The West highland Way (well, the top half)
April 7th, 2005
Stuart and I had a cool mountain bike ride on Saturday – we rode the West Highland Way north from Crianlarich to Fort William, about 50 odd miles. We had ridden very little of the track before and it was partly a scoping mission for my half-baked plan to ride all of the Way in a day this summer (only two and a half months to the longest day – I should get training!). There was plenty of good singletrack and I thoroughly enjoyed this ride through a great part of the country. If you’re going to do it though, be warned – after a lovely singletrack climb and short fast descent after Bridge of Orchy, there is a section of trail which gently climbs on military road for a few miles. It’s a nasty kind of cobbled affair that gave us both seriously sore arses. The Devil’s Staircase is a nice bit of path. Despite my best efforts, I was reduced to walking about half way up (unless you count a couple of ditches low down and a sneaky dab). I actually think all of the sections are rideable, but getting up that thing would be an amazing endurance effort and well out of my league. After a cracking long, rocky descent there was some more walking after Kinlochleven and I think if I’m to do the whole thing, this final section may be a grim battle to the death.
We arrived in Fort William just after 18:00, half an hour after a train back to the van at Crianlarich had left. So we chilled out, drank coffee, ate horrible greasy chips from that shite chippy that I always seem to end up at and got onto the train for the 20:05 train. Feeling quite smug about life, I happily told the approaching guard that we were going to Crianlarich. “Not tonight you’re not – this train doesn’t run on a Saturday.” was his equally smug reply. Note to self: don’t let Stuart do anything (like check train times) on his own ever again. I decide we should hot-foot it to the other side of town and start hitching, despite the fading light, because a night in a hostel doesn’t appeal. We don’t even get half way when we bump into John Birnie who is up here for a kayaking event and is, happily, going back down south that night! Excellent – all we had to do was survive the next few hours in a pub and at a ceilidh in cycling shoes and lycra. Ya, we’re lucky bastards.
April 10th, 2005 at 11:43 AM
Did you do this ride on your Cotic? What’s it like on a big day out? And finally, what size forks do you have and how does it handle? I ask as I’m about to get one but I’m not sure which fork to purchase. thanks Simon
April 10th, 2005 at 07:55 PM
Yup, I did it on my Cotic – I thought it was totally fine for it all. I use Fox Talas (04) forks, but I don’t think I touched them very much (travel adjustment wise) on that ride.
If I was to choose just one length for everything for my forks, it would be something around 100-105mm. I think that gives the best combination for me on steep climbs, rocky downs and tight singletrack. I sometimes like turning up to the full travel on long rocky downhills, but I wouldn’t sacrifice the climbing and singletrack turning for that. I also quite like turning down to 80mm for super-steep climbs, but that does make it kind of twitchy.
The boy who sells Cotics seems a bit snooty, but the frame makes for a great bike for me – I’m really happy with it.
April 11th, 2005 at 01:11 PM
Hey Buddy, long time no speak. Did a similar ride down here on the ridgeway on the same day, I am definately getting into the XC thing again. Hows the cotic in that respect? I know they are a one bike does all solution, but I am thinking of something more old school XC like a Pace. Comments please.
April 11th, 2005 at 08:34 PM
Thanks for that Mark. Must admit, I do fancy something a bit bigger, maybe 130. Just looking for some feedback. Cheers!
April 11th, 2005 at 11:35 PM
Hey ho Jace! When are you back up this way? We need to get out for a ride next time you’re about – I’ve got plenty of crackers in mind for this year.
Cotic – I guess it’s kind of a modern day equivalent to the old Orange P7. In fact, I think it feels very similar to the P7 but it can handle bigger forks. I don’t think that hardtail bikes have really improved all that much in the last few years (I guess they’re pretty simple). I’m certainly not getting up/down anything that I couldn’t have done on my Orange when I was at school. The forks are WAAAAY better though so I think it’s worth getting a modern frame just so you’ve got as much choice as possible in that dept.
I don’t really think you can beat a steel hardtail, and the Cotic seems as good as any to me. My main concern when I got it was that it was going to be all upright (Stuart has a SC Chameleon and it feels way wrong for the stuff I like) – fortunately, I seem to have it setup so that it still feels ‘racey’ enough, climbs well and rips on singletrack :)
Simon – Whenever I use mine on 125mm, they still feel fine. I just prefer them a little shorter. Still can’t really go wrong I reckon.
May 1st, 2005 at 02:47 AM
Hey, great biking blog; I’ll be following it from now on. If you ever come to the Western U.S. and want to do some great mtb riding in Colorado/Utah; drop and email!
Keep on peddlin!
Jack J
May 2nd, 2005 at 12:48 AM
That’s a great offer – thanks very much! Strangely, Western US is all my friends and I have been talking about recently.
