So Im going to Aviemore In August for 6 days of solid bikjng and are looking for the best trails. We are all relatively fit so are after 3 or 4 all day rides and 2 or 3 quick blasts. Craigellachie in particular looks pretty good, is it possible to bike up it or will it be hikeybikey. Ive seen a video on youtube of a big ride on the Lairig Ghru but how fun is this as i understand there is a lot of walking? and is it possible to leave from aviemore and get back in one day?
Carn Ban Mor is definately on the list and if anyone has any routes of singletrack around aviemore, glenfeshie or rothiemurchus i would be realy grateful. I have memorymap software if anybody is willing to send me a GPX file of a route.
Thanks guys
Carn Ban Mor is a ****er of a climb, but once you are coming back down it, its possibly the best descent I've done in Scotland. Burma Road starts just outside Aviemore, did it last year and it's a cracking wee route. I can't for the life of me remember how to describe it and around it. Me and cynic-al did it last year, was a right good larf. Had two big climbs, but loads of steep, rocky, twisty singletrack throughout it all. And a nice wee section at the end where we think MX riders go, a quite few great options to play on at the end.
This is the Carn Ban Mor route, with added loop on the west side of the River Feshie. I have the GPX file somewhere. If you're fit, with minimal faff, then I guess allow 2.5hrs for Carn Ban Mor and 1.5 for the Creag na Sroin loop. Edit: anticlockwise for eastern loop, clockwise for western, like a figure of 8.
I've got some other Rothiemurcus GPX files, including the AWESOME Lairig Ghru singletrack. I'll try and get photos/map onto flickr soon...
[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4772611468_9d87378da5.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/gingerfox/4772611468/ ]Carn Ban Mor copy[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/gingerfox/ ]Ginger F0x[/url], on Flickr
Cheers Pal Your a Godsend!
Its really appreciated, if its easier for you im happy for you to email me
Lewismorgan10@gmail.com
is the Creag na Sroin worth doing?
is the Creag na Sroin worth doing?
Oh yes! 😀
Kit! Fancy sending me a GPX? I've never really gotten my head around where the good stuff in Glen Feshie is, the only bits I rode were a little rubbish.
Cheers
I can email you the map of the singletrack around bagaduish if you want? i think its frowned upon to post it on here hahah!
I've gotta admit, I didn't find all the great stuff I'd been shown in the past so you might be a little disappointed 🙁 But we did do the Lairig Ghru, plus some nice singletrack stuff down near Feshiebridge, and the SXC course at the back of Glenmore Lodge (I think). I'd like to make it back up this year to build on my/our exploration last year!
Hi all
I'm doing Aviemore in Sept, any chance that I could be added to the gpx/route info mails, it'd be much appreciated
Thanks
Well Kit, I can show you some great stuff in Inshriach (your 'western loop' above just falls short of some of the best stuff I've ever ridden).
Badaguish was great but if there's some sort of contention about it then I wouldn't go aggravating things, seems a bit unfair on the guys who built it, plenty of stuff elsewhere. Plus it only takes about 20 minutes to do doesn't it?
Hi Kit
No worries pal thanks for that one of carn Ban Mor anyway. Is Lairig Ghru worth an out and back and is it do-able in a day. How far down it do you go right to braeirach or is that pushing it for time?
We went to nethy bridge last year and did the burma road and ryvoan/sluggan pass before shooting off to go and do the corrieyairack and that. Its such a stunning place we couldn't resist not going again despite morzine screaming at us!
Well we are there August 19-27 so if your up feel free to tag along!
Inshirach forest is meant to be a beautiful place, i would be grateful also if you have any routes on this. Best stuff you've ever ridden? will have to make that a definite then! is it technical riding or just a damm good descent?
Your probably right about Badaguish its a special place thankfully everybody respects it.
Hi Gusamc
as mentioned im going late august so ill get a flickr account setup so you can look at ur pictures and will email you all our gpx routes before we go 🙂
Lewismorgan, my recommendation comes with a hefty caveat, I spend so much time 'exploring' (i.e. getting lost in bogs) that it doesn't really take much to impress me.
However, Inshriach is basically fast, flowing rootsy and loamy singletrack, of varying degrees of technical-ness.
The best way to do it is to head west of the westernmost point of Kit's route to the top of the wee hill in the forest, think its Creag Dubh or something. There's basically a spiderweb of trails all radiating off the top of that hill, so take some food + water, leave it at the top and session away!
Got to put it out there 13thfloormonk
'exploring' (i.e. getting lost in bogs) that it doesn't really take much to impress me
I like your style!
