YouTube Link to Video: https://youtu.be/-sg2fEuRrv4?si=abQjZoK3aO8ZgDxJ

Inverness → Glasgow (8/05/26 – 13/05/26)

Lets set the scene.

The Badger Divide is a 210 /320km bike ride. It was named after the Baja divide in Mexico.

Very rough terrain, loose gravel, exposed conditions – not just a wee bike ride.

We had in our heads it would be a 5 day trip and we were looking to try out set ups and I was looking to feel like i was in the middle of no where.

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Day 0

Glasgow → Inverness

A full day at work and trying to organise my kit – would only lead to rushing around.

My delivery for tyres and break pads had not arrived in time so it was a mad dash on my lunch break attempting to find a bike store that could help me out.

Thankfully these always workout and I got to the train in enough time.

The crew was Kirsty, Nicky and myself.

Both of who I had only met a week before, the internet can be a weird but great place :)

We arrived into inverness at 2320 and ha about a 30 minute cycle to my grannys to drop the girls off and thrn i was cycling up the road to Mum’s. Making the most of the last home comfrts before going wild for a few days.

Showers, beds and running water have never been so appreciated.

Pit

Deliveries not arriving in time.

Peak

Seeing my bike fully set up for the first time and rolling it to the train station

Day 1

Inverness → just before Corrieyairack Pass

Stats: 77.48km // 7:37 Time// 1,913 Elev

Slow morning to get going, but it was nice to sit and chat with Granny and Mum before heading off. Really grateful for the spread they put on and how they put up with my chaos and make people feel so welcome.

You climb out of Inverness and up to Abriachan – this is not to be snuffed at – some of those first climbs are real heart rate spikers

The first section to Drum is slow – your up and down some steep sharp stuff – and don’t be surprised when you start at 11 and only get there just after lunch having done about 25km of actual course route.

I was already thinking:

“shit this is actually quite far.”

There was definitely a moment of doubt about what was doable in a day.

But the views – and largely the weather – were pretty special.

We bumped into some of the Highland Trail 550 riders at this point – which is insane to consider what they were doing and how – as i write this, the race is still ongoing – with the winner barley sleeping. Real life inspiration and motivation to keep us going throughout the trip

We eventually readched Fort Augustus and had been chatting about our plan to get some food. I had a burger the girls had mac and cheese. We were able to just get in befoe the kitchen closed.. close call.

We had decided it would be a good idea to push on a wee bit out of town to find a spot and that meant a big climb. To our surprise though – this actually felt okay and we managed to reach the hills over Fort Augusts and find a spot.

It was pretty exposed and because it was such a clear night meant it was pretty chilly first night out there.had dinner at Fort Augustus and managed to push on for some extra evening miles before finding a beautiful spot to camp.

Felt very grateful for my body being able to do this.

Pit

Cold feet from sleeping.

Peak

That moment when the hills really started opening up around us and we began seeing the HT550 people out there.

✨ Cheese board.

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Day 2

Café Morale → Loch Ossian

Stats: 69.54km // 7:10 Time// 1,583 Elev

A brutal morning for progress.

We covered something like 14km in 3½ hours.

The Corrieyairack Pass was gruelling but very cyclable – at least in this direction. Long, heavy climbing, but rewarding in that type-two-fun sort of way where it only becomes enjoyable afterwards.

We had some really good tailwinds afterwards, which felt like the universe apologising. We managed to roll through those km’s on the road fairly easily and I was very grateful for my gravel set up – Kirsty maybe less so with the thick mtb tyres on the roads.

We then turned and started to come back on ourselves which meant we had a pretty brutal headwind and rain. We needed a morale boost and with no cafe’s in sight we wet for the next best alternative. – Hot chocolate under a bridge listening to its Britany bitch. We got a little bit warmer – munched on some salted chorizo and managed to keep plugging through loch laggan and onwards to Loch Ossian

By the evening my toes were freezing, again. Wet, windy, cold and I had this sneeze that wouldnt leave me and was consuming quite a lot of energy.

We camped on Loch Ossian, had chorizo pasta, crawled into sleeping bags and I slept for nearly 11 hours.

Completely emptied.

Pit

Cold toes… again.

Peak

Catching Chorizo in the mouth at Café Morale.

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Day 3

Courrour Station → Glen Lyon Hills

Stats: 58.46km // 5:20 Time// 1,070 Elev

Rolling into Courrour Station and seeing the cafe not super busy and with 3 free seats on the sofa made us happier than it should of. Almost child like when the warm coffees and 3x rolls each came to our table.

We sat for longer than we should of and charged our items and health bars up. I took a few brownies for future morale boost pit stops.

I enjoyed the next little section through the back of Glen Coe – it was rough and pretty loose at points but my bike handled it all really well. The sun was also out – not super warm but it was nice to not be getting rained on.

