Hi everyone,

I’m going up to Laggan this week, by train and via Newtonmore. Was going to wild camp one night. In the past I have left gear in the cafe, but I see the cafe is no more (certainly not the old one that was open every day). Is it just a case of squirelling my stuff in the undergrowth?

Also, any one got any gen on trail conditions? Surely there’s no snow?! 😮

no idea atm theres a group of us heading up there on sat, but am sure thats not helpful to you atm….

the trail conditions would be of interest to me too tho 🙂

Ask over here: http://www.trailscotland.co.uk/forums/

Someone from the Laggan Forest Trust pops in occasionally with trail updates etc,

The cafe has reopened, called the billy can cafe.

No snow right now and none forecast.

Nobeerinthefridge: According to Billy Can’s website, it’s not open weekdays just now.

Spin: Thanks for that. I checked the weather a few days ago and it looked bitterly cold (though Newtonmore looking good when I checked earlier today). Just checking there’s no weird mircoclimate thing there!

Try the pottery bunkhouse along the road?

There can be a weird microclimate at Laggan, it’s in a different glen from both Newtonmore and the Village, have had it humping rain at Newtonmore, snowing heavily at Laggan and beautifully sunny at Achduil.

The snow should be gone by now, never really had much problem with trail conditions there as whenever a softer bit gets cut up badly enough the builders eventually come in and drop some more rock slabs in.

Amusing riding the full red when covered in snow…

I “wild camped” there a couple of years ago – actually not wild at all in that it was about 100m off the main road and I had the car!

Can’t even remember exactly where it was… Somewhere along the A86, not far from the trail centre, there’s a stream with a nice little waterfall and some flattish sheep-cropped grass and a space to pull the car in off the road and out of sight.

A little look through the map suggests it might be this spot

There seemed to be plenty of opportunity along that road to just duck into the woods…

Thanks everyone. Was most worried about my gear. Pottery Bunkhouse seems a bit far and not sure I have the nerve to ask a bunkhouse to look after my camping gear! Will just stash my stuff away I think. Shame about the old cafe!

The new billy can cafe is a mobile cafe so it’s not there all the time it’s also much better and cheaper than the old cafe. Ask over on TrailScotland for trail conditions etc.

I’m just back from a 3 day stay at Laggan. The trails are pretty good nick with no snow. There’s standing water on both of the red routes. The brown route is sodden & personally I’ve avoided using it due to the potential damage that could be caused. You may be able to store your kit in the Laggan Forest Trust cabin. Their pretty friendly & have a bit more space than the Billy Can which is a mobile catering trailer.

D.

Thanks everyone. Had a blast last night and this morning! Stashed my gear in a bush yesterday afternoon, and Laggan Forest Trust took my stuff this morning – what friendly folk!