“This is why I do this.” Your emotions resonate so deeply. I know that feeling and the intense gratitude I experience in these wild places. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

Your videos are the only ones i watch at 1x speed! You have such a good vibe. I’m 39 and into the outdoors and longevity stuff. You are how i want to age!

This route should be called The Willis Trail. Without question, the extraordinary amount of time, effort and sheer passion you have invested in this project should be recognised.

Wow, this is an amazing video showing all the hard work - and joy - that you have put into creating this new route - I can't wait for its name and promotion. 😀🚲

Fabulous. Wonderful to get another long form video with you cycling through glorious countryside.

This route looks really exciting ,Thanks for all the effort you've put into it .

Awesome, what an adventure. Thanks Simon. 🚲

An alternative to the nc500 without cars and other traffic but sensible rideable conditions would be absolutely fantastic! Thank you for your time, effort and local knowledge, really appreciated!

That would be fantastic. I loved riding northern Scotland two years ago. Everything from gorgeous sunny days and two days in a row in the NE where the only people I saw for two days were sheep. The day of horizontal rain and 3 C temperature I could do without again though (fortunately there was a 2 hour sunny spell when I was setting up the tent). Lots of the 500 was nearly deserted, but the bits with multiple caravans weren't as much fun. Looking forward to seeing your route. Very thought provoking.

I’m a similar age to yourself, only a couple of years younger, but obviously not as ‘flexible’ - I need to be able to sit up in a tent so went for Vango’s Helium 1; only slightly heavier & bulkier. And can also cook in the vestibule. Love what you’re doing; last week I rode Fort William to Lochgelly, keeping off-road as much as possible. Basically train-ride-train, also using part of the Badger and Rob Roy.

Thank you... magnificent country and views to make my heart yearn for another visit once more.

Not sure I would have been so blasé about the opening times of the Bridge of Balgie café. Id have drowned in a pool of my own tears if it hadn't been open last week. Also good to see that the climb over to Loch Rannoch isnt rideable by all. Good luck getting the route published.

Enjoyed watching that video Simon. Looks a great route in one of my favourite parts of Scotland. I recognised quite a few bits of the route. Am sure it will get a good following once published. Good luck.

Excellent again!!! The route looks great despite the sections of A road - I appreciate they’re not easy to avoid. The weather definitely looked challenging. Hope you manage to put everything together and get the whole route publicised.

Absolutely love your videos, find them really motivating.

Cars...the main reason I've pretty much gone full mountain bike in my old age.

Inveraray: home of the absolutely best sausage rolls you can buy anywhere! Sold at Brambles & across the road in Campbell Coffee (the coffee is great too). The pies & ice cream available at the Pier Shop are great too.

Oh mate! There is every reason to have a great trail nobody knows about. 😂

Gorgeous country to cycle through!!!👍 I have cycled the California coast and the Oregon coast. Not nearly as beautiful. Thank you for sharing this adventure route!😃🐾🐈‍⬛🍻

This is tremendously exciting. Can't wait until you are fully published and we can ride the route

From Oz … thank you Simon. Among the contenders for your best video. Enjoyed it immensely. Ian.

I'd say of the Vangos the Hydrogen inflatable is the one you want for bike packing. A bit heavier but a lot more useable and packs down really small still.

Sunny Side of Scotland. Such gorgeous scenery, Thank You for sharing

Great video. I enjoy seeing your exploratory rides. Also, I now see the point of a cap under a helmet. Near Settle, rain was stinging my face so badly that I could not keep my eyes open. I had to give up on the day’s ride and hope the following day would be better. A peaked cap could have helped.

Simon - thoroughly enjoyed this video and love the idea of creating a North Coast 500 off-road route. Once you have cleared up any legal implications of publishing it, I think it would be a great idea to ask for name suggestions. I have a few in mind, including The Rannoch 500 Trail…or the Grannoch. Too bad about the A82 section. The trunk roads are awful to ride on and even encountered very inconsiderate speeding drivers on the section beyond Camusnagaul. Thanks for great video.

