It's been one heck of a weekend - glorious sunshine had me and my friend Anneka heading west once more, to tackle my very first mountain, the one and only Tryfan in Snowdonia. We initially planned to do the south ridge to the summit, but the conditions were so close to perfect we decided to go all guns blazing and succeeded in tackling the north ridge...maybe not the most sensible of choices for my first one, but it has most definitely awoken a thirst for mountain climbing that I fully intend to quench...
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| Atop the summit of Tryfan |
But anyhow, let's get on to the important news: the next adventure!
Last year had me cantering around my home county of Shropshire, enjoying the highs and lows of training and completing my first ultra. It was an incredible experience, and one that taught me a great deal about myself.
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| Top of Titterstone Clee |
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| Diva time outside Haughmond Abbey |
But for this trip, I am bringing my trusty steed back to the forefront. It will not be a purest pedal; rather, I intend to bring together my experiences of trail running and incorporate it into a more rounded tour, reducing the daily mileage slightly, and allowing myself to do some local exploring off-road as I travel.
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| Out a-pedalling once more! |
But where to, I hear you cry?
Well, I have a month to play with. And as it is so soon, I have decided to resurrect an old trip idea that I banked a while ago...
And as the stay-cation is the current de-rigeur of adventure travelling, I am pleased to introduce.....
Home to the Hebrides!
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| Hurrayyyyy!! Adventure time! |
I plan to spend time pedalling from my door in Shropshire, wending my way through the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Lakes, into Scotland and island-hopping my way through the Western Isles.
I have wanted to explore the Hebrides ever since I went to university - my Scottish friends still wax lyrical about the wild and raw beauty of the Hebrides, alongside Mull, Ardnamurchan and Skye. Yet the furthest west I've been in that part of the world is Oban, which is beautiful in its own right, but I would love to head out with my bicycle and spend some time exploring.
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| Enjoy this map of Scotland so you have an idea of where I'll be heading... www.freeworldmaps.net |
But I also wanted to enjoy the journey to get to the Isles so rather than simply hopping on a train, I'm excited to get out and explore a little more of what England has to offer.
And now, it feels like the right time to do it.
So there we go. The seeds of adventure have started sprouting roots, and the shoots are beginning to emerge through the soil. I'm excited to have a goal to work towards, something that will keep me motivated through these next few months. I'm looking forward to sharing some of the planning and training elements of the trip with you along the way, as well as keeping you up to date with the actual trip.
If anyone has any suggestions for places to explore, they are always appreciated!!
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