How much riding would you squeeze into a trip?
Discussion
Planning a trip around Scotland this week, once my kriega bag bloody arrives from amazon. I was hoping to head off tomorrow and use about seven days, riding between 4 and 6 hours per day, so there's time for other activities. That said, i am a mostly just wanting to 'conquer' Scotland and enjoy riding great roads through beautiful scenery.
Trip will take me from northern Cheshire, stopping in the Cairngorms (probably Tomintoul), then upto John o'groats, Tongue, down to Ullapool and Applecross (most of NC500), around Skye, and then back via Fort William, Glencoe, Loch Lomond, and Lake District.
The longer I'm waiting for this bag, I'm losing some time as I have an appointment to return for. Obviously, this would be personal to each individual, but what do you guys consider too much riding per day? I'm always happy on the bike, so thought four to six hours worth per day, with some breaks, could be doable, although that is a big increase compared to what I'm used to. But i'm now thinking I might need to squeeze in some longer slots at the start and the end, to leave some time for non riding activities.
What's the longest daily slog you've ever done on a bike, and what would you be comfortable with over a week?
Trip will take me from northern Cheshire, stopping in the Cairngorms (probably Tomintoul), then upto John o'groats, Tongue, down to Ullapool and Applecross (most of NC500), around Skye, and then back via Fort William, Glencoe, Loch Lomond, and Lake District.
The longer I'm waiting for this bag, I'm losing some time as I have an appointment to return for. Obviously, this would be personal to each individual, but what do you guys consider too much riding per day? I'm always happy on the bike, so thought four to six hours worth per day, with some breaks, could be doable, although that is a big increase compared to what I'm used to. But i'm now thinking I might need to squeeze in some longer slots at the start and the end, to leave some time for non riding activities.
What's the longest daily slog you've ever done on a bike, and what would you be comfortable with over a week?
If you are going as far as tongue try carrying on to Durness and dropping to Ullapool from there - spectacular. Also you won’t be far from Crask Inn (both place name and pub) which is a great spot for a pint and very remote.
Also try the road through Dumfries National park on the way back to cut out the M6. Deserted and great for getting your pegs down.
Six to ten hours per day works fine for me - I generally play it by ear and stop when I feel the need as wild camping is part of the adventure.
Also try the road through Dumfries National park on the way back to cut out the M6. Deserted and great for getting your pegs down.
Six to ten hours per day works fine for me - I generally play it by ear and stop when I feel the need as wild camping is part of the adventure.
Edited by W12JFD on Tuesday 20th March 17:46
Has all the snow gone in Scotland now? Could make for an interesting ride if not.
Biggest ride for me is actually quite a small one. South Lancs to Holyhead, ferry to Dublin, then all the way across Ireland to Dingle in the West Coast, or maybe last year when we zigzagged up from Dublin to Portrush for the NW200
Biggest ride for me is actually quite a small one. South Lancs to Holyhead, ferry to Dublin, then all the way across Ireland to Dingle in the West Coast, or maybe last year when we zigzagged up from Dublin to Portrush for the NW200
W12JFD said:
If you are going as far as tongue try carrying on to Durness and dropping to Ullapool from there - spectacular. Also you won’t be far from Crask Inn (both place name and pub) which is a great spot for a pint and very remote.
Also try the road through Dumfries National park on the way back to cut out the M6. Deserted and great for getting your pegs down.
Six to ten hours per day works fine for me - I generally play it by ear and stop when I feel the need as wild camping is part of the adventure.
Funnily enough, I've been trying to decide whether to do the whole route, or head down to Lairg from Tongue, and then to Ullapool... You're right, Durness looks great! Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not going to bother camping. Too cold at the moment. Also try the road through Dumfries National park on the way back to cut out the M6. Deserted and great for getting your pegs down.
Six to ten hours per day works fine for me - I generally play it by ear and stop when I feel the need as wild camping is part of the adventure.
Edited by W12JFD on Tuesday 20th March 17:46
Edited by Berty3000 on Tuesday 20th March 20:49
This kriega bag isn't scheduled to arrive until Thursday, and I'm not sure what time it'll arrive. I do really want to test it out, but I'm also getting restless and want to get off on this trip. Would taking a small back pack, with some underwear, toothbrush, and some other bear essentials be such a bad idea... For a week?
Berty3000 said:
This kriega bag isn't scheduled to arrive until Thursday, and I'm not sure what time it'll arrive. I do really want to test it out, but I'm also getting restless and want to get off on this trip. Would taking a small back pack, with some underwear, toothbrush, and some other bear essentials be such a bad idea... For a week?
