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Sanny - yer mad as a bag o monkeys - good effort! I have climbed up the route your describe onto An Gearanach and it would be a slog / carry with a bike if I recall. Also, some pretty exposed wee bits on the initial parts of teh ridge - it was a while ago right enough and others that have done it more recently may have other views.
Been thinking about a spin up that way soon myself prompted by previous posts on this thread. Was thinking the Glen Nevis - Stob Ban - Sgurr an Lubhair - Stob Coire a Chairn - Kinlochleven - WHW back to Glen Nevis loop that I think was described some time ago. Any guidance / commentry on amount of rideable / hike a bike etc?
Would anyone like to form a small group doing a ride in the hills this Saturday? I'm champing at the bit to get out and company would be ideal for a bit of safety and banter 🙂
Well that was a nice alternative to working on a Monday!
The plan was to do a coast to coast from my folks house in Kintail back to my house at Beauly via Bealach na Sgairne. Once I got to the Bealach I decided it would be rude not to do Beinn Fhada (Attow) while I was there on such a stunning day so I headed up the coire and onto the summit plateau.
It's a long old hike to 1032M from the sea 🙂 Carry/push all the way apart from a few short sections.
Starting at Kintail
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/60407271@N04/8113402496/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/60407271@N04/ ]LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]
The view from the top was rather good, if a little hazy. Lookig across to the Cuillins, Black ones right in the middle of the pic
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/60407271@N04/8113383119/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/60407271@N04/ ]LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]
and looking over the top of the 5 sisters to Knoydart (I think)
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/60407271@N04/8113394200/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/60407271@N04/ ]LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]
The plan then was to ride the lovely trail down the long east ridge into the head of Glen Affric, looks awesome doesn't it? I'm heading for the loch in the distance.
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/60407271@N04/8113397588/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/60407271@N04/ ]LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]
Sadly, it's not. It's a long demoralising push (mostly) back down the hard won height gain through peat hags, too steep to ride tussocky grassy bits, big knobbly unrideable rockyness.
Don't do it!!
The path I pushed up would have been a great ride back down, pretty much all rideable and entertaining but this route was nasty. I ended up slithering off the south side to get it over with nd joining the path near the Camban bothy.
I stopped for a breather at the Youth Hostel and found some new adornments for the bike
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/60407271@N04/8113376181/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/60407271@N04/ ]LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]
and I could look back at where I'd come from, the pointy bit away up there
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/60407271@N04/8113397588/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/60407271@N04/ ]LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]
From there it was a spin down the glen to join the road and spin back to Beauly. The last 10 miles hurt, I haven't ridden more than a couple of hours in the last four week due to work being crazy busy. The lack of fitness showed!
I just know my legs are going to hurt tomorrow and even more on Wednesday.
Consider it a hike with bike! You got out on a beautiful day, though the ground doesn't seem to know it was dry this weekend!
If anyone wants to get up the big hills this weekend I'm good for it too.
Nice write-up. FWIW, that's Ben Fhada in the distance, from near the loch in your last photo
[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3029/2845611376_4baa3c9907_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/2845611376/ ]Camp spot, Glen Affric[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/druidh2000/ ]druidh_dubh[/url], on Flickr
Last pic should have been this one
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/60407271@N04/8113372205/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/60407271@N04/ ]LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]
Stunning. Only for the bike,the first pic looks like its from 81! Do you have a Garmin route map or similar?
Hi Wiz74
I tried the route you described back in late Spring but started at Kinlochleven. The carry up from Glen Nevis to the bealabch is straightforward. My mates weren't keen for Stob Ban so we continued up onto Sgurr an Iubhair. That would be a corking descent the other direction I reckon. From there, it is a rocky but rideable descent down to the saddle where you can follow a stalkers path behind Am Bodach over to Stob Coire a Chairn. It looked a mix of rideable and carry but it's not far. The payback down Stob Coire a Chairn would be definitely worth it! Unfortunately, the carry up onto Am Bodach was a peak too far for my mates and broke them just a little bit. There is a route down into the Corrie beneath but it's a bit shit and not worth the effort. Stob Coire a Chairn is the prize. It's a good route but a committing day out as there's no quick escape route. It's a carry all the way up from Glen Nevis over several kilometres so you know what you are getting if you try it.
Spin did an alternative climb up onto Stob Ban. I think the descent to the bealach was about 50% rideable but he spannered himself on the descent so the rest of the descent down to Glen Nevis wasn't a favourite for him. He reckoned it was a bit too rutted but then carrying an injury probably didn't help.
Now a question. Has anyone headed up the munros at the end of the ring of Steall from Loch Eilidh Mor? The track back down looks ace but I've not met anyone who has attempted it on the bike.
Cheers
Sanny
Okay Sanny and friends. Where would you suggest as Biking Munro number 3 after Ben Chonzie and Mount Keen. I don't want your 90% rideable which really means less than 50% to us mere mortals. For me it would have to be mostly rideable but requiring a lot of grunt to get up and basically 95% doable on the way down (and not just by Martyn Ashton).
