Linking together bikepacking and bothies in the Scottish borders has been on my hit list for some time. Like most, I’ve always driven straight past the Scottish borders in search of adventure in the highlands. I mean it’s not exactly on the way to anywhere is it! Rumour has it, the gravel trails of Kielder…
First of all, I’m really sorry to all you folk who wanted to read a guide to midweek microadventures, back when we had longer days… you know when we had something that resembled summer! I meant to finish writing and publish this post a lot sooner, but as always, life got in the way… And…
Bikepacking the Austrian Salzkammergut, the final leg on my journey of one thousand miles! From sunny Slovenia, I was greeted by rain and thunderstorms in Austria. The objective was Vienna. From Villach, Vienna was a pretty reasonable distance. But I didn’t come to alps for reasonable distance. I came to the alps to explore. I’d…
My traverse across the Eastern Dolomites brought me to the foothills of the Julian Alps, where I was to begin bikepacking the Soca Valley. I’d experienced remoteness and isolation for the first time on this journey of one thousand miles. I’d ridden in thick clouds, through apocalyptic rain, getting further and further from civilisation. Having…
Part 2 of my journey of one thousand miles, bikepacking across the Italian Dolomites, started in spectacular fashion. Camping at high altitude, not far from Livigno. That night was the night the weather was due to break across the alps. TDF stage 19 had already been abandoned and the bad weather was due to move…
Part 1 of my journey of one thousand miles, across the European alps started in Switzerland. My plan was to ride across Switzerland through the Bernese Oberland & Graubunden, aiming to cross the border into Italy near Livigno. As crazy as a journey of one thousand miles across the alps may sound, it was a…
With a full weekend of sunny weather, I loaded my bike and kit and headed north for a 3 day Lake District bikepacking epic. After the success of my recent midweek mountain bike micro adventures, followed by getting my first 100 mile day ride under my belt, I figured the next step on my big…
Nerves, apprehension, can I do it? All thoughts running through my mind ahead of my first 100 mile day on a bike. Truth be told, I was more scared of failure. What If I don’t do it? It didn’t bear thinking about. All the training I’ve done, through wind and rain. It would be so…