Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Dick Barrett
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Joined: 17 Jul 2015, 9:29pm

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by Dick Barrett »

As a resident of the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides, I can safely say it's been bloody horrible and I can but feel sorry for the many folk cycling up the Outer Hebrides.
tyreon
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Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by tyreon »

What a decision! My condolences! For myself I cannot cycle for 3 days in pouring rain. No,make that 2. No,make that 1. Yer not going to see anything. Your feet are going to get soaked. You will wonder why you are cycling(cycling equivocation,mental trauma!) I guess I am cycling's Mr Wimp. I am 'happy' to cycle thru a mornings rain(if I have to),but no more. I rest,I go to a café,I call it a day. If you are selling the book or your tv programme: go ahead,tho 'the hard nuts' who would have themselves do such things are usually found sheltering in 5* hotels.
What age are you? What ambition do you have. With drive and fortitude...you will survive...but is it a holiday? Cycling thru very bad weather...very interesting story,but that's all it will be.
If you do go,I wish you well. Please upload any video or shots of yourself in the rain...I will be eating my chocs on my sofa and thinking of you. Unfortunately I have had enough of those 'adventures' as to not want anymore. I go for the soft option,I'm dun!
robing
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Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by robing »

You can wear overshoes, but I agree cycling in pouring rain for several days on the trot is no fun, particularly if you are camping.
cjs
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Joined: 4 Dec 2011, 10:13am

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by cjs »

Last 2 1\2 weeks in the inner & Outer Hebrides.... Camping.... Wet, wet, wet & wet with a good dose of cold air would be a fair description... But it was fine otherwise, the magic and friendliness abounds everywhere... One hotelier on asking if we can camp in the front garden said here, use this room for showers, in fact you just sleep in it, free gratis!... Needless to say our (3) dinner and drink tab was appropriate... Just waiting for the night ferry to Holland, the last 4 days in Essex have been wall to wall sun...
Kind Regards
Chris...
tyreon
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Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by tyreon »

Sitting in a Care Home(Dunroamin!) in a semi circle, would any of us swop our plastic covered easy-up chairs for those blowy wet holidays spent in Scotland...you bet we would! Oxygen++ Cycle riding++ Good views++ The open road++ Decent legs++ Let us count our blessings while we got 'em. Well,this is what I try to say to myself when I'm having a bad trip and it's raining!!
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andrew_s
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Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 9:29pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by andrew_s »

Even in bad years you can luck out.
I had the first two weeks in June for Oban/Uists/Harris/Lewis/Skye/Oban. The weather to start with was horrid so I took my time getting to Oban (arrive Weds evening), and mostly had good weather - a bit windy the first 4 or 5 days, & hot sun thereafter. The late start meant I didn't get to do Lewis, but last time I was there it was horrid in the Uists so I just whizzed through, and nice in Lewis.
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Jimstar79
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Joined: 10 Sep 2013, 10:17pm
Location: Lake District

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by Jimstar79 »

Hi everyone,

Just writing a quick message to say that I am finally back at home after three weeks on the road. Scotland was (and still is!) absolutely incredible!

As for the weather: cycling from the Lake District the weather was glorious; one wet day in Ayrshire, an afternoon in the wet somewhere on the west coast, massive headwinds on the north coast dropping down past Tongue towards Lairg; three very wet days (all day) from near Inverness all the way down to Tyndrum; in and around Glasgow the weather was fine; all the way back to the Lakes not a drop of rain!

I was rescued by random strangers on a number of occasions who generously let me use some of their sun lotion - the only thing I hadn't thought of packing!

When warm and wet I just wore cycling shorts and a t-shirt. When cold and wet I wore seal skinz socks, leggings and waterproof trousers (Lowe Alpine), a not very waterproof 'waterproof' jacket and a thick base layer and an an ultra-lite t-shirt underneath, and was sort of fine.

The one thing that really got me through the bad weather was music. I rode for almost 9 hours from Inverness to Fort William using a lot of the Great Glen Way (over 30 miles of cycling without traffic!!) and listening to music just made the torrential rain have no affect on me. However, the day before I was cycling on roads and couldn't listen to music and I was thoroughly demoralised!

It's a tough cookie riding in the wet but I am not sure if it is any worse than riding into 40+ mph headwinds. During my ride from Durness to Tongue I was cycling downhill in some of the lowest gears I have and was still only going about 8-10 mph, if that!

