Pushing To Ride - Steve Bate MBE on the Highland Trail 550 (Winter)

In December 2022 Paralympic Gold Medalist Steve Bate MBE attempted a completely self-supported winter round of the Scottish Highland Trail 550 - a 550 mile mountain biking route through some of the most remote country that Scotland has to offer.

Steve is slowly losing his sight due to the degenerative eye condition Retinitis Pigmentosa and had to contend with the worst winter to hit Scotland for over a decade.

His commitment to a self-supported round meant he was camping out overnight in tempertures up to -18 degrees celcius.

With long days on the bike to cover the necessary miles, and so much fresh snow to make large sections of the route unrideable, Steve’s body took the full force of the winter conditions with the attempt finally being called off after four days in Lochinver - his feet succumbing to frost bite - a condition little seen in the UK.

Steve is already plans for another winter attempt.

Supported by Salsa and 45NRTH