Away to the Glen Prosen hostel with family this weekend. Been issued a 4 hour pass each day to head out on bike to avoid me murdering some inlaws.

I’m selling my Sultan so restricted to using Tricross. Got knobbly tyres on there ATM but can swap out tyres tomorrow.

So my question is would you recommend an off-road or Tarmac excursion in the area? And if you had to choose either what route/loop would you do? 4 hours max mind!

Thanks for any advice in advance!

Anyone? No-one? Not even Scotroutes/Onion/Druidh? Ah well road tyres and explore the back roads it is then…

I’d be heading for the Kilbo Path which you’re basically staying on the route of. I don’t have a link for it but it’s in the Scotland – The Wid Trails Vol 2 guide book.

Or http://www.mtbtrails.info/Trail_Venue_Map_TrailViewer.aspx?VenueNumber=15&TrailNumber=18&Unique=635430928702657422

It shows the start at Loch Muick but you can just as easily start at Glen Clova.

Just noticed you’re on a CX bike though so I guess they’re not really suitable. Not really sure on CX suitable routes. Sorry!

You could go up around Loch Brandy, but it probably is more suited to a mtb to be honest. There are quite a few landrover tracks around that area that would be okay on a CX bike, but unfortunately I don’t have a route anymore, you’d just have to look at the OS map. Alternative do a road ride you could head towards Cairn o’mount or something.

I don’t know the area well, other than the “classic” routes and some of the tracks to the tops. Problem I would say is not a cx bike – lots of the estate tracks are good and quick, but there tend to be some pretty steep bits out of the glens that wouldn’t be so much fun on a SS.

E.g. although the descent to Loch Muick on that route above wouldn’t be great on a cx bike, you could stay on the estate track after the pony hut which is fine. The rest would be OK for CX, but without a decent range of gears and decent brakes (IIRC the tricross is singlespeed and cantis) I don’t think many people would enjoy large sections of it.

I have walked the ministers path between Glen Prosen and Glen Clova, not sure I’d bother riding it, you could ride up to the Airlee memorial and do some exploring. I think I’d stick to the roads, there are some lovely quiet roads around there..

I’d give Glen Moy a go, good estate tracks should be pretty cx friendly. You can get over from near the bridge where the Glen clova road splits but I’d probably ride down to Cortachy and then up the Glen road from there. Head up to the farm and then up the Landy track, the left split heads up and then loops back to the farm. You may have to walk some of the steeper stuff but the track isn’t too rough. You could also ride up Glen Prosen then up the track to the base of the Kilbo, not a long ride but a nice evening spin.
Either way, with the state of the roads up here I’d stick to the cross tyres!

you mean that path on a bike like that bajsyckel

Its good fun to do once and to say ive done it , i wouldnt recomend it though – wont be repeating it – at some points i felt like stybar hopping the bike forward inch by inch over the rocks at the rock slide section.

Im not sure id go up the airlee on a cross bike either – maybe its just the speed we used to descend off it but it was rough on the 29er hard tail.

id do as clubby says also the loch brandy route is Cross friendly as well since it was resurfaced – unless its got really erroded recently.

Lots of great roads round there , just be aware they are full of balloons who are looking at the scenery rather than the road at this time of year !

best part about up there on the cross bike – take a map if you see a track you like the look of follow your nose.

Cheers for the replies folks, it is a geared bike so legs are the only thing holding me back, the cantis are fine though. Think it may be better idea to keep the knobblies on, stick mainly to roads…maybe a wee bit off piste if I’m feeling good/brave enough!

^ Fair play trail rat – I’ve done it on a cross bike but even with gears and discs I probably wouldn’t go back for another go or recommend it to others. I probably set a record for slowest ever descent that day. I don’t imagine getting up there was a barrel of laughs either. I agree with you though, the estate tracks once you get up on the tops are worth following and you can make pretty rapid progress on skinny tyres and drops.

2nd vote for Moy route, well within the abilities of a geared crosser. Up past the dam, round the wee loch and pick a track… up, (and up..) around any lobe of the glen and back down the next one. All good.
Many tracks are not yet on OS mas though, as there’s been a lot of new road building up there to get guns closer to slaughterable wildlife.

Second option, (good from your accomodation base) come back a ways down Prosen on the western side, ride up Glen Uig and right around to Glen Quharity at the base of Cat Law, out onto the road past Balintore Castle and back to Prosen. Works in reverse too. Surprisingly hilly route but all in short sections; outwith Prosen, the loop is about 50/50 road off-road. Castle is worth a look as you pass, partially renovated, mock gothic Victorian pile.
Enjoy.

How come it’s saying 11 posts on the front page but only 8 are ahowing when you click on the thread? I’m sure I thanked everyone for their help about 1/2hour ago???

Oh there they are there^^^ weird…

West from upper Prosen, you’ll also see a track on the map that leads to Backwater reservoir and Glen Isla. Also rideable on a crosser. Return via Quharity and Glen Uig.

Cheers Highlandman, in terms of time, how long would you reckon that kind of loop would take? Ps now tempted to take MTB and worry about cleaning it(and hope I don’t do any damage) when I get back!

Given the choice, I’d be on the MTB every time. That’ll let you do Prosen- Kilbo to Clova and back to Prosen via Minister’s Path in your time frame. The OS map shows a singletrack ascent out of Clova but this is a tough climb (and a fun descent for another day). There’s also a rideable doubletrack climb from Clova, slightly further south on the tarred road; this is a better way to head back towards Prosen.
The Kilbo descent NE into Glen Doll is fairly wild.

Taking the car to Glen Doll, a fast solo circuit of Clova- Bachnagairn- Muick- Capel Mounth is doable, and one of the best 4 hour rides in the UK.
Both are serious routes, so if solo, go sensibly.
The Crosser routes mentioned above are all do-able in the same time frame, @ 4 hours. Less if you’re quick.