooking stuff worked well. I did realise that as I’ve got older since I last camped my sleeping mat was just too thin for my ageing bones, so when I got home that was some more research I had to do to find the best upgrades.
Just Me - On my bike 