Tips for Carrabridge to Pitlochry + Winter Wild Camping

[radek]

I am planning a 2-3 day mini bike tour to take part in the middle of December. From Edinburgh by train to Carrabridge and then cycle to Pitlochry. I want to wild camp somewhere on the way in Cairngorms.

Could you please give me some hints and tips for this route.

I am also wondering about the winter conditions.
I am still in the process of collecting gear. I have a Snugpak Inonosphere bivvy tent and an additional tarp that if needed I can put over the tent, e.g., to reduce draft and protect from snow. I will be sleeping in Rab Ascent 700 XL on 5 season foam multimat http://www.multimat.uk.com/store/produc ... ort-12-xxl. I will try to sleep in a forest to get additional protection. For cycling I have Marion wool base layer, micro fleece, lamb wool jumper, face mask, ski goggles, ski pants, gore tex jacket, cheep down jacket, soft shell jacket, waterproof hiking boots, thermal socks, winter glows with Marion wool base glows and wool hat.

The temps can go down to -10C at night. Do you think that I will survive the cycling and the night?

[gloomyandy]

Can you actually move with all of those clothes on?

[meic]

No mention of your hands.
I like to use large mittens, as used by mountaineers. Make sure that you can actually control the bike with whatever handwear you use to keep your hands functionally warm.

I assume that your question was tongue in cheek and that you actually have some relevant experience before setting off on such a jaunt.

[Paulatic]

I’m guessing it will be a long long dark night. It’s a new moon in the middle of December so chances are it won’t be too cold. Brrrrr A good campfire would be high on my priorities. There was a guy with a horse and vardo pulled into a field near here one night last week his fire looked very inviting as I cycled past.
Looks like you’ve a lot of faith in Marion Does she have her own bike or get a Croggy from you?

[Paulatic]

Operator error, can’t be deleted.

[radek]

Yes I could cycle in all of the layers... However, soon I would feel too hot. I will need to avoid sweating because clothes do not dry in sub zero. Through doing physical activity my body should be able to generate heat to keep me warm. I would only need all of the clothing layers on during the night or when weather conditions are too difficult for cycling. I will also needed to modulate what I ma wearying according to the amount of physical activity/ heat generated (working up hill or going long down hill) and weather conditions, e.g, it could snow and be freezingly windy. At least this is what I have read online and watched in bicycle touring pro videos

[Cyril Haearn]

How did crofters keep warm? One imagines they kept their thick tartan plaid on all the time, not much chance to wash in the winter
The tartan would take up water and the wool would keep a person warm just as well as a sheep

[mercalia]

How did crofters keep warm? One imagines they kept their thick tartan plaid on all the time, not much chance to wash in the winter
The tartan would take up water and the wool would keep a person warm just as well as a sheep

the dirt an extra layer of insulation

[radek]

No mention of your hands.
I like to use large mittens, as used by mountaineers. Make sure that you can actually control the bike with whatever handwear you use to keep your hands functionally warm.

I assume that your question was tongue in cheek and that you actually have some relevant experience before setting off on such a jaunt.

I have a pair of ski gloves. Can you please give me a link to the gloves that you are using?

On the contrary, I am very serious about going for this tour. This year I have done two short tours from Dundee to Edinburgh and Glasgow to Edinburgh. In both cases I have been wild camping in forests, but it was warm weather. I cycle daily to work an shops etc. When I am off work I do tend to cycle even more. I have been a cycling since very young age. I do cycle during the winter in the town. However, I do not have any experience of winter bicycle touring in the mountains + winter wild camping Are you advising that my plan is dangerous ?

I’m guessing it will be a long long dark night. It’s a new moon in the middle of December so chances are it won’t be too cold. Brrrrr A good campfire would be high on my priorities. There was a guy with a horse and vardo pulled into a field near here one night last week his fire looked very inviting as I cycled past.
Looks like you’ve a lot of faith in Marion Does she have her own bike or get a Croggy from you?

I will make sure to take a book and sleep a lot. The only problem is that my tent is small and I cannot sit in it. I hope to have a 3x3 tarp set over the tent to give me an extra area. This would be a perfect place for a small foldable firebox

Marion ? ohhh wanted to say Merino wool. I find it much better than the commercial synthetic stuff . Sheep had thousands of years to perfect this material

How does it work with the moon ? I have a feeling that is going to be a very cold winter this year.

[meic]

Are you advising that my plan is dangerous ?

Not if you know what you are doing and have experience of the different aspects of this venture, even if you havent done exactly this combination before.

My mittens are ancient Berghaus Goretex mitts with fleece liner that I bought in the 1980s.

