[Closed] Kenny Wilson?

Hi, I managed to get one from here a few months ago - http://www.ernest-press.co.uk/mtb_scot_highlands.html

Thanks Grumm, i have just tried to order from this company so finger's crossed they have some in stock 🙂

I have one which I will sell if you can`t get one.

There is another book on it's way but not until next year...apparently there are no more of the first edition being printed so if you do find one snap it up.

A good book but not ideal if you need everything set out exactly as the conditions state in the book - as long as the book is used as a general guide then it is very good, but if you are expecting the rides to be exactly as the pictures show or you expect a ride to remain unchanged since the book got printed then it might not be the best!

WTF - thanks very much, i will be in contact if this company cannot get hold of a copy 😀

DB - I live in a rural area so im used to ride's, condition's and scenery changing alot over a period, the book will be used as a guide to other interesting spot's i can visit rather than a mapping tool but thanks very much for the info/advice 🙂

aye, a 'guide' at the best. be prepared for a lot of pushing up bogs for a couple of hours, for a 20 min bit of double track descending, single if you are lucky...
'classic' rides apparently.

not that i'm bitter or anything...

Kenny posted this on the Stirling Bike Club forum a wee while back:

"Not until springtime 2010 at the earliest. Determined not to make the same mistakes suffered by the first book, I've stumbled around trying to get the content and format right. Also, to ensure freedom from copyright/contract issues, I feel that to be extra safe the book will be left out of print for the period specified on the memorandum of agreement drawn up by Ernest Press. As far as I know it has now sold out and that period can begin.

Once again, any plans made have been scuppered by real life and the groundwork which should have been finished by now is not yet complete. CX fun has also been set aside.
...
In addition to sitting down at the computer to create the manuscript and mapping, some "attention to detail" rides were planned for the spring and summer....all of this had to be shelved.
"

Personally, I think it's a brilliant book!

aye, a 'guide' at the best. be prepared for a lot of pushing up bogs for a couple of hours, for a 20 min bit of double track descending, single if you are lucky...
'classic' rides apparently.

not that i'm bitter or anything...

I've only done on route out of the book so far - it was almost all fire road, though quite pretty - the one section of optional singletrack we went on was a horrendous bog for 90% of the way, pretty much unrideable. My gf was not impressed and it didn't help my attempts to wean her off trail centres!

I was hoping some of the others would be better.

I think the book is very indicative of highland's riding (unsurprisingly). When the riding is good, its astonishing. When the riding is no good, enjoy the scenery instead. If neither is good, enjoy just being there. If you don't enjoy just being there, w.t.f are you doing in the Highlands in the first place?? 😀

I have Kenny Wilson to thank for opening my eyes to possibilies. I've planned a 20 day trip for next year based entirely on dashed lines on OS maps and photos found on the web. It was only afterwards that I looked back at his book and discovered several of 'my' trails were written up in detail therein.

Although I found one that he doesn't seem to have mentioned, and it has all the elements of a K.W. ride. Wonder if it'll make the sequel...

Its a great low tech no nonsense non sanitised guide to a great deal of wilderness riding. Almost ticked off the whole book now. Every one a bit of an adventure, you never know what,s going to happen on your route. Perfect!

I have a spare copy if your stuck

No need for the book. Just carry your bike up any Scottish mountain and ride back down it through bog if you can.

I jest, but as I've said before, he's not known as Kenny "effing" Wilson in our house for nothing. Must do more of the routes. and would absolutely concurr with this....

When the riding is good, its astonishing. When the riding is no good, enjoy the scenery instead. If neither is good, enjoy just being there. If you don't enjoy just being there, w.t.f are you doing in the Highlands in the first place??

Stevie - I didn't suggest you were that kind of rider, merely pointing out that some people didn't think it was that great as the ride they went on wasn't anything like the ride that was described in the book - for some reason they seem to think that because a ride was rideable when the author rode it and then wrote his account of that when it goes to print, the ride shouldn't change...they seem to forget that things change due to weather and all sorts so what is rideable one day might not be the next - I was merely pointing that out as I reckon it is a good book, but then a few posters have posted up the opposite (which proved my point about some liking it and others not)...

