Lucky rain

Sometimes it’s good to feel small! Harri Wilson on her Camino. On escaping the demands of a busy ICU ward. On awe and gratitude. Love it! Wow! Great picture!

Words & pictures by Harri Wilson

With the sky glowering black behind me and the gale chasing me along Loch Shiel, I dashed to Glenfinnan bothy to hole up and hide out the storm.

A huge summer storm was rolling in. The forecast was even wetter than the past two days had been, and extremely wild. I was on day seven of a haven’t-quite-decided how many days bikepacking trip, clearing my head after months working in ICU, and had meandered 400 miles around the glorious off road tracks of the west of Scotland so far. With the sky glowering black behind me and the gale chasing me along Loch Shiel, I dashed to Glenfinnan bothy to hole up and hide out the storm. My tent’s good, but it’s probably not that good. The unusually early stop of 3pm was welcome after a week of long days and endless climbs. My Camino had been fully laden with kit including ten days’ food when I left Glasgow, and I tore through three bars of chocolate like a wild beast as I got a good fire going. Cosy by the gentle embers, kit draped everywhere, I was asleep by 9pm. The rain outside hadn’t relented for 48 hours now.

A famously heavy sleeper, I was wakened at 2am by a banging noise. Stock still in my sleeping bag, I strained every sense. The ear-splitting scraping was the tree that grows above the bothy, bent over by the wind and dragging along the roof. The screaming fury of a Highland storm battered the bothy on all sides, and all at once I felt very, very small. I was acutely aware that this bothy, and the kindness of the bothy culture that maintains it, was probably saving my life. The wind boomed through the surrounding hills, the rain poured, and I willed the roof to stay on with all my might. I was glad I’d brought the Camino inside.

Waking the next morning, the storm had blown itself out, and taken my fire with it. Enjoying the civilisation, I took a slow start and savoured my proper coffee. Leaving the bothy, I tucked a five pound note into the donations box and latched the door tenderly. The deep sense of awe and gratitude had not left me. I descended lazily along the flooded path, and noticed quite a crowd of tourists below the Glenfinnan Viaduct. As I clicked the shutter to take a photo of my own, the Jacobite steam train rolled perfectly into frame. Perhaps it was lucky rain I had on that trip.

Sonder Gravel Series

It’s a joy to spend time with customers at our stores over winter for the Sonder Winter Gravel Series.

The company, the routes, the whole day – just brilliant. And the best thing is, you can ride these routes whenever you like. From all corners of Britain, here are the routes of the this season’s Sonder Winter Gravel Series. And there’s even a special prize if you ride them all!

Keswick:

Rolling Skiddaw

03:42 26.3mi 2,400ft 2,400ft

Heading east on Keswick-Threlkeld Railway trail to Threlkeld village, then climbing up onto the bridleway around Blease Fell and up to Skiddaw House.

Ambleside:

Dungeons & Dragons

03:14 23.4mi 1,725ft 1,725ft

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.

Betws-y-Coed:

ROMAN'S REVENGE

03:00 18.3mi 2,100ft 2,100ft

Head North from Betws-y-Coed into the Gwydir Forest through lost lanes and forest gravel. Get wonderful views of Moel Siobod and hidden lakes on the way.

Bristol:

The GrIt Lush 40

05:22 40.2mi 2,900ft 2,900ft

Expect a huge variety of surface types and conditions, though one thing is for sure: it will be mucky! This is definitely a ride for the winter tyres. All routes available at

sonderbikes.com/gravel-series

Edinburgh:

THE AULD REEKIE RIDE OUT

04:30 30.2mi 2,350ft 2,350ft

Planned by our pals at Farr Out, the Edinburgh round of our Sonder Winter Gravel Series heads southwest out of the city to the Pentland Hills in search of glorious gravel.

Metrocentre:

Tyne Valley wister

05:00 36.9mi 2,025ft 2,025ft

Expect quiet cycleways, field edge tracks, woodland trails strewn with fallen leaves and riverside views on this route, which is just short of 37 miles.

Ilkley: Rombald’s Ride

02:40 18.8mi 1,925ft 1,925ft

This ride out takes in the gorgeous expanse of Denton Moor, heading northeast out of Ilkley up Hunger Hill and up to the summit of Round Hill.

Hathersage:

The Dambuster

05:01 35.1mi 2,950ft 2,950ft

A tour of Derwent and Ladybower Reservoirs, although there’s some riding to the south to begin with, over Offerton Moor and along the challenging Brough Lane.

