Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
pq
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by pq »

Well good luck. When I was there it was a bit blowy so the ferry wasn't running - quite a common occurrence apparently. Hopefully it'll work out for you - it looks like a great ride.
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by SimonCelsa »

Just got back from a quick sojourn around the top of Scotland. Started from Lairg and made Cape Wrath on Saturday evening about 17:30. Arrived at the ferry at 13:15 but the ferryman (who had just disembarked a minibus full of Cape Wrath returners) fancied a break and said he'd take me across at 15:00 (nobody else there). Finally got across the Kyle of Durness at 15:45. The track to the lighthouse isn't the best but I made it rather bumpily without any major problems on 32mm Gravelkings (with tubes) and pumped up rock hard to 80 psi!!! Didn't want any snakebites. see image below for bike set up, an MTB would be far superior for the Cape Wrath track but I was doing mainly road riding - off to Dunnet Head, JoG, Wick etc where a MTB would have been a bit cumbersome.

Ferry fare for cyclist is £15 return, I gave him £20 as I thought he wasn't going to go across due to hefty winds that afternoon.

After agreeing to a pickup at 12:30 the following day (Sunday) I was alone on the slipway waiting for a couple of hours. The ferry chap turned up about 14:00........a bit worrying as I thought maybe he'd forgotten!! I think he'd had a few beers on Saturday evening and apparently there were 2 guys who'd arranged a pick up at 14:00 so he was consolidating us all into one ride. I should have phoned him in hindsight, there is a mobile signal both ends of the ferry crossing.

Anyhow, well worth the ride but the real highlight is the Kearvaig bothy, absolutely fantastic spot:

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Tiggertoo
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by Tiggertoo »

It's good to see there is still space for the rider. :)
Couple of questions: Long arm derailluer?, platform pedals?
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by SimonCelsa »

Tiggertoo wrote: 19 Jul 2022, 5:37pm ......................
Couple of questions: Long arm derailluer?, platform pedals?
The derailleur was cheap from Rosebikes almost 10 years & 22,500 miles ago. Think it is the Deore M592 (expensive now). Still good. I think it only came with a 'long arm'.

Platform pedals, I tried spd cleats but prefer to ride in whatever I'm wearing, hence simple flat pedals with good pins. My feet have never slipped off those pedals (kiss of death).

I'm not a great fan of wearing special clothing for cycling and generally prefer the 'bloke on a bike' look. I do the Loch Ness sportif each year and generally get round in just over 3 1/2 hours (67 miles) so can go reasonably quickly if necessary - however, I'd rather just tap along.

Cheers, Simon
Tiggertoo
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by Tiggertoo »

Overall I consider platforms to be the safest option (not that I have any).

I have crashed a number of times and had to take avoiding actions more time than I can remember because I could not unclip either my Looks or SPD's on very steep hills and needing to unclip so I could get off the bike to walk.

The action needed to sidetwist the foot to unclip when I have become stationary on the hill can only result in toppling into the road - as it has. For that reason I dread approaching a hill if I believe I will not be able to make it to the top still on the pedals.

Naturally, platforms are just not 'cool' for a mature roadster, so I have none. :roll: There is a phrase about pride coming before a fall. :oops: :
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by SimonCelsa »

Yes unfortunately an awful lot of our lives is based around 'looks'. Fortunately I'm at the stage where I'm more concerned over function.

I had a friend who received a promotion, he used to enjoy driving his Mini, however his wife convinced him that to be 'taken seriously' by his peers he would need to arrive at company gatherings in a more 'mature' vehicle. He bought himself a large BMW, and her a Range Rover Evoque. I find that quite sad but unfortunately it appears to be the general aspirations of many.

I don't think I'd be hard enough to survive in that remote bothy for more than a few days but I'd rather die trying that than succumb to a life of self aggrandisement.

Incidentally, I also fell off twice whilst using spd's, once as they were new and I forgot, the other time when I rode into very soft grass and came to a grinding halt rather unexpectedly - no time to twist out feet. I could never really appreciate any benefit.

Good job we're all different!!
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Paulatic
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by Paulatic »

SimonCelsa wrote: 19 Jul 2022, 3:46pm Just got back from a quick sojourn around the top of Scotland.
Sounds like a great trip :D
Question, Packing your tent and roll across like you do do you feel it on the back of your thigh each stroke?
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Tiggertoo
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by Tiggertoo »

Incidentally, I also fell off twice whilst using spd's, once as they were new and I forgot, the other time when I rode into very soft grass and came to a grinding halt rather unexpectedly - no time to twist out feet. I could never really appreciate any benefit.

Good job we're all different!!
It would be boring if we were all the same, wouldn't it. :lol:

As for benefits to clip-ins, the ability to spin the chain rings rather than just pushing down. Using the quads and the hamstrings together is how the professionals ride. Not that's me, of course, but it does help. 8)

As for the touring set-up you have, and others also have, I have never gone touring - back packing but never on a bike, and I regret having missed out on one of life's great opportunities for adventure. :(
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by SimonCelsa »

Paulatic wrote: 19 Jul 2022, 8:31pm
Sounds like a great trip :D
Question, Packing your tent and roll across like you do do you feel it on the back of your thigh each stroke?
Surprisingly no, it was a very stable and easy to pack load. I've got very long legs in relation to my height, bit like a spider (but obviously I don't have 8 legs!).

