Highland route planning - help needed

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Highland route planning - help needed

17 posts & 5 voices | Started 1 year ago by singlespeeddan | Latest reply from 13thfloormonk

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singlespeeddan - Member

Does anyone a godd route to gen affric from inverness?

Is the path south throught he an caorann mor gap rideable out of glen affric? Is it possible to ride from the cluanie inn past mam na seilg to kingie?

then through glengarry forest to the crossroads at 2301003. South towards fort william but crosing the valley to get to fedden then carrying on down gleann ciaaig? Head to spean bridge for tea and medals.
This is to be over three days this part of the route Am i allowing too little time? Any ammendments?

Then head over the devils staircase to glencoe from spean bridge. stay in glencoe. East towards rannoch moor/pitlochry then head on up to braemar via glen tilt.

Does all this sound reasonable? Any sections that are a definite bad idea?

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Can't help with much of the first bit, I came at Glen Affric from the west end, and the only trail I know which approaches from the east is the Corrieyairaick pass to Ft Augustus, which is a good ride and has a couple of bothies too if you're camping etc.

From Kingie to Spean bridge, I always liked the look of the Cam Bealach route, although apparently its a bit of a slog through the forest at first, someone posted pictures on here a while ago, if you search you might find them.

Heading to Glen coe from Spean Bridge make sure you take the high road over the Lairig leacach, I got tempted into the lower route to Loch Treig and it was pretty unrideable.

Another route to Rannoch from Spean Bridge is from Loch Treig to Corrour/Loch Ossian. There's good accomodation there and you can then ride from Loch Ossian to Rannoch on the old road to the isles (I rode it in the opposite direction, its a bit messy in places but almost all rideable).

If you headed for Rannoch Station from Glen Coe I think you will end up pushing through bogs at some point, unless you keep going south on the west highland way to the horseshoe viaduct, where a trail apparently leads all the way to Glen Lyon.

Sounds good though!

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Sorry, blowing my own trumpet a little here but I did some stuff in the area that might be relevant.

Bits around Rannoch

Posted 1 year ago #
singlespeeddan - Member

Tahnks for the input. The last bit of the route is still up for analysis as everyone needs to get back to different places at the end.

Posted 1 year ago #
CraigW - Member

For the first, bit, I would say follow the Great Glen Way from Inverness to Drumnadrochit. Then various tracks in the woods in the south side of Glen Urquhart to Corrimony. From Corrimony, follow the track along by the River Enrick, then over the hill to Tomich.

Or you could take the Great Glen Way to Invermoriston, up Glen Moriston to Dundreggan, then a bumpy track following the pylon line to Plodda Falls / Tomich

Posted 1 year ago #
irc - Member

From the Kingshouse in Glen Coe to Rannoch station there is good track either end with about a 2 1/2 miles push in the middle along a faint path following a line of telegraph poles.

The track up Auch Glen from the viaduct on the WHW is good and gets better at Loch Lyon. No bridges over any of the streams though all fords. And despite not being marked on the map the track is complete along the south side.

Posted 1 year ago #
singlespeeddan - Member

Anyone got any info whether the water is low enough to cross loch loyne?
What about the track out of glen affric via caorrann mor?

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

The loch loyne one is another druidh favourite, keep bumping this topic till he takes notice

It would be epic to work that into a wee tour, and conveniently I think it gets drained in september, which is one of the best times to be riding in the west coast (same as may, relatively good weather and nae midgies, just phone the estates to check on stalking activites, they're always grateful and I've never been denied access).

Posted 1 year ago #
singlespeeddan - Member

Yeah I kow about ist getting drained in september, just wondering if the water levels were low already. Unfortunately being a teacher precludes long tours in september time.

Posted 1 year ago #
druidh - Member

DO NOT - UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES - TAKE A BIKE OVER AN CAORANN MOR.

Trust me on this. Much better to head out West to Kintail or cut off via Tomich or Cougie.

The problem with the Loch Loyne route is that you need to commit and you've no way of knowing what you'll find. The September draw-down isn't always to a level which makes it crossable either. You'll find no one at Scottish Hydro who can help either. Your one option would be to call the Tomdoun Hotel as they give keys to folk who want to drive up to the Loch and might have some more up-to-date information on water levels.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/sets/72157607210625132/

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Druidh, you've made similar dire warnings in the past, care to elaborate, just for the curious amongst us?

Posted 1 year ago #
druidh - Member

I've walked the route in the past, and the Glen Affric end of it is a muddy truckle at the best of times. I should have remembered this when I decided to bike in from the Cluanie. The track starts off OK. Steep and a bit stony, but progress is possible. It's like that for a couple of km - i.e. just enough to completely suck you in. Past a small quarry, it deteriorates quickly. Muddy, peaty, thick heather. Thin enough to make pushing the bike beside you a complete nightmare as the heather grabs everything. Even the drop down to the floor of the glen (past the crash site) gives little or no riding. Even the fact that I'd enjoyed a nice beer and a meal at the Cluanie couldn't lift my spirits on that one. There's no spectacular view to compensate either.

As I've indicated above, an approach through Kintail would be preferable despite the additional distance.

Posted 1 year ago #
singlespeeddan - Member

OK so if we exit glen afric via glenshiel lodge does that make more sense?

Could we then ride to cluanie inn and then over to kingie?

Or use the old military road on half way between shiel bridge and the inn?

Posted 1 year ago #
druidh - Member

Ok - I haven't ridden all of this, but based on what I know from covering much of the same ground on foot....

Exiting Affric via Glenshiel Lodge would be preferable, with some really good riding en route.

The route via the Bealach Duibh Leac would, I reckon, be a nightmare. The bottom section (by the A87) is muddy and, in fact, goes through a bog which smell like a cess-pit. The upper section is unremittingly rocky and would be a carry all the way up. However, I don't know what the section to (the other) Alltbeithe would be like. I presume you'd head South from here to the Loch Quoich road and along to Kingie?

The old road from Cluanie would give a much easier climb - I reckoned you'd be able to cycle all the way up. I presume you'd then be making for the col north of Creag Liathtais and down to the River Loyne, but what route from there? Mam na Seilg or West to Alltbeithe? I don't know either but I'd take fairly good odds on the latter being difficult and wet.

Posted 1 year ago #
singlespeeddan - Member

Thanks for the replies. I will let you know how the trip goes when i'm back.

Posted 1 year ago #
singlespeeddan - Member

Thanks for all the route planning help, here is a pic from the trip. Awesome riding in parts was a bit ambitious with some of the distances and route choices as it turned out. Hopefully doing a write up in the fullness of time.

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Awesome riding in parts was a bit ambitious with some of the distances and route choices as it turned out.

The perfect synopsis of every good trip I've had!

Look forward to more pictures, that looks suitably epic already!

Posted 1 year ago #

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