I think you said you were in North Cheshire. https://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/stores/northwich -- mega store
https://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/stores/preston -- small store
https://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/stores/manchester -- small store
You've not said how you're getting to the Cairngorms. If you're thinking the A9, don't! Dreadful road plus average speed cameras. Go up through Glenshee, Braemar then across Cockbridge/Tomintoul to Grantown. I was up skiing today at Glenshee and the roads were basically dry with only a few wet patches with snow-melt. Lots of fun, albeit on 4 wheels rather than 2.
BUT the Glenshee road was closed with snow just lat Saturday, and I think Cockbridge/Tomintoul was too. Not so much falling snow but the wind blowing it across the roads and drifting. Should be OK going forward, but just check the forecasts...but today was a bluebird day with blue skies, no wind, and actually quite warm even in the mountains.
For 600+ miles a day is fine...but depending on the type of roads. If you're doing Scotland then more like 300 miles on A and B roads is more like it, or 200 if there's lots of single-track involved. But if you're coming up from Cheshire and just hacking up the M6/M74 then you'd get way north of Perth or Stirling (whichever way you're going) on day 1. Means all the boring stuff is behind you and the good stuff is ahead. I don't know the exact mileage (but if I was inclined I could probably check
) but as a guide and if you reference it on a map Edinburgh-Inverness avoiding the A9 is an easy day's ride - Edinburgh-Tongue avoiding the A9 is do-able too, but a full day. Tongue-Ullapool is an easy day. Ullapool-Lochcarron via Applecross is a very easy day timewise, but you may want to stop more for photos. Lochcarron to Edinburgh via Fort William & Glencoe is an easy day. Edinburgh to Skye via the bridge or Mull via the ferry is also easily do-able in a day. Mull to Skye even via Mallaig ferry is an easy day - enough time for a loop of Skye too.
Although we do different routes round Scotland every year, from a Central Scotland start/end 4 days is fine for a trip including chunks of the NC500, 5 days if you want to do some of the islands.
BUT the Glenshee road was closed with snow just lat Saturday, and I think Cockbridge/Tomintoul was too. Not so much falling snow but the wind blowing it across the roads and drifting. Should be OK going forward, but just check the forecasts...but today was a bluebird day with blue skies, no wind, and actually quite warm even in the mountains.
For 600+ miles a day is fine...but depending on the type of roads. If you're doing Scotland then more like 300 miles on A and B roads is more like it, or 200 if there's lots of single-track involved. But if you're coming up from Cheshire and just hacking up the M6/M74 then you'd get way north of Perth or Stirling (whichever way you're going) on day 1. Means all the boring stuff is behind you and the good stuff is ahead. I don't know the exact mileage (but if I was inclined I could probably check
) but as a guide and if you reference it on a map Edinburgh-Inverness avoiding the A9 is an easy day's ride - Edinburgh-Tongue avoiding the A9 is do-able too, but a full day. Tongue-Ullapool is an easy day. Ullapool-Lochcarron via Applecross is a very easy day timewise, but you may want to stop more for photos. Lochcarron to Edinburgh via Fort William & Glencoe is an easy day. Edinburgh to Skye via the bridge or Mull via the ferry is also easily do-able in a day. Mull to Skye even via Mallaig ferry is an easy day - enough time for a loop of Skye too.Although we do different routes round Scotland every year, from a Central Scotland start/end 4 days is fine for a trip including chunks of the NC500, 5 days if you want to do some of the islands.
Edited by tvrolet on Tuesday 20th March 22:05
Depends. Id say 250 miles is enough for nice roads and a few coffee/fuel stops, sightseeing, say out at 9am arrive by 4-6pm depending on stop length
Have done 500-600 miles before in a day by accident, but its not pleasurable just slogging out motorway miles, very tiring, more like an endurance event than a holiday.
I like to be relaxed on my time off and spend some time enjoying the scenery over a coffee or beer, not turning up at the hotel at 9am, rushing down a shower/food before getting up early to do it all again.......
Did a week in Scotland last year and none of the days were longer than 280 miles ....it was fantastic...when it stopped raining
Have done 500-600 miles before in a day by accident, but its not pleasurable just slogging out motorway miles, very tiring, more like an endurance event than a holiday.
I like to be relaxed on my time off and spend some time enjoying the scenery over a coffee or beer, not turning up at the hotel at 9am, rushing down a shower/food before getting up early to do it all again.......
Did a week in Scotland last year and none of the days were longer than 280 miles ....it was fantastic...when it stopped raining
tvrolet said:
You've not said how you're getting to the Cairngorms. If you're thinking the A9, don't! Dreadful road plus average speed cameras. Go up through Glenshee, Braemar then across Cockbridge/Tomintoul to Grantown. I was up skiing today at Glenshee and the roads were basically dry with only a few wet patches with snow-melt. Lots of fun, albeit on 4 wheels rather than 2.
