Looking for a new challenge for spring 2013. Anyone done it here in one go? what's it like say compared to riding WHW?
Not done it, but seriously considering doing it in May 2013.
Done bits of it but never joined the whole thing up.
Bucket list.
I've ridden it with a group as a one day ride (the 200km Aviemore-Tomintoul-Braemar-Blair Atholl-Gaick-Aviemore route). Skipped the last few miles of singletrack from Feshiebridge to Aviemore and took the road because we were running a bit short of time.
Compared to the WHW the Cairngorm loop is all rideable (nothing like the long Loch Lomond hike-a-bike or stile and fence hopping on the southern portion of the WHW). It is mostly landrover track, with some singletrack at the head of Glen Tilt and in the forest south and east of Aviemore. The route generally follows the glens around the mountains, so there is relatively little climbing (some long drags between Tomintoul and Braemar). No major river crossing problems, unless the weather is exceptional.
The Cairngorm Loop will be much quieter than the WHW (apart from Tomintoul, Linn of Dee and Blair Atholl, I don't think we say anyone else all day) so no problems with walkers on the path. I would say it is generally a bit more remote than the WHW, with more places where you will have a long walk out to a road if you run into problems.
It's a big day out in the hills and forms a very satisfying natural loop, so I don't think you'll regret giving it a go.
It's a superb loop, we did it over three days - 60km, 100km, 40km from memory - carrying everything we needed and staying in bunk houses. A lot of it is on tracks but there is certainly enough more technical riding to keep the interest up. I like mountains and we had amazing weather so my view is obviously coloured by this, but I think it's one of the best things I've done on a bike.
Did it in a day in 2005 and found it easier than the WHW which we did a couple of years earlier. Certainly wasn't as trashed at the end. Started / finished blair Atholl which allowed a decent bacon roll stop in Glenmore and a downhill finish to the route. The navigation is relatively easy, water easy to find and it was a really good day out.
OldBloke - Did it in a day?
Really? Same route as on http://cairngormsloop.net/ ?
That is some achievement!
I plan to do it next May or so, once the weather is OK
Got this planned for Spring next year - it's been on the list for a while now and it looks like everything is coming together nicely.
There's a great older thread [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/a-cairngorm-loop ]HERE[/url] with some nice photos. Hoping the weather is that good when we do it!
OldBloke - Did it in a day?Really? Same route as on http://cairngormsloop.net/ ?
Not that one - it is new. It suggests it goes round twice but is based on an older route. We did another one widely discussed at the time of around 120 miles. Not spent the time checking the detail but this one looks about right.
[url= http://www.offroadadventures-online.com/rr014.html ]Cairngorm circuit[/url]
The classic circuit is a single loop of approximately 200km which follows the route Aviemore->Tomintoul->Braemar->Glen Tilt->Blair Atholl->Gaick Pass->Aviemore (starting and ending in Blair Atholl is a popular alternative).
There is another shorter loop which cuts back to Glen Feshie after Braemar, instead of heading down Glen Tilt to Blair Atholl.
Good job I checked with you lot hey! It was the full 300km loop I was interested it. Thanks for the feedback. Good to hear it's not the carry fest that the WHW is. Now to persuade Mrs DD that I need another week in Scotland on my own for training. Oh,she's not going to be happy I can tell you...
oldbloke - with you now. Makes more sense - still an epic ride.
I intend having a crack at the new one this May.
Ah, another chance to post these:
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April, 2008.
Ahhhh, summer in the Cairngorms.