HT550 rider preview

Route preview Part one - Tyndrum to Fort Augustus

Route preview Part two – Fort Augustus to Oykel Bridge

Route preview Part three – the Northern Loop

Route preview Part four - Oykel Bridge to Fort Augustus

Route preview Part five - Fort Augustus to Tyndrum

There’s something about Cumbria …

Interesting bike set ups

And they're off

10 hours in

This year sees the strongest ever field of female entrants in terms of both numbers and depth of field. There are three previous race winners in the event: Jenny Graham, Fiona Massey and Lee Cragie. All three of these have palmares to be proud of. Between them they have taken part in HT550, Arizona Trail Race, Tour Divide, Silk Road race and many more. On top of that Jenny is the round the world record holder. This field should provide dot watchers with plenty of excitement.

The Men’s field is equally strong. This year is the first time that a previous winner has returned to the event. Not just one but two: Liam Glen and Alex Pilkington. Alongside these ‘top tier’ picks is Rich Rothwell who was third in 2018 but would have done better had it not been for a tactical error. 

Amongst the rest of the UK based contenders is Javi Simon who has taken part in HT550 many times and rides singlespeed. Phil Addyman is also one to watch with two top five times in the HT550 and this year he is very motivated. Bryan Singleton is a fast rider but it remains to be seen if he will ‘race’ the event or treat it like a holiday! Steve Large will be aiming to beat his previous best time which was just outside 4 days.

It is fantastic to see such an international field this year with competitors from around the world. It is interesting to see a number of familiar names from last year’s ACT5 as anyone who was able to cope with the amount of climbing in that event should be able to handle the HT550. A special mention goes out to Berten DeCanne who is the organiser of the ACT5. It will be worth keeping an eye on riders like Ben Steurbaut, a fast young Belgian, to see how he copes with Scottish riding. Another dot to track would be Thomas Burbach from Germany who beat Lael Wilcox at the French Divide.  

If the weather stays nice and the ground is dry then we can expect to see some very fast times and I’m sure there are some who will be on the start line who will be eyeing up Neil Beltchenko’s course record from 2017.


The route begins on the edge of Tyndrum and climbs up out of the village following the route of the West Highland way for a few miles before turning east along the edge of Loch Lyon. Nearly all this is on good gravel and is an excellent way to get the legs working. The dots will have trouble keeping up with the riders as everyone will be bunched and making good progress on the tarmac to Bridge of Balgie. Given the slight route change later in this section compared to last year, riders will need to make the most of the facilities here to make sure they have enough with them to last to Fort Augustus.

Riders will be able to enjoy more gravel tracks and make reasonably easy progress as far as Ben Alder where the track will take the riders past the first bothy of the route. This is where the riders will get their first taste of singletrack as they climb up the Bealach Cumhann – once over the col they will be treated to a nice fun descent but the drainage bars that punctuate the track may claim a pinch flat or two if anyone gets carried away. 

From Loch Pattack to Inverpattack riders will enjoy nice doubletrack and if the wind is in the prevailing south-west it is easy for the miles to slide by. However, as riders head north, the Corrieairack Pass begins to prey on the mind. This is the highest point on the route and is a long drag up with a few sharp, steep hairpins just before the top. If the weather has been poor in the run up, it is not unusual to find a bit of snow up there. 

The run down to Fort Augustus is fast, wide gravel. As nearly everywhere in the highlands, such tracks are peppered with drainage bars so concentration is required. Riders who have done their research will know that there is a small bothy just off the track at Blackburn should it be needed. 

Fort Augustus has shops and cafes and as riders roll in they will look out for other bikes leaning outside these outlets to find a bit of company and share stories of the route. Watch out for dots lingering just east of Fort Augustus Bridge as this will mean they have stopped for a huge pizza. Fort Augustus is also the first chance for riders to bail back to the start if they are not ready to face the next stage. It is also the first chance to go the wrong way by following the return-leg line on their GPS.


Leaving Fort Augustus, riders skirt Loch Ness as far as Invermorriston on forest tracks. The route then climbs up to Loch ma Stac on gravel as far as the dam wall. If the weather has been dry and the water level is low, riders will just about be able to ride along the exposed loch bed. If not, then it will be a slow hike-a-bike over the boulderous shore. 

The singletrack after the loch begins to widen out to a gravel track as descends and picks up the tarmac to Cannich. Any riders who are hungry might be spotted just off the trail as the campsite there does decent food. After the tarmac along Strathglass the next date with dirt is the climb from Erchless. This is mostly good doubletrack and opens out onto classic highland moorland. This is another section where the weather can play an important factor in the conditions. If it has been wet then the track will have several hub-deep puddles if it has been dry then they will not be so deep. The track passes ‘the hydro bothy’ which is a concrete hut with no comforts. Expect the lead riders to make it at least this far before stopping on day one.

There is a fast gravel descent into Contin where riders can stock up in the shop and get a take away coffee from the machine in the entrance. There is some very scenic riding en route to Garve and riders should pause a moment on the bridge at Little Garve as the view is quite special. 

