Bicycling in Faroes, Shetlands, Orkneys

Ed T. said:

[posted to rec.bicycles.rides, rec.travel.europe]

Hi;

I'm planning to visit these islands in June: 8 days Faroes, 5-6
Shetlands, and 3 Orkneys. (Wish I had more time in the Orkneys, but
this is how it works out.)

My current plans include bringing a bicycle and using it for at least
short-to-medium sightseeing trips out of the major towns (Torshavn,
Lerwick, Kirkwall).

I have no problems putting in three or four hours of reasonable effort
on the bicycle. I am also not too paranoid about traffic, since I do
commute through downtown Toronto with streetcars (trams), taxis,
delivery trucks, latte-sipping SUV and Lexus drivers who don't pay
attention, etc.

The bicycle itself is a ~1993 Marin full-rigid mountain bike that now
has 1.4" Tom Ritchie slicks, fenders, and a good saddle. I plan to
add small panniers. This is my #3 bike, and I am using it as a
rail-trail, gravel-road, countryside day tourer. (This bike was
replaced by a nicer, lighter front-suspension bike for MTB, and I have
an old Steve Bauer road bike for, well, roads.) I'd have reasonable
bicycling clothing, and also general-purpose clothing fit for North
Atlantic islands (wind and rain resistant).

I have heard that all three island groups are windy. Island roads can
be narrow, and possibly gravel. Also, the Faroes apparently have
tunnels.

1) Are these obstacles all that horrible for a reasonably experienced
bicyclist? I mean, headwinds are no fun, but these would not be
high-speed training rides--I'd just enjoy the scenery if forced to
crawl. The Marin has gears and brakes to handle whatever the slicks
can adhere to (I can mount knobbies, but that seems like overkill).
Narrow roads would only worry me if there was no visibility and
drivers take blind corners too fast. And are the tunnels that bad if
I have front and rear LED lights and reasonable reflective tape?

2) Assuming 10-20 Km/h into a good headwind or uphill, 25 km/h on
flat and windfree, and 30+ km/h dowhill/downwind, with stops for
sightseeing, I think I should be easily able to explore a 20-30 km
radius from my base. Does this sound about right?

3) Are there any nice cycle outings on all the islands, assuming
starting from Torshavn, Lerwick, Kirkwall, that you can recommend?

Thanks!

I've posted this to uk.rec.cycling as well
Jan

"Ed T." <[email hidden]> kirjoitti
viestissä:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[posted to rec.bicycles.rides, rec.travel.europe]

Hi;

I'm planning to visit these islands in June: 8 days Faroes, 5-6
Shetlands, and 3 Orkneys. (Wish I had more time in the Orkneys, but
this is how it works out.)

My current plans include bringing a bicycle and using it for at least
short-to-medium sightseeing trips out of the major towns (Torshavn,
Lerwick, Kirkwall).

I was couple of days in Faroes (Thorshavn) with my bicycle. Olny problem (in
June) was weather: below + 10 C and strong wind all the time.

LaL

in message <[email hidden]>, Jan

(') said:

Ed T. said:

[posted to rec.bicycles.rides, rec.travel.europe]

I'm planning to visit these islands in June: 8 days Faroes, 5-6
Shetlands, and 3 Orkneys. (Wish I had more time in the Orkneys, but
this is how it works out.)

My current plans include bringing a bicycle and using it for at least
short-to-medium sightseeing trips out of the major towns (Torshavn,
Lerwick, Kirkwall).
1) Are these obstacles all that horrible for a reasonably
experienced
bicyclist? I mean, headwinds are no fun, but these would not be
high-speed training rides--I'd just enjoy the scenery if forced to
crawl. The Marin has gears and brakes to handle whatever the slicks
can adhere to (I can mount knobbies, but that seems like overkill).
Narrow roads would only worry me if there was no visibility and
drivers take blind corners too fast. And are the tunnels that bad if
I have front and rear LED lights and reasonable reflective tape?

Cycling on Orkney - I haven't been to Shetland or Faeroe - is mostly
very pleasant. Apart from Hoy there aren't any significant hills; the
roads aren't busy, and the surface is mostly OK; the scenery is mostly
pretty spectacular and the archaeology is amazing. But do not
under-rate the wind. It probably _averages_ 20 miles per hour, and
there are thirty days of gales in the average year. I can't remember a
windless day in the two months I was there.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

2) Assuming 10-20 Km/h into a good headwind or uphill, 25 km/h on
flat and windfree, and 30+ km/h dowhill/downwind, with stops for
sightseeing, I think I should be easily able to explore a 20-30 km
radius from my base. Does this sound about right?