Really enjoyed that Simon, thanks for sharing. And super exciting about a west coast 500 route feat. gravel 🙌🏼 Have never bothered with the NC500 route because of all the cars/campervans. More than happy to help spread the word once everything is finalised. (we were cycling on Lewis and Harris later that same week - without gloves because its June - and after the rain/hail/strong winds we couldn't feel our hands! 🥶)

I am looking forward to riding your route. Looks like it links places I've always wanted to go, with some places I know very well! 👏

Nice idea, some tricky areas to avoid the crazy bikes and vans! I'll do it with my collie dog (he rides in a trailer on the road sections)

This looks glorious! I enjoy all your videos but this sort of thing is why I follow the channel. I can confirm that the first week (first two in fact) of June was not great cycling weather! We were actually supposed to be camping in Strontian but had already opted to get a cottage on the east coast instead to avoid the midges. I suspect the cold winds would have sorted the midges out but I was even gladder to have proper walls around me.

A great video as always. Your comment about planning a meal with a bit of wind before bedding down for the night would have bounced off this Canadian but now after a couple weeks in Scotland I totally get it Cheers from my current staging area near Inverness

Fabulous video! Great production. Love the music choices too. Would love to ride at least part of that route. Thanks!

Brilliant video and thanks for sharing. enjoy your coffee ☕️ 😊

Thanks Simon. Can’t wait to try it

Hello from another West Coast -- Vancouver, Canada. Looking forward to seeing your route in detail. BTW, the weather here now is much like what you experienced on this ride - cold, wet and the local mountains just had a new coat of snow!!

The NW 500 is on the bucket list, but I’ve heard it’s made difficult for cyclist by traffic and camper vans so this must be a very worthwhile enterprise to get a gravel alternative. (Would Sustrans help?)

If you're going to direct people through estates, you might want to check with the estate owners/administrators first to ensure that they are on-board. Looks like a lovely ride. If/when you publish the route, please list the towns/villages, especially those where food and shelter can be found. Some of us prefer a hotel or hostel to a tent or bivy.

Fantastic route Cheers👍

Another great video Simon. As a fellow route/trail builder I appreciate your work on sorting new routes, its very time consuming but on the plus side you et to ride your bike for miles. Love your reaction to this country of ours. so many parts of the uk take your breath away. I've not ridden a lot in Scotland so you've sown a seed. Just one little comment, it wouldn't be me if I didn't comment on something haha. Throw that BLACK raincoat away and get something bright. Why road cyclists wear black really mystifies me. Nothing like a plate of beans to keep you going and fight off the snow? Crazy weather now. I guess we have to get used to a topsy turvy climate. Well you've convinced me to head north. Nice one Simon. Thank you.

I've just finished planning a 4 county 4 highest peaks route where I live. Only 200 miles but boy it's tough.

Yep…I’ll be riding this. Andy

What about a 'pamphlet' style map on waterproof paper for a reasonable (sustainable) price?

Could have gone up over the Belach am maim and taken the quiet road to Strachur. Quite a big climb over it though. Smashing film. I admire your bravery. Is there a film where you detail your bike kit?

The Big Splash trail.

Great idea!

Don’t be modest! The Willis 500. 🎉

This give me so much motivation. As always❤

The loss of the single track road in Scotland is one of the great and saddest changes, destroying a whole distinctiveness and limit to cars. The cycle camping trips I did from Fort William north in the 1980s had a charm now lost.

I love your videos, having just spent a few days up in Bressay cycling, can you recommend where, if any is the best place to look for cycle routes around Aberdeen/ Aberdeenshire or somewhere we can take the car with the bikes and go for a day? Thank you in advance.

Brilliant Simon - just checking that you are using the fast ferry to Jura or off the island?

❤❤❤

Lucky with the weather - NOT!