The stretch from Garve, via Inchbae, Loch Vaich and Gleann Mor is characterised by doubletrack and vast landscapes. The scale of the scenery is immense. Rider pick their way up vast glacial valleys and with a favourable tailwind you should expect to see dots move fairly quickly up this stretch. 

Towards the end of this, riders will have one thing on their mind: the Oykel Bridge Hotel. You can expect every dot to stop for a bit here as riders will want a hearty meal in their bellies before embarking on the Northern Loop. 


I’ve given the Northern Loop the capital letters that a proper noun deserves as it is often the bit that gives riders the greatest cause for concern. It is remote, wild and with no supply until Kylesku. 

Riding up Glen Cassley is wonderful. The river is by your side, Scots Pine line the road and there are big hills on each side. Sadly it comes to an end at Duchally Lodge where the track heads up. Thankfully it is tarred from the power station up and over the side of Maovally (even though it is marked as a track on the map) as the gradient is steep. After the descent, there is not much time for contemplation before having to commit to the first, real exposed section with proper hike-a-bike. 

 Heading north to Gobernuisgach Lodge is easy(ish) as the track takes riders through the barren Assynt landscape where there is barely any soil covering the bedrock and it feels like an alien world. After turning east riders follow Glen Golly and have to pay attention to spot where the track turns off the big doubletrack if they wish to avoid a downhill detour.
 
The crux of this section is the Bealach Horn but to get there riders have to navigate a steep descent through peat hags with no discernible path. This place feels miles from anywhere and not the natural habitat of a mountain bike. Having hauled, rolled, dropped and lugged your bike down you have to force it up the steep track on the other side to reach to Bealach. At this point it will all feel worth it as you are now heading south and will be treated to a nice technical descent. Riders will have to pay attention here as it is not the place to have an accident. 

Having dropped down into Achfary the route climbs up again before treating riders to a fun, fast descent to Loch Glendhu. This is the first sea loch of the route and it is feels special to have reached the west coast of Scotland. The other great thing about it is that it is only a short way to Kylesku and the Kylesku Hotel. You can expect to see riders going off route here and their dots to stop while they get some food. The breakfast here is expensive but worth it!
Riders should be suitably full of food and ready to tackle the short, steep climbs of the Drumbeg road. The unwary ones might expect a bit of easy riding after having completed the crux of the Northern Loop but they will quickly find this is not the case as the road has no flat tarmac on it. The Drumbeg store owners are avid dotwatchers and keep an eye on race progress. They even offer extended 'opening hours' to ensure riders are able to get supplies to keep on their way. 

The next landmark is Lochinver. If you are lucky, you will catch the pie shop during its opening hours. If you see any dots stopped here then you can be sure they are tucking into delicious pie with mash and gravy. 

The final bit of this section is the Ledmore traverse. This is an extended section of hike-a-bike. The Strava KOM is 2 hours and 30 mins but times in the three – to – four hour region are much more likely so don’t worry if the dots don’t appear to move. Riders should remember to look up as they pick their way through the rocks and stones that make this unrideable as they will see the magnificent Suilven and Canisp on either side. 

Once they pop out on the road it is not far back to the Oykel Bridge hotel. When watching the dots at this point in the race it is easy to mix those of the lead riders having completed the Northern Loop with those about to embark on it such will be the spread of times by this point. 


Any riders needing shelter after Oykel Bridge would do well to press on to the Schoolhouse bothy which is not much further on and quite well appointed. Most of the route to Ullapool is good double track but there is one section in the near Loch an Daimh which is a bit of indistinct singletrack with a steep drop to the left that requires care and attention. In May, the descent to Ullapool is typically covered in vast swathes of gorse and it is a wonderful bit of riding as the technical descent, the sea views and the colour and scent of the gorse all combine in a delightful way. 

You should expect to see most dots stop for at least a short while in Ullapool as it is a key resupply point in this stage of the race and riders will need to ensure they have enough to last them through Fisherfield. 

After a short road stretch riders hit the Coffin Road (aka the Fisherfield prologue). This is a very steep hike-a-bike climb and it is one that encourages contemplation on how much kit is being carried and whether it is all necessary. In the dry, the top is rideable. In the wet, it is a swampy peat bog and heavy going. Either way the descent to Dundonnell is a treat but it is hard to ignore what is about to come.

The route passes the well known Shenavall bothy which is just before the notorious river crossing. It is here that the weather can really play a difference. In the dry, this can be little more than tyre deep but in wet conditions it can be waist deep. When it is like this the dark, black water looks daunting and it takes a degree of commitment to make the crossing. Having got this out of the way, it is time for riders to tackle the steep, rocky Gleann na Muice Beag. This is hard going hike-a-bike and the dots will not be moving quickly here. 
Next up is the postman’s path from Letterewe to Kinlochewe. This begins with a nice double track that quickly peters out and leaves the riders on a narrow track the contours along a steep slope. It is slow going and tough work. Riders will be on and off their bikes and dots will not move quickly along here. They will be glad to reach Kinlochewe if they arrive during opening hours as there is a resupply here. 

