Aviemore-Carn Ban Mor-Lairig Ghru and other big rides

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Aviemore-Carn Ban Mor-Lairig Ghru and other big rides

126 posts & 31 voices | Started 1 year ago by lewismorgan | Latest reply from Nobeerinthefridge

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lewismorgan - Member

So Im going to Aviemore In August for 6 days of solid bikjng and are looking for the best trails. We are all relatively fit so are after 3 or 4 all day rides and 2 or 3 quick blasts. Craigellachie in particular looks pretty good, is it possible to bike up it or will it be hikeybikey. Ive seen a video on youtube of a big ride on the Lairig Ghru but how fun is this as i understand there is a lot of walking? and is it possible to leave from aviemore and get back in one day?
Carn Ban Mor is definately on the list and if anyone has any routes of singletrack around aviemore, glenfeshie or rothiemurchus i would be realy grateful. I have memorymap software if anybody is willing to send me a GPX file of a route.

Thanks guys

Posted 1 year ago #
coogan - Member

Carn Ban Mor is a fecker of a climb, but once you are coming back down it, its possibly the best descent I've done in Scotland. Burma Road starts just outside Aviemore, did it last year and it's a cracking wee route. I can't for the life of me remember how to describe it and around it. Me and cynic-al did it last year, was a right good larf. Had two big climbs, but loads of steep, rocky, twisty singletrack throughout it all. And a nice wee section at the end where we think MX riders go, a quite few great options to play on at the end.

Posted 1 year ago #
Kit - Member

This is the Carn Ban Mor route, with added loop on the west side of the River Feshie. I have the GPX file somewhere. If you're fit, with minimal faff, then I guess allow 2.5hrs for Carn Ban Mor and 1.5 for the Creag na Sroin loop. Edit: anticlockwise for eastern loop, clockwise for western, like a figure of 8.

I've got some other Rothiemurcus GPX files, including the AWESOME Lairig Ghru singletrack. I'll try and get photos/map onto flickr soon...

Carn Ban Mor copy by Ginger F0x, on Flickr

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

Cheers Pal Your a Godsend!
Its really appreciated, if its easier for you im happy for you to email me
Lewismorgan10@gmail.com
is the Creag na Sroin worth doing?

Posted 1 year ago #
Kit - Member

is the Creag na Sroin worth doing?

Oh yes!

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Kit! Fancy sending me a GPX? I've never really gotten my head around where the good stuff in Glen Feshie is, the only bits I rode were a little rubbish.

Cheers

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

I can email you the map of the singletrack around bagaduish if you want? i think its frowned upon to post it on here hahah!

Posted 1 year ago #
Kit - Member

I've gotta admit, I didn't find all the great stuff I'd been shown in the past so you might be a little disappointed But we did do the Lairig Ghru, plus some nice singletrack stuff down near Feshiebridge, and the SXC course at the back of Glenmore Lodge (I think). I'd like to make it back up this year to build on my/our exploration last year!

Posted 1 year ago #
gusamc - Member

Hi all

I'm doing Aviemore in Sept, any chance that I could be added to the gpx/route info mails, it'd be much appreciated

Thanks

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Well Kit, I can show you some great stuff in Inshriach (your 'western loop' above just falls short of some of the best stuff I've ever ridden).

Badaguish was great but if there's some sort of contention about it then I wouldn't go aggravating things, seems a bit unfair on the guys who built it, plenty of stuff elsewhere. Plus it only takes about 20 minutes to do doesn't it?

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

Hi Kit

No worries pal thanks for that one of carn Ban Mor anyway. Is Lairig Ghru worth an out and back and is it do-able in a day. How far down it do you go right to braeirach or is that pushing it for time?
We went to nethy bridge last year and did the burma road and ryvoan/sluggan pass before shooting off to go and do the corrieyairack and that. Its such a stunning place we couldn't resist not going again despite morzine screaming at us!
Well we are there August 19-27 so if your up feel free to tag along!

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

Inshirach forest is meant to be a beautiful place, i would be grateful also if you have any routes on this. Best stuff you've ever ridden? will have to make that a definite then! is it technical riding or just a damm good descent?
Your probably right about Badaguish its a special place thankfully everybody respects it.

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

Hi Gusamc
as mentioned im going late august so ill get a flickr account setup so you can look at ur pictures and will email you all our gpx routes before we go

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Lewismorgan, my recommendation comes with a hefty caveat, I spend so much time 'exploring' (i.e. getting lost in bogs) that it doesn't really take much to impress me.

However, Inshriach is basically fast, flowing rootsy and loamy singletrack, of varying degrees of technical-ness.

The best way to do it is to head west of the westernmost point of Kit's route to the top of the wee hill in the forest, think its Creag Dubh or something. There's basically a spiderweb of trails all radiating off the top of that hill, so take some food + water, leave it at the top and session away!

