Bikepacking Alone on The Isle Of Arran Scotland

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I went bikepacking solo on the Isle of Arran in Scotland. I attempted to wild camp out near the King's Cave and stayed at the Lochranza Youth Hostel for a night as well. Amazing scenery! ‪@syhahostelling‬ ‪@visitscotland‬
My failed trip to the Isle of Arran in 2021: • When Bikepacking Goes ...
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Routes here:
Day 1: www.mapmyride.com/routes/view...
Day 2: www.mapmyride.com/routes/view...
All music licensed with MusicBed
#bikepacking​ #isleofarran #wildcamping
Time stamps:
0:00 - Intro
2:30 - Day 1 to King's Cave over The Ross
3:02 - Wild camp fail...
4:32 - Day 2 to Lochranza over The String
7:37 - Day 3 back over the mountain to Brodick
8:57 - Summary and BTS

[@ronniehamilton529]

Hi Tom. Just catching up with my substitutions. Great vid. Weather that weekend was excellent. I wild camped near the water front at Sannox and managed to avoid the midgies. Must have been pretty awful in the woods. It was really nice to meet you on the ferry on the way home. Yes, you got my name right, Ronnie. Well done. All the best for your next adventures Ronnie.

[@Cycling366]

Thanks very much Ronnie! Great to meet you too and thanks for saying hello :) All the best!

[@Cycling366]

Thanks to everyone for all the positive comments. Please help me make more videos like this by sharing with your friends and liking and subscribing! All the best :) Tom

[@cdwilson12]

Great video. You've got some serious editing skills and the way you film your videos tells the story really well!!

[@Cycling366]

Thanks very much!

[@stevenwilliamsonscotland823]

Lovely. I spend several weeks on Arran each year and you've captured it very well. Lovely camera and drone work. Recognised every shot. Nicely edited. Steven

[@Cycling366]

Thanks Steven, it’s a lovely place to say the least!

[@KNURKonesur]

About the youth hostel in Lochranza, they didn't have any available beds when we visited in May, but there was a great campsite further up the road closer to the distillery. They had glamping pods so for 2 people it was only a bit more expensive than pitching a tent on the site. The pod had heating, plugs to charge our kit, the communal area had taps, sinks and showers. Highly recommended for cyclists!

[@Cycling366]

Yes I saw that as well, love glamping pods as an option so thanks for the advice! :)

[@aafridi284]

hi tom, saw your youtube channel through your comment on kaite , all i can say WOW your videos omg !!! so therapeutic just fantastic !!!’ keeep it up

[@Cycling366]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate the kind comments :)

[@davidoliver6408]

Don't know why you don't have 100k subs...great videos!

[@Cycling366]

Thanks very much! Let’s hope we get there at some point :) thanks for watching!

[@jimbobjamber9276]

Stunning vlog! The Isle of Arran is Scotland in miniture. Wonderful shots of glaciated valleys.

[@Cycling366]

Thank you! I was lucky with the weather there :)

[@tonywatson8101]

Just found this vlog and thoroughly enjoyed watching your Arran adventure. Myself and a buddy did the north loop (Brodick to Lochranza, down to Blackwaterfoot, then over The String back to Brodick) just a few days after your trip. Weather was perfect all day - loads of seals in the water, eagles in the sky, and even a large pod of dolphins on the ferry trip over. Arran truly is magical. The Cannondale Topstone in Vulcan green fits right in with the landscape too....same bike as mine!

[@Cycling366]

Thanks Tony! Sounds idyllic, it’s amazing how great our wildlife is here too away from the cities. Love the Cannondale, does everything imo! Thanks for watching. 👍

[@phil_d]

Thanks for video and additional BTS info! Really looking forward to my 4 day trip at the beginning of July! We're going around the coast road on the 1st day to Lochranza and then ferry hopping back to Ardrossan. As it's our first adventure trip, decided to B&B for the entite trip!

[@Cycling366]

No worries! Sounds great! Very jealous of that trip. It’s an amazing place for cycling

[@ianbarbar3869]

A very pleasant and informative video. Chapeau.

