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bikepacking scotland. 20 multi-day cycling adventures off the beaten track. markus stitz vertebrate publishing softback 169pp illus. £20

bikepacking scotland - markus stitz

though i like to think of myself as one averse to the ugly habit of boasting, i think it a truism that i have made plain my healthy suspicions over the whole 'gravel' thing. though many have attempted to explain, i can still see little notable difference between a cyclocross bicycle and one that purports to the apellation, gravel. someone, somewhere, is probably laughing at us.

that someone, however, is not markus stitz. rarely have i come across an individual whose investment in a singular velocipedinal genre, borders on the irrepressive. those of you who, like yours truly, follow markus on twitter will well know to what i refer. scarcely a day goes by that the edinburgh-based german is not promoting a book, blog, video or event related to the act of riding off the beaten track. not even a year has gone by since his first book (great british gravel rides) and here he is once more, every bit as enthusiastic as ever.

this time round, markus is promoting the activity that i believe may have been invented to support the existence of the gravel bike in the first place (i apologise for my cynicism): bikepacking. it's what was once referred to as touring, even if carried out aboard gravel bikes and eschewing, where possible, the metalled roads.

the author has, to put it mildly, done his homework, and how. with a book divided into geographical areas, ranging from a variation on the country's north coast 500, to the scottish borders, it's hard not to imagine mr stitz travelling nationwide with a broad smile on his face and a notebook in his hand.

bikepacking scotland - markus stitz

"I had my official introduction to bikepacking in 2014 [...] Back then I was unprepared for what lay ahead of me, bit I loved the the spirit of the community of riders that enveloped me."

but before any of the book's readership sets sail towards the hinterlands, there's the small matter of denying any suspicions over the veracity of the bikepacking meme. across several introductory pages, stitz describes "...many reasons for choosing Scotland as a bikepacking destination...", including sections on accommodation and shelter, the outdoor access code, midges, weather, and the fact that scotland's many estates have a tendency to shoot deer at certain times of the year. it may be that the concept of gravel riding is to leave behind the trappings of civilisation, but there are always a few that are going to get in the way.

and then, of course, there's you and the bike: what to wear, and what you might need in order to maintain forward motion. quite why anyone would want to live the free and easy life aboard an e-gravel bike is beyond me, but markus is obviously of a more generous disposition than i. then, assuming you've little inclination to ride from the borders to the start of the north coast 500 (loch carron), there's the not so small matter of how to get to your choice of gravel using public transport. and the author also recognises that it might be a prudent notion to check your agglomeration of bikepacking kit.

"Find the saddle that suits you best, discover the food that makes you happy, check that your waterproofs really do keep you dry and work out what's missing from your toolkit."

bikepacking scotland - markus stitz

some of this might seem a tad obvious, but based on years of experience with touring cyclists and the essentials that few of them seem to have either considered or remembered, it's an aspect of adventure cycling that i doubt can be overstated.

the routes are delightful in and of themselves; it's an adventure just reading and viewing the copious illustrations. and unlike many a guidebook, the included multi-page maps are of a quality that would obviate any need to carry an ordnance survey version, or continually refer to a smartphone app. the sidebars offer brief advice on accommodation options, any other nearby routes, relevant warnings, and where refreshments might be found.

as an armchair adventurer, i cannot verify the latter, but when it comes to dining and supping opportunities on islay, i count myself as a local expert. and it is here that i might point out a difference of opinion. regular readers will be well appraised about debbie's in bruichladdich, the home of the island's finest coffee and double-egg rolls. yet, despite chapter 13, bikepacking argyll's islands describing the parcours around islay, including a route taking in the mixed-use path between bruichladdich and port charlotte, a route that necessitates passing debbie's en-route (probably in both directions), the velo club's favoured watering hole remains totally anonymous.

perhaps the author could update this fact in the reprint? i'm unsure how as to how many local cyclists were consulted on such aspects, but it might be an idea.

bikepacking scotland - markus stitz

that is, however, a minor and entirely parochial irritation which in no way detracts from the excellence of bikepacking scotland. as brief respite from planning a next adventure over the next decade, the author provides spotlight features on riders who have adventured a great deal more than either you or i, such as jenny graham, mark beaumont, alan goldsmith and ross o'reilly. i presume it was only modesty that excluded the author from including himself and his round the world trip on a single-speed.

i'm more than happy to indulge my occasional failed impersonation of wout van aert on my cyclocross bike, and i cannot deny that i have occasionally traversed several of the islay routes included in this book. however, despite my embarrassing lack of a sense of adventure and a thinly veiled contempt for the gravel trend, this is scottish adventure at its best, writ large with a capital 'a' (if i actually employed capital letters in the first place). markus' unbridled enthusiasm for his metier shines out of every page.

highly recommended inspiration.

buy the book

friday 11 may 2023

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................