I passed a fully loaded tourer on the North coast, stopped and pedalled slowly alongside him as he pushed his substantial load up a hill. When asked where he was from he replied 'Russia'.

'Oh, better keep that to yourself mate' I replied semi jokingly.

'it's all b***$**t' he replied, don't believe all you hear on the BBC' !!

Passed another couple on a Koga Miyata twin traveller tandem - a remarkably heavy but functional piece of kit - foldable as well, there's one on ebay at present for £1500......sorely tempted but at 29 kg I think it would be too heavy as my stoker hasn't much power.

Koga tandem.png
gloomyandy
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by gloomyandy »

How was the bothy? Anyone else staying there? I had a circular tour planned for 2020 starting from Ullapool and including a visit to the lighthouse, but we know how that year went! I may try again later this year or possibly next. One of the main reasons I want to head out there is to visit the bothy for a couple of days (I visited the lighthouse on the minibus a few years ago), it looks like a fantastic location.
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by SimonCelsa »

gloomyandy wrote: 20 Jul 2022, 11:54am How was the bothy? Anyone else staying there?
Bothy was fantastic, well anything is better than kipping in a Saunders Jetpacker tent (not the most spacious).

There were 2 Austrian girls ensconced in the smaller 'wing' so I took the more spacious main area.Nothing much in the bothy, just a sleeping bench area and a couple of chairs. I think the girls had the more cosy area with fireplace, bookshelf, table and some other pretty useless items. Nothing in the way of firewood and several signs beseeching people not to burn the scant array of wooden handle 'tools'. There are several rooms and even an upstairs area. Strangely, one of the smaller rooms has a hefty sliding lock on the outside - don't kip in there as some clown may lock you in!! The small windows do not allow much daylight in and strangely are on the 'wrong' side - facing the hill and not the panoramic beach scape. I suppose the beach being North of the bothy, the windows are probably on the correct side.

I understand a lady was found close to death in the bothy a few years ago, unfortunately she subsequently passed away shortly after being discovered. Malnutrition apparently, sad: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/dec/11/scotland.

Inadvertently, I initially followed a track to a disused jetty where there is also a small hut. (Marked on OS Landranger 9). Apparently this is normally locked & used by the army to stow their gear, but I found it open. It would be adequate shelter in a pansh**e but is pretty grim generally, with a table, some burlap sacks and plywood firing range targets.

It was a trip well worth undertaking, the track was pretty rough and it would have been better had the ferryman taken me across on arrival. But hey ho, what did Chris de Burgh say about paying ferrymen!! I am currently in the process of applying for membership of the Cape Wrath fellowship - it's only a fiver from the CTC and will make the kids jealous (I doubt very much - the 4 of them are currently all in Cebu, lucky beggars!)
gloomyandy
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by gloomyandy »

That does sound pretty good! I must try and get up there. Is the boatman happy to take a cyclist with panniers etc. over? I know that the service can be a bit hit and miss at times, but I guess that is mainly down to the weather.
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by SimonCelsa »

gloomyandy wrote: 20 Jul 2022, 8:16pm That does sound pretty good! I must try and get up there. Is the boatman happy to take a cyclist with panniers etc. over? I know that the service can be a bit hit and miss at times, but I guess that is mainly down to the weather.
The boat he was using that day was the Beulah, a fairly substantial alloy hull with 75 hp outboard. I volunteered to remove the panniers prior to boarding, and the ferryman affirmed this was preferable. I think the best way to arrange the ferry trips is by mobile phone, I get the impression this is what he prefers. On my return trip when he didn't show up at the prescribed time he told me that I had not given him my mobile number thus he couldn't update me on his plans! I had my phone in 'airplane' mode to save the battery as my hub dynamo / USB charger set up does not charge so well on rough tracks (too slow) and to be honest I didn't think there would be a signal up there.

Here's a link to someone else's trip, there is a picture of the Beulah on there if you scroll down a bit although the geezer driving it does not look like the fella I met. https://www.pannier.cc/journal/beulah-b ... ape-wrath/

Edit to add: without a heavy bike to lug around, there is nothing to stop you walking around the Kyle of Durness to reach the track. It's only a few miles. I did actually think of doing this initially when I arrived and found I had a 2 hour wait. Maybe with a lightweight carbon CX or gravel bike you could sling it on your shoulder and 'hike a bike' across to the track, ride to the lighthouse and back in say 3 hours and then 'hike a bike' back to the main road. It's probably better to take the ferry though!
mattheus
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by mattheus »

SimonCelsa wrote: 20 Jul 2022, 9:19pm
Edit to add: without a heavy bike to lug around, there is nothing to stop you walking around the Kyle of Durness to reach the track. It's only a few miles. I did actually think of doing this initially when I arrived and found I had a 2 hour wait. Maybe with a lightweight carbon CX or gravel bike you could sling it on your shoulder and 'hike a bike' across to the track, ride to the lighthouse and back in say 3 hours and then 'hike a bike' back to the main road. It's probably better to take the ferry though!
Pack-raft.
boblo
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Re: Route to Cape Wrath from Durness ferry

Post by boblo »

there is nothing to stop you walking around the Kyle of Durness to reach the track. It's only a few miles
I did that a few weeks ago as it was too windy for the ferry. I would not recommend it, it's horrible. Several miles of trackless bog fighting with a bike through groughs, over fences, walls etc. There's no riding until you reach the ferry/track just slogging. Did I mention it was horrible? :shock:
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