Hello, think I'm heading to the fort william area on Saturday. Anyone got any suggestions for big biking days out? Don't mind a bit of hard work or pushing, if the descents are worth it. And, pretty keen on steep rocky descents too.....
Thanks
PS - I know the world cups on, cheers!
more specifically, has anone done any variations on ring of steal, either from the nevis or kinlochleven side?
cheers
I don't know the area that well but Kinlochleven has some brilliant riding- slog up, bomb down, it kind of lacks epicness as you're never far from town though. (also, you'll get as wet as an otter's pocket as there's no tree cover... But some of the trails work better in the wet)
If you google for the dudes of hazard enduro stages, or look on strava, you should find 2 brilliant descents that come off the road that runs up past mamore lodge. There's also the ciaran path on the other side but it's overrated imo.
sorry, should have said, but I'm quite familiar with the kinlochleven enduro stuff. its just the rest of the area im not so sure on, for biking anyway.
cheers though!
Ah, that's all I've got. Except for the very nice but basic xc loop out of the Fort along the Way, then back up the military road via cow hill.
We were up at Kinlochleven last weekend.
Tried to make a big day out by extending the track past Mamore Lodge, up past Loch Eilde Mor and then a circuit of Sgurr Eilde Mor before picking up the descent from Corie an Lochaine. The loooooong descent that you get from the Corie at 800M, right down to and including the Kennels descent to Kinlochleven, is epic... but I'm not sure it's worth the 6KM of hike-a-bike that we invested in getting up there.
Also did Devils Staircase over from Glencoe as an afternoon ride and extended it from where it meets the doubletrack to include Ciaran Path from the dam down.
If you do go up past Loch Eilde to Luibeilt, don't bother going left down to the head of Glen Nevis. It's crap.
If you do go up past Loch Eilde to Luibeilt, don't bother going left down to the head of Glen Nevis. It's crap.
Don't go right towards Loch Treig either, that's crap too.
[quote=richpips ]
If you do go up past Loch Eilde to Luibeilt, don't bother going left down to the head of Glen Nevis. It's crap.
Don't go right towards Loch Treig either, that's crap too.
* Remembers *
* shudders *
Maybe it's because I don't mind leaving my bike at home and walking when I feel it's more appropriate, But I don't get why anyone would feel like taking a bike over this type of terrain.
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[i]Don't go right towards Loch Treig either, that's crap too.[/i]
Right, now I know! Was thinking about some kind of overnight loop & staying at Staoineag bothy. I'll look elsewhere now.
my mates got caught in the tail end of 'that' hurricane back in '89 .. trying a traverse from KLL over to Glen Nevis. They were close to being in quite a bad way.. I looked at the forecast and saw bad / severe weather forecast for Lochaber and though "no thanks"...
richpips - MemberDon't go right towards Loch Treig either, that's crap too.
Yup. However, you can get a good big day in the hills by doing just that, then pushing back up Glen Iolairean to Ciaran Bothy, then riding the Ciaran path or one of the others nearby back into KLL.
AlasdairMc - that route is one of those in the new Scottish Wild Trails book.
cheers folks, appreciate any more info.
Stob ban from Glen Nevis is supposed to be good, thought it might be, having walked it in the past, path starts at the lower falls.