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Video: Rab Wardell Attempts a Record Time on Scotland's 153km West Highland Way

Dec 3, 2020
by Cut Media  

Stretching from just outside the hustle of Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, to the iconic highland town of Fort William, the 95 miles (153km) West Highland Way is a world-famous, multi-day traverse loved by walkers from around the world.

Rab Wardell has been engaged in FKT chasing on the route since 2011 - this beautiful film by Cut Media, Wahoo and Santa Cruz tracks his attempt at claiming back his record, while also confirming his love for this stunningly beautiful, iconic Scottish ride.

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75 Comments
  • 44 0
 Great effort! On a perfect run I'm sure it could be done faster, so I understand the inkling of disappointment, but Scotland doesn't grant many perfect runs on a path this length. Almost everybody who attempts this path will have to face similar adversity. Dealt with the puncture and the headwind perfectly though. Having the cushscore fitted and the spare wheel ready to go was an excellent example of thorough preparation and giving yourself the best chance of success on game day.

Well done Salute
  • 7 0
 Totally, agree this was awesome and he is an inspiration. I've never wanted to ride Scotland so much as I do now! FOY
  • 11 0
 @landscapeben: This gets me stoked! Cheers!
  • 23 0
 What a ride! and @CutMedia this is an amazing edit. Thank you!
  • 6 0
 Super impressive story telling! The pace and style of this is what sets apart a standard "edit" from a really good piece of film. Really loved it!! Hope to see it at Banff and some other big film fests in the future.
  • 15 0
 16:55 mark "lets make f**kin history" got a lump in my throat !!
  • 4 0
 That was awesome
  • 2 0
 100%
  • 7 0
 Rab, you were one of the guys that inspired me to ride the WHW in a day. I attempted it a few years back and rode it shy of 15hrs. What an amazing effort and time. I know how hard it is to ride that route. I know myself I could ride this faster with less stops, I’m on the ebike for fun these days ???? I’ll attempt it again in my lifetime. Well done on an amazing time, I loved watching your video. You’ve pushed the bar high ????????????
  • 3 0
 Cheers! I'm happy to hear this! Go get after it on the Eeebz!
  • 4 0
 What an amazing edit - for sure it will encourage people to venture to that beautiful part of the world. Staying cool and calm was impressive to watch. Epic looking, great support and lovely music to accompany. Best lunch time video, thanks for sharing your story
  • 6 0
 Cushcore saved this. Good work, this must of been so hard. Hopefully I'll ride this one day
  • 4 0
 Did it? Seems like ditching the cushcore for a thicker tyre might have prevented the sidewall slash
  • 2 0
 @mattg95: difficult call - those janky rocks were a recipe for pinched sidewalls which I've even had on 2ply. Lot to be said for being able to ride out on the cushcore - obvs needs a pit in sensible distance with a spare wheel which is where the luck comes in!
  • 2 0
 Amazing video! Always wanted to ride my bike in Schotland, this trail would be perfect (for a multi day tour with how "fit" I am).

Am I the only one where only the top "Add to favourites" button is working, but the one underneath the article is not? (same with every other article, I use Firefox).
  • 2 0
 Years ago I rode the WHW twice; once over two days with my brother, a second time in ~13 hours through horrible weather. A single day effort requires a lot of fitness, skill and preparation and it remains one of my most memorable days on a bike.
A multiday ride is fairly straight forward with good fitness and the right planning.
Congratulations on your effort and thank you for putting this video together and brining back some very happy memories.
  • 5 0
 What an edit. An unbelievable watch - makes me homesick. Well done to all. Fantastic music from Rura.
  • 1 0
 fantastic effort.......no idea how you covered this distance so quickly especially when im sure that there were so many more grueling bits that were not shown in this edit. Im trying to break a 100mile offroad in a single bike ride and have done 86 (should be 92 but my gps reads short lol) so far which took me a little over 8.5 hours but my terrain has nothing like the elevation that this trail has so massive respect to your ability. i felt tired just watching it lol.
  • 1 0
 Amazing effort and production! Congratulations. Quick question -- I see one bottle on bike, no camelback or anything, and just a small frame bag on the bike. Where does the rest of the nutrition and fluids come from? Do you have stashes of nutrition placed at strategic points along the way? I'm only half way through the film, so if you reveal this in a part I haven't watched yet sorry! haha


(i would love to hear it was just done on 1 bottle though lol)
  • 1 0
 I'll respond to myself Smile ....Looks like i asked my question about 5 seconds before I see you rolling through some support and bottle handoffs. and then of course the part with your mom and dad and bottles and all that.