Build Spec

Frame

EVOL GX EAGLE

Warp speed 140/150mm enduro 29er CORTEX GX EAGLE AXS

Short travel 29er full suspension MTB SIGNAL TI GX EAGLE

Aggressive titanium 29er hardtail TRANSMITTER GX EAGLE

Aggressive 27.5+ hardtail

Hydroformed and custom butted 6061 alloy frame with Rockshox Deluxe Select+ RT rear shock Hydroformed and custom butted 6061 alloy frame with Rockshox Deluxe Select+ rear shock Signal Ti aeronautical grade titanium frame Hand welded 6061-T6 triple butted frameset

FRONTIER NX EAGLE

Hardtail 29er trail bike

6061 Aluminium frame

Fork Rockshox Yari RC Rockshox Pike Ultimate Rockshox Revelation RC Rockshox Revelation RC Rockshox Recon Silver RL

Brakes SRAM Code R SRAM G2 R SRAM G2 R SRAM G2 R SRAM Guide T

Wheels Sonder Alpha 29 Sonder Alpha 29 Sonder Alpha 29 Sonder Alpha 27.5 Sonder Nova 29

Tyres

Features

Goodyear Newton MTF Trail Tubeless / Goodyear Newton MTR Enduro Tubeless Goodyear Newton MTF Trail Tubeless / Goodyear Newton MTR Enduro Tubeless Goodyear Newton MTF Trail Tubeless / Goodyear Newton MTR Enduro Tubeless Goodyear Escape Tubeless Goodyear Peak

Goldilocks geometry – great for bike park laps, big mountain descents and pedals well uphill Metric shock standard Horst link suspension Internal cable routing Down country geometry – XC agility with enduro stability Metric shock standard Horst link suspension Internal cable routing Aggressive trail bike geometry Internal cable routing Thru axle Size-specific chainstay lengths Stealth dropper routing Internal cable routing Chain guide ready Boost 148 rear spacing Internal cable routing Boost 148 rear spacing Triple bottle cages Pannier rack mount 29" & 27.5" compatible

Frame weight

S: 3.3kg; M: 3.4kg; L: 3.5kg; XL: 3.6kg S: 2.73kg; M: 2.91kg; L: 3.05kg; XL: 3.11kg S: 1.97kg; M: 2.0kg; L: 2.1kg; XL: 2.14kg S: 1.99kg; M: 2.01kg; L: 2.07kg; XL: 2.17kg S: 1.84kg; M: 1.9kg; L: 1.98kg; XL: 2.03kg

Wheelbase 1213mm

Reach 455mm 1191m

440mm 1149mm

432.5mm 1169mm

442.5mm 1127mm

420mm

Head angle 65 degrees 66 degrees 66 degrees 65 degrees 68 degrees

Chainstay length 445mm

445mm 425mm 425mm 445mm

DREAM

DIAL GX EAGLE BROKEN ROAD PINION

Capable XC bike for fast trails Expedition titanium pinion hardtail MTB CAMINO TI EKAR

Award-winning gravel bike SANTIAGO RIVAL 22 HYDRAULIC

Reynolds Steel tourer COLIBRI TI FORCE 22 CONTINENTAL TWIN

Titanium endurance road bike Road tandem tourer

Dial aluminium frame with XC-tuned geometry 3Al/ 2.5V Aeronautical grade hand welded titanium frame 3Al/ 2.5V Aeronautical grade hand welded titanium frame Reynolds 631 100% recycled steel, cold worked, air hardened seat tube, top tube and down tube 3Al/ 2.5V Aeronautical grade hand welded titanium frame 3Al/ 2.5V Aeronautical grade hand welded titanium frame

Rockshox Reba RL Rockshox Reba RL One piece carbon monocoque fork Chromoly fork Monocoque carbon fork with mudguard and cage mounts One piece carbon monocoque fork

SRAM Level TL SRAM Guide R Campagnolo Ekar SRAM Rival 22 SRAM Force22 Shimano 105

Sonder Alpha XC Sonder Alpha 27.5 Miche Graff Sonder Nova 700C Sonder Alpha Aero 700c Sonder Alpha 700C

Goodyear Peak Tubeless Goodyear Peak Tubeless Goodyear Connector WTB All Terrain / Comp Panaracer GravelKing SS TLC WTB Expanse

Fast & sharp XC geometry Dropper post ready – reverb stealth port Internal cable routing 148mm x 12mm dropouts Adventure trail bike geometry Comfortable for miles and miles Adjustable sliding dropouts Rack & guard mounts 650B+ ready Expedition geometry – comfortable, confidence inspiring riding position 700x50mm clearance Rack & guard mounts 650B & 700C compatable 12mm bolt-thru axles Touring geometry Full rack & guard mounts Cage mounts on forks Internal cable routing Tapered headtube Tyre clearance to 36mm tyres 12mm thru-axles Full rack & guard mounts Full external cable routing

S: 1.75 kg; M: 1.82 kg; L: 1.9 kg; XL: 2 kg

1114mm S: 1.96kg; M: 1.98kg; L: 2.0kg; XL: 2.2kg

1154mm S: 1.73kg; M: 1.75kg; L: 1.84kg; XL: 1.92kg

1073mm S: 3.3kg; M: 3.5kg; L: 3.7kg; XL: 3.9kg

1063mm S: 2.1kg; M: 2.2kg; L: 2.21kg; XL: 2.28kg Subject to build

1014mm Bespoke

435mm 430mm 395mm 385mm 390mm Bespoke

69 degrees 68 degrees 69 degrees 71 degrees 72 degrees Bespoke

430mm 440-460mm 435mm 450mm 420mm Bespoke

BUILDS

EVERY ONE HAS A STORY. WHAT’S YOURS?

Officially Carbon Neutral