A group of us were supposed to be heading up in early October for a week. We’d get out on the bikes whilst the girls did.. whatever. The only problem is that the others have dropped out and I’m left wondering what to do.

5 nights max: Tuesday > Sunday

I need somewhere with epic biking (obviously) but pretty much on the door step as I’ll no longer get away with being gone for the whole day, every day.

Girlfriend will want 1-3 very nice country pubs within short walking distance and some easy access walking.

We’ll probably hit up Ben Nevis if the weather holds.

I don’t know the area well – I once drove back from Aviemore a long way round once after Snowboarding. Fort William will have stuff for her to do, but looks pretty grim. Glencoe, Kinlochleven look a bit… well… dull.

I remember that road past Laggan was very pretty and I’ve seen a few nice cottages up that way.

So what am I missing? A nice, pretty small town, good pubs and well located. Oh an a remote shooting lodge 200 yards round the corner that makes you (and the deer) feel in the middle of nowhere…

Moon on a stick 🙂

A cottage in/near Aviemore, or somewhere a bit more rural like Kingussie/Newtonmore or maybe even round to Nethy Bridge.

You might struggle on the “3 pubs in walking distance” bit though.

Have a look on Google for accommodation and see what come up in an around those areas.

Braemar otherwise meets your criteria fairly well but is a bit more isolated and she might struggle to keep herself occupied.

Kingussie/Newtonmore seems to bring up some of the nicest accommodation. Let me check Nethy Bridge and Braemar, thanks.

From what you’ve posted, I’d suggest Hathersage.
Or, Kingussie? What’s wrong with Aviemore again?
Crianlarich?
The Lakes?

Aviemore I’ve only seen in Winter… not terrible. Good atmosphere in a couple of place I found.
Kingussie I’m looking at.
Let me check out Crianlarich. Thanks

Lakes last week. And again tomorrow (in fact I should go to bed) Lonscale Singletrack for me. And again next weekend 🙂

Hathersage 😀

Aviemore probably has the best trail network in the Highlands. Perhaps not on the scale of Torridon, but a lot more varied and a much larger choice of routes. It would certainly be handy in terms of leaving the GF for as short a length of time as possible whilst maximising bike time. It also has probably the best range of other facilities.

Have a couple of days in Aviemore/Kingussie, drive to Fort Will via Laggan (ride loop towards Ben Alder) couple of days around FW, driving home via Glencoe. Or do it the other way and you’ll get to ride the WHWay section from Glencoe to FW (Devil’s Staircase and all that) or even from Tyndrum to FW?

If you end up in Newtonmore…me & matey stayed here when we did the Ben Alder & Ardverikie loops. Very nice!

http://www.newtonmore.com/places-to-stay/b-b/coig-na-shee-guesthouse.html