Heading up from S Scotland next month for a few days and wonder if I’m missing any gems from my ride list. I’ve pencilled in the High Burnside trails for a day, maybe the Burma road loop on another and Inschriach singletrack a third day. The Lairig Ghru should make my list too I feel? Badaguish?
Last time up I rode out to Loch Einich and round Loch an Eilean from Rothiemurchas and had a morning in Glen Feshie following a great guide book route.
Based in Aviemore and not too fussed about driving too far to get to trails- I’ve ridden Laggan and may keep this for my last day before heading South.
Are there local riding groups (day or night rides) who wouldn’t mind a couple of socially distant mtb tourists tagging along? TIA
The Lairig Ghru should make my list too
Is it a walking holiday ?
The last km or so is fun. Not worth a day out. Tag onto another day.
Possibly means the descent into the start of Lairig ghru?.
Did Burma road once, nice views if not a little dull. There's a couple of descents off sgor gaoith that are good, though I've only done one, the allt ruadh (sp?).
Looking forward to riding up there in a couple of weeks, hopefully weather will permit the odd munro too.
Scotroutes will be along soon....
There is so much lovely local stuff and if you can hook up with Colin, Ross, Alex, Adam or others who live there and know the trails it’ll be the best.....well apart from the patter in the OBI post ride .. 😜
There's various bits in Docharn Woods between Boat of Garten and Carrbridge, and on the other side of the road from Carrbridge too.
The bottom bit of the Lairig Ghru is best done by heading up to the Sugar Bowl car park, across Utsi's Bridge and through (or past) the Chalamain Gap.
If you are heading for Inshriach, bear in mind that the cake shop at the nursery is no longer open. (You can, however, sample some of the cakes at the Post Office Gallery in Kincraig).
^^^^ hahaha, I’d forgotten about that vid, what a great day it was 👍
Did Burma road once, nice views if not a little dull.
I was a bit underwhelmed by this too. I think there might be different ways down and/or some sanitisation has happened.
Check out the pump track at Carrbridge.
I think there might be different ways down and/or some sanitisation has happened.
The descent used to be much rougher and there was quite a lot of singletrack parallel to the Dulnain. That all changed about 8 years ago. The main descent was resurfaced, making it much smoother (but also faster) and most of the singletrack was also resurfaced. There are still some old bits to look for. You can add a bit of fun by carrying on up to the top of Carn Lethendry rather than heading straight down NCN7 to Carrbridge. There are a number of rockier/rootier tracks from there down. I'm sure I'll have a gpx file somewhere....
^^^^ I reckon it’ll be a range test for my ebike battery in a couple of weeks !
Did a bit of a ride there yesterday. Quite moist and the midge is busy as well. Town v quiet , fingers crossed when we relax a touch from next week responsible shopping and spending will resume.
Heading up on the 16th as well , will follow this thread for info. Also planning Laggan on the way home.
Thanks folks, good advice. There’s a 4 peaks Trailforks route north of Glenmore- worth considering?
Stw meet-up ride potential Mon 20th or so, mid evening and beer in OBI ?
No idea of dates, I'll go by the weather, if it's not great I'll be biking, if weather is good I'll be out n about with Maz n the wee yin.
We'd come so close to booking a holiday cottage for a week in early August but then realised it was too much of a gamble as there would be no cancellation or insurance cover due to C19.
I was gutted to find last night that the Glenmore Camping site is staying closed as I'd hoped to get away myself with the bike for some riding in the area over the next five weeks.
Rothiemurchus site should be open I think. There's not a lot of tent space and I don't know how they plan to handle Covid for campers.
Thanks @scotroutes
Not going to make any plans or bookings as yet, will play it by [s]ear[/s] weather!
too much of a gamble as there would be no cancellation or insurance cover due to C19
as Oldtennisshoes said, I asked house owner if they'd refund in case of any covid issues, they agreed no probs.
Had booked a hostel in Fort William to lay our heads after WHW in a day in mid august, but that's been cancelled, shared facilities a no goer. Need to think of something else....
as Oldtennisshoes said, I asked house owner if they’d refund in case of any covid issues, they agreed no probs.
Sorry, genuinely lost at the reference to 'Oldtennisshoes'?
Alas, not as simple for us as we have two dogs and 'Project Management' is immensely fussy about booking places... but that's my struggle!
Oldtennisshoes is on here, he'd said on another thread that all the airbnb owners he'd spoken to had advised that they'd refund in the event of any covid based issue/cancellation.
When you there, OP? I'm up that way first week in Aug and know it well.
Did Burma road and Loch Eanaich last Aug on the fat bike - I really liked those routes - right in the "wild but mild" category.
I spoke to Mrs Glenmore Campsite manager this morning to sort out storage for our caravan which is on site. The managers have just returned from 10 weeks of furlough and don't understand the decision not to open. The parent company has 2 sites at Loch Lomond (3 miles apart) under different brands. The Camping and Caravanning branded site is opening, the Camping in the Forest site is not.
TBH, dealing with them over the past 8 years to book seasonal pitches and storage etc. has never been smooth or logical. The parent co appears to be staffed by folk who don't understand how a modern business should be run; the head honcho's job title is Director General FFS.
Still, it's going to be shite (quite literally in some instances) for The Pine Marten bar, the water sports centre and Glenmore Lodge. The site behind La Taverna and the new one at the top of the village might do very well out of it though.
We've taken a chance and booked a house in Granton on Spey 1st of Aug for a week so will be hoping to get as much riding in as possible. Anyone want to go riding, gimme a shout.
I've done that 4 peaks/ meall a bhuachaille...the hike a bike up from the ryvoan bothy is brutal.
On Glenmore I’m looking forward to my refund which was promised immediately a week ago. Here’s hoping it reopens but will be an utter PITA for those whose bookings were cancelled and have booked elsewhere now. It will be ruinous for that area, I had a brief chat with a couple of police officers in Tue who had been chasing wild campers out of the loch Morling area as best they could.
Oldtennisshoes is on here, he’d said on another thread that all the airbnb owners he’d spoken to had advised that they’d refund in the event of any covid based issue/cancellation.
Yes, and as an AirBnB host myself, I know what the cancellation options and policies are on the AirBnB side. You'd have to be a bit mercenary not to offer a covid-related refund. We've booked a week on Islay, just need to set the alarm to book the ferry as the dates we need are released.
2Tyred- Up 10th to 14th Aug as long as our new South of Scotland COVID-19 spike doesn’t affect plans
We've thrown caution to the wind and booked a place in Aviemore for the first week in August, not through AirBnB as we were running out of options (dog-friendly, meets WifeStandards) and places were booking up fast.
Just back from a week in Nethy , I didnt do as much biking as I'd hoped tbh. Did the Laggan Enduro trails over the road , the new Glenlivet whistler style jump trail then yesterday headed out to Ryvoan and up the Buchallie then round morlich and did the first bit of the lharig Ghru and back via the lochaline to Aviemore and over to Glenmore.
Nice to see the town and shops busy and the Go Karts were fun for a couple of rides and see my mum and dad for the first time this year. Also found the guys in bothy bikes very helpful to get some caliper bolts . A good wee break with typical Scottish weather.