Another of those 90s MTB classics, although to reverse my recent trend I'm actually intending to ride it on my MTB instead of my gravel bike...
As part of a longer through-route. I've been itching to revisit Leacann Muir from Loch Awe for a while, last I rode it was probably at least 15 years ago. I remember a rocky and wet quad track and then the last leg from the bothy to the forest road being a sort of stream bed/gully.
I'm fine with it being as above, but if it has just sank back into the bog (no activity on Strava heatmap, and any routes I see people riding in the area avoid it to pick up the forest tracks further north) then there's an alternative I would also like to check out that follows the River Add from Achnabreac to the wind farm above the bothy (probably hike-a-bike to connect the two anyway 🙄).
Silly me, should have checked Geograph first.
Last pics were 2021, looks like it's still reasonably intact, happy days 😎
Used to be on my doorstep so know the area well. The bothy to forest road is a bog and never dries out so is definitely more pushing with wet feet than cycling. There are a few different options that aren’t as much of a bike drag to link the bothy to forest roads but depending on what you intended direction is really.
Depending when your planning then be warned that achnabreac to the wind farm is a full blown construction site with new pylons and substations going in so not much fun to cycle the main forest roads currently.
After 20 odd years that loop still stands out as one of the most enjoyable Big Day's Out I did with Stirling Bike Club. Also one of the wettest and boggiest, but still a fantastic big country loop. I'm very jealous, enjoy.
Thanks both.
Yeah I remember the bothy to fireroad being a bit sloppy, I've factored that in. Pics on Geograph dated from 2021 show the moorland track still looking relatively solid, although I recall some of the watersplashes had actual shoals of fish in them so don't expect to get across with dry feet 😆
Will be missing the final descent via Loch Leacann, I recall that was on e of the boggier bits but I will have some ways still to go this day so will take the direct descent down the forest drive and pick up the shoreline track from Furnace to Inverarey, which I haven't done before.
I'll be setting off from Ford but wanted to visit Kilmartin Glen so either looping back to the traditional climb up from Ederline OR the Achnabreac approach would work, sounds like I'll stick with the Ederline approach.