Anyone done this recently? From Victoria Bridge to Ardmaddy down to Inverawe, then complete the circle via road on Loch Awe and Glen Orchy.
Always fancied it, just not sure of conditions over the top.

Cheers.

Not ridden that route, but was driving past glen etive yesterday in some of the heaviest rain I’ve ever encountered. Expect bogginess!

Have done Vic Br to Loch Etive, up to Kingshouse then back over WHW, awesome, take plenty sandwiches.

I’d been warned in the past about how boggy it would be, but most of it seemed relatively solid.

Victoria Bridge to Clashgour is forest road, then there’s a messy section of river crossings with marshy bits in between, but then its mostly an old quad track, which seemed fairly solid and well drained.

The slabs were good fun, another river crossing then its all landy track to Loch Etive Side (DO NOT underestimate the Loch Etive side section, longer and tougher than you might imagine, I and others have suffered horribly there…).

Maybe a better ride using the trains Bridge of Orchy – Taynuilt? The section of WHW between Bridge of Orchy and Victoria Bridge is quite good fun.

Edit: or what CynicAl said

How is the Ardmaddy to top of Loch Etive section? Heard the path round bottom of Starav is a bit dodgy…..? Love the road up Glen Etive and road biked it a few times this year.

path by side of Loch Etive is a walk for me, though once I have a full suss fat bike I will try riding it 😎

I did Bridge of Orchy to Taynuilt back in February. The track is sound the whole way really with very few properly boggy sections. If heading back up Glen orchy I’d avoid the ‘mountain bike trail’ as its meant to be a nightmare.

As said above its worth taking in B of O to Victoria bridge via the WHW. Best bit of riding on the whole route IMO.

Cheers balfa, had heard the Orchy route was closed, and happy enough to meander up the lovely wee road. Take point about WHW up from BofO rather than the road round, and will definately do this – how much of it is ridable up the way?

Have done the Rannoch Moor crossing and it was fine. But may schedule this in for the Sunday…..

Great place for a weekend.

Cheers balfa, had heard the Orchy route was closed, and happy enough to meander up the lovely wee road. Take point about WHW up from BofO rather than the road round, and will definately do this – how much of it is ridable up the way?

I don’t think its as much closed but more of a bushwack! That section of the WHW is entirely rideable on the way up if you have the legs.

not done the glen kinglass route yet, but +1 for doing the hill out of boo to the bridge, all rideable! the descent is cracking.

A few pics to wet your appetite:-

Oooh, nice photos! You missed one of the best views though:

and the pier at Bonawe

Did this a couple of years back taking the train from Taynuilt to Bridge of Orchy then rode up the WHW to Victoria Lodge.

I would echo everything 13thfloormonk said. Including stressing how taxing the lochside track can be.

If it’s a hot day there are some lovely pools in which to cool off. I think they’re near the top just as you start to descend into Glen Kinglass (after the river crossing).

We did an anti clockwise loop from Glencoe/Glen Etive/Glen Kinglass/Victoria Bridge (Forest Lodge)/WHW back to Glencoe in 2002! It was boulder city down the Eastern side of Loch Etive in most parts but still a memorable ride. Here’s us near Ardmaddy (I’m the plump one one the left, never changed, just plumper!)

cracking day out when you come back via the road & WHW. tough going in places along the lochside and gets worse (boggier) at the head of the loch, just when you think it must get better.

swimming/wading river at head to meet road/track on other side would be worth it on a nice day…

Everything around Etive flatters to deceive (from a riding pov) but when the weather’s really good that’s all rendered irrelevant. I suspect the ‘Mountain Bike Trail’in Orchy and the machine built path down the East side of Etive were made by the same hand – both frustratingly badly designed.

The best natural swimming pool in Britain is in the river Etive. A few miles down after a flat section the road begins to dip down and swings to within a few feet of the river – at that point the river also dips down, dropping into a massive deep pool about 100ft long with a beach at the downstream end.

First time I did my loop above, it was about my 3rd ever mtb ride in 1988. McMoonter took us round, it was pretty wet IIRC, we got to the Kingshouse at 5pm, McMoonter said “OK the dab news is this is the half way point, the good news is the rest is ride-able”

Happy days. ONe guy was out for his first ride, we never saw him again.

He he similar story, same area, same era: Kingy, Rannoch Moor, Spean Bridge and back round. Had to all but carry one guy in. Still friends but he’s never been back on a bike ride with me 😉

Great details and info from all.

Think i will give it a go on the 11th June. Spend night in BofO, and head off sharpish. Probably do Taynuilt and back past Loch Awe and Glen Orchy on the road. Though will condsider the turn right at Etive and up Glen Etive, Kingy, WHW option.