For a change of pace, the missus and I are doing a bit of a staycation this summer and heading for a round trip of Skye, Torridon, Nairn and Pitlochry.
The missus firmly believes that exercise is the devil and bikes are his little imp helpers. So, while there's loads of scope for biking on our wee round trip, it looks like I'll be soloing my way round.
I'm pretty used to that on trails I know but I'm looking for a bit of trail advice for Skye and Torridon. We've got a few days in Skye, where I've never ridden before and a single day in Torridon. My Torridon experience is pretty much Annat and Achneshellach (or however you spell it). Not the sort of riding I'd be too comfortable doing solo.
Does anyone have recommendations for 2-3 rides in Skye and a ride in Torridon? Ideally about 20-25 miles and more big country sights than gnar fest?
For Torridon the Beinn Damph Loop is an option, it’s a bit less full on than the Annat/Achnashellach stuff. Or maybe head to poolewe and ride out to Carnmore bothy and on into fisherfield...wild country out there, but probably an out and back unless ride a long way back on the road. For Skye I’ve mainly just ridden the sligachan to camasunary track out and back, which is great.
I'd thought of Ben Damph but I've not ridden it before, so wasn't too sure how suitable it would be. Thanks for the other Torridon suggestion and the Sligachan option.
Unless you have other things to do on Skye, I wouldn't bother in summer, too busy and not much in the way of bucket list trails. Go to the cairngorms instead .
Ben damph +1 lovely little loop.
I'm taking my bike anyway, so no point in not using it on Skye. Hoping for not too big crowds in May.
The Suisnish Loop on Skye is a fantastic ride ..but pick your day carefully ..sunshine is the minimum requirement .
Start here..
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Follow the path to the derelict settlement at Boreraig made so by the ' clearances.
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Keep following the track along the coast on some lovely singletrack to Suisnish..
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From there follow the doubletrack back to the tarmac road and head back to the start ..( there is a great pub at Torrin for food but it does get very busy )
A pic from our trip in 2016 ..on a perfect day ..
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It's a little cracker ..
God, that looks terrible. How you must have suffered!
I know ...I know ..but it's a small price to pay for those who follow... 😁
What about the Kenmore-Applecross route? Get your missus to drop you off and meet you at the other end for a pub lunch or meal in the cafe then ride back and picked put at Kenmore.
slig biggie, but as odlongbob says best done as an out and back to Camasunary
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Suisnish Loop will be quieter, the first couple of miles for the slig path is usually busy then quietens</span>
Another fav of mine is Orbost to Idrigill Point (pics 1, 3 and 7 from the link below), a few tough sections and conditions need to be dry(ish)
Going in May, they normally have it quite dry Apr/May, so optimistic it'll be good for you. Pay no attention to the Skyes too busy crap being spouted in the media, as long as you have pre-booked your accommodation (REALLY IMPORTANT), be prepared for loads of tourists at the top 5 visitor spots, and slow progress on some of the single track roads
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> https://www.flickr.com/photos/53405158@N08/albums/72157633012921248/with/8563493104/</span>
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Suisnish Loop looks pretty good, just looking at the map, has anyone come back via strath beag rather than the road? And if so is it a rideable track?</span>
No to travelling back via Strath Beag ..I have just looked at a few pics on the geograph app. With mixed results it looks good in places and biggy in others ..
Google geograph and go to the search function ..put in a few grid references along the route to give you a bit of an idea ..I will stick one up for starters..
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Strava heat map would suggest that both Strath Beag and Strath Mor get done. You'd have to do a bit of exploratory work on Strava to find if there's any segments/find rides through them - if there's no segment then you can figure out how long they took by moving your mouse along the route profile (not the map) and doing a bit of maths on the times.
Just to clarify ..my' No ' in the previous post was not a negative against doing it . only stating that I hadn't done it ..
Haven't seen the geograph app, looks most handy! Had a look at Strava for segments before but there weren't any. Always forget about the heatmap.
That looks bang on!