The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Why not pack your bag and get on your bike in 2018?
We’ve all heard of backpacking, haven’t we? Well, bikepacking is exactly the same, but instead of trudging long miles by foot you can cover greater distances by pedalling.
With the recent rise in popularity of gravel bikes, this form of cycle sport is becoming a big thing and events such as the Reiver Raid (a 200km jaunt around Keilder Forest), which sells out very quickly, are taking it to the masses.
But the spirit of bikepacking is still very focused on the individual adventure. In reality it is, as with many things, nothing new. People have been going on long-distance journeys with their bikes since the invention of two wheels, and cycle touring, especially in continental Europe, is huge.
What makes bikepacking different is the focus on exploring routes that are off the beaten track. In essence it’s bike touring with attitude. Many of the routes require a cross or gravel bike at the very least and some bike companies, like Surly, are producing hybrid bikes that look like 29” hardtail mountain bikes, but are kitted out to take racks, packs and panniers. Another company, Salsa, is making similar bikes but in kids’ sizes. Truthfully, though, you don’t need a new bike to have a go at bikepacking, just a spark for adventure.
Edinburgh resident Markus Stitz is the founder of Bikepacking Scotland and his website – www.marcusstitz.com – promotes events and routes around the country. Originally from Germany, Markus bikepacked around the world on a single-speed bike and, in Edinburgh, created the Capital Trail and Central Belter, two routes that cover a variety of challenging terrain and scenery as they traverse Scotland.
My own introduction to bikepacking was a few years ago when I wanted to go camping with my son. He was only seven at the time and I knew our choices of wilderness camp would be restricted by how far we could walk. He was desperate to head into the Cairngorms and – knowing he could cycle much further than he would ever walk – we packed the rucksacks and bike trailer and, over a weekend, completed a 40-mile adventure from Blair Atholl to Braemar, via Glen Tilt.
Since then we’ve had many more adventures as a family and although our kids are now older and happier to walk longer distances, we generally still take our bikes, as it opens up territory that we would otherwise neglect to visit or travel through.
And that’s really what makes bikepacking so much fun. In an age when we’re getting more and more bogged down by electronic gadgetry, busier roads and a schedule of things to be done, it is nice to get back to a halcyon form of cycling that recalls the smell of campfire smoke.
What could be more wonderful than relieving the stresses of modern-day life for a few days by losing yourself in the great wilderness that Scotland has to offer and waking with a strong, black coffee brewed from water gurgling in the burn that you slept next to?
Join the Blazing Saddles Strava Club at: www.strava.com/clubs/Blazing Saddles Weekend Courier
Where to ride: Glen Tilt Suitable for: Experienced riders with the necessary skills for wild and mountainous terrain
Start: Old Blair OS Landranger 1:50000 Map 43 NS875664 Distance: 24-mile round trip
Description: The majority of the route through Glen Tilt to the Falls of Tarf is on tarmac estate road and follows an initially undulating and later flat route up the majestic glen. The last mile is on a single-track path with difficult sections for riding. You are heading into mountainous terrain so navigation and map reading skills, appropriate equipment and clothing are essential. Heading beyond the Falls of Tarf takes you right into the heart of the Cairngorms and to the foot of the Lairig Ghru. Large sections of this have little or no path and are tough to ride on soft ground.