I'm planning a ride tomorrow from Callandar through Glen Ample and back via Glen Finglas. I've not done either before but from a bit of research this seems to be the best way round to do it – unless, of course anyone here might know better.
I am wondering if it's best to take the direct route from Glen Buckie down to Glen Finglas Reservoir or do the circuit around the west side of Meall Cala. I think the legs may dictate the route at that point. Also, what's the track like up the bealach there? It looks like it might be grassy/boggy. It has been relatively dry recently so I think we might be okay with that.

Don't know the area that well, but this was my experience:

I rode Glen Ample last year and the track was a total mess. Looked like they were building a new estate access, and was not fun to ride at all.

On a previous ride, the track from Glen Finglas through to Balquhider (sp?) I found to be mostly unrideable regardless of how soft it is (lots of burn/ditch crossings) and Glen Finglas is a slog or ups and downs, without a particularly rewarding view.

Didn't enjoy either ride…

But that's my take on the trails – I'm sure others for whom just 'getting out there' is more important will tell you how great they are 😉

Buckie to Finglas = mostly pushing. I do it the other way around but only when the turf's frozen. Thats quite rare tbh but the trails up there were all brilliant over the winter because of the exceptional frost we had. In these conditions the trail is 95% rideable. Ample is now fecked for the reasons described above.

So that nice Glen Ample singletrack I saw on geograph doesn't exist anymore? Shame.

Ammended route then: start from Aberfoyle, over the Menteith Hills, Glen Finglas loop, Loch Drunkie. I suspect that'll be more interesting than riding through Glen Buckie and back on the sustrans path. I hear there's some singletrack in the Menteith Hills though I've only been on fireroads when there previously.

Apparently. T.here is a discussiuon / rant of the Stirling bike club site on the subject

Your call but the Finglas loop is just an estate track too…

Yup Singletrack route starts from Dounans above Balanton but its been a long while so may have seen some "improvements"

Also quite a lot of quad width singletrack running above the Northside of Loch Venacher and into Glen Finglas ( passes completely above Brig o Turk) Its evident from West of Milton of Callander / Lendrick Lodge but may in fact start as far back as Klmahog (to link in the with NCN path coming down from Lubnaig)

LLNP pepe's could give you more info I'm sure. The part we hooked up on ( around Ledrick Lodge) was quite good fun in the snow and views are good

If you're riding along the shores of Loch Lubnaig/Falls of Leny then there are some great trails up in Stank Glen (almost look like a good trail centre red descent in parts). Also some of the rooty singletrack alongside the falls of leny looks spectacular!

Hmmm… just read that thread on Stirling Bike Club forum. It's a real shame this has happened. It might make it a more suitable route for the fair-weather mtb-ing Mrs K but even that sounds questionable if they've made such a mess of road building.

I've walked that bit of track above Lendrick and at the time thought it would be fun to bike. I've only been looking on google earth, I can't tell how well it links with paths from the east.

Biking in the Stank Glen? You are really a trailblazer 13thfloormonk. But then my experience of it is fighting my way through a blizzard on a hike up Ben Ledi. If we have anything left in the legs we might have a look there on the way home. Today will fill in some gaps I've not explored on the map and be test of stamina before Mount Keen next week. And a change from the Pentlands.

Trailblazer? The Stank Glen trails are signposted and graded! 😀

It was ten years ago I last there. I had wondered why the Ben Ledi car park was always so busy.

😳

the track from Glen Finglas through to Balquhider (sp?) I found to be mostly unrideable

[quote]others for whom just 'getting out there' is more important will tell you how great they are[/quote]

happy to oblige 😀

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26693195@N03/sets/72157605375465310/show/

Loss of Ample doesn't sound good. S/T through Menteith hills was still OK last summer – though blink and you are through the other side. There is not much around Drunkie – but worth the detour for the scenery – if you do that come back via monteith – not the KW route – which is a soul destroying FR climb on the forest drive.

re track above Lendrick – AFAIK it doesn't link thro to Kilmahog – the track you can see at Kilmahog links from the S L Venacher Road under Dunmore Fort. The tracks at Lendrick start from the newish carpark and are rideable into Finglas – tho very steep in parts. With a loop of Finglas it makes for a good all weather circuit tho nothing technical

There is reasonably pleasant link (scenic fire road) at high level from Kilmahog to the tracks at Stank Glen. The up and down at Stank Glen is short and best done anti clockwise IMO.(up the N side of the river and down the S) Nice technical drop adjacent to the river (S side)down to the lodges is probably a bit beyond a trail centre red?

I did go on a mission to link from Kilmahog thro to Strathyre on the high level fire track which shown as a way through on the 25k map but is not there in reality. I was trying to link to the descent off Sidhein – a very tech path which my son has ridden (on a DH bike) but I suspect might be beyond my skills.