After Kinlochewe it is up and over to Achnashellach. Once down and on the road there is time for riders to contemplate what they have just completed. It is the most challenging section of the whole route and combines remoteness with challenging riding and extended sections of hike-a-bike.

The next rendezvous with hike-a-bike comes at Kintail after Dornie with the long drag to the head of Glen Affric. Camban bothy is at the top and it would be a huge surprise if some dots didn’t linger here for a rest or sleep. Glen Affric is the longest in Scotland and takes the riders down a good doubletrack towards Tomich. If a few dots appear to have gone off route here: don’t worry, they have probably gone to the hotel there for a bite to eat to fuel themselves for the pylon climb and the section of General Wade’s military road into Fort Augustus. The descent into town is great and riders will roll back into Fort Augustus with a grin on their faces and most dots will stop here for resupply. 



The eagle-eyed amongst you might have noticed a 'Joe Bloggs' on the TrackLeaders list of riders. James Hayden has recently revealed that he is 'Joe Bloggs'!

This is exciting news for the race as James is a proven endurance racer with two wins in the Trans-Continental Race and a recent joint-first in the [Italy Divide](https://www.dotwatcher.cc/race/italy-divide-2019) race.

It will be fascinating to see how James' endurance racing abilities translate to the Highland Trail and how much benefit the other favourites gain from having ridden the route before. Keep your browser glued to DotWatcher.

'Joe Bloggs' revealed as James Hayden

After the tough, technical and remote terrain that faced riders in the previous section, the ride down the Great Glen should be easy going. However, if the wind has picked up from the prevailing south-west it will get funnelled down the Glen and this will be a slog. Either way, the lack of technical challenge can make this feel relentless with little to distract the mind.

Once Fort William has been passed, riders pick up the West Highland Way again and depending on the time of day, they might find themselves picking their way through streams of walkers heading in the opposite direction. The route goes up and over to Kinlochleven with a nice technical descent to test the nerves and balance of the riders. 

By this stage, riders will start to feel like the end is in sight. However, they have the Devil’s Staircase to contend this. This is a long climb up to over 500m and is a mix of wide track, exposed bedrock and loose rocks. At this stage it takes good legs and firm resolve to ride. Riders have to take care on the steep descent with switchbacks and drainage bars. Depending on the time of day there may well be plenty of walkers to avoid as well. 

All that remains is the final 20 miles or so to the end. Mainly good doubletrack but there is a fast, cobbled descent that will rattle the fillings of all riders whether on full suspension or not. One notable change from 2017 is the addition of a climb just before the Bridge of Orchy which may catch out riders with tired legs. After this the end will be in sight and riders will be keen to make progress and be rewarded with a bouncing dot to indicate a successful completion.  


This year sees 8 riders from Cumbria on the start line. By my calculations (which have not been checked or verified in any way) this makes it the most well represented county on the start line. In addition to this I’m aware of at least four other finishers in the history of the HT550 who come from Cumbria (myself included).

It could be because of similarities in the terrain in the Cumbrian Lake District and the HT550 that makes the county so well represented. Another factor could be that there are so many mountain bikers in Cumbria: some are drawn to settle in Cumbria because of the great trails, others already live here and take up mountain biking because everyone else is at it. Whatever the reason, I’ll be watching the dots of: Jilly Dawes, Rich Munro, Paul Horabin, Fiona Massey, Bryan Singleton, Lucy Noble, Richard Wilson and Stu Taylor with local interest and willing them all on. (I’ll also be wondering who is going to delivering my mail while Rich Munro is on the HT500 as he is my postie.)



Lots of this year's riders are posting pictures of their bikes on Instagram. If you don't already follow [#HT550](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ht550/) then I'd suggest it would be worth adding it. 

It looks like several riders have developed set-ups that will allow them to make use of a dropper post. Some have combined a dropper with a seat pack while others have decided that the dropper is more important than a seatpack and found other ways to carry what would have gone in a seatpack.

There are quite a few full suspension bikes in the photos. While there is more to go wrong with full suspension, they certainly make riding more comfortable and less fatiguing.

Javi Simon is back again on his singlespeed and there are a few other singlespeeders this year. These are light and simple machines. However, I wouldn't like to go through the mental anguish of trying to decide which ratio to fit.

There is even a fully rigid gravel bike in the line up. That will be punishing.

Anyway, follow the hashtag and enjoy pondering the different set-ups and kit choices the riders make. 

If anyone has been riding in England over the past few weeks they will be been enjoying dry and dusty trails. However, things are not the same in the north of Scotland.

Riders who have been doing ITTs have been reporting back that it has been cold and wet on the Northern Loop.

A glance at the forecast above from [Epic Ride Weather](https://www.epicrideweather.com/) shows a very high chance of heavy rain in the next couple of days. This should hit the lead riders as they are doing the Northern Loop.

I wonder if any of them are reassessing their kit choices and packing a few extra layers?

If it were me on the start line I'd be making space for my tent and leaving my bivvy bag behind.

Weather

After riders succumbed to torrential rain within the first two days, the 2019 HT550 had a surprise around every corner of the trail.

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