MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
It’s been a pretty adventurous year in the mountains. Plenty in Scotland, but also plenty of international adventures as well. After 15 years of these threads, the way they’ve encouraged me to have daft adventures and improve my photography led to a first – some magazine articles about my rides. In fact, there were loads – three written by me in Singletrack and New Mountain Magazine, one with a load of my photos with @Sanny in Singletrack and next year there’ll be two appearing in Calling in Sick in the US and Sidetracked.
Sidetracked in particular I’m pretty stoked about – I always treated this thread as a summary of me pissing about having fun and taking some not-totally-shit amateur photos but Sidetracked has some mind-blowing photography in it, as does New Mountain, and I’m staggered that they think I’m good enough to be in there. So, thanks for reading and commenting on these threads over the year – they’re fun to put together but if you lot didn’t like them, I’d not have kept doing them and my photos would still be dross.
I’ve been helped out this year by Roots Cycles in Doune who have really looked after me (including sorting out my first brand new bike in nearly a decade, my beloved Sour Crumble hardtail that I took to Switzerland and Italy). I’ve also offset the entire carbon footprint of all my trips with Make it Wild who, based on my research as an environmental scientist, are about the most effective carbon offsetters in the UK (in spite of all offsetting’s shortcomings). And thanks also to @chipps , @stwhannah and @justinbieber for taking a punt on my ramblings and photos and making them look lovely.
The Cluanie Munros
Back in April I was planning a trip north to get some of the more north-westerly Munros bagged. I was tied into going via Fort William to see a friend and pick up a new bike from Liam Moynihan and the three munros on the north side of Loch Cluanie were nicely just off my route.
Càrn Ghluasaid, Sgùrr nan Conbhairean and Sàil Chaorainn make an interesting trio – reasonably big (Conbhairean is over 1,100m) but eminently rideable. Adding Sàil Chaorainn is a bit of schlepp but it’s right there so worth adding on. The Conbhairean descent I couldn’t fully get the measure of – 40mph winds whipped up making it hard to ride properly but fortunately once I got to the main event of Ghluasaid it calmed down.
The descent of Ghluasaid I found really, really enjoyable. Initially rocky and sinuous with some bits that require real commitment, you then have a stretch on gently sloping exposed bedrock which I always find a joy to ride. Then there’s some chilled out flowing singletrack back down to the Loch.
Sgùrr Bàn
I stayed with the incredibly kind and helpful @felltop after riding at Cluanie and used all his wisdom and intel to piece together a sensible route to ride the Sgùrr Bàn slabs. These are outcrops of quartzite and quartz-arenite that only really appear in significant quantities on the eastern flanks of Sgùrr Bàn and they are almost made to be ridden – they’re the perfect gradient, perfect grippiness and you can piece together a 2km route down them. There’s some big drops where you have to climb down, near the top things get pretty fragmented and the ride in is long and involved but, all in, I’d say this is one of my favourite things I’ve ever done on a bike. You have total freedom to go where you like, within the limits of your technical ability (some of it’s pretty gnarly) and it’s my favourite part of the country to be in. You’re remote and it’s just stunning.
Sgùrr nan Clach Geala ridge
Got quite a day of days for this – early May and blazing sunshine with no wind. More far north Munros this time, and the ridge that runs through the middle of the Fannichs. The first summit (there’s three Munros on this route) has a hellish steep grassy drag up it, but it’s despatched quickly and the descent off it isn’t long before the big pull up Sgùrr nan Clach Geala itself.
The descent off this is good fun – swooping singletrack corners and generally steep, high speed stuff without much in the way of technicality but it’s definitely not easy. The final descent is the big deal though – off the top of Sgùrr nan Each there’s some massive rocky sections with big drops, very tight hairpins and there’s an added element of high-consequence threat in the form of a massive cliff to the right. After a short bit of bog-trotting, the descent back through the glen is a real joyous mix of fast singletrack and tech.
Creag Meagaidh
@Sanny and I had been trying to get together to ride this for years. Seriously, years. It feels ridiculous that in the fifteen years of doing these posts, I’d never actually met the man behind the "putting the mountains back into mountain biking" mega-thread. But on a glorious mid-May morning we finally looked each other in the eye at the Creag Meagaidh nature reserve car park.
I’d always assumed this would be a bit of struggle of a hill with a bike, but far from it – it’s largely rideable both up and down. The climb is gentle at first, rolling gravel singletrack up to the corrie. From there, the route up to the Window is steep and proper hike-a-bike but it’s very short. Once up on the plateau we noodled around, pedalling to all its extremities. This was another ride blighted by wind – the first bit of the descent we were really getting pummelled. Fortunately it calmed down for the very steep, sinuous drop back to the Window. From there, the hike-a-bike climb is largely unrideable back down but from just above the corrie you get a return trail that could almost have been purpose built for mountain biking – it’s like a trail centre red route (a good one – it was a lot of fun).
