Join me for a mini adventure through the Gaick Pass, from south to north, where I put my fat bike and pack raft to good use for Scottish back country travel.
@@daveoutdoorsscotland2854 Hi Dave, I've watched loads of your videos and been very impressed. Not commented previously, but as one of the older generation (60+) your videos will, I'm sure inspire others to get out and about
@@rbak Hi Robert, thanks for the lovely comment, very much appreciated. I harbour a concern that as we grow older the couch becomes all the more comfortable. Its good to get out and about. I enjoy the outdoors at a slower pace now but relish everyday spent in the hills. ATB, Dave
Kit and I were shouting "grab the camera, Dave" but to no avail and of course we had some wonderful views, so we know why you do so much extra work for us. Inspiring scenery and with wet feet too.
Good morning Kit and Karen, that poor camera has taken many tumbles. The worst is when I set up a distance shot and eventually get back to find the camera lying in the heather. Of course, I have no way of knowing when it actually fell over. I don't review any of my footage until I get home. It would just take too long when I'm out and about, so it is often a surprise to me when I discover what footage I have actually captured. Bugs setting up home on the lens is a common problem in the summer months. I was certainly glad of dry socks when I got to camp. The water temperature in these hill lochs is pretty cold at this time of year. ATB, Dave
Hi Dave excellent trip on bike and pack raft hard work but great weather appreciate what you do and the great Mo when she is with you on trips thank you so much appreciate it.
Hi Mark, thanks for viewing and commenting, very much appreciated. Glad you are enjoying the wee vids. Mo has a bruised ankle just now, so is grounded for a while. She’s on the mend though and manage a short hike today. ATB, Dave and Mo
@@RHJ-29-6 It would have been fun to try a cast or two. I'm a pretty poor freshwater fisherman though. I've fished from the inflatable in the past but I prefer to keep the hooks well away the wee boat. I'm pretty sure the loch would be productive. ATB, Dave
Another great video Dave. Thank you. Anybody want to see a Dave “BLOOPER” video. Uncensored language, of course! Anyway, be well Dave and Mo and keep the blue side up.
Hi Gary, good to hear from you. Hah, a blooper vid might be fun. Most of my bloopers are just me rambling on and on and on and on for way too long until finally I decide to try to get to the point. Not sure it would be good viewing :) Off camera shenanigans might be fun to watch but you’d have to convince Mo to carry a hidden camera :) Keep the blue side up. Dave
@@daveoutdoorsscotland2854 Great video Dave very different and original You show it how it is in the Highlands not easy it's tough I go light but you don't seem to bother about that. Just go loaded with whatever it's a different mindset and good to see.
Hi Dave, it was great to meet you at Calvine. I continued onto the the campsite by Glentruim. A fair old frost the next morning! I continued onto Grantown where I stopped for the night. Next day I decided to head home to Buckie. Great video!
Hi Gavin, it was great to meet you and I enjoyed our chat before I set off. That was a grand effort you put in, with a good distance covered and a fair amount of climbing. And, I loved your bike and set up; just perfect for long days in the saddle. I reckon the frost was a few degrees colder than forecast. I was just warm enough in my spring sleeping bag and the first few km's down the track in the early morn were pretty chilly. I battled a fair headwind from Kingussie all the way back to Calvine and wondered how you were faring. Keep those wheels turning. ATB, Dave
Excellent as always Dave... We are considering a return to the Gaick this year after our snowy adventure a couple of years back... was nice to see the footage a little further on from where we got! - ATB, Tom
Hi Tom, I can thoroughly recommend a bike trip through the pass. I hiked it a number of years ago and found the tracks to be quite rough. The tracks are now very much improved and provide a great surface for very pleasant cycle tour. The section of single track, which runs alongside the loch, would also be ok to ride in dry weather. I guess there'd be some need to a bit of hike-a-bike after heavy rain. I found the river crossings easy enough after the recent dry weather, but did manage to get wet feet. Take a look at aerial view on Bing Maps to get a better idea of the track conditions. There is also the option of going up and over into Feshie. I think I'll do that as a loop though, from the north. ATB, Dave
Very windy some of the week but great to have some ☀️. Another great adventure Dave . Your some man with the cut scenes, most people walk a few feet past the camera.. great effort you put in , and appreciated.
Hi John, yes it has been a blustery week. The ride back to the car, over Drumochter, was tough going, but nice in the sunshine. Glad you enjoyed the vid. ATB, Dave
Sorry I'm late Dave. Watched a segment at the weekend, but never seemed to have time to return for the full outing. Re-watched in it's entirety and have to say, don't think even Spielberg got his feet wet in any direction of his movies, that really is going the extra mile for the viewers. Thanks again, looked a great trip.
Good morning, Andrew. Yes, it was a fun trip and I was blessed with good weather. Its just a grand time of year to be out and about, with no bugs, long days and cool temperatures. I should have worn my waterproof socks for the trip, but seemed to pack in a bit of a rush. It was a cold start on day two, with frozen shoes, but I soon warmed up as the pedals turned and the sun climbed over the ridge line. ATB, Dave
Another belter trip Dave..!!! We do a 3 day cycle from home. (linwood) to inverness which takes in the drumochter pass..!!! Beautiful balsporran cottage is a great overnighter. Dalwhinnie is stunning. +i don't wear a helmet either btw.!!!!!!!!!!
