I fancy giving this a go next time I am up in Scotland (March & again in April) but wondered how easy it is to navigate - I am rubbish at navigating which is probably why I like biking trail centres (it took me 3 attempts to complete Monkey trail at Cannock because I kept going the wrong way!).
I have the route on my Garmin Edge (need to learn how to follow a route on it) so would that make it “foolproof”?
is it a route worth doing?
Phenomenal route
Dead easy to navigate
Route up is a fire road slog
Way down there's only one way you can go
Do Mastermind across the other side of town afterwards
Would it be tough in winter? Ie a slopfest?
Nope, it’s mainly bedrock. Class even in the wet. Even lower down there’ll be little slop. Mastermind will be worse but still rideable. Exposure due to altitude/wind would be the only factor.
And watch out that it gets icy in a couple of sections when it's colder. The rock slabs just before and after the steep corner had a thick covering of ice a couple of weeks ago - hard to walk around and impossible to cycle. Rest was running brilliantly though.
Edit to say - easy to navigate and hard to go wrong if you have Trailforks. Happy to share GPX
Nope, it’s mainly bedrock. Class even in the wet.
Agreed, but be very careful if you go off line. I stopped to take a photo last month on the way down and nearly broke my wrist falling whilst walking on wet rock just off the route
Thanks everyone. Not going until mid March so hopefully better weather
Any Ballater locals in the house? I just wanted ask if there is still a cafe at Cambus O’may - opposite the cheese factory
There’s a cafe in the cheese factory. Selling cheese based dishes.