BUT the Glenshee road was closed with snow just lat Saturday, and I think Cockbridge/Tomintoul was too. Not so much falling snow but the wind blowing it across the roads and drifting. Should be OK going forward, but just check the forecasts...but today was a bluebird day with blue skies, no wind, and actually quite warm even in the mountains.
For 600+ miles a day is fine...but depending on the type of roads. If you're doing Scotland then more like 300 miles on A and B roads is more like it, or 200 if there's lots of single-track involved. But if you're coming up from Cheshire and just hacking up the M6/M74 then you'd get way north of Perth or Stirling (whichever way you're going) on day 1. Means all the boring stuff is behind you and the good stuff is ahead. I don't know the exact mileage (but if I was inclined I could probably check) but as a guide and if you reference it on a map Edinburgh-Inverness avoiding the A9 is an easy day's ride - Edinburgh-Tongue avoiding the A9 is do-able too, but a full day. Tongue-Ullapool is an easy day. Ullapool-Lochcarron via Applecross is a very easy day timewise, but you may want to stop more for photos. Lochcarron to Edinburgh via Fort William & Glencoe is an easy day. Edinburgh to Skye via the bridge or Mull via the ferry is also easily do-able in a day. Mull to Skye even via Mallaig ferry is an easy day - enough time for a loop of Skye too.
Alright mate. It was one of your posts about this from a few months ago that I've based my trip plan on. Dug it out earlier in the week BUT the Glenshee road was closed with snow just lat Saturday, and I think Cockbridge/Tomintoul was too. Not so much falling snow but the wind blowing it across the roads and drifting. Should be OK going forward, but just check the forecasts...but today was a bluebird day with blue skies, no wind, and actually quite warm even in the mountains.
For 600+ miles a day is fine...but depending on the type of roads. If you're doing Scotland then more like 300 miles on A and B roads is more like it, or 200 if there's lots of single-track involved. But if you're coming up from Cheshire and just hacking up the M6/M74 then you'd get way north of Perth or Stirling (whichever way you're going) on day 1. Means all the boring stuff is behind you and the good stuff is ahead. I don't know the exact mileage (but if I was inclined I could probably check
) but as a guide and if you reference it on a map Edinburgh-Inverness avoiding the A9 is an easy day's ride - Edinburgh-Tongue avoiding the A9 is do-able too, but a full day. Tongue-Ullapool is an easy day. Ullapool-Lochcarron via Applecross is a very easy day timewise, but you may want to stop more for photos. Lochcarron to Edinburgh via Fort William & Glencoe is an easy day. Edinburgh to Skye via the bridge or Mull via the ferry is also easily do-able in a day. Mull to Skye even via Mallaig ferry is an easy day - enough time for a loop of Skye too.
Yeah, I'm taking that route you recommended through the cairngorms. Weather forecasts look fine going fwd, although that's interesting about the wind. Hmm... Totally agree about getting the crap out of the way - 600 miles sounds a bit mad, but I can certainly make it to Tomintoul I reckon. I was going to stop just short of Edinburgh, then go to Tomintoul the next day for hiking. Thinking now that I'd ride all the way to Tomintoul. Next day finish in tongue, via Inverness and John O. Then down to Applecross. Skye to Fort William next day. Then south via glencoe. Mostly around 250 miles per day. But I might make the first and last days much longer now, as mentioned. bogie said:
Depends. Id say 250 miles is enough for nice roads and a few coffee/fuel stops, sightseeing, say out at 9am arrive by 4-6pm depending on stop length
Have done 500-600 miles before in a day by accident, but its not pleasurable just slogging out motorway miles, very tiring, more like an endurance event than a holiday.
I like to be relaxed on my time off and spend some time enjoying the scenery over a coffee or beer, not turning up at the hotel at 9am, rushing down a shower/food before getting up early to do it all again.......
Did a week in Scotland last year and none of the days were longer than 280 miles ....it was fantastic...when it stopped raining
That all sounds about right to me. I've based my plan on similar principles. Haha, I'm expecting to get wet. Will he interesting to see how my RST gear holds up - hasn't let me down yet... Have done 500-600 miles before in a day by accident, but its not pleasurable just slogging out motorway miles, very tiring, more like an endurance event than a holiday.
I like to be relaxed on my time off and spend some time enjoying the scenery over a coffee or beer, not turning up at the hotel at 9am, rushing down a shower/food before getting up early to do it all again.......