This ride then ended up as an article in Issue 162 of Singletrack
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Atlas Mountains, Morocco
This was very, very special. Eight days crawling round the Atlas with big bikes and a load of gear. I plotted the route myself, we had no guide (except Assadoun the mule on day one) and we were self supported in terms of gear. We did sleep in gites and guesthouses but there were no appropriate camp spots and the terrain was way, way too rough to carry the extra gear.
First descent of the trip was already the best either of us had ever ridden, and for the most part it all just kept getting better and better. There were plenty of sections that were incredibly frustrating or difficult, and progress was ridiculously slow. Plans for 70-80km days being straightforward went out the window quickly – they were taking us 10-11 hours. We slept like shit until we found places to stay with air-con (and without geckos between the sheets) and I ended up basically passing out from exhaustion for half an hour two hours into a three hour hike-a-bike. But my god, the riding, the people, the scenery and the wildlife was staggering.
The people largely have very little, but what they have they can’t give you enough of. Some nights we were far enough off the tourist trail that there was no accommodation and we just had to beg around villages for a bed which was always a success. We’d get fed until we burst, provided with sweet mint tea until we were on the brink of drowning. People we passed gave us water and fruit unbidden, and with no expectation of payment. All this despite the fact that the area was ravaged by a massive earthquake at the end of 2023 and many people are still living in corrugated metal emergency shelters.
It all came to an abrupt end a couple of days early. The terrain got so rough when we were descending a ledge on a cliff which had been made extra-gnarly by rockfall caused by the earthquake that I ended up splitting a crank in two. And that was that.
I could write as much again about the trip, and then again. The story appears in Issue 2 of New Mountain Magazine (if you’re stuck for Christmas present ideas I’d really recommend this – it’s a beautiful thing) and it’ll appear next year in Issue 16 of Calling in Sick magazine in the US next year.
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Mount Keen
I stay in Deeside for a week a year and didn’t quite have time for a big Munro session this year, but I did fancy riding Mount Keen from Ballater. This is a cracking little loop – it essentially ties together Mount Keen with the well-known Heartbreak Ridge trail, with the added bonus of a really nice singletrack descent into Glen Tanar.
I went straight up and back down Mount Keen and, in hindsight having walked it since, I think a better ride would be to go up and over the summit, then traverse back north on its western flank. The descent is largely big stone steps for the first half to the north, while to the south there’s a wilder feel. Heartbreak Ridge was, as ever, excellent.
Aletsch Arena, Switzerland
It’s been a rather indulgent year. This trip was part bike trip, part train trip and part social call on an old friend. Armed with an Interrail ticket and some optimism about how Swiss railways operate, I started my trip in the Aletsch Arena, a touristy area just up the valley from Crans Montana. Aletsch was home to this year’s enduro world champs but I was there to try out the Stoneman Glaciara route – an XC route with checkpoints that you can take at whatever pace you fancy. I was after a suitable adventure for the lovely new Sour hardtail I’d treated myself to and this looked just the ticket. I decided to split the 130km long route into two days with 2,000-2,500m of climbing.
The first climb, straight out of the train station, was the biggest I’d ever done -1,600m straight up, all on fireroad with no pushing. Having ticked away at a steady rhythm for a few hours, and having picked up some pals on the way, I was expecting a great descent. Nope. 1,100m straight down on fireroad. At least it was scenic. The route then bobbles around the valley floor for a while until I eventually reached my hotel.
The next day was better – after I’d smashed my face in on some rocks first thing. The route got infinitely more technical on the descents – some of them were used in the enduro champs. All really nice stuff and ultimately worth it – the place is absolutely beautiful.
This ride was featured in issue 163 of Singletrack, and I have to say Jim did a great job on the design and made it look rather brilliant.
Val Müstair, Switzerland
From the tourist hotspot of Aletsch, and Davos which I stopped by too, to the quiet serenity of Val Müstair, right down in the south east of Switzerland. There was hardly anyone else here, and those that were were Swiss. Even if the riding wasn’t what it was, I think this is my new favourite bit of Switzerland. It’s scenic beyond compare in the country, and the villages feel real rather than a mass of tourist chalets. There’s no chairlifts and I think it’s better for it.
The riding though- oh, man. Local guide Nat from Ride La Val showed me round. The first day was a sumptuous flow trail through the wooded valley sides, touring exquisite villages with beautiful buildings. Despite her reservations about my smashed up face and little XC hardtail, Nat agreed that I ought to ride Piz Umbrail with her the next day.