When is the best time of year to bike in Utah/Colorado, weather-wise?
August 3rd, 2005 at 11:45 AM
Hi
paths that are known walking routes are not to be used for mountainbiking, that’s what makes other people dislike mountainbikers. Please consider using offical biker routes instead of walking paths. You could jeopardize both walkers and walking routes by riding them on you’re bike.
Have fun riding on places where it’s allowed though, there’s routes everywhere (look in the neighbourhood of Winterberg, Germany, really enjoyed the routes there)
August 3rd, 2005 at 04:36 PM
Dude, you are a few months out of date – http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/default.asp
The gist of the new code is that you, as a recreational outdoor user (walker, cyclist, horse rider… not motorised) are allowed to use Scottish land for your pleasure, with some obvious (sensible) exceptions: you cannot mess things up for people who use use the land to make their living; you must act responsibly (things like not riding erosion prone trails after a two week deluge).
As far as I can remember, the West Highland Way doesn’t come close to farms or the like and I certainly don’t think riding on a very well maintained trail in the middle of a dry summer is wrecking anything.
Of course, maybe you just don’t want people to bike there, but that’s tough shit.
August 4th, 2005 at 02:31 PM
Agreed Mark…
Gerard is talking from above his red socks out of his tweed trousered arse. I have a massive issue with walkers claiming paths in Scotland for themselves when there’s no signage to say “no cycling”. Plenty of them also seem to take instant dislike to bikers and think they’re all rude. Only the other day I was coming biking a “road!” of all things, in the hills. I politely slowed down to go around a couple of walkers on the ROAD. They heard me coming and moved so I passed slowly, shouting a thanks as I went. Only after I passed did one lass shout “you should get a bell on that so people can hear you coming”... err what, I personally think bells are a bit rude.. and any way, she was on the road !! It’s a good job she’s got a loud bitchy attitude so folk can hear her coming and steer the hell away !
Most cyclists I know are very polite and always take care where theyre biking so as not to piss people off and trash the trail they’re riding on.
Any way – Rant over… getting a little off topic there too.
August 4th, 2005 at 06:17 PM
Same problem here in NY. There are so many great places around here that would be great to ride on but a group of people, who probably have never been on a bike, have decided while sitting in an office that paths should be for hikers only. I enjoy hiking alot and when I am hiking I think about how nice it would be to bike the trail I was just on. There seems to be a certain type of person here that thinks that just because they live next to or frequently visit certain nice places, that they “own” them and that they can tell others what to do or not to do concerning the area. There is a great nature preserve with great trails that would be really nice for biking – not all out, fast, tearing up the dirt biking, but just for a good work out and to see some sights and not disturb anything. But, “certain people” think that they “own” the forest and that they are now experts on the effects of biking on dirt and plants. We are not stupid and we know not to be disruptive and we know how to control ourselves when it comes to tearing around and going off the trail and “destruction of private property”.
And, for those people who like to walk on the road and do not like to get over onto the side, just use the SIDEWALK! We paid a lot of money in taxes so that people who walk can have a place to do so OFF THE RAOD.
Venting over….for now.
August 5th, 2005 at 10:07 AM
Meredith, you’ve just confirmed what I’ve wondered about the states for a while – although so much of it looks amazing for biking, the access is actually pretty naff. That’s a real shame and makes me even more happy that the Outdoor Access Code has been passed in Scotland, making it even more accessible for outdoor sports. If I ever get myself over there for biking, I’ll give you a shout – you can show me all the good trails :)
Stuart – actually, there are a couple of signs on the West Highland Way that tell you not to bike. However, I regard these as pre-outdoor access code relics, like the many “no entry” signs that are scattered in the hills. Sounds like those women were walking on the wrong side of the road. Can really blame anyone but themselves for that.
In my experience, the large majority of walkers and cyclists are very friendly. Of course there are some pathetic ones, like Gerard ;), but that goes for people from all walks of life – I’ve met just as many grumpy mountain bikers as walkers (actually, maybe more). It’s all this pretentious, looking down noses bollocks that I can’t stand. Everyone’s out in the hills having fun, so just be sensible, be friendly and don’t act like an arse. Not rocket surgery.
August 8th, 2005 at 08:44 PM
Mark, Sure, I can SHOW you all the NY trails you want. Whether or not you can RIDE on them is another story. Biked some of Letchworth yesterday and learned that I am not in great shape. Hills, and hills and more hills. Good for going down, not so great going up. Trails are pretty good in most places. Some places are really rough and lots of loose stone. And, of course, I spent much of the ride trying to avoid getting horse poop in my tires. It’s a multi-use trail :( Here’s a link to some pic’s. http://www.vasileinc.com/L.htm