Thank you for all your 'Good Luck' wishes because I think they paid off!
Last edited by Jimstar79 on 29 Aug 2015, 12:11pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race."
H. G. Wells quotes
tyreon
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Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by tyreon »

When I'm miserable and fed up what I don't want to see is someone grinning and having-the-time-of-their life! Strange! I want to see someone in full wet weather gear(sou'wester and full cape,spats,alongside bike)with rain,HEAVY RAIN,hammering down all around them.
I could look at those pictures for hours! :D

Pleased you had a good break
robing
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Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by robing »

I'm heading up to the Hebrides on Thursday. Outer first, then inner. Hoping for some better weather and I'll be camping all the way!
tyreon
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Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by tyreon »

Pray you get good weather...And I mean it!!

If you don't...picture of yous drenched and miserable by your tent,please. When I'm trapped in my house and it's rainin...I know I'm better off than yourself!! :)
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Jimstar79
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Joined: 10 Sep 2013, 10:17pm
Location: Lake District

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by Jimstar79 »

robing wrote:I'm heading up to the Hebrides on Thursday. Outer first, then inner. Hoping for some better weather and I'll be camping all the way!


Hey Robin,

Great stuff! I hope you get some good weather - if you get the same as me then you'll have a brilliant time. And, if it does rain, try your best to not let it spoil your time. As long as you are warm then being wet isn't or shouldn't be detrimental to having a good time. Being warm and wet makes all the difference! Make sure you keep dry clothes in dry bags <obviously>! I also found listening to music whilst cycling in the rain made a massive difference. You have to keep telling yourself, this is my adventure and I am going to enjoy it - I'm cycling in Scotland, which is far better than being at work or sitting in a house!!

Another word of advice, if you do find yourself in grim weather keep an eye on your rims and chain and try to keep them clean!

Enjoy it, mate!
"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race."
H. G. Wells quotes
robing
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Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by robing »

tyreon wrote:Pray you get good weather...And I mean it!!

If you don't...picture of yous drenched and miserable by your tent,please. When I'm trapped in my house and it's rainin...I know I'm better off than yourself!! :)


Ha ha! I can't say I enjoy getting drenched, but fingers crossed for some better weather in September.
robing
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Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by robing »

Jimstar79 wrote:
robing wrote:I'm heading up to the Hebrides on Thursday. Outer first, then inner. Hoping for some better weather and I'll be camping all the way!


Hey Robin,

Great stuff! I hope you get some good weather - if you get the same as me then you'll have a brilliant time. And, if it does rain, try your best to not let it spoil your time. As long as you are warm then being wet isn't or shouldn't be detrimental to having a good time. Being warm and wet makes all the difference! Make sure you keep dry clothes in dry bags <obviously>! I also found listening to music whilst cycling in the rain made a massive difference. You have to keep telling yourself, this is my adventure and I am going to enjoy it - I'm cycling in Scotland, which is far better than being at work or sitting in a house!!

Another word of advice, if you do find yourself in grim weather keep an eye on your rims and chain and try to keep them clean!

Enjoy it, mate!


Thanks Jim. Do you have a blog or photos of your tour? I'd love to see them. I agree re music, I always listen to it when I'm cycling. I have done some pretty wet cycling in Ireland and LEJOG. So long as it's not day after day. But praying that September will bring some better weather. Driving to Oban then Outer Hebrides first, Skye-Ardnamurchan-Mull. I know the Inner Hebrides and Mull in particular very well, but never been to the Outer Hebrides. Really looking forward to it, should be quieter at least now the schools gone back (actually they go back earlier in Scotland anyway), and should be quite relaxed in terms of mileage, aiming for about average of 35 miles a day.
sultzer
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Joined: 15 Apr 2015, 8:39am

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by sultzer »

rualexander wrote:July and August are rarely very good months to cycle or camp in Scotland (especially the west), the last two summers were exceptions, much better to go in May, June, or September, although this year even they were pretty poor, April was quite good though.
If I were you, I'd wait until September if possible, less midgies then too.

yip may , or june my best bet , but you will never know here
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pacalbalan
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Joined: 12 Aug 2015, 6:38pm

Re: Scottish weather has me freaked out!

Post by pacalbalan »

Jim's absolutely right about keeping warm and dry in the wet. I'd add a good pair of sealskinz (waterproof) gloves to that as well, nothing better than warm dry hands, you can cycle forever like that, good waterproofs and warm hards! http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... ves-33648/
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