Conval with added Morton’s Way and via Suie

Ideal. You’ll have earned the cafe cake. All of it!

And I do like cake! 😆

I reckon. Look at Laggan, middle of nowhere and the cafe was mobbed at the weekends to begin with.

Good to hear 😀
I’m 200mls away and rarely venture north of Glasgow 🙄 Lakes, North Yorks and Peaks are just as close and nae midges to annoy the missus 😉

I’m still planning to head up on Sunday morning for a couple of loops of the red, so if you see me peching away on my Ncolai 29er feel free to say hello 8)

swavis best you do both Convals and Rinnes on the way as well as Morton’s and Suie. I’ll wait at teh cafe for you. I think I might be there very early sat morn with a bit of a hangover. Black carbon Tallboy with a big lummox on it.
I just loaded a gpx of a Glenlivet ride we did in May 08 and it goes straight through the trail centre! Be interesting to see what they’ve done with the place. Carn Daimh was a fantastic descent but if teh trail really does go anywhere near the summit then people <12st had better lash themselves down. I remember picking up my Kona Dawg to lift it over a fence and the wind actually blew it horizontal and nearly took it and me off the hill!

* lashes out down *

Snow on the ‘Gorms today. Looks like 4″ tyres will be mandatory on Saturday!

Hmm, was gonna do Cambus O May on Sat but… I’d forgotten 2nd Nov was official open day.
Weather looks fine but 5 degrees in the valley. Brrrr.

*willy waving time*
Back in the old days I rode from Swavis’ parish up to the venue. Went via Glenfiddich and the Suie, round the Bochel, and onward to Tomintoul to refuel, up Cairn Daimh, descent to Tomnavoulin then back home. Was one of those days where the weather was good, the legs and lungs were fit and strong and ‘er indoors hadn’t tracked me down so I was able to keep on truckin’

The views from top of Cairn Daimh are superb. Been up there before in a bit of a hoolie too Devs, the visor got ripped off my helmet by the wind and I had similar issues getting over the fence at the top!

good effort!

the precise reason why is lost somewhere in my memory, but I found myself doing a round trip – by bike obviously – heading off from Edinburgh to do a lap of the blue at Glentress followed by a (solo, trying the recall the route details) return trip, up and over the Pentlands. Mental and rewarding at the same time.

I think that was a couple years after the “Longest Commute” episode which involved Glentress in the afternoon, up and through the Cloich hills, a bivi near Carlops, rather a large amount of whisky, and a wobbly spin into work.. 🙂

Don’t think I could manage that now though.

Heading up from the South is the A9 the best/easiest route rather than A93.

kcal – I did Balerno to GT and back a couple of months ago via a similar route. That was over the Pentlands and Cloich Hills twice….

John – A9 is best. Going via the A93 is a nice, but long, drive! You’re keen!

looking forward to all of your thoughts on the trails – we have our own thoughts and they’re disparate !

bon voyage 🙂

excellent! I do recall it was a bit of a nightmare route finding into and through Cloich in the dark (the first time). Easier the second although I still can’t quite recall what route we took looking on the map.

Huge moon as I made my way over the Borestane path on second trip, was almost worthwhile for that alone I think.

If I head over on Sunday it’ll be very early and I’ll take the fat bike. I’ll take the car I think, stuff on Sunday avo and SWMBO might get a little upset if I spend all day on my bike….. 😉

I’ll be over there Sunday morning… black Pivot Mach 5.7 if anyone wants to say hi 🙂

shortbread_fanylion – Member
John – A9 is best. Going via the A93 is a nice, but long, drive! You’re keen!

Cheers Dan
MrsT fancied a weekend away, I suggested somewhere 😉

Forecast snow down to 500 metres this afternoon. Should just clear the summits but you can’t rely on it.
This is Lecht webcam at 600m looking towards Glenlivet:

10am and looking clear.

Indeed, bring on the snow. Skis sharp and waxed !
Looking forward to a couple of rider reports fae Glenlivet later on …. 😯

First report in from one of my mates: “meh”

Yep, me too…..

I think I’d be more positive than that. Loads of effort gone into it, and I enjoyed the majority of the trails — couple of quibbles but some sections were really really enjoyable. Different expectations maybe, I’m not looking for super techy bits bang bang bang, some bits took me by surprise, and scope for being shut by bad weather is huge.

The elevation gained is on the whole well done, but brutally in some sections – too brutal for a Blue I’d say.

It’s not so far for me to travel, definitely will return, might not run rigid next time though.

I think it suits rigid perfectly…

I see the moaning about a new free purpose built mountain bike trail has started already.

where?

I like it. A lot. It’s fast and swoopy in places, tech in places and gives fantastic views if you take the time to look at them. It’s certainly up there with Laggan and Golspie. They’ve used the available area very well and a 22km red full of singletrack up and down is almost unique. There’s maybe not enough black features but then it doesn’t advertise itself as a black. I really enjoyed what there is.
There is a LOT of climbing, for a 31km ride I feel well pooped. Cairn Daimh is a big hill, we took in the summit and it’s well worth the extra 150m of climbing, but the exposure to proper mountain elements at the top is sure to catch a few out a year. I agree on the blue having too much climbing to be a real family trail, there was at least one tearful child on the climb up.
The cafe was excellent when I went in for lunch but it was too busy when we went in for a post ride coffee. I doubt that will be an issue very often though. The coffee cups could have been bigger but that’s a minor quibble.
Overall it gets a massive thumbs up from me and as it’s only 45 mins away I guess I’ll be back quite often. I’m already planning it as a night ride 🙂

Its free? Cool!

Devs, that about sums it up nicely !

Looking forward to trying the cake and coffee, not open when we were there…

Its designed by Russell Burton… so what do you expect….

Si, expand…..?

I see the moaning about a new free purpose built mountain bike trail has started already.

So you’re not allowed not to like it coz it’s free to ride? Do you think the estate built it out of the goodness of their hearts?

Calm down, its an all weather facility , free, what’s not to like if you’re a true mtb er….

Think I might head over tomorrow but both MTB’s are in need of TLC. Reckon I could get round on the crosser?

some of the drops that are part of the trail will hurt — I was quite cautious because I’d no idea what was coming, and so didn’t carry much speed. The surface is firm, but quite ‘lumpy’ if that makes sense. You’ll have a good workout if you use a cross bike for sure..

You won’t die though.

Cool. I’ve ridden a few reds on the crosser in the past when the MTB was out of action and it’s generally fine if not something you’d want to make a habit of.

So you’re not allowed not to like it coz it’s free to ride? Do you think the estate built it out of the goodness of their hearts?

Not really – just that any mountain bike trail is better than no mountain bike trail and I find this site can be really negative at times.

Mind you Russell Burton did design the NFT in Grizedale which is far from amazing – still better that it there than not though.

I’d ride glenlivet on my cx no issues

Sounds perfect for a fatbike. Can’t wait.

scotroutes – Member
Sounds perfect for a fatbike. Can’t wait.

+1