Driving back earlier on from our annual Scottish long weekend.

Heading south, a couple of miles passed the Dalwhinnie Distillery where you join the A9 is a cycle track which goes in the direction of Pitlochre.

Anyone done this ?
(Trying to tempt the wife for next time).
Chris

Pitlochry.

And no, not done it. Did the road version of it years ago before the bike path was built. The road over the Drummochter pass (A9) is not recommended.

Yes. Had a minging headwind from Dalwhinnie to the pass summit, and you’re right beside the road so it’s noisy. Lovely tailwind and quiet downhill path/roads to PL tho.

Yep. Did it all the way going north and a second time joining at the Trinafour turn off north too. Mostly tarmac now, lots of bits of old road and some custom- built track at Drumochter. Best with a tail wind. It’s a bit of a climb to the summit, but very gradual. Excellent descent all the way to Newtonmore.

Yep – used it as a return from the Gaick pass a couple of times. It’s part of one of the national cycle network routes, basically follows the line of the A9 from Perth to Inverness on a mix of (relatively) quiet roads and purpose built cycle path.

The bit alongside the A9 from Dalnachardoch (where the minor road from Trinafour joins the A9) to the Dalwbinnie turn is probably the least pleasant.

It’s right beside the road (in places you are feet from traffic doing 50+ mph – not nice in high winds), track often covered in muck and there is a smell of piss and shite by each layby plus loads of litter where mouthbreathing scum have dumped food wrappers down the embankment.

It’s better than the alternative of riding on the A9 and it facilitates a lot of long distance cycles, but as a stand-alone I wouldn’t really recommend it. There is much nicer riding either side of Drumochter – loops from Newtonmore to Aviemore on both sides of the river and similar between Pitlochry and Bruar.

Did the road version of it years ago before the bike path was built.

My brother did that as well – Sustrans had published the route……. but hadn’t at the time gotten round to building it.