Roam Scotland Rally Reflections

After a short ride around Inverness on the Sunday I caught the train back to Edinburgh in the company of fellow Roamers Andrew and Tim, and then we caught the same train back down south. We chatted on the way, and after parting at Oxenhope and Preston I spent the rest of the journey reflecting on the previous seven days.

I had no preconceptions about the ride, other than seeing a few videos on You Tube, and was approaching it with a slight trepidation but much anticipation. I was hoping for some cracking scenery, which it delivered in spades. The days were very long, in a good way, due to the tremendous variety of terrains and scenery on offer, and this led to the week feeling very long as well. Edinburgh seemed days away on the Monday! In terms of the weather, the main thing was the cold temperatures, particularly in the latter part of the week. Yes, it rained, but not much, not for long and there was usually some sun to come afterwards to dry you off. The wind was not helpful as it seemed mostly north westerly, and given we were heading north north west for much of the time it was in our faces.

Overall the route was very rideable, with some wet and muddy places, some tough rocky tracks but a lot of good gravel and road. The hike-a-bike sections were necessary, and even if I had to stop pushing occasionally to get my breath it was an opportunity to take in the scenery and listen to the nature. My bike coped with everything I rode on, and gave me no trouble mechanically.

I generally prefer riding in my own company, but meeting with other Roamers on the trail throughout the day, or at cafes or campsites was great, and made you feel connected on the route. Everybody was friendly and helpful.

I dipped out on some challenging parts of the route some days as my body reacted to the efforts during week. I wasn’t disappointed or downhearted about this as I still saw plenty of good things on the route I did take anyway, and it was good to be able to be flexible as and when necessary without feeling judged.

There’s a few things to look at for next time – maybe look at using the MTB setting on my Garmin maps to avoid / reduce navigational issues, and perhaps consider a saddle pack rather than panniers. But that’s not to take anything away from what was an amazing and satisfying week of roaming. And will there be a next time? Oh yes, as long as my health holds you bet!