We pushed on until we got to another bridge – this time the wood just felt so warm – so we lay face down for a good 5 minutes.

Navigation Nicky’s Pannier racks had lost a bolt so we sat and tried to figure out a solution with straps – what we landed on was a simple shoe string fix that would see her all the way home.

A decent little road section meant we were able to roll until we found a wee table outside a village hall – we had a through walker for the TGO challenge – JJ – join us and share stories of how many times he had done it and other stories.

Day 3 and showers felt like a distant dream – we all knew we stunk and only occasionally someone would catch a whiff of themselves and announce how bad it was. We found a perfect little spot around 4pm – Kirsty said it was now or never. She was right.

The sun was catching it just right – so we managed to get a wee wash and freshen up which felt good – but time was pushing on and we still had a fair amount of ground to cover – so we cracked on after some brownie.

Towards the end of the night Nicky started feeling rough and we had a pretty nasty climb to finish the day. We eventually found a decent camping spot near the top of the hills and slept pretty well.

Pit

Nicky being sick on the bike.

Peak

• The brownie from Café Morale
• The swim
• Lying fully stretched out on the bridge

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Day 4

Glen Lyon → Strathblane

Stats: 129.39km // 9:39 Time// 1,949 Elev

Yeah – we basically doubled what we had done in any other day!!

We rolled off the hills to a cafe – we werent actually sure if we were going to stop because it only opened at 10 – and we were there pretty early. Anyway we sat and got chatting to a load of people from the Roam Scotland event – and we admired there very lovely and sleek set ups.

When the cafe opened, with there one toilet, we all jostled for orders and queued patiently.

The quiche, coffee and cakes must have done something to us. Nicky jokingly mentioned how far it was to Strathblane – It was now 11am and we had done less than 15km.

We rolled through some of the most amazing scenery, lambs, cows, calves and a not so lovely subtle headwind.

We got to the bottom of a climb and Kirsty asked if she could have a few minutes – I think she spoke for all of us in that moment – feeling a bit beat up.

Once we reached the tp tough we were rewarded with roads and now a tailwind that caried us into Killin.

A quick Pee stop and another small mention of Strathblane. I said i was keen – I have that dog in me. Its part of the fun.

A relatively quick stop at Killin to asses our plans and still no decision had fully been committed to.

We jumped on NCN7 at this point and we were flying – we got to just outside Callender – Kirsty really wanted to go into Callender but we decided, because it was a little off route we had been better heading to aberfoyle.

Another Cheese break sitting on the floor in our waterproofs and this was when we went – lets do it.

More NCN roads and rolling to Aberfoyle for a chippy – in and out in 40 mins – It was now 2030.

Who decides to go for a 3+ hour cycle at 2030!!

It was pretty grey and wet and stepping out to the realisation we were now racing the light and weather made it become pretty real.

A lot of this isn’t filmed because we just put our heads down and motored on – to most people this wouldnt be fun but it was a peak.

when i say pit – you say peak – even when the slightest bit of doubt creeped in.

About 20 minutes from the house we got a puncture, which felt very on-brand at that point. We got the kit out, fixed it and marched on to Nicky’s house.

The thought of warmth anda shower got us there.

Couldn’t really see much at times, but honestly… it was so much fun.

At one point a cow nearly stretched itself across the road. Another reminder that Scotland operates on its own strange operating system.

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Day 4.5

The last stretch

Strathblane → Glasgow

Stats: 21.63km // 1:35 Time// 205 Elev

Last little stretch to Glasgow. We left Nicky to lick her wounds and cuddle Teddy.

Kirsty and I hacked our way through the town roads hopping on and off cycle paths to Kelvingrove Art Gallery.

It felt very reflective – it was a mad thought that we had just cycled all that distance.

We headed to Homemade for a snadwhich filled with different textures and flavours and not packet rice again.

Sat in the University building and enjoyed the sun and peace.

I enjoyed a showeer and started the process of mending my bike, drying my kit and getting it ready for my next adventure.

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Final Thoughts

Trips like this strip life back to basics. You get excited by a bit of warmth and a coffee.

Ride. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

It doesn’t seem like a lot but it does consume your thoughts – its a super basic way of living and makes you very present.

What sticks are the small things.

To be away from it all – without connection at points and to be fully away from the other ‘stresses’ feels so special in a country I have lived most of my life.

I really scratched that itch of adventuring and build some confidence in my outdoor skills.

Peaks

• The quiche
• The cows
• The hill climbs
• Coffee stops
• Shared suffering
• Warm food after long days

And honestly, the decision to keep pushing into the night through the rain and punctures.

So many moments.

🧀 When I say Pit – you say Peak. 🚴