Something like these.
http://www.berghaus.com/extrem-hardshel ... 20680.html

There was an article in the CTC mag a while ago of some bloke doing this across the top of our local hills near Brecon, off road. He made some mistakes that made his life miserable (like leaving his shoes outside to freeze!) but survived with no significant injury.

[rualexander]

Some more detail on your proposed route would be useful?
But, you should be fine, just keep an eye on the weather forecast, particularly the local mountain forecast http://www.mwis.org.uk/scottish-forecast
If in doubt turn back or change your route.
December shouldn't be all that bad, more likely to be worse conditions in January/February.

[Paulatic]

How does it work with the moon ? I have a feeling that is going to be a very cold winter this year.

I find it’s often colder and frostier during a full moon.

[SimonCelsa]

Carrbridge to Pitlochry is around 70 miles along the NCN7 which basically follows the relatively busy A9 so your planned expedition should not be particularly onerous......very dependent on conditions.

I have recently (last week) completed my second annual Inverness to Weymouth trip and the first day was Inverness - Dunkeld (near Perth), 110 miles which took about 12 hours along your proposed route with fairly savage headwinds.

The NCN7 route is pretty good, feels quite remote (but really isn't), and offers some reasonably well spaced areas of civilization. Aviemore, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Ralia Cafe, Dalwhinnie, Blair Atholl, Killiecrankie.....you ascend the Drumochter pass, but again it is not really that high or remote.

If you encounter snow and ice then you will probably be scuppered unless you take to the main A9 which should be gritted, the cyclepath obviously will not be.

Plenty of opportunities for wild camping, Loch an Eiliean near Aviemore is quite a nice area, the area around Ralia cafe would be convenient for an early morning fresh coffee and soup, near Dalnacardoch is quite nice (Gaick Pass area), plenty of other places to bung up a tent.

All depends on the weather. A mild December and this mini tour would be very easy & pleasant. A cold snap could really knacker you and be quite hazardous unless you are well prepared and reasonably sensible.

Hope you enjoy it,

All the best, Simon

[radek]

Carrbridge to Pitlochry is around 70 miles along the NCN7 which basically follows the relatively busy A9 so your planned expedition should not be particularly onerous......very dependent on conditions.

I have recently (last week) completed my second annual Inverness to Weymouth trip and the first day was Inverness - Dunkeld (near Perth), 110 miles which took about 12 hours along your proposed route with fairly savage headwinds.

The NCN7 route is pretty good, feels quite remote (but really isn't), and offers some reasonably well spaced areas of civilization. Aviemore, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Ralia Cafe, Dalwhinnie, Blair Atholl, Killiecrankie.....you ascend the Drumochter pass, but again it is not really that high or remote.

If you encounter snow and ice then you will probably be scuppered unless you take to the main A9 which should be gritted, the cyclepath obviously will not be.

Plenty of opportunities for wild camping, Loch an Eiliean near Aviemore is quite a nice area, the area around Ralia cafe would be convenient for an early morning fresh coffee and soup, near Dalnacardoch is quite nice (Gaick Pass area), plenty of other places to bung up a tent.

All depends on the weather. A mild December and this mini tour would be very easy & pleasant. A cold snap could really knacker you and be quite hazardous unless you are well prepared and reasonably sensible.

Some more detail on your proposed route would be useful?
But, you should be fine, just keep an eye on the weather forecast, particularly the local mountain forecast http://www.mwis.org.uk/scottish-forecast
If in doubt turn back or change your route.
December shouldn't be all that bad, more likely to be worse conditions in January/February.

Thank you for all of the tips. I feel more confident now having heard that the route is not too difficult and that there are great places for camping on the way.

Indeed, I am planning to follow the NCN7. I have deliberately decided to go shorter distances this year. First, I am new to bicycle touring and this year my plan is to take it easy and learn/test myself and the equipment so next year I could go for a longer voyage. Secondly, as you say winter can be unpredictable and I want to continue cycling despite the weather conditions and thus may need more time to complete the route.

The weather forecast webpage is helpful thank you. I am trying to prepare as well as I can. I am even thinking about having MTB 1.95 tires fitted on my touring bike if the forecast is bad.

My mittens are ancient Berghaus Goretex mitts with fleece liner that I bought in the 1980s.

Thanks for the link. I had look on your gloves and I decided to go for a cheaper simillar option, but hopefully still should work as well. I have just ordered this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Cold-Wea ... 0009.m1982


I still need to buy some equipment - I am undecided if I should go for Rab Ascent 700 or the lighter 500 version and addtionally uses thermals and/or blanket such as Snugpak Jungle Blanket

All of the train tickets are booked now !

[meic]

As I said at the start, make sure that you can ride the bike with them on.
They are exceptionally bad with drop bar STIs, where they let the levers slip out as if changing gear when you try and brake.