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

Got to put it out there 13thfloormonk
[quote]'exploring' (i.e. getting lost in bogs) that it doesn't really take much to impress me
I like your style!
But thanks for your help i'll give it a whirl

Posted 1 year ago #
stabilizers - Member

+1 for Inschriach.
I finally found it last year. I will be going back for a day again this year. I did't do half the stuff there. Its very easy to come out on the wrong side of the hill from where you think you are. Be prepared to get a little bit lost but you will figure it out fairly quickly.

Posted 1 year ago #
Kit - Member

Yeah we didn't have time to cover the Inschriach trails, but I have ridden them in the past and are great fun!

I don't think there's any contention about the Badaguish trails - Bothy Bikes will sell you a map showing where the SXC route is.

Edit: P.S. my email is in my profile. Anyone wanting GPX files should email me and I'll do my best to get something back tonight.

Posted 1 year ago #
nbt - Member

What are conditions like on the ground at the moment in the highlands? We're up to go skiing next week, and we're debating whether or not to take bikes. Theory is that if the slopes are shut due to bad weather (wind in the main) we'd go biking instead, but then we realised if it's that bad it'd be pretty miserable on a bike too.

Posted 1 year ago #
Stu661 - Member

Was up in Aviemore last weekend and did the Lairig Ghru and Badaguish trails and was surprised how dry it was and after the week of dry weather we have just had some bits will be dry and dusty.

They are doing some trail maintenance at the top of the Lairig Ghru just out of the forest so we didn't get up as far as normal but it's still a great blast back down.

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

With the Lairig Ghru
is it just a case of ride all the way to braierach then turn around and come back ?
everybody says it is a great blast down, is that heading from braeirach back to aviemore?

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

Did you manage to find any GPX routes by the way "kit"
i sent you a quick mail.

Posted 1 year ago #
Kit - Member

Hi Lewis, yes I got your email - just working on the files now!

Posted 1 year ago #
druidh - Member

Kit - Member
I don't think there's any contention about the Badaguish trails - Bothy Bikes will sell you a map showing where the SXC route is.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/trails-at-badaguish-near-aviemore

Posted 1 year ago #
spando - Member

Recon you should check out the ben alder loop

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

The ben alder loop, is there a lot of hikeybikey involved in that?
Druidh, Cheers for that , made a good read! I understand both sides really, mind you spending £540 on bike hire at Bothy Bikes, being given a trail map is quite nice!
But i understand trail builders want the trails and respected, and you would hope all riders would do this!

Posted 1 year ago #
mcmoonter - Member

25 posts and not a single mention of the trail that leads to the Inshriach Cake Shop.

Posted 1 year ago #
Kit - Member

Can anyone else who requested GPX files of Rothiemurcus and Carn Ban Mor please drop me an email?

Point noted re: Badaguish. My first (and maybe 2nd) time riding them was with an Edinburgh MTB group who made no disclaimers about riding/not riding in certain weather conditions, and Bothy Bikes also made no mention about conditions on that particular area (although it was bone dry at the time).

Posted 1 year ago #
Stu661 - Member

lewismorgan - Member
With the Lairig Ghru
is it just a case of ride all the way to braierach then turn around and come back ?
everybody says it is a great blast down, is that heading from braeirach back to aviemore?

I have never been as far as Braierach, I have had a day going via the Chalamain Gap and droping in to the Lairig Ghru, not really worth it once you are in the Lairig Ghru it's pretty flat and quite boggy in parts. You are better off just to head up till it flattens out and head back down.

Glenfeshie is good fun but be prepaired for a long climb that you can see streching out in front of you.

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

I have to say im not a massive out and back fan!
And is that a days worth of riding? So head up, drop in at the chalamain gap and ythen blast back down?

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

Well cheers for all these routes guys
I look forward to what "kit" can recommend me
Cant wait to get down and ride now!

Posted 1 year ago #
AJ - Member

Lewis

If you want a real mountain adventure, have bash at this.
Aviemore,glen enich, coire dondall, breariach, larig ghuru aviemore.

Just shy of 5 hours up but round about 1 1-1/2 hours downs stunning location to boot up and down.

Posted 1 year ago #
lewismorgan - Member

6 and a half right round then
well i tell you what, looked at it on an OS and it looks a fantastic ride, have you done it yourself?
Can most of it be biked?
Thanks for your help!

Posted 1 year ago #
AJ - Member

Yep done it

Alot of the up is fine a wee bit of light scrambling at the head of the coire, once on the plateau 90% ridable.

All but two 10metre sections of boulder fields of the descent is ridable

Please note this is in the mountains and I advise relevant experience in mountain stuff. stay safe.

give me a mail and I'll see if i can tag along, any excuse to do it again.
Andy

Posted 1 year ago #
Kit - Member

Lewis, emailed you back dude.

Posted 1 year ago #
Andy - Member

Thanks all for a great thread Am coming up for my annual van jaunt in the summer when work permits, but this time for 4 weeks and hopefully before midgiegeddon. I was thinking I can spend at least a week riding around the Cairngorm areas, but now I'm maybe thinking two weeks would be better!
Kit ygm about routes!

Posted 1 year ago #