But thanks for your help 🙂 i'll give it a whirl 🙂
+1 for Inschriach.
I finally found it last year. I will be going back for a day again this year. I did't do half the stuff there. Its very easy to come out on the wrong side of the hill from where you think you are. Be prepared to get a little bit lost but you will figure it out fairly quickly.
Yeah we didn't have time to cover the Inschriach trails, but I have ridden them in the past and are great fun!
I don't think there's any contention about the Badaguish trails - Bothy Bikes will sell you a map showing where the SXC route is.
Edit: P.S. my email is in my profile. Anyone wanting GPX files should email me and I'll do my best to get something back tonight.
What are conditions like on the ground at the moment in the highlands? We're up to go skiing next week, and we're debating whether or not to take bikes. Theory is that if the slopes are shut due to bad weather (wind in the main) we'd go biking instead, but then we realised if it's that bad it'd be pretty miserable on a bike too.
Was up in Aviemore last weekend and did the Lairig Ghru and Badaguish trails and was surprised how dry it was and after the week of dry weather we have just had some bits will be dry and dusty.
They are doing some trail maintenance at the top of the Lairig Ghru just out of the forest so we didn't get up as far as normal but it's still a great blast back down.
With the Lairig Ghru
is it just a case of ride all the way to braierach then turn around and come back ? 🙂
everybody says it is a great blast down, is that heading from braeirach back to aviemore?
Did you manage to find any GPX routes by the way "kit"
i sent you a quick mail.
Hi Lewis, yes I got your email - just working on the files now!
Kit - Member
I don't think there's any contention about the Badaguish trails - Bothy Bikes will sell you a map showing where the SXC route is.
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/trails-at-badaguish-near-aviemore
Recon you should check out the ben alder loop
The ben alder loop, is there a lot of hikeybikey involved in that?
Druidh, Cheers for that , made a good read! I understand both sides really, mind you spending £540 on bike hire at Bothy Bikes, being given a trail map is quite nice!
But i understand trail builders want the trails and respected, and you would hope all riders would do this!
25 posts and not a single mention of the trail that leads to the Inshriach Cake Shop. 😕
Can anyone else who requested GPX files of Rothiemurcus and Carn Ban Mor please drop me an email?
Point noted re: Badaguish. My first (and maybe 2nd) time riding them was with an Edinburgh MTB group who made no disclaimers about riding/not riding in certain weather conditions, and Bothy Bikes also made no mention about conditions on that particular area (although it was bone dry at the time).
lewismorgan - Member
With the Lairig Ghru
is it just a case of ride all the way to braierach then turn around and come back ?
everybody says it is a great blast down, is that heading from braeirach back to aviemore?
I have never been as far as Braierach, I have had a day going via the Chalamain Gap and droping in to the Lairig Ghru, not really worth it once you are in the Lairig Ghru it's pretty flat and quite boggy in parts. You are better off just to head up till it flattens out and head back down.
Glenfeshie is good fun but be prepaired for a long climb that you can see streching out in front of you.
I have to say im not a massive out and back fan!
And is that a days worth of riding? So head up, drop in at the chalamain gap and ythen blast back down?
Well cheers for all these routes guys 🙂
I look forward to what "kit" can recommend me 🙂
Cant wait to get down and ride now!
Lewis
If you want a real mountain adventure, have bash at this.
Aviemore,glen enich, coire dondall, breariach, larig ghuru aviemore.
Just shy of 5 hours up but round about 1 1-1/2 hours downs stunning location to boot up and down.
6 and a half right round then 😉
well i tell you what, looked at it on an OS and it looks a fantastic ride, have you done it yourself?
Can most of it be biked?
Thanks for your help!
Yep done it
Alot of the up is fine a wee bit of light scrambling at the head of the coire, once on the plateau 90% ridable.
All but two 10metre sections of boulder fields of the descent is ridable
Please note this is in the mountains and I advise relevant experience in mountain stuff. stay safe.
give me a mail and I'll see if i can tag along, any excuse to do it again.
Andy
Lewis, emailed you back dude.
Thanks all for a great thread 😀 Am coming up for my annual van jaunt in the summer when work permits, but this time for 4 weeks 8) and hopefully before midgiegeddon. I was thinking I can spend at least a week riding around the Cairngorm areas, but now I'm maybe thinking two weeks would be better!
Kit ygm about routes!
Kit, Bloody Fantastic- Top Bloke!
