Planning a c2c across the Cairngorms if there was no wind which way would you go?
Also anyone know the best way to get from freshie bridge to laggan with out using a road?
Not sure that Feshie Bridge to Laggan is possible completely off-road. Could do it using a couple of minor roads. Possibly Feshie Bridge to Drumguish through Inschriach, minor road to Ruthven Barracks, somehow round the south side of the A9 on to General Wades Road to Etteridge, cross A9 then up through Crubenbegg on to minor road following south of R. Spey to Catlodge, then A889 to Laggan.
Did Feshie - Ballater - via Glen Feshie.
Did as part of C2C from Ardnamurchan to Montrose, 50% off road, over several high passes. Lovely!
Feshie Bridge to Laggan - involved use of road (for us) - out at Drumguish, had come by road from Newtonmore / Kingussie / Laggan. Otherwise you're looking at the Gaick (ish) and a big hike over the shoulder.
Feshie Bridge to Laggan - off road if you really want to - through Inchriach Forest (plenty tracks, too many possibly!) then out at Ruthven as above. Looks like a "path" West to Phones then down North to the A9, cross A9 and W on A899 as above. But the General Wade's Road W of Ruthann must only be a track by now..
Given no wind go east-west. West has the nicer, most dramatic finish places. Try Inverie for example. A beautiful finish to a c2c and then you get to travel out by boat to Mallaig. Finishing on the east would be a bit of an anticlimax IMO.
Have ridden the route I outlined above several times on horseback but not for about 12 years. So kcal may well be right about present state of the tracks. I doubt they are or have been much used.
Perfect thanks guys, ideally I would want to finish in the west. But...
Got the maps out so will report back as to finding your route. Currently my plan is to get mount keen in along with at least three peaks around lochnagar. Would love to get ben alder in but all the references I have it would be better doing the Corrie pass to fort Augustus.
Ps realise ben alder would be hike a bike....
It sure would! Not out of the question though. Were you thinking then down to Corrour, and then out to Laggan Dam?
Here's an idea
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7566/16140945217_2aebc3c6f4_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7566/16140945217_2aebc3c6f4_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qAjyEV ]Scotroutes C2C idea[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22384952@N02/ ]ScotRoutes[/url], on Flickr
http://www.scotroutes.com/Routes/MTB/Scotroutes_C2C.gpx
If you're doing the Corrieyairack then you definitely need to be going East to West. Otherwise you'll have the waterbars of doom to contend with.
If you are very, very lucky, the descent will look like this
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/14294799270_36cd4b42a8_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/14294799270_36cd4b42a8_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/nMbzNo ]Enjoying the descent[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22384952@N02/ ]ScotRoutes[/url], on Flickr
@KCal I would change the route slightly to get to Dalwhinnie instead of Laggan then Loch Pattack and out to Kinlochleven. using Scottish hill tracks 153,then the Bealach Beithe to Bealach Breabag to Ben Alder cottage then 155 to Corrour, 158 south edge of Loch Treig and either 160 or 161 down to Kinlochleven the trouble is apparently its bog central between alder and Corrour and I'm planning this to be unsupported with one night in Braemar YH. So really want this to be easier going than bog snorkelling and this might be three nighter for another time.
@Scotroutes thats a beauty thank you! "Waterbars of doom" PMSL, holly moley nice Pic! that might be decision made!
The classic Fort William to dump of Montrose here - Feshie to Braemar was our Cairngorm route.
Ace. Scotroutes will confirm, I think there are better finishes than easel- Montrose, I wonder if down Speyside would be nicer, and more off-road.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/sets/72157594161298014/
@matt_outandabout Thanks! some great photos!
yeah I know Aberdeenshire well and was thinking of starting/finishing in Aberdeen but actually can't really get mount keen in and kinda want to do that.
So Stonehaven means I think I can get to about a mile of the train station all off road from Tarfside....
out of interest did you do it supported or stopping at b&b or unsupported?
[quote=matt_outandabout ] I think there are better finishes than easel- Montrose, I wonder if down Speyside would be nicer, and more off-road.I went Fort William to Buckie, picking up the Speyside Way at Aviemore (that was before the Corrieyairack underwent a massive resurfacing).
http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2011/09/c2c-part-1.html
@scotroutes great blog dude! how bad is this resurfacing on the pass and is it the full length of it?
It's almost the full length of the off-road section. It was done for all the right reasons (to preserve the original Wade ROad that was seriously damaged). If you're going East to West then the mega waterbars they've installed on the East side of the pass will mostly be step-downs and you'll manage these fine. Going West to East they appear as small cliffs.....
On the map/GPX I posted earlier you'll find many other alternatives through Inshriach Forest. That one I used is signposted as the Badenoch Way. TBH, I'd avoid the wee section of it West of Drumguish. It's messy, gated and has no views or anything to make it worthwhile. Just stick to the minor road until you are under the A9 then aim for the Wade Road to Etteridge.