Great book, despite the tendancy for "carrybike" sections in each ride!

my 1st KW ride involved 3 hrs of undulating fire road, a 1 hr push up a stream (that might well have been a great singletrack descent), and then down some double track (admitedely fast and fun) for about 10 mins then fireroad back to the car. 5 hrs riding for 10 mins of fun.

the 2nd was a real 'classic' ride, which entailed a little more singletrack (which was good in all fairness) but with a humongous push/carry up a bog, and then back down the otherside, through a bog.

i've vetoed ALL future KW rides. 2 of the most miserable rides on a bike i've ever had.

and yes, its the highlands, and yes the weather changes, but even in good weather i doubt they would be rideable.
furthermore there are plenty of other FANTASTIC rides to be had in the highlands which do not include bogs, but do include plenty of quality singletrack (and even perhaps a bit of pushing).

i really don't get why some people get all in a flutter about KWs book...

What's all this fascination with "singletrack"? K[s]F[/s]Ws routes are about getting into the hills and enjoying being outdoors in great locations. Surely anyone with a bit of gumption would look at the route on a OS map beforehand and have a rough idea of what to expect? Fire roads (of which there are actually very few in Scotland) and doubletrack make for good, fast progress enabling longer and more "wild" routes to be undertaken.

Oh - and check out his website for updates on some of the routes.

http://www.mountainbikescotland.com/guidebookupdates.html

>a humongous push/carry up a bog<

He he he - can't remeber any of these. One mans humungous push is anothers mere irritant 😉

Depends on your experience / expectation levels I guess...

Book isn't without its flaws admittedly but you vetoed dozens of rides on the strength of just two?

I think its a great book! The routes are about getting out and about and showing you a new area - if you want 100% single track is that not what trail centres are for?

Personal favorites are:
- Coire Grogain on page 12 - the steep fireroad then singetrack on the end of this route are superb!
- Glen Garr on page 42 - the ride through Glen Garr is very good and the finish in Birnam Wood put a huge grin on my face!

I don't know but perhaps people have an unreasonable expectation of what you can find out on the hills from riding trail centres?

David.

I don't know but perhaps people have an unreasonable expectation of what you can find out on the hills from riding trail centres?

I still have an open mind on the book having only done one easy route out of it, although I've also been to Carron Valley and his description of there was a bit over-generous imo. I mostly ride natural stuff in the Lakes so I am use to some bog/push/carry etc - the section of singletrack I rode though, I fail to see how it could ever be anything other than a morass.

Which route was it Grumm? (so at least I can go forewarned!)

- Coire Grogain on page 12 - the steep fireroad then singetrack on the end of this route are superb!

I agree with that, one of my favourite after work rides in the summer. Although the last time I was there it looked like MXers had been on the path and totally churned it up.

Erm... it was one from Aberfoyle, not sure of the exact name of it. It was an enjoyable ride in pleasant scenery, but like I said the optional singletrack it shows was nowhere near worthwhile - maybe if it hadn't rained for about 3 weeks.

Did find a really nice but very short little singletrack descent in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park near the end of the ride.

I'm a fan of Kenny's book. Yes, it does have a lot of bog-carrying, river fording adventure, but that's the point of riding in Scotland. It's not all about sanitised trail centres, instead it's about exploring the hills and feeling that you're the only person for miles around.

It seems to follow the philosophy of drawing a circle on an OS map and seeing what happens, which is great.

I did the Ciaran Path route (purely by coincidence that I found it in the book as I'd mapped that loop myself) and saw only a couple of people all day and thought it was one of the best rides I've ever done.

Amazon had it at £52 today.

where did i say i only ride trail centers!? 😐

where did i say i only rode trail centers?! ridden plenty of natural trails all over scotland thankyouverymuch and none of the ones i've ridden out of KW would i bother doing again...
i'm perfectly happy to push now and again too, if its worth it for the descent (devils staircase, stuff on skye, snowdon the other week (yes, in wales i know) etc). ditto with fireroads/double track - esp if it actually takes you somewhere with some fun to be had.

however, i don't find much enjoyment of pushing UP bogs for a few hours just to ride a shit descent... esp when the midges are out.

9 yrs (3.5 on scotland) of 'experience' mtbing has also given me plenty of time to realise what i like about mountain biking... and it ain't pushing through a bog 😯

its perfectly possible to 'get out there' and 'experience' scotland without having a shit ride in the process... mebbe i'm too young to enjoy bogs and fireroads which go nowhere...

[i]It seems to follow the philosophy of drawing a circle on an OS map and seeing what happens, which is great... Amazon had it at £52 today. [/i]

*gets map, draws circle, sells book for £50*

WIN.

it was one from Aberfoyle, the optional singletrack it shows was nowhere near worthwhile - maybe if it hadn't rained for about 3 weeks.