AJ
At last, someone who has done the Braeriach route! I've asked several times on here without success. Have you headed across to the adjoining peaks? Planning an out and back biggie for the Spring. Would you advise heading up from the Lairig Ghru or the Einich loop instead?
Lewis
Ben MacDui loop. Current issue of the mag - a belter.
Mealle a Buchaille - some hikey bikey but a lovely descent to Ryvoan Bothy.
Burma Road to summit then return via the singletrack at the top cairn.
Lairig Ghru - no out and back finer. A terrific evening ride.
Carn Ban Mor - a lovely few hours out. I hear good stuff of the descent off Sgurr Gaoth.
Cheers
Sanny
Have E-Mailed you AJ
Cheers Sanny
can the singletrack from the top of the Burma Road be found from the top?
I know before we just went up and blasted down the other side!
can the singletrack from the top of the Burma Road be found from the top?
You can't miss it
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there we are and we didnt even spot it!
we need to open our eyes!
You can't miss itWe did!
i havent a clue how we missed it
and where does this drop you off?
There is another good climb and descent after the Burma Road singletrack doownhill. Once you reach the bottom you come across a gate beside a burn. You'll see the farm ahead of you.
Cross the burn to your right and follow the fence line till you come to a river , a deer fence and the corner of a forestry plantation. Follow the zig zag LRT up to a couple of telephone masts. Once you reach the masts turn right uphill following the path. You'll come across a singletrack downhill to your left, but its worth climbing up to the cairn (see pic) to get more of a descent. The singletrack goes down to a sawmill on te Alvie estate. We usually head down to Kincraig, cross the Spey and head back to Aviemore via the aforementioned Inshriach Nursery Cake shop, then have a quick spin up to ride the Lairig Ghru descent!
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A flavour of the Lairig Ghru descent back towards the Estate:
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5260/5495139945_2fd991cb81.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/gingerfox/5495139945/ ]Ian Lairig Ghru[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/gingerfox/ ]Ginger F0x[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5214/5495139273_9f3a4b2ecd.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/gingerfox/5495139273/ ]Andy Lairig Ghru[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/gingerfox/ ]Ginger F0x[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5495730182_b076168666.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/gingerfox/5495730182/ ]Jim Lairig Ghru[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/gingerfox/ ]Ginger F0x[/url], on Flickr
i havent a clue how we missed it
and where does this drop you off?
If you look on google maps satelite images, you can see the singletrack from space. You couldnt see it behind a cairn?
A few days of spring like weather and I'm looking lustfully at the mountains again... bliss 😀
Cannot wait to get up on the hills. Chears for a great thread guys and all the route advice is greatly appreciated :). With the Burma Road i guess we just didn't know it was there so didn't bother with it!
Ben alder, yeh I haven't done it yet. Its in the scotland wild trails guide. It has got a hard hike up to the col but the descent is described as one of the best single track descents around, looks good on the map.
Aye. Nice weather means extra motivation to get out into the hills and do some proper big stuff. Lots of days away pencilled in already - sweeeeeet!
With the sun shining, daffs poking their heads up in the garden,It's time to think about mountain biking. As in biking in the mountains.
So come share your adventures please, Cairngorms, west coast, north west west.
Andy
Well its a lovely day so im off to do the Carn ban mor loop, hope its not icey cos im not taking the crampons 🙂
most of the sgorans is snow free, just a wee bit left on the moine moor.
enjoy.
Andy
Have a good trip sweepy 🙂
let us know the conditions up there!
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Well im back, and the climb is a bugger, well I say climb but I wasnt on the bike for much of it.
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Plenty of snow up top, which meant the path was obscured and I had to navigate, Bah!
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Obligatory summit shot, Visibility was piss poor so no view
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Descent was not obvious to start with, and when I found it it was a jumble of rock, some loose, some not. Not the flowing decent id hoped for, Even had to walk some of this, and still managed to go OTB a couple of times and actually off the path and rolling down the hill to the side once.
In hindsight, as has been said here its a mountain and needs respect, I was a bit blase, thinking 'Ill just follow the path' but put a map and compass in and Im bloody glad I did. Dog loved it, first big day out for him, and all I saw all day was his arse. Still lifes a marathon, not a sprint- we'll see whos faster in 15 years or so 😀
Looks really good sweepy!
shame the descent wasn't up to scratch!
how long did it take you?
if you went OTB a few times, ill be lucky to come back in one piece!
Lewis
give me a shout on email - guide related!
