http://www.bikeradar.com/routes/?bpath=maps%2Fbike-path%2FArrochar-Loop

My goal is to do more natural riding this year than trail centres, having difficulty figuring out where to go without wasting the limited weekend time I have though.

Yes, on Saturday we did..

Not to much to comment about the actual route as the conditions weren’t revealing the terrain to well for the majority of the loop.

What i can say is the last mile or so is immense fun.

Here’s a brief write up on the ride..

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fighting-the-negative-motivation-in-bad-weather

I’d actually say that the last 3rd is really nice rocky and fairly steep single track. We had snow but I reckon it would be a hoot in the dry. The rest is a fireroad slog albeit in a nice location. I’m not sure you’d actually gain much over a trail centre on that route but I’d definitely give it a go at least once.

Its alright if you like fire road riding. Quite a short loop with not too much technical features until the last quarter. BIG fire road climb then you loose half your height on more fire road then is a fairly steep single track descent back to the car park.
Here’s an old write up of the route.
its worth pushing up towards the cobbler/Ben Narnain if you like descents.

Ardgarten peninsula route is another fire road heavy climb worth doing in the immediate area much better views but its also much longer.

Did it a fortnight ago and the water crossing was a bit of a nightmare because of the snow melt, shoe’s socks and bike over the shoulder and the freeeezing fast flowing water above the knees, quite enjoyed the track back down…few members of our club did it last monday night as a night run..