Heartbreak Ridge, B...
 

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Heartbreak Ridge, Ballater

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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?


 
Posted : 31/12/2025 5:45 pm
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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 


 
Posted : 31/12/2025 5:56 pm
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Would it be tough in winter? Ie a slopfest?


 
Posted : 01/01/2026 2:52 pm
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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. 


 
Posted : 01/01/2026 4:17 pm
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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


 
Posted : 01/01/2026 4:21 pm
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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 


 
Posted : 01/01/2026 5:00 pm
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Thanks everyone. Not going until mid March so hopefully better weather


 
Posted : 01/01/2026 5:34 pm