[Closed] Dunoon

Everythings on trail forks from the enduro.

There's some new stuff that's not on strava or trail forks. Depending on who it is you know locally, they may show you the new stuff

Cool cheers, just want to try out the actual enduro trails, so not to fussed about new stuff just now, never been so there'll be plenty there to keep me interested! It's an older couple i know so doubt they'd be up for showing me round, be hilarious if the did tbh! 😆 Seems a good idea to combine a visit with the trails.

any idea what each stage actually was? The enduro results seem to have different names from trail forks?

here's my strava from race day

https://www.strava.com/activities/1735696956

nothing of much interest on the last descent, just a flat out blast with a few corners to catch you out.

in practice on the way up to the last stage before the fire road pedal that was part of the stage there was a trail leading of to the left that several riders went down as we where passing, from the noises they where making it sounded like it might have been good.

excellent, cheers bigfoot, that is spot on, can see the actual way round now, instead of just guessing! 🙂 Top man!

i went a couple of years ago. I got a bit lost (!) and couldn't find the trails. But, the riding was good!

Be happy to show you around if Im available 😉

Cheers for the offer, appreciated, I need to seriously improve before I'd inflict my shiteness on anyone though! 😆 ! Mibbe when I've improved a fair bit!

Just on the train back from a wee potter about up the kilpatricks again, conclusion, I need to up my core strength considerably(and lose a shedload of weight), and I need  grow some balls. I minced my way down a few decents there, get on fine till I hit steep stuff then I tend to shit it! I know what I need to do just point where I'm going and let it go, just getting back into it again mind, but there's a mental block there!

Even with the ebike(awesome btw up to loch Humphrey in 15 minutes from the train station :lol:) , I forgot how punishing descents can be on ye!

The hardtail is tough on yon bumpy loamy stuff in the trees, that one down to greenside no3, was sketchy with too much tyre pressure! As was the bottom of that black yin, mincer's and tatties or something it's called.(didn't even attempt the jumps!)

I do still intend to head over though, can't guage your crapness and improve unless you try out stuff! 😆

hehe, conclusion, I'm rubbish, and I defo need a better bike to tackle that stuff, 120mm hardtail with dubious suspension ain't the safest way down those! Honestly thought it was going to snap at a few points, turning one way. and wheel wanting to go another! 😆

Pretty awesome trails from what I could make out though. But beyond me, and my bike at the minute! Might return when I've a better bike though! Although, I think I'm coming to the clusion, that I'm a red and blue mtber! 😆

[img] [/img]

Views are cracking though, couldn't figure out how to get right up to the top of bishops seat though,  wanted to try that, cycled up as far as this would go(wasn't even going to attempt that bridge too far one, I seen the steepness of the end of it!) and I cycle up the fire road until I see the views down the other side of the valley, obviously need to go up the other way somehow..

I'd have probably been better just firing back down this path up, and finding another route over to the blue stuff!

It's great over there. Relentlessly technical. Really tests you.

I've only ever seen dunoons enduro-trails via YouTube and they don't look particularly scenic.

isnt there a trail leading up from the pub at ardentinny, over to loch Eck, back down to the botanical gardens, 'commanding views' included??

i have cycled up to ardentinny...absolutely stunning!

I’ve only ever seen dunoons enduro-trails via YouTube and they don’t look particularly scenic.

Pretty nice views up the Loch long, Arrochar Alps, Trossachs, Clyde islands to be fair.

Can you even reach those brake levers when things get steep? Extra ENDURO points for the saddle cover though

legend

Can you even reach those brake levers when things get steep? Extra ENDURO points for the saddle cover though

Someone seem to think I give a hoot how the bike looks! 😆 The brake levers are fine though!

Plus I think I get negative enduro points for being a shitebag! 😆

@Nobeerinthefridge

good point, long range views are nice, but the immediate surroundings look quite bare.

Though im sure that the view down to loch eck is truly magnificent:)

Aye, the immediate surroundings are a bit apocalyptic tbh! 😆 That just adds to the death if you fail feeling there, greenery will eventually grow back I'd think.. ye should see the bruise I've got from one over the bars moment!

Aye, the immediate surroundings are a bit apocalyptic tbh! That just adds to the death if you fail feeling there, greenery will eventually grow back I’d think.. ye should see the bruise I’ve got from one over the bars moment!

I'm not allowed to moan about monoculture post-apocalypse death zones any more, as apparently I'm not educated enough regarding fallow periods and such likes. 🙂

I'm sure there's a Loch Eck route in Kenny Wilson's 'love it or hate it' route guide... I'll have a look tonight folks.

I’m not allowed to moan about monoculture post-apocalypse death zones any more,

Lanarkshire Tourist Board took out a restraining order did they?

*Applause*

no views at all when i was there, 2 days of being in the cloud and rain. trails we raced on stood up to the weather well mostly though, it is a brake pad destroying place though in the wet.

I’m sure there’s a Loch Eck route in Kenny Wilson’s ‘love it or hate it’ route guide… I’ll have a look tonight folks.

You can go right round Loch Eck as a loop. Start at Glenbranter foresty carpark, and go clockwise back out onto the A815 to Invernoaden to pick up the forest track that goes high up right along the east side of the loch to Benmore Garden, cross the road and take bridge over river then down the west side of the loch next to the shore line. It's not technical but a nice enough xc loop with some good scenery. There are a couple of decent climbs as well but if you go clockwise you get these out of the way early on, plus you get the better descent at the only singletrack bit, and the way back along the western side of the loch is mostly flat. It's about 22miles or so.

There a route down through puks glen that looks superb(I just found), I think there's easier stuff up that way, but I'm just guessing.

https://www.mbr.co.uk/routes/dunoon-356397

I've been up the west side of loch eck before and camped, defo the most midgey spot on the planet I reckon! I think it's a place worth exploring(the whole peninsula, or whatever it's called), there's mentalness but there's also decent stuff I think, the trails market blue on trail forks were horse it material, more to my liking, (Not enough there to justify traveling) but I'm sure there's more of that, someone needs to map the whole place! from strachur to toward to dunoon to portavadie and what's there. (the views up bishops glen might be aw tree fell, but the whole area is general scenic as hell.)

If you look on the stava heat map, looks like there's some stuff down the bottom of the pennisula too.

A place worth further exploring, I think once you knew everything, you could probably put together a big massive blue/redish loop(my sense anyhow form my first real reccy.). you do get views on the mountain tops when you go right up the top through the pass. btw. all fire road up mind.

There's also talk of them building a gondola up bishops glen, you'd imagine if that happens, development will happen even more. they seem right into it.

Decide wee town I thought, bit rough around the edge, but wouldn't take much to transform that if it turned into a resort.

They also didn't need to stick the highland games on, put a parade through the streets and finish it off with a fireworks display just for my benefit. 😆

the train/20 minute ferry ride is good to, gives ye a sense of going somewhere different. Plus getting plied with wine and grub aw night helped too.

Anyone know the name of the hill between ardentinny and loch eck?

Beinn Ruadh is the highest point on the OS there. Red Hill I'd guess that means?