Did a week in Scotland last year and none of the days were longer than 280 miles ....it was fantastic...when it stopped raining
BobSaunders said:
I think you said you were in North Cheshire.
https://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/stores/northwich -- mega store
Weirdly, I just rode past that Northwich place yesterday on a random ride and was surprised to see it there... Only a tenner more for the bag.https://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/stores/northwich -- mega store
Just cancelled the amazon order. Will go to that store first thing in the morning and get this show on the road. Thanks for the idea!
This from Glasgow is the most smiles per miles:
long linky
If you're heading further North the road to Nairn from Grantown is one of Scotland's biggest undiscovered gems.
To put you in the mood, Henry Catchpole in an Aston : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkAT82-R0S8
Finally: I wouldn't do Chesire to Tomintoul in one day as you'll be shattered and not able to appreciate the roads beginning from Glasgow onwards. Stop off in Glasgow or Edinburgh for the night, there's a Premier Inn and also a Travelodge in in Dumbarton (the gateway to the Highlands) that's quiet right now and perfect for a stop over
long linky
If you're heading further North the road to Nairn from Grantown is one of Scotland's biggest undiscovered gems.
To put you in the mood, Henry Catchpole in an Aston : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkAT82-R0S8
Finally: I wouldn't do Chesire to Tomintoul in one day as you'll be shattered and not able to appreciate the roads beginning from Glasgow onwards. Stop off in Glasgow or Edinburgh for the night, there's a Premier Inn and also a Travelodge in in Dumbarton (the gateway to the Highlands) that's quiet right now and perfect for a stop over
Edited by naetype on Wednesday 21st March 06:42
It really depends on the roads and the weather. The longest day I've done is from Belgium to St Maxime on the med. Bit wet in the afternoon but otherwise a doddle. Despite riding for about 15 hours.
The most tiring was about 180 miles over the Pyranees from Spain to France only one day after they had opened the snow gates. Dropped the bike three times (1100GS) and eventually got into Pau in France having aged about 10 years. Never again.
There are no medals for this sort of thing. If the weather goes against me I see no shame in pulling into a hotel and changing my trip if I can't make the original route. It's March and the weather can still be poor. But it does sound like a good way to spend a week...
The most tiring was about 180 miles over the Pyranees from Spain to France only one day after they had opened the snow gates. Dropped the bike three times (1100GS) and eventually got into Pau in France having aged about 10 years. Never again.
There are no medals for this sort of thing. If the weather goes against me I see no shame in pulling into a hotel and changing my trip if I can't make the original route. It's March and the weather can still be poor. But it does sound like a good way to spend a week...
My longest distance in one day is just under 1000 miles. Reggio Calabria at the toe of Italy to the Mont Blanc Tunnel. I've done it twice, once on a Honda CX500 which took 14 hours, and once on a BMW K100RS which to just over 11 hours. Both times were two up with camping luggage.
600 to 700 mile days on motorways in France, Italy, Germany etc. are pretty achievable but I wouldn't look to do much more than about 300 off motorway. 250 is a more relaxing day with more time to actually see the countryside you're riding through, stop for coffee or to take some pictures etc.
For Scotland, avoid the last 40 or so miles to John O'Groats. It is horrible and simply takes you to the s
t hole that is John O'Groats.It really isn't worth the time and effort.
The weather will play a big factor. Riding 250 miles on great roads in warm(ish) sunshine is VERY different to riding 250 miles in horizontal rain, on roads that are little more than tarmac tracks with puddles and stray sheep around every bend. As said above, there are no medals!
600 to 700 mile days on motorways in France, Italy, Germany etc. are pretty achievable but I wouldn't look to do much more than about 300 off motorway. 250 is a more relaxing day with more time to actually see the countryside you're riding through, stop for coffee or to take some pictures etc.
For Scotland, avoid the last 40 or so miles to John O'Groats. It is horrible and simply takes you to the s
t hole that is John O'Groats.It really isn't worth the time and effort.The weather will play a big factor. Riding 250 miles on great roads in warm(ish) sunshine is VERY different to riding 250 miles in horizontal rain, on roads that are little more than tarmac tracks with puddles and stray sheep around every bend. As said above, there are no medals!
I can only give a example of my last big trip on my blade and than was from North France into Spain and the med.
I did 1800 miles in the 7 days. Some days 200 miles others 500. Just depends on the roads like others have said. if you want to get to a place use the motorway. But the Twistys are fun on the days when you do less miles
I did 1800 miles in the 7 days. Some days 200 miles others 500. Just depends on the roads like others have said. if you want to get to a place use the motorway. But the Twistys are fun on the days when you do less miles
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