Featured Solo-camping Adventure

A shower or two is easy but two days+ full on will need better rain prep.

Funny thing is, some great days can be had on the wet ones!

 

Came back from Tarbert, isle of Lewis on the 06.30 ferry.
It was raining.
Crossed the isle of Skye.
It was raining.
Made my way down to Fort William.
Guess what?
It was raining.
Full change and I mean full change of clothes despite an oversuit on top of what are normally waterproof fabric garments.

Soon after the rain stopped but I'd covered 320 miles of the good roads with only a further 130 miles of the boring bits to home.

In such circumstances rain can be a real challenge over what was a 450 mile day but i was going home. Going the other way would have needed some contingency for drying off etc. and this is where prudent use of a BnB can pay dividends.

Ensure you have a means to charge your phone so you have a library of info at your finger tips (subject to signal of course).

 

I'm taking my trunks to the TT this year. It was a wet year last year, it's a good job I can swim.

 

Oh, I'm really jealous! Are you going to be using campsites or wild?
I've done a bit of camping on the bike but not for years now. It's absolutely the best as long as you get at least some decent weather. Being cold and damp for days on end is really no fun, I don't care how "hard" you are!

 

Piss or pish?
You going all southern??

ps, i'm a piss man myself!!!??

Boy, is THAT statement going to backfire.......

 

Tarbert is on Harris

Useless information time: There are a few ‘tarberts’ in Scotland as it pretty much translates from the Gaelic An Tairbeart as ‘isthmus’ - the strip of land between two stretches of water. More interestingly (to ‘spotters’ like me) was their interest to Vikings because it was often the faster, safer, secret route to haul longboats overland. In 1263, followers of the Norwegian King Haco pulled their boats out of sea Loch Long at Arrochar and across the isthmus to Loch Lomond, from where they sailed south to plunder the freshwater settlements around Loch Lomond. By the way Greta, this was at the end of the Medieval Warm Period. Bleedin’ Vikings with their Evinrudes.......

 

Can't provide the multiple ratings that deserves - like; funny and informative!

 

Pedantic but yes you are right.
Tarbert is where Lewis meets Harris, the inlet (on the North side) is where the ferry goes from.
Ok?

 

Of course it isn't hard or uncomfortable - if you're living out of the back of a van!

 

Exactly!

Plus of course you have transport for a rainy day....... or a pub crawl

 

Hey Frecklechops, just noticed date u/r post, anyway I've started so etcetc.
am also planning trip north, Bealagh Na Ba sounds interesting & also last week in May.
Travelling from West Midlands & plan to look at Snake Pass Glossop, en route camping soon the way.
If u/r still interested could meet for banter/brother as dear old auntie Jean would say,
Stay upright & roll on summer.

 

Frecklechops,
Make sure that tank bag is well secured, especially with those items in it!
Dummy here relied on the magnets to hold my bag in place but the wind had other ideas and the bag blew away, taking bits & bobs and my TomTom.
Enjoy your adventure.
Ken.

 

I've got one of these for those wild camping nights.....used to use it all the time in the jungle, great bit of kit
https://hennessyhammock.co.uk

 

Looks great. I normally take my tent, since most places i go, I haven’t found any good way to hook it up. But would love to try it out.

 

My best biking trips have been camping solo. Non bikers will actually make an effort to speak to you. It restores my faith in humanity. You'll have a great time if the weather is on your side. Top tip...Take a wire coat hanger and a couple of cloths pegs. Weighs next to nothing and good for hanging wet stuff up.