This mountain is just off the Stelvio Pass and includes some relatively spicy borderline via ferrata to get up, but the downhill is worth hanging perilously off a chain with a bike on your shoulders. At the top it’s wild and, despite being August, snowy with big rocky features, before opening up into ribbons of Alpine singletrack, interspersed with hairpins you can only navigate on your front wheel. It ends with more flowing woodland singletrack. If you’re after somewhere to ride in Switzerland and don’t mind a bit of hike-a-bike, this is the place to go I reckon.
This ride featured in Singletrack Issue 163 and will be in Issue 35 of Sidetracked magazine in February.
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Lake Como, Italy
To get out of Switzerland, I went via northern Italy. Right on the edge of the Alps, the riding here has a totally different feel. The climbs are largely on road and the trail network is limited. If I’m honest, it felt like a group of trails that were good for locals to get out on but I’d not rate it as a destination to ride. They were pretty spicy – rocky singletrack with some really hairy moments, particularly nearer the town of Como, but given the quality of the riding further north I’d not rush back. Como itself was a beautiful town but a hellscape of tourists, too.
The Storr
Speaking of tourist hellscapes, the hotspots of Skye have definitely changed since I was last there in 2010. The Old Man of Storr now has a massive carpark and a manicured grockle path to get up to it. However, the moment you get past the Old Man and hop over a barbed wire fence to the route up to the summit of The Storr everyone disappears.
The views are the real point of this ride – looking down on the Old Man and the Sound of Raasay, without a soul around you, is wonderful. The trail back is pretty good – a bit of a grassy slope with some interesting bits at first but the singletrack back to the Old Man, then the tourist path itself, are good fun. The tourist path is actually pretty rowdy for the first half – big steps and big commitment mean it’s best-done early morning or late evening when everyone’s gone. Unfortunately, I missed getting a photo of me on the bike but here’s some scenery.
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Tolmount
I had hoped to get up and over Tom Buidhe, the last of the Munros between Glen Clova and Glen Callater that I need to tick off, on this ride but it turns out a very foggy early November day doesn’t provide sufficient daylight for a big 50km, 1,600m day PLUS an extra Munro.
This route was a belter – up Jock’s Road from Glen Clova, down the north side of Glen Callater (which is such a good descent) then back up the horrible, horrible steep-but-not-so-steep-you-have-to-push Landrover track on the south side then, having made the call that going to Tom Buidhe would have us out in darkness, going up and over Tolmount to descent back down the excellent Jock’s Road descent (at one time, my favourite in Scotland). Would it have been nice if the cloud lifted and we weren’t just suspended in permanent wetness? Yes, but you can’t win them all in winter up here.
Ben Lomond
SNOW! If there’s a mountain that bears up to bike riding when the snow falls it’s Ben Lomond. A couple of pals were hiking up it and I tagged along with the bike. Things were pretty lairy on the way up – wind was absolutely funnelling through one section of the ridge to the summit, making standing difficult – but despite the snow cover, the descent was 100% a goer. It’s not easy in the snow at the top, it’s steep and chunky, but I got away with it all before riding the rest of the descent the best I’d ever done – no dabs, no walking down anything (except the mad cliffy bit in the woods at the end) and generally picking great lines. Til I braved the rock slab in the woods at the bottom and went full arse over tit but, as I said a paragraph ago, you can’t win them all up here.
And how’s this photo for the most Ben Lomond “Weegies with a stereo listening to Rhythm of the Night on a bluetooth speaker” shot you’ve ever seen?
Can't see pics at work! One for later.
Always look forward to this thread. Looks like you've had a great year 👍
Fair play Pukey, always a classic. Invite me along for an adventure next year, please.
"I can maybe make it out the Pentlands for a quick spin" doesn't really cut it, does it.
I reckon people would pay for a year with you.
Blimey, some seriously impressive photographs here...absolutely top work!
A really inspiring read Luke! Yay, someone has finally given the Sgurr Ban slabs the exposure they deserve. I rode them ten years ago and have been baffled by the lack of interest in anyone tackling them since (apart from the odd youtube video of folk using the power invested in them by Robert Bosch gmbh to make a big deal about riding up them!). The circuit from Loch Braoin to Dundonnel makes a great day out with the option to mess about on the quartzite escarpment overlooking the An Teallach coires.
Flippin awesome thread as ever!
Hooray!! Nailed on best thread of the year every year. Skipped through them tonight on my phone so I can properly appreciate the photos on my computer tomorrow.
Thanks for the effort.
t I ended up splitting a crank in two. And that was that.
