As part of a holiday in summer we are looking to fit in one proper Scottish epic mtb ride. This would involve camping near the start/finish the night before and being able to camp in the same place afterwards.

To make it a good one it needs to have tremendous scenery, mostly rideable, good tech, good height, rewarding descent/s. Would prefer a circular route if possible.

The group is reasonably fit and skilled and can take long days out.

Which one is your favourite and what are the highlights? Pics if you wish and no trail centres please. A good STW debate about which one is best may be amusing…

Thank you for any helpful input

Beinn a'Ghlo circuit is a good one apart from perhaps the ratio of tech riding is not high ( but there are a few bits) but its a right out in the wilds experience and the scenery is good. 35 ish miles 5000 ft of climb. The highlight is the scenery and the remoteness.

decent campsite in Blair Athol at the start point and a decent pub as well.

Torridon.

Glenmore – Corie Cas – Fiacaill Ridge – Cairngorm Plateau – Ben Macdhui – Loch Etchagan – Hutchison Hut – Larig Laoigh – Fords of A'an – Shoulder of Bynack Mor – Ryvoan – Glenmore.

Glentress Black.

TroutWrestler – what sort of distance and duration is that route?

Mcmoonter – I'll need a little more detail than just Torridon having never been there.

bruneep – your fired!

Stuartie-c took us on a couple of epic loops up in Torridon late last year. I was following him – perhaps do a search – or with an OP title like the above he'll be along in a minute.

Edit – found this http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/where-is-radoggair-with-the-torridon-pics

😉 Thanks, Just trying to keep the trails free for the locals.

Good stuff mcmooter. Want to finish a full days riding in Scotland thinking we have done one of the best. Remote feeling is also good.

All 7 Stanes a la Rob Lee, just drive in between them to keep it mildly sensible.

njee20 – Join bruneep on the naughty step! 😆

Will be out at GT on Sunday as it happens.

i second the torridon routes. best biking i have done in scotland.

The Ben Macdhui ride is probably 25-30 miles with about 1500m of climbing. Depending on your route through Glenmore to Cairngorm Carpark, it can be all off-road. Conditions under-tyre range from "easy" to "quite hard" to "testing" – you will need to carry your bike up at times. The DH is all ridable, but at one but you'll need to be quite brave. I've done it twice and would probably do it again. It is hard on the body.

>we are looking to fit in one proper Scottish epic mtb ride<

None of the above posts bear that description: no tramping for miles over non existent dotted lines, nothing about gloop filled crotch deep peat hags, being swept away by swollen rivers or of being benighted on some hurricane swept Munro. It's just all too easy these days…. ;-(

Loop of Ben nevis, the Mamores and Grey Corries. There's an Epic for you.

Sounds good Heather Bash, you have a route suggestion?

Have you looked at doing a figure-of-eight from Fort William along the west highland way to KLL then up the side of the A82 to Kings House and over the devils stair case back to KLL. Either back the WHW or take the road back to FW. A fair bit of road involved unfortunately which could be mostly avoided using two cars. On google its 100k+.

>Sounds good Heather Bash, you have a route suggestion?<

Sure.

Circumnavigation of The Gorms should keep you occupied most of the day and it ticks all the OP's boxes.

Start / end @ the campsite at Blair Atholl castle or at the campsite in Braemar (both equally devoid of decent nightlife unfortunately)

JON – Don't know if WE will have 2 cars yet, depends who comes along in the end?

Not actually sure what an epic distance is for the group.

Thank you for all the routes – going to look into them all a bit more.

Ben Alder is a good one, nice and self-contained – circular. Features an absolute ball-ache of a hike up from Ben Alder cottage, which is a bonus. Maybe not truly epic enough, though.

One that I know of only by reputation is the Minigaig – Glen Feshie – Glen Geldie – back to Glen Tilt circle, starting Blair Atholl. Maybe someone has done that here? Doable in a full day if you're fit, apparently. The Minigaig is meant to be challenging – could substitute the Gaick for an easier, though longer, outward leg? Think this might be in Kenny Wilson's book actually as a 2 dayer.

2 dayer! – not that epic! 😆

have to say the ride stuartie C took us on over the kilbo was good – depends on the downhill technical ability of your group ….

other than that my favorite 1 day ride is the 75k loop round mount keen,glen tanar , fungle path starting from the campside at the head (not the foot) of glen esk in tarfside- basic facilitys – toilet water and fire wood !

toilet water

?

Did the Torridon circuit yesterday, from Coulin lodge between Kinlochewe – Torridon. Very good, and dry!! The ascent from Coulags –

And the descent to Annat, a superb drop
To make it real epic, you could do the climb from Achnashellach station – we didn't as we had around 30k to do after Torridon.

Loop of Ben nevis, the Mamores and Grey Corries. There's an Epic for you.

+1



Except we bothied out cos 2 of the team were complete novices. Could be done in a day though. 64 miles.