Annie Le Set Out to Complete the HT550… in the Winter!

The HT550 is a challenging route in the summer, so we can’t quite imagine what it takes to complete it in the winter. Apparently, Annie Le wanted to find out. She’s also raising money for a cause: Bike for Good, a Glasgow-based charity that helps make cycling—and all the independence, freedom and confidence that comes along with them— accessible for all. Follow Annie’s ride tracker below, then scroll down for her statement about the fundraiser and a link to the donation page…

Follow Annie on Trackleaders

Annie started her ride yesterday morning. Follow her on the Trackleaders map here:

From Annie’s Fundraising Page

Hi! I’m Annie, and this December I’ll be attempting to ride the Highland Trail 550 bikepacking route. The HT550 is a 550-mile mountain bike route around the Scottish Highlands that starts in Tyndrum and takes riders all the way up to the north coast and back, through remote glens and over high passes – there has never been a winter completion of the route… yet! At this time of year there will be around 17 hours of darkness each night, lots of river crossings to navigate and hopefully some snow, as well as some of the best scenery Scotland has to offer. There will definitely be rain. Lots of rain. I’ll be riding self-supported, carrying all my camping gear with me and with no outside assistance, although I can buy food along the route I expect to be out for between 7 and 10 nights, weather depending.

I hope that my ride might inspire you to get out for an adventure of your own at a time of year when we tend to be less active and hide indoors. I’m also hoping you might make a donation to Bike for Good, a Glasgow-based charity who do amazing work to help make cycling (and its many benefits) accessible for all. Just £35 can cover the cost of introducing someone to cycling for the first time – for all you cyclists out there, how much value have bikes and biking brought to your life..? To make a donation, click here.

The Highland Trail explores 550 miles of the most rugged and remote terrain in the Scottish Highlands. The route features world-class singletrack and dirt roads with stunning views throughout, but you must put in some serious effort to reap the rewards. The most impressive sections will require some hike-a-bike for even the most proficient mountain bikers. Find the full route guide here.

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