That'll be the Menteith Hills - which I avoided until recently cos I thought the s/t would be a bog trot and then did on 2 consecutive weekends. I wouldn't do Kenny's fireroad route but surely it can't have been too hard to work out what it was going to be like? The optional s/t is definitely worthwhile - you either got it in really crap condition (admittedly that might be 60% of the time) or didn't find it all. There is excellent stuff around the visitor centre if you can find it. IMO Best way to do that route is out and back the same way across the hill track and forget the climb from L Drunkie.

I've ridden a fair number of Kenny's routes and I've certainly found the fireroads (tho as others say a bit obvious that that is what you will encounter from a look at the map) but have had very little experience of the bog trots (now if you were to go with Stirling Crispin that's a different story 😀 )

The man has been an inspiration from the days of the "fallofalot" website. His book is one of the best out there as long as you can use a map and I await the next edition eagerly.

Jeez, alot of varying view's on KW's book on here 😆

What in your eye's is a good route in his book? I have Auchindrain around 14 miles from me and im ashamed to say i have never ridden it(this winter) 😳 now is this worth a punt or is it hike a bike and is it a typical KW trail if i went elsewhere in the book??

The Kenny Wilson book is excellent IMO - best Scottish MTB bike book I've seen by a mile. Rating the trails in terms of skill / fitness is a great idea ( I can't remember is that's his precse terminology - my wife's lost my copy and I've not read it for a few months).

I've done that Aberfoyle ride on a wet Autumn's day and thought it was great - because it was obviously a beginner / intermediate ride from Kenny's description so I did it with my wife. Perfectly suited ride for someone getting into the sport but with a bit of fitness / experience.

What in your eye's is a good route in his book?

For one route? I would pick 35 Fungle and Mounth Roads

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yz9n58&outx=600&quality=70 [/img]

no wait - route 28 Glen Tilt

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yt6pp9&outx=600&quality=70 [/img]

no thats not it - Route 17 Glen Garr

[img] [/img]

Then again Route 19 Kinglass or 13 Glen Ample

Hang on 24 Glen Bogle was a superb day

[img] [/img]

B****r you've got me confused now!

Seriously tho - like any guide book its somebody's personal view and a clue to what to look for in the area. Most of the routes I would do with some variation - his circuit of the Ochils for instance is not one that many who ride locally here would chose but if you did it as the book you would certainly be back to try out the variations.

Some of the routes are likely to be pretty hard going after recent rain - particularly Auchendrain -as you noted yourself on another thread - which is wet (tho rideable) at the best of times. I love Glen Garr - tho I don't do it quite as KWs route, and I have seen photos of folk up to their axles in mud on it.

Where do you ride steviegil - I've done work down that area - but it does seem to have a lot of riding that is dependent on the forestry roads and be void of good singletrack

Steviegil,

Auchindrain route (Leacann Muir?) is a good day out with some challenging riding. I did this last new year when there was a LOT of ice around which made the descents pretty sketchy and lead to one particularly sore fall. Like many routes in the book, it joins together sections of nice riding with stretches of road or fire-road which is often unavoidable.

What I like about KFW's book is that it is scant on detail but it gives you the inspiration to dig out a map and go explore. The routes can be a bit hit and miss but when they are a hit they are something a bit special (Loch Treig/Blackwater/Ciaran Path circuit is a beauty as are the Coulin routes up in Torridon).

There are many other rides out there which don't make his book, but it gives a taste of what is possible with an OS map and a sense of adventure.

Well brilliant service by ernest press, my book arrived first crack this morning which is amazing considering it was ordered latr thur night, so thank's Grumm.

Stevie, im based in mid argyll and i completely agree re the forest road riding especially given the wet winter's we get these day's, but this coming summer im going to be getting the OS map's out to look for good ridable route's, which given how rural the area is it should be good 🙂 Brilliant picture's BTW 8)

Thanks very much for the input guy's, very much appreciated 🙂

Steviegil, there's definitely some worthwhile exploring to be had in north argyll (Benderloch/Barcaldine area)

A lot of the lads in Benderloch have been building downhill trails and have recently started some sort of XC loop, although knowing them it won't be for the faint hearted!

There's a brilliant linking trail from the head of Loch Creran through to Ballachulish (marked on the OS map) and I think you could make a half decent circuit out of it if you didn't mind the road ride back from Duror.

Also, again from Loch Creran, Glen Ure looks to be a steep windy landrover track up to a wee lochan overlooking Loch Etive, likewise you can climb to the bealach south of Beinn Sguilard and descend some of the way to Loch Etive. I've yet to try getting all the way down to Loch Etive, but it would be a worthwhile expedition as I hear tell of a bothy in the area...

If you've got a road bike I couldn't recommend the road ride out to Barran and back enough, steep and twisty!