3) Are there any nice cycle outings on all the islands, assuming
starting from Torshavn, Lerwick, Kirkwall, that you can recommend?

You _have_ to see Maes Howe and Skara Brae. There's lots of other
absolutely spectacular archaeology but those two are world class. Apart
from that, it would be interesting to cycle on Hoy (which I didn't do)
and see the Old Man (a natural rock pillar 450 feet high) from close up
- it's pretty spectacular when you look at it across Scapa Flow but
close up it must be unbelievable. Don't miss the distilleries, of
course - Orkney whiskies are my favourite.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
; ... of course nothing said here will be taken notice of by
; the W3C. The official place to be ignored is on www-style or
; www-html. -- George Lund

["Followup-To:" header set to uk.rec.cycling.]

Jan said:

Quoted message said:

I have heard that all three island groups are windy. Island roads can
be narrow, and possibly gravel. Also, the Faroes apparently have
tunnels.

The roads on Shetland are sometimes narrow, but in better condition
and less trafficked than the roads I've found anywhere else in teh UK.

regards, Ian SMith

see; www.highlandhostel.co.uk/orkneysaga.htm

Pete

"Jan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ed T. said:

[posted to rec.bicycles.rides, rec.travel.europe]

Hi;

I'm planning to visit these islands in June: 8 days Faroes, 5-6
Shetlands, and 3 Orkneys. (Wish I had more time in the Orkneys, but
this is how it works out.)

My current plans include bringing a bicycle and using it for at least
short-to-medium sightseeing trips out of the major towns (Torshavn,
Lerwick, Kirkwall).

I have no problems putting in three or four hours of reasonable effort
on the bicycle. I am also not too paranoid about traffic, since I do
commute through downtown Toronto with streetcars (trams), taxis,
delivery trucks, latte-sipping SUV and Lexus drivers who don't pay
attention, etc.

The bicycle itself is a ~1993 Marin full-rigid mountain bike that now
has 1.4" Tom Ritchie slicks, fenders, and a good saddle. I plan to
add small panniers. This is my #3 bike, and I am using it as a
rail-trail, gravel-road, countryside day tourer. (This bike was
replaced by a nicer, lighter front-suspension bike for MTB, and I have
an old Steve Bauer road bike for, well, roads.) I'd have reasonable
bicycling clothing, and also general-purpose clothing fit for North
Atlantic islands (wind and rain resistant).

I have heard that all three island groups are windy. Island roads can
be narrow, and possibly gravel. Also, the Faroes apparently have
tunnels.

1) Are these obstacles all that horrible for a reasonably experienced
bicyclist? I mean, headwinds are no fun, but these would not be
high-speed training rides--I'd just enjoy the scenery if forced to
crawl. The Marin has gears and brakes to handle whatever the slicks
can adhere to (I can mount knobbies, but that seems like overkill).
Narrow roads would only worry me if there was no visibility and
drivers take blind corners too fast. And are the tunnels that bad if
I have front and rear LED lights and reasonable reflective tape?

2) Assuming 10-20 Km/h into a good headwind or uphill, 25 km/h on
flat and windfree, and 30+ km/h dowhill/downwind, with stops for
sightseeing, I think I should be easily able to explore a 20-30 km
radius from my base. Does this sound about right?

3) Are there any nice cycle outings on all the islands, assuming
starting from Torshavn, Lerwick, Kirkwall, that you can recommend?

Thanks!

I've posted this to uk.rec.cycling as well
Jan

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

3) Are there any nice cycle outings on all the islands, assuming
starting from Torshavn, Lerwick, Kirkwall, that you can recommend?

Starting from Lerwick, head south towards Sumburgh. You'll be able to
take in St Ninian's Island which is connected to the mainland by a
beautiful tombolo beach; Jarlshof, an archaeological with Bronze Age,
Iron Age, and Viking remains; and Sumburgh Head which has Shetland's
most accessible colony of puffins. It works out at a 50 mile round
trip, but you are welcome to stop by my house on the way : it's the one
with the garish red roof.

See also : http://www.visitshetland.com/home

HTH

Tim Custard