Glas Tuileachan? There's a big track almost all the way to the top.
Ben Lomond is mostly >90% rideable for mortals on the way down. Way up is mostly unridable.
Druidh.
Where is Glas Tuileachan roughly so that I can check it out on Tracklogs?
Tomd
Is Ben Lomond really 90% doable. I know the bit up to the shoulder but the bit up to the summit is a big lump.
May go for one of these this weekend.
Glas Tuileachan is up past the Spittal of Glenshee hotel at NO 050760.
You can park at the Spittal and ride up past Dalmunzie House. Don't be tempted to try descending down to Loch nan Eun and out along Glen Taitneach.
Keep an eye on the weather this weekend!!!
Glas Tuileachan ...
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By strange coincidence I was just watching 'Highland Emergency' which showed some DoE kids being rescued from beside the ruined lodge in the first pic.
Thanks Druidh. So if heading over to Loch nan Eun is out of the question, and you are right it looks very tempting on the map, would you suggest and out and back up and down the main path?
I reckon there should be a way up/down from the Fealar Lodge track. I believe it's possible (with permission) to drive up to Daldhu. However, I've not tried this and a short, snowy October day wouldn't be my first recommendation for it.
Unfortunately 70% ridable means pushing or carrying half the time 😥
Carn a Chlamain (Atholl) as described earlier by Sanny with the descent down to Forest Lodge is a cracker. Beinn a Bhuird is very ridable, but the last mile to the north summit across the tundra will not make you too many friends with the environmental lobby with the ground being so soft ATM. The descent back down the route of ascent (Quoich) would be great but a bit easy. We rode down to the Sneck and walked up Ben Avon (it would be a push up and the return to the Sneck is eroded enough just with walkers).Returned by Glen Slugain.
So what about the following?
From the main A924 follow the Allt Fearnach track until you are adjacent and below the top of Sron Chrion a'Bhacain. Push carry roughly NE past spot height at 027737 until you reach track at 032744. Follow track to summit of Glas Tulaichan. Back down main track to Glenlochsie Lodge and Spittal of Glenshee. Then take path SW out of Spittal of Glenshee up Coire Lairige and onto An Lairig. Keep following over to main road at Enochdu.
Now that looks like a stonking day but maybe for a long summer day rather than a short Autumn blast.
Anybody done it?
Make sure the shooting is done with, I was not able to use the main path up to Glas Tuileachan because they were shooting on the plateau. I came up the gulley on the left hand side in the end.
By my rough calculations it is about 37km with a height gain of 1380m of ascent/descent.
[quote=thecrookofdevon ]Then take path SW out of Spittal of Glenshee up Coire Lairige and onto An Lairig. Keep following over to main road at Enochdu.
That's the route of the Cateran Trail.
Sorry for my ignorance but what is the Cateran Trail?
You could try the munros off of Glenshee on the western side. There is Land Rover track all the way up the two closest to the centre and the third one is very rideable both out and back. They are very quick to knock out so not a full day adventure.
Carn a chlamain is steep up on the main path. I have a bloody mindedness that means I'll ride even if walking is just as quick but that's just me so I reckon some will push most of it and some ride most of it if that makes sense?
Glas Tulaichean descent to the loch is fine until it gets a bit boggy and vague for the last 200 metres. We followed the obvious track down from the southern side of the Lochan which turned to shit. Next time, I'd head down from the loch as the path though a short scramble down at a couple of points was easy to follow and definitely a path!
Sanny,
Apologies for the delay and thanks for your earlier feedback. We tried the route a couple of weeks ago, not the most successful day in the hills! It was that weekend where it was snowing above 600m in that area of Scotland and the smart money was on a change of plans - never ones to be accused of being smart, in for a penny, in for a pound!
The climb up to the bealach at Stob Ban was almost completely unrideable as you mentioned and the weather got worse when we completed the climb. Two of the party returned the way we came and the other 3 of us pushed on with the view that if things closed in further we would bail as well. As you are aware, once you commit to skirting round the ridge to Am Bodach there are no easy bailing options. Due to the reasonable snowfall and the very walker specific paths up high on this route, there was more pushing than riding done.
We also took the wrong path at the bealach just past Am Bodach - poor choice there which resulted in the path we were on dead ending in the corrie with the lightning strike of the path we should have been on over the far side of the corrie - doh!
We made the decision to cross country it to the path (I know - irresponsible) which was an experience - 400m vertical descent over lumpy heathery grass was an experience but at least it meant we got out of the snow line but into the rain!
From there the descent on the path into KLL was pretty sweet although we were a little jaded by then. Luckily, the two lads that turned back earlier in the ride collected us from KLL so saved the 20k of WHW in the dark that we would have had to do had they not bailed early!