Regards BJ
bjdoherty@hotmail.com
Bj
Have sent you a quick mail chap
Lewis
I daresay a better rider would enjoy it more, Probably took about 4 hours,maybe more, but there was a lot of faffing about navigating. oh and im glad I wore kneepads too.
Fabby doo looks like a great day out, one of many ways downs off that ridge. The climb hurts eh!
Is there more than one way down off the top there?
Ja. AJ showed me ans Dave good alternative a few years back.
You dont have a GPX of that do you?
So I've been recommended this route by a kind gentleman, and whilst plotting it on a gpx and penning it in on my OS i have noticed between Coire dhondail there is no path marked, is it just a case of cutting across or is there a path present that just isnt marked.
Also anybody else tried this ride or any other on the Lairig Ghru?
Following the glen derry was another option?
Really all i want is a spin on the Lairig Ghru but preferably not more hiking than biking!
Well... it aint no trail centre 😆
no but it is a trail forum 😀
where you ask for route help you dopy fool
Any More Info to update for me 🙂
Any good rides
conditions of paths
and singletrack discovered?
Trails are bone dry. 20 degrees today with no clouds. Some snow very high up but only in the areas which are not exposed to sun.
Badaguish trail map is online if you are creative with google.
Unlimited singletrack around Nethy Bridge/Boat of Garten. Not high altitude wise but bloody brilliant.
Fancy sending me some info of thats ingletrack sniff?
I've got GPX files, Routecards and Maps for
Carn Ban Mor
Ryvoan Pass Route
Rothiemurchus estate Route
Burma Road Route
Glenfeshie with return via Lairig an Laoigh
If anyone would like them
Lewismorgan10@gmail.com
tap me up
Latest trail conditions?
WET
Fancy sending me some info of thats ingletrack sniff?
just spotted this - YGM
Cheers Sniff,
hope you've had a good trip!
"Glenfeshie with return via Lairig an Laoigh"
I did LaL the other week. Started at Bynack More and then down LaL and onto Glen Derry.
Is LaL ridable??? i had to carry my bike for most of it...not fun. I definately wouldn't want to do it going uphill! Am I a big wuss? 😆
sorry i meant to say clockwise, so LairigL return via glenfeshie, some say its ridablesome say not, i guess i'll just have to do it and find out! How long did it take you? and it has to be more ridable than the Ghru. i'll be happy as long as i get 50% worth of riding out 🙂
Fords of Avon up to Glen Derry saddle is a hoot heading Braemar to Aviemore, I imagine it's a ball ache the other way... which is why I would not do it that way.
We came down from Bynack More, on the map the decent looks great but in real life it is slow going and I felt kind of robbed of a potential great bit of trail. From the Fords of Avon Refuge, we had to push for about 4-5k to Glen Derry. Once on glen Derry the riding was pretty good, lots of rain bars though.
Towards the end of Glen Derry you get into a forrest, we took the right fork (singletrack that crosses a bridge over the Derry Burn 039 958)great fun piece of twisty rooty single track that put a smile back on my face. I believe the other fork is just a plain landy track but i've not ridden it before. You're now spat out at Derry Lodge.
The above is just how I found it. I would definately do it clockwise as ascendin up over Bynack More from the south would be a challenge. Put it this way, when we got to the bothy we decided that instead of retracing our tracks, we decided on a 75k+ ride back via braemar and Tomintoul! That was a cracking ride but about 40k on road probably.
If you can start at Braemar, you could also take in Beinn a Bhuird, not done it myself but meant to be great.
Edit: can't remember how long LaL took us but from the top of Bynack More to Glen Derry must have been around 3-4 hours give or take.
Fantastic 🙂 we are sttarting form Aviemore, and hope to finish in Aviemore, in one day with a bit of luck! I think instead of the braemar tomintoul, we could head back via glenfeshie? I think its meant to be quite a good route. The whole thing is probably not a very enjoyable ride, its just one i want to do! Many people say don't do it, but this just makes me want to do it! especially for the descents!
Lewis - the descent down the Lairig an Laoigh towards Braemar after the Fords of Avon is excellent fun. I can't remember pushing for 4-5k as Paul says - it was only a 20 minute on/off the bike shove. Glen Geldie and Glen Feshie is good - the way you're doing it will involve a steady climb up Glen Geldie (there'll be a lot of shoving of it's been wet) and some noce singletrack heading into Glen Feshie. You'll have a big shove up Bynack Mor as well.....
It's a great route in the right conditions and will put lead in your pencil. However, it's not a route that I would do 'especially for the descents' as they're by no means amazing....lots of quality, challenging riding though. Leave early 😉