Has anyone done the ‘top’ loop of the usual figure of 8 Cairngorm loop?

Planning on doing this with my 14year old son in Oct over 2 easyish days and looking for some experience / advice.

As I say we’re planning on doing the ‘top’ loop…so rather than carry on down towards Blair Atholl and doing the ‘bigger’ single loop we’d turn right at the Geldie burn. Hoping that this works out a 2 nice and easy 50ish mile days.

Does anyone have a link to a .gpx file for this top loop? I’ve got the larger file for the whole figure of 8 loop but the thought of editing it makes me weep!

I’ve done either this loop or something very similar; started at the Linn of Dee, headed west till we reached Glen Feshie, then north and bivvied at Loch an Eilein. The following morning we headed up through Glenmore and up past An Lochan Uaine (on the SE foot of Meall a’ Bhuachaille), slogged up the shoulder towards An Lurg in proper blowy wind, headed to the Fords of Avon refuge and then finished by following the Derry Burn/Lui Water back to the Linn of Dee.

If that’s the route you’re after, I have gpx split into three (battery issues on day 1). It involves a couple of instances of us getting lost, but the route is generally easy to follow.

In terms of terrain, the route was 90% rideable for two 18 year olds on battered hardtails; the hardest part by far was heading south just after the Fords of Avon refuge, where the path is so rough it’s unrideable. Couple of miles of walking, and it makes you really appreciate the sweet singletrack in Glen Derry once you reach it. It took us a very relaxed 1.5-2 days, including getting lost, waiting for shops to open in Glenmore and getting blown over a lot towards An Lurg.

100% would recommend.

I intend to do it again some day soon, but am considering diverting west at the Fords of Avon, following the shore of Loch Avon towards Macdui and reappearing on the original route with the Coire Etchachan Burn. May not be any better, but from memory that would cut out the worst bit of the super-rough track. Opens up the option to turn it into a three day trek, summitting Macdui on day 2 before bivvying on the lower slopes and riding back out on day 3.

Think this scotroutes write up is what you’re planning Rossco

Are you looking at the route from Aviemeore – Tomintoul – Loch Builg – Braemar, and then Braemar – Linn of dee – Geldie – Feshie – Aviemore?

I’ve done both – first day would be 70-80km, mostly estate tracks, fairly easy going but some river crossings. Day two is less climbing but some hike a bike across the geldie/feshie watershed, depending on how much rain there’s been.

I think Scotroutes did this recently Link

Cheers John…bedtime reading.

For those interested…I wasted an hour and edited the route!

It works out a 83.64miles. Perfect for a nice easy 2 days bike pack trip.

If anyone wants the file just PM me!

aye i’ve done the top loop, it’s a good loop, 88 miles or so. so your first stop is probably braemar at around the 48 mile mark, with most of your climbing done that day, leaves you a pretty easy 40 mile 2nd day. (could stop at tomintoul, but that’s only 24 miles in. nothing inbetween braemar and tomintoul, though nice for a bit of camping that section.

pretty much all rideable, the only pain in the bugger bit was glen brown if I remember right. no path as such there really.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/230106809

should be able to pull the gps from this.

ps aye getting up to the eidart bridge is a bit hikey bikey. how much will depend on the weather.

I see a couple of folk have already linked to my blog – thanks. Nice to know someone is actually reading it 🙂

There’s a link to a gpx file at the bottom of the post. I would say that it’s not the “best” way to get from Aviemore to Forest Lodge but it does cover the Cairngorm Loop route.

I think all the relevant points have already been covered – other than to remember the Smidge

I did the loop as a daytrip from Embra; made the mistake of following the advice in the Wild Trails guide and rode it anticlockwise. Agree with the comments about hike-a-bike near the fords. Suicidal thoughts are a real danger on the Geldie/Feshie watershed: On/off the bike for miles and very bleak scenery. If you go via Loch A’an then you will see the most spectacular spot in he ‘Gorms; You will have 3 hours of hiking to the Macduibh summit though and bear in mind that the descent is very rocky and technical.