So lessons learned:
1. We are not as hardy or adventurous as some on here!
2. That route is a BIG day out in good weather and a step too far (for us) in November.
3. There are places in the hills that are probably no place for bikes being ridden (pushed) by us.
4. Whilst we don't ordinarily like doing out and backs, preferring circular routes, doing an out and back of that corrie from KLL is probably optimum for that descent.
Sanny, never thought I'd he's you say number 3!
Greg
wiz74 - sounds like a decent wee adventure and there's nowt irresponsible about taking the cross country route anywhere.
Oops, sorry wiz74, just seen the Sanny at the top!.
Wiz, did I speak to one of you on the ridge between Sgurr as Iubhair & Am Bodach? Me & the Mrs were doing the Ring of Steall. There were 3 of you & the one I spoke to said you were going over Am Bodach down to KLL then WHW.
Fizzer, aye that was me (us). Cracking weather that day huh!
Glupton1976 - we will stick to paths 99% of the time when in the hills - unfortunately, the choices on this occasion just didn't allow it. Was defo an adventure though!
Sanny, just read on fresh goods friday that their Giant Trance 29 is off up north for extended testing with Sanny - good effort sir!
Just to be absolutely clear, none of the write-up re: our less than successful day in the hills is a reflection on you or any other route pointers posted on here - we are all big boys and (should) know what we are getting ourselves into.
Was pretty miserable that day but the worst has faded from memory and now thoughts are turning to trying it again, albeit in late spring!
Thanks for your input - appreciated.
Hi Wiz!
That sounds like a bloody tough day out, fella. Reading it reminds me why I tend to stick to good weather days. With the weather closing in on you, I reckon things could get pretty consequential pretty quickly up there. It sounds like you used your noggin and did the right thing to get down. Being able to make decisions like that even if it means you don't do the route you are hoping for is no bad thing in my book. I'm seriously impressed that you did it as a November ride. That's pretty hardcore in my book!
How did your mates like the descent back to Glen Nevis? really keen to know what they thought.
I was up Carn a Chlamain again last Sunday with my mate Roddy. We came across some super slippy verglas part way up but fortunately the snow up above it as we approached the summit was super grippy. It was almost like skiing as we dropped off the summit plateau. 😀
Thinking of the 4 munros around the Buchaille next. Lairig Gartain looks pretty promising for riding.
Aye, the Trance X is a lovely piece of kit. It's a 20 inch which the early reviews I read suggested would be pretty big and reachy but with the 90mm stem and 720mm bars, it's a perfect fit for me. It's not often that I'll get on a bike and not want to change anything. Early impressions are of a solid piece of kit that positively zips along the trail. I'm really looking forward to using it in the big hills which is what I'm intending to use it for.
Cheers
Sanny
Wiz
Any pics?
Cheers
sanny
Sanny,
Will see if I can upload some (poor) pics later.
Trance X looks outstanding value for money beside the 5 grand santa cruz!
The two lads the went down to Glen Nevis struggled to get any flow on that descent, mostly due to the stop start nature of the path but also due to being significant areas of ice. To be fair, the boggy bits near the bottom of that path at the Glen Nevis end were far easier to negotiate due to them being frozen. In decent weather it might be a bit better but there ain't much flow to it I would say.
Gotta err on the side of caution in the big hills so discretion was the better part of valour in those conditions.
Some of your plans sound interesting, I'm off to Glentress 😉
Aye Wiz it closed in after we saw you. The Devil's Ridge was ' interesting' to say the least!
Some Photos of the trip above...
Looking down glen nevis
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There was a path here somewhere...
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Hmm, that worked!
A few more...
Pretty chilly day...
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X-countried from snowline to here!
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Thread revival time! So what has everyone got planned for this year then?
Cheers
Sanny
More than last years pitiful effort for me... I'm never moving house again. This year will be different and I will be back in the hills where I love to go.
Plans?
Take up kayaking........
Yep. Packraft is on order so I suspect I'll be trying a few Munros by some unconventional routes (though not necessarily involving bikes).
I've been a fan of this thread for a long time and hopefully this year I'll get out on them thar hills. After trying to sift through the thread this morning I reckon Ben Lawers, Ben Lomond and Ben Vorlich will be on my to do list for 2013. These seem to be the favoured hills, anymore I should be adding to the list to start off?
How about the cobbler? On the map there looks to be a route around the three (i think) Monroe's in the area? T
Aye the Cobbler is good. I would add on Ime and Narnain as they are close by and worth a crack.
Might I suggest Mam Sodhail and Coire Leachavie above Glen Affric?
I spotted this one last year on Google Earth but have no idea when I'll get a chance to ride it (downside of living in Vancouver now 8) [/smug]) The coire Leachavie descent looks beautiful, apart from the bulldozed trail thats appeared at the bottom apparently.
The path up Coire Ghaidheil even looks half decent...