[@Cycling366]

Thanks Ian, really appreciate the comment 👍

[@cdogensis6392]

Great shots of a great place

[@Cycling366]

Thanks! It’s a beautiful place for sure!

[@paulrobinsoneatlotsgetlost]

I really enjoy watching your videos. Your honesty regarding the ups and downs is really refreshing!

[@Cycling366]

Thanks Paul! Really appreciate it 👍 plenty more on the way

[@fergy1ful]

Great film. Arran is so accessible and has so much variety in such a compact area.

[@Cycling366]

Cheers Mike, yes it’s a beautiful place for sure :)

[@christopherjordan4812]

Hi Tom , how timely was this video. We have arrived today for a week in Arran from Yorkshire. The weather going across on the ferry today was atrocious. Nice to see what it looks like when the sun shines. Looks like you had good weather hope it gets better for us. Excellent video as usual.

[@Cycling366]

Perfect timing! I bet it was a nightmare with those storms. Thankfully I didn’t have any of that. Hope the weather improves for you. :) thanks for watching!

[@TimBleazard321]

Another amazing video, thanks!

[@Cycling366]

Thanks Tim! Really appreciate the comment :)

[@grahampickup9348]

Another great video and a helpful informative format

[@Cycling366]

Thanks again Graham! Glad you enjoyed

[@TheImprobableIronman]

Great video - very inspiring.

[@Cycling366]

Cheers! Appreciate the comments :)

[@johnwright8526]

Stunning film. Thanks Tom.

[@Cycling366]

Cheers John! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment 👍

[@julesh4924]

Awesome!

[@Cycling366]

Thank you as always! :)

[@lovelyjubbly87]

Great footage from your drone, must be a right pain cycling back to collect your camera 😄 Great video though looks very professional, keep it up and you will get very popular

[@Cycling366]

Thanks very much! Yes it’s quite time consuming to say the least 😂

[@TheLewinn]

Another great informative and beautifully filmed. It makes me want to get out and bike pack.

[@Cycling366]

Thank you Neil, you absolutely should give it a try!

[@janicegalloway5636]

Beautifully filmed ❤️

[@Cycling366]

Thank you very much Janice!

[@willarn1]

Awesome

[@Cycling366]

Cheers mate!

[@eisvogel8099]

On our way to Lochranza my mate and I slept along the beach. Just in the open and just my nose stuck out. Yet enough for these little b@stards. Otherwise I love this island. We saw deer and even an eagle. Amazing Arran, wished we could have stayed longer. Thanks for the video, great bike btw cheers!

[@Cycling366]

Nice! Apart from the midges… thanks for watching!

[@Cycling366]

Nice! Apart from the midges… thanks for watching!

[@danalec4742]

Well done 👍👍👍

[@Cycling366]

Thank you very much :)

[@christopherhood9241]

bl00dy awesone. i could watch thi s time & time again. love the piano music byw. counting down to youe dec release :)

[@Cycling366]

Thanks Christopher! Really appreciate the comments. It’s not long to wait now! Film is nearly edited and got one more before then that is a bit different I think will be a good one!

[@lucybeal977]

😊 excellent video

[@Cycling366]

Thank you :D

[@phantomracer1050]

Excellent film and information as always. The Ardrossan ferry can be quite busy with cyclists in the morning doing the 5 Ferries Route. It's a route well worth doing if you haven't already done it. The only bit that's not so great is the final section from Weymss Bay to Ardrossan which can be quite busy with traffic on some parts. However, you could miss this section out and head back to Glasgow from Weymss Bay ferry terminal as there is a railway station right next door.

[@Cycling366]

Thank you! That’s on my to do list as well. Fancy doing something like that in the summer next year. Thanks for watching!

[@KNURKonesur]

Arran is such a gorgeous place to be in. We wildcamped for 3 days there in May and it's been lovely!

[@Cycling366]

Absolutely! Amazing, hope the midges weren’t too bad then!

