I’m thinking about doing a ride from Inverness down to Pitlochry or Perth this month, and wondered if there’s any way of finding out what the underfoot conditions are like on the cycle-path sections alongside the A9.

I’d be using a road bike (well, a recumbent, actually) so I’d struggle if there was snow. I might fit studded tyres if there’s a chance of ice. I know the cycle-path can disappear under snow, and it’s never cleared, but I’d like to find out what to expect before I set off.

I did see an old post on another forum by someone who said he was the Sustrans ranger for the area, so wondered if they provide some sort of weather report etc.

You can see the cycle path at Drumochter on the traffic scotland live cameras:

https://trafficscotland.org/livetrafficcameras/

In some sections I found it really slippy on road tyres due to leaves/pine needles so I would consider something a bit more treaded maybe?

Thanks, Jemima. That’s handy – the cameras at Daviot and the Slochd are also useful.

I’ve only ridden the cycle-path once, and that was on a fixed wheel track bike with silk tubulars! It wasn’t too bad, although it would have been earlier in the year. I’ll probably fit the studded tyres as a precaution, and hopefully they’d do fine on the leaves and pine needles.

Another vote for chunkier tyres. Even in dry summer conditions the surface can be a bit challenging in one or two spots, with loose grit, broken up old tarmac and the aforementioned leaves & needles. Otherwise you’ll be fine, providing snow doesn’t barge in. Think 1.5-1.75″ chunky semi-slicks or a proper touring tyre.
If it becomes snowy enough to need studs, you might be wise to postpone. The path is out of sight of the road in plenty places and pushing through snow drifts isn’t fun. Wind (and drifting) will be more of a problem than the actual snow depth many days.
Remember that if you’re going further north, there’s more high ground at the Slochd summit which is far enough away to have different weather to the Drummochter pass. There’s another road camera there.

Traffic cameras this afternoon showing no cycle path, and not much visible road either 🙂

I’ve only ridden the cycle-path once, and that was on a fixed wheel track bike with silk tubulars!

So why the easy option this time? Why not go for a Raleigh Grifter with flat tyres, no brakes and only 3rd gear working?

Or a unicyle with 6 inch wheels, whilst juggling lit torches?

Honestly some folk just take any chort cut the can these days…

ps Good Luck!

Just driven up Drumochter earlier this evening and it’s under snow. Couple of lorries stuck on hardpacked snow/ice patches too.

It’s forecast to get down to -10C on Saturday night.

Keep an eye on the trafficscotland webcams for the best update though

https://trafficscotland.org/livetrafficcameras/

Oh – the path is also usually covered in gravel – even the tarmacced bits. This is because the estates quad bikes use it and they are wider than the actual path 🙄

Sustrans Ranger – but not my patch 🙂

Thanks very much for the updates. I’ve been persuaded to call the ride off this week. I’ll see if there’s a thaw next week, but even then the cycle-path might be out of action for a while – the snow ploughs can dump a load of deep snow onto some sections.

By the way, MussEd, the recumbent will be much more challenging to ride on that terrain than the old track bike!

Oh – there’s a couple of gates you’ll have to lift it over too.

By the way, MussEd, the recumbent will be much more challenging to ride on that terrain than the old track bike!

Yeah I got that, hence the sarcasm. I should’ve just stuck a smilie on the end…

Gates? I don’t remember them, although the fixie was pretty light, so it wouldn’t have been much of a problem. However, having the phsyique of a typical cyclist I might struggle to lift the recumbent over a deer fence.

Sorry, MussEd, I did laugh at your sarcasm, but was slow to realise you were commenting on the recumbent!