I’m trying to put a plan together for a Cairngorm mini-tour next spring…

I’ve seen one of the guided offerings does

Day 1: Linn of Dee to Aviemore
Day 2: Aviemore to Braemar via Ben Macdui
Day 3: Braemar to Blair Atholl

I’ve had a good look at the OS Maps and wondered if it goes something like this…

Day 1:
Linn of Dee
Corrour Bothy via either Glen Lui or Glen Dee
Along Lairig Ghru up to the Pools of Dee and down towards Rothiemurchus
Under Lurchers crag you could either carry on NW and head directly to Aviemore of climb to the NE through a gorge and descend into Glen More

Day 2:
Ski Centre
Miadan Creag an Leth-choin to 1083
Lochan Buidhe
Ben Macdui
Loch Etchachan
Glen Derry
Glen Lui
Braemar

Day 3:
Braemar
Linn of Dee
Glen Tilt
Blair Atholl

Any local knowledge to refine the route would be greatly appreciated?

Also any suggestions of bike-friendly accommodation and/or advice on politics of riding in the Cairngorm?

Try Cycle Chat.

Day 1. Unlikely.
More likely to go west to Feshie & Rothiemurchus, finishing your day on the bothy trail past Jack Drake’s.

Day 2 Pretty close- best route up is to go to the ski area car park then straight across the base of Sneachda and on across the base of Coire an lochan on the obvious built trail. Then up onto the west shoulder of Cairn Lochan, stay on the west side and head for MacDhui’s little saddle between north & south top; then to the summit cairn and head east past the observatory to pick up the Sputtan Dearg/Etchachan trail.

Day 3. Great stuff and actually quite a short day.. Strong groups have been known to roll 2 & 3 into one really big ole’ day out.

Accommodation: Glenmore Lodge national outdoor centre does fair priced D, B&B when they have capacity plus sells Cairngorm beers. Saves dropping down to Aviemore and then having to climb back up again next morning. There’s an SYHA place nearby too. Or go to Aviemore, with loads of options for bed & food. None awful….

Politics: stay safe out there. These are big hills where an accident could quickly become serious and there are wide areas with no phone coverage.
Otherwise, enjoy much.

Colin, Druidh, Scotroutes…

Being a local, he’ll be able to help out..

Day 1 – don’t even think about heading through the Lairig Ghru with a bike. The alternative through Geldie/Feshie can be a boggy nightmare for a few km at the watershed. The wee gorge you are referring to (Chalamain Gap) works much better in the opposite direction now that the trail has been improved.

Day 2 – fine – but the advice above is better.

Day 3 – easy day. You could extend it by heading up the path opposite the falls of Tarf and past Fealar Lodge using the Cairngorm Loop route.

“Politics”? none.

Spring can mean a lot of snow higher up and you could struggle to get across the plateau. Best to have a low-level option.

If the snow melts, expect rivers to be high. Crossing the Geldie can be difficult.

if i went on a guided holiday in the area and they took me through the larig ghru with my bike – i would take them to the cashpoint in aviemore and demand my money back.

Post again nearer the time and you can have an up-to-date assessment of the ground conditions

I’ve heard of people taking a bike through the Lairig ghru, never heard of anyone doing it twice.

* raises hand * 😳

You may well blush 🙂

The wee gorge you are referring to (Chalamain Gap) works much better in the opposite direction now that the trail has been improved.

Could barely walk through it last time I was there. A bike would have been thrown off a rock in a tantrum.

Not my pic

Aye – it’s still a carry through the gap itself but the path down to the Lairig Ghru has been much improved of late – in a good way!

An alternative is a short carry above the boulder field (on the Creag Chalamain side). Many folks with dogs go this way too.

Many thanks all. I will have another look at the maps and piece together the suggested updates. I may be back with more questions…

I have done day one and two of Highlandman’s suggestions, although we also went up and down Carn Ban Mor after Glen Feshie. Two of my favourite days on a bike ever.

Day three is a must do with lunch at the falls of tarf.

globalti – Member
Try Cycle Chat.

Surely one of the most bizarre replies we’ve had on STW for a while.

Could barely walk through it last time I was there. A bike would have been thrown off a rock in a tantrum

You only have to carry for a few hundred metres through the Chalamain Gap. I don’t mind it but I suppose you’ve got to be quite sure-footed. Better going the other way though as others have pointed out. Bit pointless to go up there from the Lairig Ghru.

Are you able to string together a loop to a couple of Bothies (Faindouran/ Hutchinson Memorial Hut) etc. from Avimore?

Still very tempted by getting the sleeper up from Crewe, and then having a couple of days up there..

You could begin day one from Blair Atholl as well. Saves a bit of logistical faff picking up car etc. Other than that the suggestions above are spot on. For day 2 there are alternatives going via Tomintoul to Braemar or over the side of Bynack Mor to the Fords of Avon if the weather up high is dodgy.

Yep. You also might want to consider Bob Scotts, Corrour, Ruigh Aitchechan and Inshriach

Ha – you wont be feeling like the hoof up to and through the Chalamain Gap after the Lairig Ghru! Why bother anyway when you’ve got one of the sweetest descents down to Piccadilly… Turn NE there and head for Glenmore Lodge.

LG is best in that direction and it’s a tester all right. The central 4 or 5 k is just a head game – if you’ve got the hill fitness and a positive mental attitude to carrying over ankle snapping terrain :-)Forget it though if you’re over encumbered with sundry touring crap.