So for the last few weeks ive been planning a trip up to the west coast of scotland for some wild riding in the mountains... I have asked a few times on here RE routes etc. and got some good advice from you and this is what we plan on doing... I would appreciate your thought and if any of you have done any of these routes, have any experience, photos, maps, places you would recommend staying or just general comments on the plan then let me know.
So...
Sunday:
Drive up from Biggar - Kinlochleven
Stay at Blackwater Hostel in Kinlochleven
[url] http://www.blackwaterhostel.co.uk/accommodation.shtml [/url]
Mon:
Ride Ciaran Path and probably another little extra bit from Kinlochleven
Stay at Ratagan YHA (near Kyle of Lochalsh)
Tues:
Ride Sligachan route, not sure whether to make this an our and back or a loop, probably depends on weather?
Stay at Dun Flodiggary Hostel (Skye)
Wed:
Ride Quiraing loop on Skye
Stay at another hostel on Skye... recommendations?? I have a few scoped out (on the map in the link)
Thurs:
Ride Ben Damph route
Treat ourselves to a BnB n torridon, any recommendations??
Fri:
Ride Annat, Achnashellach, Coulags, Annat route
Stay at Kinlochewe hostel
Sat:
Ride Kinlochewe Forest
Stay possibly across to Aberdeen that afternoon to a friends...
Here is a bit of a map I have made so far of the routes and places to stay (all bunkhouses or bothys)
[url] https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=202095187671783726491.0004c8e637e979140dd51&msa=0 [/url]
Generally all good rides,
However that's a lot of daily driving to get from one place to the next...
when are you going - May/June would normally be best
You think they are too far apart driving wise? was thinking of mabye missing out the Skye routes and stay on the mainland, and ride kintail and applecross area instead, making the driving less per day...
B R... errrr next week, i realise there are some issues with people possibly out stalking, i am in contact with them to sort out if there will be any issues.
ive heard the road to applecross is very slow to drive. not got a clue where all the other destinations are but a man i work with used to live there and says its a nightmare to get to. singletrack in some places and slow
Plenty time to do all of those routes and drive in between them. You might need to make an early start or have a couple of late finishes, but it's easily doable.
ive heard the road to applecross is very slow to drive
Yeah, its not a fast road at all. Its a good surface, just very narrow and twisty. Single lane with passing places every 50 meters. Great fun on a road bike, but very slow going in a car.
yeah ive driven it before, its a fair distance on singletrack road
Dont listen to them. If I've said it's good to go then it's good to go. 😈
The route that makes everything a bit out of the way is the one on the north of skye, we could do a route in kintail/glen affric instead but the scenery around Quiraing just looks absolutely incredible!!! cant remember who recommended it but it was someone off here
Youve picked some great routes there. I really love the riding aound Torridon in particular.
I would pay attention to the driving between the routes. Its 130 slow ish miles from Kinlochleven to Portree on skye. FActor in that you will be fairly knackered after a days riding. A 3 hour drive.
Portree to Torridion another 80 miles of fairly slow roads bestpart of 2 hours driving.
Im not saying its not do-able but its quite spread out. Theres a lot of riding around Fort william etc why not stay a little more compact?
A few pics of Torridon from various trips
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Skye is magic. Spent a lot of time there as a kid and generally had good weather around October - better than facing the midges in the summer. I'd say if you've not been definitely go.
[i]B R... errrr next week,[/i]
Ahh, nay mind, you'll be fine - but pitch black by 7:30pm
I have been to all these places before but mostly when i was younger with famil trips etc and always dreamed of riding my bike there and now im finally getting to do it, it wont be the only time though!
Skye is fantastic but ive never been up to that Quiraing area, didnt even know it was like that! so really want to visit!
If you do Sligachan as an out and back you could then head on and do the Quirang loop the same day. Would maybe free up a little time in an excellent looking itineary - jealous!
ive heard the road to applecross is very slow to drive
A hire car is the best car for this road, being of course the fastest car there is.
The Quirang Loop will take you an hour or so- it's nice once you've done that pushing up to the Old Man of Storr and blapping back down.
Rid ethe Quirang clockwise- a lot of photos show it anti clockwise but you just descend on a road than.
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Old Man of Storr is also at most an hour's ride out and back but the views are great on a clear day and you can say you've been.
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For your Kinlochleven loop, what I'd do is drive up the road and park at the King's House pub, ride the Devil's Staircase stretch of the West Highland Way, then head over to the Ciaran Path (if you ride on top of the Conduit the ride to the dam is quicker, and crossing the dam while not allowed really is easy), then back up the fireroad and back over the staircase. That's a big old ride but a real epic and the trails are great. I'd say make sure you've got a big bike for the Ciaran- it's very technical.
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Sligachan- out and back. The loop is awful.
Was up on Skye in Feb and walked the Quiraing and surrounding areas. It really is a stunningly beautiful place. Had all the weather you'd expect, high winds, rain, low mist.... The sun did appear after a few days and when it did the scenery was breathtaking. Didn't take the bike but will definitely do so next time.
another +1 for sligachan as an out and back.
[url= http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=147814 ]Sligachan and Quirang[/url]
[url= http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=199783 ]Torridon[/url]
oooooo im just oh so excited!
Comments? I hope the weather plays ball.... 😕 It was -4 here this morning, and some major rain here this week, I suspect as snow on the tops...
Matt thats my worst fear, its going to be freezing! i have kind of accepted that, i just hope it doesn't snow and stop us actually riding.
I once parked at the top of Glen Brittle and rode half way over to Sligachan before hiking up the hill on the left (other side of the track from the black Cuillin) and pitched the tent before waking up to an amazing sunrise along with all those wicked mountains. I then rode back round to Brittle on the road. Not much of an mtb adventure but I'd rather do this again than the sligichan to Camasunary ride.
To ride,feed yourself properly,travel and finish rides before dark.. you will have to be nailing everything spot-on! Good luck. The roads can be slow with having to pull in to let others pass (some days you could find a drive from Loch Carron to Torridon taking a lot longer than you'd expect after looking at the distances online etc. It gets tiring having to stop and start over and over.
thanks for the info martin
Hope it stays dry/warms up a bit!
check out the [url= http://http://www.mwis.org.uk/wh.php?fdate=120915 ]MWIS[/url] website for your weather
sounds an awesome trip
Yeah i hope it is warmer! was originally going to camp/bothy it but just too cold, especially if we are out getting wet on the bikes all day.
Fisgard, thats a great help, thats the one they always have in the YHAs eh
Sounds a bit ambitious, well it would be for me. But if you're hard enough, go for it!