Question answered!
  • 3 0
 Ive just suggested to a mate we do this, but much more slowly with a couple of tents, and an occasional pub stop.
  • 3 0
 Good job on the ride and video production. Very physically and mentally demanding trek ... not for the faint of heart.
  • 1 0
 As an American I am not familiar with some of these FKT challenges in Europe, so this was a great video, what an amazing trail and effort. I would happily ride that any day over White Rim.
  • 1 0
 Absolutely awesome! My wife and I hiked this 11 years ago. We can't wait to go back. Now I'm thinking we might need to walk it again, and then do it on bikes, too.
  • 1 0
 Great trail that is, though I've only walked it. Will definitely watch the video after work, curious how he tackled the Loch Lomond part, that is hard to even walk at times!
  • 2 0
 Fantastic video! Inspiring, I'm going to go for a whole...2 hour ride this weekend.
  • 2 0
 Oh dear. That looks like a fantastic ride. Must do, although at a more relaxed pace. Big kudos!
  • 1 0
 What is the shoe of choice that balances high performance on the bike and makes it possible to move quickly through the hike a bikes?
  • 3 0
 I was wearing Fizik INFINITO X1's which are a performance XC race/cyclocross shoe. I've been wearing these shoes for the last couple of years for XC and gravel kinda riding.
  • 1 0
 @RabWardell: Impressive, that must take a toll on the feet by the end of the day.
  • 1 0
 Amazing video. Amazing story. A rare moment where I choke up watching a biking film. So good. That’s for sharing and thanks for the inspiration.
  • 1 0
 Hell of an effort, and incredible story telling by all involved! Thank you for putting this out, definitely an inspiring effort... and congrats!
  • 2 0
 Do something stupid do something fun loved it
  • 2 0
 looks mint...what a beast...is there places to stay on route?
  • 3 0
 Lots of places to stay most of the way up. We did it in 3 days and stayed over at inversnaid and bridge of orchy which breaks it into 3 x 33 miles (approx) sections.If you can get the weather and avoid the tourists then its a great experience.
  • 1 0
 @skill7: ace thanks for this. Keen to try it. My wife has walked it. Looks like a good one to do. Cheers
  • 1 0
 @klerric: I've done it over 2 on the bike, by the way campsite in Tyndrum let you hire sleeping bags and hobbit huts so you don't have to carry all that gubbins.
  • 1 0
 I've done it in 2 - makes for a good paced ride with pub grub dinner in the middle, still with reasonably sized days. Stayed over in Tyndrum and used one of the many bag-drop services so we could ride light. Took a pair of running shoes stuffed in camelbak for the walk/scramble above Inversnaid. Some REALLY excellent sections of trail, worth doing in their own right if you can't face the full 95mi!
  • 1 0
 @geometrygeeksbob: Good stuff. Defo gonna look into it...looks ace Cheers
  • 1 0
 Looks like such a cool ride, keeping up that sort of pace over that terrain for that long is pretty nuts!
  • 3 0
 Yes Rab!
  • 3 2
 that was awesome. amazing ride and a really good video edit. could of done with sub titles on some bits...
  • 5 0
 Haha! Sorry about that...
  • 2 0
 What a hell of a ride, and such great storytelling.
  • 2 0
 Well done, Excellent production too!
  • 2 0
 Who has the FKT? Rab or Garry Macdonald? Ive lost track
  • 1 0
 I set the new one on that day. Gary was 9 hours 28 and I was 9 hours 14. I'm sure it can and will be beaten though. Excited to see what happens next!
  • 2 0
 Amazing shift Rab and an inspiring ride. Fair bloody play. Gan Gary
  • 1 0
 What an amazing feat. A really great watch and inspiration to try something mad. More of this please pb.
  • 1 0
 Really enjoyed that, the production quality was excellent. Inspiring stuff and good job on the record.
  • 1 0
 Great Effort @RabWardell very inspiring... I definitely want to give that route a go... but maybe not all in one day!!
  • 2 0
 This is so sick
  • 1 0
 Anyone have an idea of the self supported FKT?
  • 2 0
 Haven't got a clue what FKT is?!?
  • 2 0
 I've actually got no idea. Think I'll have a crack next spring.
  • 1 0
 @jjhobbs: Fastest Known Time

In the hiking/ultra running world, there are supported FKTs (obvious), unsupported (only using commonly available help like stores), and self-supported, carrying everything you need, except water only from faucets/streams etc. I really meant unsupported, but I'm still curious what the fastest anyone's ridden it without outside support.
  • 1 0
 Loved this. Very inspiring. Well done.

What's next?
  • 1 0
 That's the kind of mountain bike content I want to see!
  • 1 0
 Absolutely inspiring. What an amazing effort. Well done Rab
  • 1 0
 #beastmode well done
  • 1 0
 So good!
  • 1 0
 Unreal! OMW
  • 1 0
 Love bikes!
  • 1 0
 Awesome adventure!
  • 1 0
 Awesome watch!
  • 1 0
 Quality content.
  • 1 0
 Very cool, loved it
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