Anyone else done this?

Been meaning to do it for ages and finally got round to it today. Did it S to N with the new ‘High Level’ variation.

It’s a brilliant, non-technical ride with superb views and varied terrain. I’ve always found Loch Ness to be a bit dull from a scenic point of view. I now realise that’s because you can’t see the scale of it from the shore,the views from the variation are stunning.

Recommended.

I did it with some mates about 10 years back, loved every minute of it.
A great few days easy, relaxed riding with stunning scenery.

we were usually too hung over to start most days before 12 🙂

relaxed riding with stunning scenery

That’s what I thought. The high variation really adds to it although the trail still has a bit of bedding in to do.

Did it a couple of weeks ago on road bikes. It beats the road.

Did it a couple of weeks ago on road bikes

The road is minging. Bits of it were rough enough on the crosser never mind a road bike!

Planning to do it in a few weeks.

How did you manage the logistics of getting back to FW?

The map I had had the ‘Great Glen Cycle Route’ marked but apparently they stopped publicising this as they weren’t maintaining it.

How did you manage the logistics of getting back to FW?

I live in Inverness and got dropped in the Fort by my missus who was off to do the Craggy Island Triathlon.

Probably not a lot of use to you!

Bits of it were rough enough on the crosser never mind a road bike!

Lugguage too 😆

Ah – I think I’m sorted. Just wondered what other options folk were using.

How long did you take?

The GG Cycle Way is being re-established with some changes.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport/3m-puts-great-glen-bike-route-on-track-for-2015-x.19819717

I was a bit less than 8hrs with lunch in Fort Augustus and cake in Drumnadrochit. FW to FA is really fast then it slows down a bit. Take it you will do the high route?

I’m going to buck the trend here and say I hated it. I did it North from Fort Augustus to Invermoriston, and then South from Fort Augustus to Fort William and thought it was crap – is the Northern section any better?

It was just fire road followed by fire road, with some disused railway and canal path thrown in. This was on the end of the HTR though so I’d just come through the best mountain biking I’ve ever done, so perhaps this is why I was so jaded by it.

It’s not Torridon

Indeed

I’m going to buck the trend here and say I hated it

If you’re expecting it to be another West Highland Way then you’ll be disappointed.

It is mostly fire road with little technical interest but as a journey through a landscape it is superb.

Depends a lot on your expctations I guess.

Yeah, I think it’s down to expectation tbh. I love the West Highland Way, it really is an excellent route both for walkers and cyclists, whereas I was left a bit deflated on the GGW as the flat canal bashing was just soul destroying

the flat canal bashing was just soul destroying

My crosser brought that alive. 😉

done it both ways, landed at inverness airport at 1pm and time trialled it to fort augustus………hated it, proper.

return from fort bill was split into 2 days, staying at a hikers lodge in drumnadrochit, was fantastic.

heck of a lot of climbing tho i seem to remember.

heck of a lot of climbing tho i seem to remember.

Only North of Fort Augustus. South of that is pancake flat.

spin, correct. seem to climb from the roadside up to the high veiwpoints in the forest, quite a few times.

stunning scenery tho.
a trip i would love to do again.
a offroad loop, inverness, fort augustus, newtonmore, rannock moor hotel, roybridge, drumnadrochit, inverness.

it was awesome.

Lugguage too

Good effort. Was it on an end to end?

a trip i would love to do again

Get well soon geezer.

I don’t know if it’s still there, but Rory’s cafe is worth a visit.

Good effort. Was it on an end to end?

Yeah it was, we only did FW to FA on the great Glen way then back onto the roads.

we stopped there too. nice fresh coffee and buns, surrounded by the blokes chickens.
bit like a indian camp……. 😀

I’ve always found Loch Ness to be a bit dull from a scenic point of view I now realise that’s because you can’t see the scale of it from the shore

Trust me OP you see the scale it from the shore when launching a canoe into it 😉
Or when paddling down the middle of it, it’s beautiful from on the water (but the other lochs along the Great glen are probably nicer)

Did the Great Glen by canoe a couple of years ago, wild camping along the way, took 3 days (well about 2.5 really) and loved it, said at the time I would like to do it again by canoe, carrying the bikes on the canoes so we could cycle it back, didn’t realise it could be done in a day though
Might have to resurrect that plan now

It’s a nice ride, superb scenery

The map we used for planning was a bit rubbish though and it failed to show just how much constant undulation there was on the fire / double track sections!

4 of us did it and I towed a bob yak with all our gear

Would do again with the kids

Did it a couple of years ago, S -> N. Seem to remember having a bit of a sense of humour failure on the hill out of Drumnadrochit, having never ridden that far in one go on my MTB before. Oh, and I had to stop for a siesta in the shade at one point because it was so hot.

Great ride though.

Had weeks stay in Fort Augustus with family last month!
Rode the GGW from FA to Great Glen Water park and back one morning and FA to the top of the climb after Invermoriston and back the next. Views were stunning but found it a little boring. Would love to know of any loops that are local to FA maybe taking in parts of the GGW as we have decided to go back for a holiday next year!

Would love to know of any loops that are local to FA

If you want something a bit more challenging Sron a’ Choire Ghairbh by the Cam Bealach is good.

It’s not an area I know very well. Will need to change that.

It would be a good route to take a new mtber on.

Long enough to be a challenge for them, and any tricky bits can be walked. (I found some bits tricky, but I was on a 20″ wheel Dahon with skinny road tyres 🙂 )

And for an experienced mtb rider, there’s great scenery and a low stress ride.

Did it 6-7 years ago N-S to Fort Augustus (so, old route) and was like a saw tooth profile, we were blessed with some ‘core diversions though straight through some lovely singletrack. Then back up the E side of Loch Ness, again more locals only singletrack.

Have done the S section – Corpach to Fort Augustus – as part of a coast to coast, it wasn’t anything to write home about, some nice little sections but nothing special..

Thanks Spin will check that out!!!
Got talking to a guy who mentioned there was a good wilderness track from FA that bought you out in a place called Laggan (I Think!!).Anyone know this and distance of it?

cajsparky – that would be the Corrieyairack Pass.

I sort of did it in my first year of mountain biking (2006)as a 100 miler from Glen Affric to Fort Bill. The extra bits we did made up for the lack of technical interest but as a ride through nice scenery it’s fine. For challenge and variety it’s not so good. If I did it again ‘d make it a long distance pub crawl.

Thanks Scotsroutes, now I know what its called I can give it some research!!