Agreed that the Geldie – Feshie bit is grim…

I did Coylumbridge – ski road up over Cairngorm – top of Macdui – descent via Etchachan and Derry to a B + B in Braemar. Day 2 back over via Tomintoul, the Egg and the braes as in Scotroutes.
Way more fun than Feshie/Geldie.
Needs decent weather though and the descent may a bit much for the loon if he’s not done muchof that sort of thing.

So just to be clear….the clockwise way is the better way and would make the soul destroying Feshie bits less painful?

Not too bothered about Fin…he’s destroying me on most things other than uber techy stuff and is surprisingly very sensible when things get too hot for him…must have got that trait from his Mother!

Clockwise because the leg from Ryvoan to Linn of Dee is much more ridable. Feshie/Geldie watershed still grim though.

UPDATE….

So I’ve re-edited the inner ‘top’ loop and it works out at circa 90 miles…looks like a good distance for a 2 day trip. Basically turning right at Breamar and heading up Glen Lui through to Glen Derry and then over the pass towards Glenmore. The original Cairngorm loop will do this in reverse.

Can anyone tell me what the route from Glen Derry to Glenmore route is like? It peaks at 2.6K so will probably mean a fair amount of bike a hike uphill?

Cheers

It’s much better as a descent 🙂

Rideable to the Lairig an Laoigh, on-off until Fords of Avon (river crossing – wet feet pretty much guaranteed), on-off to Loch a Bhainne, push up new path with water bars, rideable across the shoulder of Bynack Mor then mostly rideable (water bars a-gogo) down to the Nethy, all easy from there.

Plenty of pictures of the small loop (Geldie – Feshie – Rothiemurchus – Lairig an Laoig – Glen Derry) here from a ride i did a while back:

A Cairngorm Loop

This was in the clockwise direction but should give an idea of the terrain!

With all due respect OP, I’d be very wary of taking a 14 year old on that route. They have a bad habit of being fine, fine, fine… then suddenly not fine at all and too exhausted to sensibly continue. That’s a properly hard two days back to back you’re thinking of doing and even more so if he’s never been into such terrain. Braemar through Feshie to Glenmore is a hard enough day for adults with light B&B gear, let alone a large sprog with bivvy kit. Laoigh on day two is harder technically, if a bit shorter on the map.
In October, daylight is limited and weather more unstable so your margins for error reduce and some of the river crossings are a bit fierce, especially the Avon. There’s absolutely no shelter where Geldie & Feshie meet, nor phone signal. Please think carefully; I’m not saying don’t do it, what I am saying is think very carefully if this is the right time to go.. Have you broken him before to know at what point it may happen?

Cheers for the review josemctavish

So….if it’s better as a decent would the whole loop be better done anti-clockwise ie. start at Feshie – glen more – Avon – Braemar then north – Tomintoul – back to Feshie?

Sorry Rossco, that’s not making sense. Can you please try to describe the proposal again?

I’d def say do the main, techier northern loop clockwise; I’m still talking about a Linn of Dee/Braemar start, go west to Feshie, north to Glenmore. Day 2, Ryvoan pass, Bynack pass, Fords of Avon, Derry and back to Linn of Dee.

You’ve mentioned Tomintoul and Glen Avon; they’re usually part of a different, eastern loop with less tech and more distance than the above.

To be fair to the OP, 14 year old me would have been a lot more capable of doing these rides than 39 year old me is!

Taking the Eastern route down Glen Avon is easier going and has more options to escape off route if necessary, but the Lairig an Laoigh is definitely a shorter day. Weather conditions can always help decide.

No worries highlandman..here’s a screen shot.

My questions is would this be easier going clockwise or anti clockwise starting and stoping in feshie?

[url=https://flic.kr/p/LmUL9C]Screen Shot 2016-08-25 at 16.28.57[/url] by Rosscopeco, on Flickr

Anti. Big climb up Culardoch but on a decent track.

You also get the lovely descent into Forest Lodge and a fairly easy final stretch

Great, thanks scotroutes. That was my thinking but better getting it from someone who knows the local terrain better than I do.

I’ve walked all this area loads as a young loon when I lived in Inverness but that was 25years ago and now I can’t remember what I had for dinner last night….sigh!