Good morning Robert, glad you enjoyed the vid. It was a fun trip and I enjoyed the ride over Drumochter. That's a good distance from Linwood to Inverness, with lots of climbs along the way. I've never stayed in Balsporran Cottage but am familiar with it, having parked there numerous times when heading into the Drumochter hills. I'm hoping to do a bit more exploration of the cycle track network in the future. The fat bike is not ideal on the paved surfaces so I'm thinking about replacing my old tourer with a bike that can cope with a bit of gravel but also run freely on the cycle tracks. The cycle track network is so extensive now and I enjoy the ease with which you can cover distance. ATB, Dave
That looked a good trip Dave. I’ve cycled into the Corbett(s) at An Dun, and the one near Tromie Bridge, but never pedalled across the Gaick pass. The route forms part of the Cairngorm loop, so it’s on my bucket list for 2024. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Graham, those Corbetts were amongst my favourites when I was doing my round. This trip was my first time cycling through the Gaick (I've previously hiked it in the opposite direction) and I can thoroughly recommend it as a bike route. Combining it with other 'gorm or Feshie routes would make for a perfect longer adventure. Hope you manage to fit in it next year. ATB, Dave
Hi Dave, another thoroughly enjoyable video and I'm glad you put the sequence in at the end to illustrate the extra effort involved in getting such filmic quality video's. With regard to the issue of not having a cycle helmet, I'm going to be controversial hear, I wear one, but being of a certain age I rode thousands of miles before they were a thing, coming off the bike several times as you do if you are fully committed. Back in the sixties as you know, a cycle helmet was a open cage leather contraption which afforded little actual protection. However, modern helmets whilst affording some protection if say; go over the bars and land full square on the crown of your head. The more likely fall is to the side of your head, where the protection offered by a cycle helmet is more limited. On you cycle, inflatable, camping trips, I feel you are more at risk of the boat sinking or tipping you out than a major fall off the bike....... That was a great shot of the adder, I must admit I have seen more of them in my near twenty years living in Scotland, than I ever did when I lived in Kent, which surprises me. 'mI so glad the weather turned out so well for you, especially on the first day. What a monster day that turned out to be, but very satisfying for you. Thanks again for sharing your adventures as usual......... Best Wishes Big Dave
Hi Big Dave, I can only agree with your take on safety. Like you, I've ridden thousands of miles before cycle helmets became the norm. I suppose my concern is for others. As a content producer, I run the risk of people following my lead. I've always been aware that my channel is for entertainment and not education, and have pointed this out a few times. When I was cycling through the mountains of western China, I tended to wear a sun hat (and/or sweat band) for the big climbs and only don my cycle helmet for the big descents. Closer to home, these solo trips on the water are a good argument for a drysuit and shoulder mounted distress beacon, both of which I possess. However, being pragmatic about my safety tells me that it would pretty unlikely for a passerby to happen along at the moment I fell off the bike, out of the boat or indeed collapsed in the hills. So, my safety and well being in the hills is very much a judgement call. I can easily sum up my take on this by stating that I'm happy enough with my own protocols. I actually think I'm fairly risk averse by nature. I can recognise when I'm getting close to the edge. I do realise that I'll often continue a good way beyond what others might regard as prudent, but I do so with caution and a good understanding of the possible consequences. I firmly believe that the rewards outweigh the risks, and if I ever suffer the misfortune of toppling over in the wilds, I'm pretty sure I won't regret a minute of the time spent there. I was blessed with good weather throughout the trip and aided in my passage through the hills by a grand tail wind. Interestingly, my prediction of a crosswind for the traverse of Drumochter proved incorrect. I battled a stiff headwind for 30km, which was strangely satisfying. You're right about the adder; it certainly appears that they are on the increase in Scotland, with sightings relatively common. Some caution is required around adult males during the breeding season, but otherwise they seem pretty intent on taking cover if you happen across one. Glad you enjoyed the vid, and thanks as always for supporting the channel. ATB, Dave
I'm glad you've spoken about wearing cycle helmets... I've destroyed a few over the years falling off my mountain bike(s)... including last Sunday when I fell off & dislocated my right shoulder, ending up at A&E... at least my helmet saved my head from taking a blow... one day someone will invent anti crash suits & stabilisers for mountain bikers... great video, including the bits you don't normally see... P.S.... I'm not looking for sympathy.... I know where to find that... it's in the dictionary!
Hi Big Casey, hope you get better soon. A lad in my village came off his road bike a few months ago and is now recuperating from reconstructive shoulder surgery. I've certainly heard of and witnessed more shoulder injuries than head injuries from bike crashes. An anti-crash suit sounds like a good idea! Glad you enjoyed the vid and hope you can get back in the saddle soon. ATB, Dave
Another great adventure Dave, the end bits show us even more how much effort goes into filming yours and Mo`s adventures no need to apologies re the helmet, sure Mo reminded you on your return. We have all forgotten something, my best was my new GPS, id downloaded the route plotted camps etc only to remember 7hrs into the trip north in the car I`d left it at home. But thankfully I`m old school and had maps too. Take care and more adventures Martin. PS we know Mo`s a genius
Hi Martin, glad you enjoyed the vid. I was kicking myself over the helmet. I always do a mental run through of my gear when I'm prepping and packing. The problem was I'd ticked it off in my head BEFORE putting it in the car. I stick to a tried and tested regime of prepping and packing: shelter, sleep system, cook system etc etc. Its all very simple really, until you forget to collect something that you have mentally ticked off. My favourite seems to be leaving my fresh food in the fridge. The morale of the tale is that 'ticking it off in my head' is not the same as 'packing it my rucksack'! When I travelled for work, I would leave one shoe in the hotel room safe before I went to bed, to remind me to empty the safe of my valuables before checking out in the morning. It worked, I never once turned up for a flight wearing only one shoe :) Your mishap shows the value of carrying backup navigation gear. ATB, Dave ps, Dr Mo is indeed a smart wee cookie :)
