I’m heading up to Deeside this weekend and have Monday free for some biking adventures. Unfortunately I wont have a car with me so I’m trying to plan a one-way route that ends a train station to take me back to Edinburgh.
I’m thinking Braemar to Aviemore, via Derry Lodge, Lairig an Laoigh & Ryvoan etc.

Does anybody know what the conditions are like up there at the moment and would that route be better on skis? Or does anyone know of any other decent similar routes?

I’ve done Linn of Dee to Tilt before, and I’m thinking Geldie Burn to Feshie might be a bit damp right now as well!

Lots of fresh snow on Bynack Mor today and more expected this week.

At the moment it’s too cold to be melting off at any rate but temps are due to hit double figures at the weekend.

The Cairngorm Loop group start is this weekend so they’ll be doing both of those sections Saturday afternoon / evening.

Thanks for the update. I hadn’t seen that the Cairngorm Loop kicked off this weekend. I’ll try and keep and look out for updates on conditions then, but I may just attempt the route through Glen Tilt again as I know the score there.

I’ll likely pop something up here (and on the Bearbones Bikepacking Forum) as the week progresses.

Should be fine, the large snow patches are much higher than that route. The fresh stuff isn’t heavy and should be gone by the weekend as scotroutes points out.

Lairig an Laoigh & Ryvoan

I’m just back from there 1 hr ago, along with a couple o’ laps on the 2007 SSWC trail at Badaguish on the way home. Lots of snow flurries but nothing of any significance lying on the trails, biting cold wind though and the sun was kind enough to pop out every so often.

Braemar through the LAL heading north is a PITA: You will be pushing for 3 or 4 miles, meltwater will make the Fords of A’an crossing touch + go then your descent off the Bynack shoulder has been rebuilt in a fashion to piss off mtb-ers. North to south is much better if conditions allow.
How about going up the Slugain from Invercauld then go down Glen Gairn to pick up the Outer ‘Gorms loop in reverse (some pushing at the Eag Mhor however).

We did Braemar to Aviemore, and back, over a weekend a few years ago.

First day was Braemar to Invercauld bridge, and then North past Cullardoch, along Loch Builg and up to Tomintoul. Then through Glen Brown and the Braes of Abernethy, past Ryvoan bothy and down to Aviemore.

The next day we came back via Glen Feshie and down to the Linn of Dee.

Its a little more than snow patches this morning the snow gates are closed.

braemarscotland.co.uk/snowgate-webcam

Hmm, might reassess my previous assessment of ‘it’ll be reet’!