TBF, things have changed loads in 25 years. There’s a lot more folk on the tracks (especially cyclists) so the wear patterns are different. Plus, of course, bikes have developed.

A loop I rode on Saturday which is in the National Park but not strictly Cairngorn: Ride the Gaick pass S-N to Ruthven Barracks, keeping nearside of the A9 picked my way to the start of the Wade Road (300m on the A9) which was sublime and followed to Phones where the high road was followed to Loch Cuaich. Track followed E to push up to the plateau who’s highest point is Bogha-cloiche. The bog is avoided by keeping to the wind trimmed heather to the N. Eventually you pick up the path that goes over Sgor Dearg. From here a very steep but not overly tech pony track heads down to Gaick Lodge; return via Loch an Duin to start. 8 hrs.

Hello,

A bit of a thread hijack (relevant though!)

I’m new to off-roading and going to be going up to Cairngorms to escape for a few days before the onslaught of real life resumes…

Just built up a Soma Wolverine with drop bars and some 2″ knoblies and looking to get an introduction to singletrack without finding myself either in stupid peril or just pushing for 20 miles so hoping for pointers for longer, better surfaced routes? I’m just packing light and looking to stay in bunkhouses so that will determine start/end points.

Was thinking the Glaik up to Aviemore/Cairngorm lodge looked like a likely route, then possibly (somehow) getting from there to Tomintoul, then down the Old Drove Road from Tomintoul to Invercauld/Braemar?

Do these sound sane/realistic on my rig and are there any folk with other route suggestions/gpx files to share?

Many thanks!

The Gaick will be fine on your bike. I did it a few years ago on a rigid MTB with 26×2 tyres and hostelling/BnB load on rear rack.

I just went to Aviemore from Kingussie Barracks via the B road. Almost traffic free. Nice scenery. I was in touring mode rsther than MTB en route from Hastings to Inverness.

I cycled the Ryvoan to Tomintoul route a few years ago. Using paper maps though. My notes for the Ryvoan towards Tomintoul using the OS 1:50k map were as follows. Mostly good track. Easy on a hardtail. Anything with 2″ wide tyres should cope.

Follow the track from Ryvoan to the junction at NJ028144 where the main track curves left and a lesser used mossy track goes straight ahead down to the marked ford over the Nethy. 500M after the ford take the 2nd right at crossroads and follow the good quality track that contours round the south side of Carn a Chnuic. Straight ahead at the fork just north of Loch a Chnuic and follow the track down to the edge of the forest at NJ053144.

From here take the obvious gap between Carn Na Loinne and Eag Mhor.

After the gap follow obvious track to the road near Dorback Lodge. Take the track over into Glen Brown then at the nth end of the patch of forest take the track down to Bridge of Avon. Tomintoul is just round the corner.

Thanks for this, my Garmin’s predictably on the blink so good to have a description to pair with a paper map! On train now and can’t wait!

Update to irc’s directions…

Don’t use the ford after Ryvoan. Carry on along the main track to Forest Lodge then cross the Nethy by bridge. Carry on straight for 100m or so then you have a choice; turn right for the main track – which then meets up with the one from the ford – or take a slight left up a lovely piece of singletrack through the forest. This again meets up with the main track.

The gap you are heading for after crossing the Faesheallach IS the Eag Mhor. It can be quite rocky in places but is a lovely spot.

The track at Dorback goes behind the house and should be easily found. Once into Glen Brown, expect a couple of river crossings. The map shows a track on the forested side of the river. This is impossible to follow now as the rivers has destroyed it in places. You’ll see an obvious track crossing the rivers a few times – it’s best just to accept you’ll get wet feet. When you see the old horsebox, cross the river and then look for the VERY muddy track up the hillside past the forest. Don’t despair, this turns into a recently resurfaced forest road that’ll soon have you in Tomintoul

The route from Tomintoul to Braemar is mostly OK – you’ll be walking in parts past Loch Builg though so just factor that in.

I did all of this a couple of weeks ago. 🙂

http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2016/08/a-northern-cairngorms-loop.html

Thanks for the detailed directions-had a great day today and was crashing through rivers with gusto (on foot…)

Hiping the weather’s as kind tomorrow 🙂