Lolz. The curse of the crank strikes again
@tjagain - you'll like the bodge I had to do to get back to civilisation -
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@jimmy - in fairness, a quick spin out in the Pentlands is my bread and butter (I'm about to head out on one now) but I do feel like I live life as fully as possible given the constraints of having to pay bills.
Awesome stuff as always. I've been up a few mountains with the bike this year, both on holiday with Basque MTB and back home in Scotland. These threads have definitely provided me with a lot of the inspiration to do so. When sharing pics of my own modest forays up high, I always laughingly think, "Bet Munrobiker's shitting himself.".
@arrpee - I love seeing other people's efforts! I'm actually incredibly jealous that you got a view from the top of Sgurr Gaoith - never seen the loch from up there!
Magic👌
Great stuff munrobiker, some inspiration there...
Big birthday for me in 2026. I've decided to celebrate by having loads of time off work to do more hill stuff near home, rather than any bucket list abroad trip.
Geeza shout if you are up this way.
Amazing thread obviously, but if this is mountain biking, what the hell am I doing?
I wouldn't even know how to get into most of these places.
Btw @munrobiker , thanks for the offsetting tip. I'm taking a first flight in quite a few years and was going to research options.
Wow, love this thread every year, but the ante has been upped this time! Very very jealous, what an awesome year of rides…
is there a calendar version of this thread?
Flippin eck... You have been busy 😁
I forget, Is the aim to do all the Munros by bike? Betcha can't ride down the Inn Pinn... 🤪
I've really enjoyed this. Not my chosen joy within MTB, but I do love reading about others joy. The photos are epic.
@Gilles - sure, why not? I've put together an A3 and A4 variant. Price is set to cover costs only.
https://munro-biking.myshopify.com/collections/all
@sharkattack - I also do a lot of XC mincing about, riding at trail centres, all of it - riding bikes is bloody good.
@relapsed_mandalorian - it's a very acquired taste but I love it.
@boblo - not a chance. I learnt very quickly after I started doing them that some are straight up shit. Why would I bother when I can redo the good ones and chuck in some nice Corbetts, Wainwrights and foreign stuff?
I've hopefully ordered a calendar, but I don't use PayPal much these days and I'm not sure the order was completed.
Doesn't look like it I'm afraid @stevenmenmuir - it says you "abandoned checkout".
I gave the circle of doom 5 minutes but nothing was happening.
Got it now!
That is a right sexy wee bastard on the front of the A3 calendar....... 😍
Bonus points if anyone can name the film that I am misquoting from.
This is absolutely the best thread of the year for me. I always look forward to it. I have to admit to being more than a little envious even though one of the rides was with me!!!!!! Top work as ever.
Once I remember my PayPal password, I am having an A3 one............bloody brilliant. That was a fantastic day out on Creag Megaidh. Definitely looking forward to some new adventures next year with you.
Isn't it a bit vain to have a calendar of yourself @Sanny ? 😉
For what it's worth, I am not big headed enough to have ordered the calendar!
Vain? Moi? It ain't vanity as I know what I look like. Not pretty. Nothing prepares you for being on camera and seeing how you look and sound in real life. That said, nobody gives a shit about it so neither do I. I just enjoy having pics of me as it is usually me taking the shots so it feels like a wee treat.
Just contemplating my own year in the mountains and it has been a classic. Riding with you in May was obviously a banger but I had so many great days in the Lakes - deep snow up High Street, riding the slab on Bowfell, heading into Eskdale on a scorching hot day and to be treated to some truly spectacular mountain scenery, giggling out loud as I rode Gowbarrow Fell and Seldom Seen on a cold but crisp winter's day, riding new places like Place Fell, Hartsop above How, Lingmoor Fell, Illgill Head etc and realizing that they were worthy of future visits all the while experiencing the best sunny and dry Spring in the Lakes in memory. I've documented some of them here.
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/riding-the-wainwrights/
Getting up before five for the motorway blast down to the Lakes became the norm. Throw in a couple of great trips to the Alps and Canada and I reckon I did pretty darn well, all told. The weather may be grey and damp but I am already excited about future adventures.
I finally did Jack's Rake with my daughter which was an amazing day out while she and I also experienced the best temperature inversion on Grizedale Pike that I had ever enjoyed. We ended up sitting on the summit chatting, taking pics, playing cards and napping for some three and a half hours before eventually descending via the old disused mine and finishing in the pitch darkness. Marvellous. With a bit of packrafting tacked on, it feels like I spent an awful lot of time outdoors in stunning weather. I call that a win.
Just don't ask me to pick a favourite as there is too much to chose from.
Cheers
Sanny
Absolutely fabulous thread. Thanks for taking the time.
Awesome inspiring thread and those are some amazing pics @munrobiker.
Magical. Got to be thread of the year.
