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A bunch of us are traveling up to Kinlochleven this weekend to try out some of the Ciaran path routes and I'd be really grateful if anybody could give me a bit of local knowledge about where the best local trails are and whether there's any scope for minimising hike-a-bike.
Cheers.
Not just the locals that ride them!
Ciaran path is down from teh dam to the town...not sure how you can avoid any of the walking on it. There appears to be a path starting aat the dam that contours round to the north to the next glen (which has a great descent down it, normally reached by climbing up past Mamore lodge), no idea what that's like, and it's not really needed anyway.
No doubt others will have greater knowledge of the locality.
Cheers Al,
Anyone else got some good knowledge to share?
By Ciaran path are you talking about the loop in KW's book that goes up via Kinlochmore Lodge ? Or are you just wanting to ride the path down form the dam to Kinlochleven ?
If you just want to ride the path then there's a Land Rover track up from the village on the south side of the glen.
MBR have stuck four routes up on GPSies and I was wondering which ones were the pick of the bunch (going up for the whole weekend):
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=gcbamomaypwnjlyt
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=rwybqaqwnbwejoxh
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=qxafahnpedjamrnt
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=gfwrpcyvbwkcqfmg
Don't do the first loop! The path from Loch Treig has been churned up by motorbikes so it's just a long push. Far better to ride up the pipe from Kinlochleven, it's almost flat from the point you meet the West Highland Way.
Make sure you ride the Devil's Staircase as well, it's just a 45 minute push from the Kingshouse then a lovely descent into Kinlochleven.
IMO the best descents are Ciaran path (v. techie though), the one down the more northern glen, and then the top of the devil's staircase, (in that order) so I'd try and get those 3 in if that's what you are after.
If it's a big loop you want then do the DS from Altnafeadh to KLL and then the 2nd of the above descents, or turn right before KLL to do the Ciaran and do the 2nd of those descents after if you have the legs. Then ride back on the road. Do something else on the second day, Glen Etive loop or something.
Sorry the description is a bit rubbish!