13thfloormonk - Member

I think the book is very indicative of highland's riding (unsurprisingly). When the riding is good, its astonishing. When the riding is no good, enjoy the scenery instead. If neither is good, enjoy just being there. If you don't enjoy just being there, w.t.f are you doing in the Highlands in the first place??

Word to that.

FWIW I think it's a great book, every route a cracker for different reasons. If you want singletrack, try the Inshriach loop, if you want a long day in the mountains try Glen Bogle or Gaick or Glen Tilt, if you want something accessible from the Central Belt and a grand day out go for Glen Garr or Loch Ordie. There's enough to keep it interesting and I think it was only ever intended as a springboard to point you towards the good stuff but leave scope for imagination and judgement.

I don't get the obsession with singletrack, sure, it's nice to ride but really there is so much more to MTB than that.

I'd try and get Kennys book but if you can't/can't wait then Scotland Mountain Biking, The Wild Trails is ok. More detailed but I prefer the routes in Kennys book and there is a fair bit of overlap between the two boooks.

<thread revival>
I've just noticed that Edinburgh Bikes have this book in their sale: http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f_ProductID=8413&f_SupersetQRY=C382&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20c008921c008924c009303

</thread revival>

I think Kenny Wilson's book is the best Scottish Route book (in terms of route content at least - others are better presented).

I've got quite a few others - Bike Scotland Book 2, Mountain Bike Scotland: Trails Guide, Mountain Biking Scotland: The Wild Trails, and Harry Henniker's 101 Mountain Bike Routes.
There seems to be a lot of overlap in all the others and many are routes which are commonly mentioned on the internet too - Kenny is the only one which genuinely offers a significant amount of different routes.

I think there's a point to be made about responsible access here too. Kenny knows there are many other great alternative sections on many routes - but it's important to leave this to the rider to discover as encouraging hundreds of bikers down fragile singletrack wouldn't do the land any good.

I've just noticed that Edinburgh Bikes have this book in their sale

Cheers AlasdairMc, mine arrived today. Crackin' stuff 🙂

It's a great book, but not if your idea of mountain biking is following arrows round a well groomed trail centre with a nice cafe at the end. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not the sort of riding KW's book is about.

Like Druidh says, it's more about getting out into the mountains.

I have only done a couple of the routes from the book.

However I have done a fair bit of exploring using a map and picking a route for the day.( or week 🙂 )

My take on the highland riding is that you always have a shit bit to get to the good bits - its just the nature of the land and how the paths have developed.

Unlike in other parts of the Uk there seem to be few old drove roads and the like - they either got tarmacked or have faded away. So the paths we have now are either estate roads with that go out and back or walker and stalkers paths. None of the other users tend to make circuits or go right thru the passes- so to make a circuit you have to connect stuff together where people rarely go - the result - its a bit of hike a bike or if you are unlucky the bike eating bog.

The classic thing I tend to find is you start on good doubletrack, as you climb higher it fades, then you get the walkers or stalkers path that fades away as you go thru the pass. On the descent you get the reverse - starts of vague and gets bigger and more used as you get lower.

IMO you need 3 things to make a good day on the mountainbike - a quality trail, good scenery and good company. The proportions can vary but there is a lot more to highland riding than just singletrack to blast down.

Agree with you there Tandem! Although I've found a great ingredient to any trip, be it on foot or on the mountainbike, is actually going somewhere.

The feeling of moving from point A to point B is much more exciting if you know you won't be returning to point A again, why means point B can be much further away, or much harder to get to...

It's a great book, but not if your idea of mountain biking is following arrows round a well groomed trail centre with a nice cafe at the end. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not the sort of riding KW's book is about.

Which is exactly why I got it 🙂

TJ - inspiring post and one I wholeheartedly agree with. I love the feeling of spending five hours on a miserable trudge through a bog to discover a sliver of sheep track that makes the whole thing worthwhile

Nothing beats the beautiful 5 mile downhill singletrack I spotted on teh map - to find there was no trace of it on the ground. walked a mile to a ruin thining the track might be more visible from there - it wasn't. 5 miles of walking and the odd bit of riding. grrrrrrrrrr

However I have also found fantastic bits of trail in fantastic locations - from the stalkers paths at Glen feshie to an old doubletrack in Glen Garry to nights camped miles from anywhere and miles and miles of great singletrack.

TandemJeremy - Member

Nothing beats the beautiful 5 mile downhill singletrack I spotted on teh map - to find there was no trace of it on the ground

That'll be the old "dashed line does not a path make" problem, inherited from the diligence of the Scottish Rights of Way Society. I've had the same on many occasions, it's character building stuff 😀