[@KNURKonesur]

@@Cycling366 no midges whatsoever, we were so lucky!

[@Cycling366]

@@KNURKonesur amazing! Sometimes May can be quiet for midges but other times it’s hell 😂

[@Squilk]

Hi. I moved up near Ardrossan from Leeds this year. I’ve been more of a rock climber and walker and have walked around the mountains on Arran, but I started commuter cycling a few months ago and loving it. I see Arran over the sea every day. As I don’t drive I’ve not actually been around much of Arran but now I’m cycling I will definitely do a bikepacking trip there. With regards to cycling in Glen Rosa, as a walker I have seen in quite a lot. Just by the bench you stayed is the start of a ridge walk called the A’Chir Traverse. People often cycle up there and leave their bikes at the bottom before walking up to the ridge.

[@Cycling366]

Thanks Will, spent many years in Leeds myself but can’t beat it up there for sure. I saw a few runners doing that ridge actually so that’s good to know for future. Thanks!

[@Squilk]

@@Cycling366 No worries. I took a look at your Strava as I was intrigued at what route you took, and realised I was on Arran the same weekend. I tried to wild camp in Glen Rosa and by the time I got four pegs in, I had to flee from the midges. The lesson is, don’t wild camp on Arran in late August. A friend later told me I was an idiot for trying!!!

[@Cycling366]

Yes! Sounds like we made the same mistake 😂 it was particularly bad though from my experience in other parts of Scotland at that time of year

[@SwampyDuckRidesAgain]

Is okay to cycle up Glen Rosa, did you visit Machrie Moor Standing stones? Always worth a visit. Also recommended is the ferry from Lochranza to Claonaig then over the hill to Tainloan then over to Gigha. It’s also worth doing the Kintyre 66 brilliant roads to cycle and Skipness is also worth a visit for the castle and the seafood.

[@Cycling366]

Great tips thanks! I’ve been to the standing stones before just not on this trip. Was beautiful! A few people have mentioned doing the five ferries route which I think I’ll try at some point so will get the ferry from Lochranza then! Thanks for watching :)

[@capturemylife]

See you still have some of my Yorkshire Tea bags left 😉

[@Cycling366]

They’re not yours actually 😂 got them gifted and still got another 6 months worth.

[@newwhittingtondroneboy2723]

Nice video that brings back lots of memories. Does your Dad cycle as well?

[@Cycling366]

Thanks mate! Yes he does. Sometimes do adventures together as well m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGaTnmaLmrVpd6c

[@shuggyrafting8092]

Great video, do you know the name of the BnB that wasn’t advertised online, I do Arran a lot would come in handy if needed to stay over night

[@Cycling366]

Thanks very much, I don’t know actually, it’s been a while and I didn’t write it down.

[@shuggyrafting8092]

@@Cycling366 thanks for getting back buddy

[@alexmorgan3435]

In 2014 I had to abandon a tour around Skye and the West Highlands after only 4 days as the midges were so bad. Swarms and swarms of them. If I ever go back I am staying in hotels or BnBs. Camping is not an enjoyable experience in Scotland.

[@Cycling366]

Oh no! I find it’s mostly a very enjoyable experience peppered with horrendous days 😂

[@michaelmcnamara2228]

Hi you have the right to cycle anywhere in Scotland under the right to roam act.

[@Cycling366]

Thanks for clarifying that! Now I don’t feel too guilty for thinking I’d been sneaky

[@capturemylife]

Another reason to love Scotland!

[@Cycling366]

Absolutely !

[@fergy1ful]

There is no 'Right to Roam act' in Scotland and it's sad that this terminology has come into popular use. There is a 'Right of Responsible Access' under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act, 2003 which essentially gives a right of access, but only with certain responsibilities. Sadly, people are starting to believe they can roam anywhere and do anything which is simply not the case and indeed, it's now bringing into question whether access restrictions need to be applied again. We need to be careful if we are to retain this access as it's not a given forever.

[@capturemylife]

@@fergy1ful that's a shame. We would want to encourage responsibility and generally leaving things better than you found them