Hi

A spontaneous weekend to Aboyne on the east side of the Cairngorms national park. Go few miles west and you will come across the small town of Ballater where the Queen’s Scottish residence resides. Go further west and you will enter Braemar and the interior of the Cairngorms plateau.

It was the first time we visited Aboyne so we looked forward to explore new trails. It just happened that weekend a cold front moved in bringing welcome snow. The trails we found were mostly double track with a few singletrack off shoots and given the conditions it was fortunate as this made ascending hot work. It made the descents al the more fun though. It is definitely an area we shall revisit given the OS maps showing a network of trails that extend out in to the hills. The quality of the trails surfaces would make bike pack travelling quite fast.

The film is a good reflection on what you will find in the area and the trails you can find there. We explored only a small fraction of the network of trails.

[video]https://youtu.be/boEIG6Q0jGA[/video]

Many years ago I rode up from Glen Tanner (sp) up to the foot of Mt. Keen.
I was with my mum, dad, sister and the friends we were staying with who live in Aboyne.
Dad’s mate had collected a bunch of shopping bikes, some folding, for the adventure.
The aim was to get to the top of Mt Keen, it was quite a long walk in so bikes were the answer. bad weather at the top turned us back though.
Great part of the country, must return with a better bike, I have somewhere to stay!
Nice vid BTW

Ahhh the Fungle…

The Fungle, currently, kinda my local stomping ground….

Sherpa at the start of the Fungle singletrack by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr\

Me too Metalheart( though currently picking off last Munro’s)

Ridiculously, I only found out about the Birse shortcut about 6 months ago.

Previously I always did it as the last part of the Firmounth/Fungle loop…. 😳

I’m only 1/2 hour away so the loop round Baudy Meg (clockwise) is what I’ve done mostly for, oh, the past 20-odd years.

I was on Mount Keen on Monday. Easy ride in to the foot of the hill,change into running shoes and straight onto snow. Really good fun running back down, ice axe in hand. The ride back out to the road was VERY fast…

duckman – Member
currently picking off last Munro’s)

Ooh- how many left? What are they? Plans for a celebration?

Had a great run on Tuesday from Aboyne to Tarfside along the Fungle, and then back via the Firmouth. Lovely day out, must take my bike back there soon.

scotroutes – Member
Ooh- how many left? What are they? Plans for a celebration?

Posted 2 hours ago #

Going to Tongue to do a couple there in the Easter hols, after that I will be into single figures, shite dotted all over the place…eg never been up the Cairnwell (why would you?) Still thinking I will stick on 281, especially after Ms Duck told me that doing that “Sums me right up.” If I do finish it will be on the Angels. I would camp high and climb it on a clear winters morning for the sun rising.
It is all put into focus for me by a mate who is “doing his Munros” and had a guide with him on the AE/Torridon, was lowered down the IP etc. I have taken 48 years to do 271 different Munros (probably climbed 1000 in that time)he pities me because he has done 170 in 3/4 years.
I really fancy the National trail, walking the length and width of the country and seeing the flora and fauna changing would be a bigger achievement/more enjoyable.
Sorry for the thread hijack.

Hmmm. Mount Keen on Monday MAY have ben motivated by ticking… I have two friends planning to complete on Ben More, Mull in early May. Problem is, I had this in mind to complete my second round. Ten to go now, should be possible!

TheDTs: thanks for +ve video feedback. Appreciated 🙂