Torridon original loop what to expect

Me and the good lady did it 3 years ago in May. Assuming you mean the classic lollipop, it's a fantastic day out in a truly stunning bit of the world. The descent down to Achnashellach, once it gets going properly, is one of the best I've done anywhere.

It took us 7hr20, on my own I think if have done it at least an hour quicker. And the midges weren't too bad.

Classic lollipop is absolutely brilliant.

You mention there and back, so wanted to double check it's the classic loop and not the Torripop? ( Classic loop is loads better imho)

And obviously don't do the shit version that takes the fireroad to Achnashellach. 

Can't recall how long it takes but 5-6 hours moving time sounds about right.

Bear in mind driving to Achnashellach is a chunk easier than driving to torridon village. Also gets the slightly nasty HaB done earlier on.

When I first did the classic loop it was about 18 years ago, it was the one out of the Kenny F****** Wilson book.  It was one of my best days out on a bike, big blue skies, two amazing descents and breathtaking scenery.  I then did the lollipop loop a few years later, weather was less good and there was it felt like a lot more hike a bike for just a slightly longer descent.  If I was going back I'm not sure which version I'd do, I'd like to give the longer descent another go to see if I was wrong about the top section, which from memory was just a straight trail covered in rubble.  Either way if you get decent weather you should have a challenging but great day.  When we did it the first time we started in Lochcarron which had better food and drink options but it looks like there might be more at Torridon these days.  Midgies shouldn't be a problem this early.

Posted by: thegeneralist

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You mention there and back, so wanted to double check it's the classic loop and not the Torripop? ( Classic loop is loads better imho)

And obviously don't do the shit version that takes the fireroad to Achnashellach. 

Can't recall how long it takes but 5-6 hours moving time sounds about right.

 

Bear in mind driving to Achnashellach is a chunk easier than driving to torridon village. Also gets the slightly nasty HaB done earlier on.

This. Start at Achnaschellach, half time pint at the Torridon and finish on an awesome descent.

The Lollipop route is just and exercise in gaining altitude for no reason.

   This looks like the classic route. 

Definitely not. Misses the best descent.

After the 2 lochs on the east side of the route you need to head up the red climb and down the black descent to Achnaschellach.

That's the shit version that takes the fire road.  You want to turn right and follow the Loch Coire Lair path.

What hairyscary said.

Not sure if this works.

Check out my ride on Strava:

STRAVA.APP.LINK "https://strava.app.link/VdE9VR1so2b"

Thnak you Hairy thats the same one ive loaded in the garmin 🙂 and under 4 hours ..impessive

I've just looked and that route is slightly out of date. The path that runs beside the second of the lochs on the East of the loop was closed the last few times I've been. 

You can divert to the west side of the loch or just follow the fire road above the east of the loch.

I must have been feeling good that day 😀

Kenny F****** Wilson 🤣🤣🤣 Did a few of the routes from that book. Some gems, some less so! 

Aye, the Coire Mhic Nobuil 'ride' from his book is etched into my memory 😀.

I did repeat it a few years ago and the 'path' has improved a bit. Still a horrible on and off type of ride for a big chunk though.

We did that the same weekend we did the classic.  He doesn't even mention the hike a bike on the classic.  I didn't mind the Coire Mhic Nobuil hike a bike but my mate hated it.  Luckily we had another friend with us and she is permanently cheerful, she'd also done a days skills course which came in handy for the descent.

Gah I was trying to organise a ride up there this Spring, which was pencilled in for next week. Sadly I couldn't find anyone to go with me who was available / fit / up for it. For me coming from Bristol it's 10hrs+ drive each way. maybe next year...

I must get back up there now that my son has started biking again.  Quite a few rides I've done in the past that I'd like to revisit with him.  If I can drag him away from the Enduro scene.

for such a short thread  there is an incredible amount of wrong info....

Assuming you mean the classic lollipop

WFAF? There's no such thing. There's The Lollipop and there's The Classic Loop

The Classic Loop, as the name suggests, is a loop. Whereas the Lollipop is shaped like, you've guessed it, a lollipop.

The Classic can be further divided into two sub options. There's the shit Classic, as described here :

   This looks like the classic route.

And the one with the proper Achnashellach descent,:

Not sure if this works.

Check out my ride on Strava:

STRAVA.APP.LINK "https://strava.app.link/VdE9VR1so2b"

<Imho>

Regarding Lollipop versus Classic, I agree with the other poster that the Classic is better. The Achnashellach descent is so good that the initial expectation is that extending it up into Coire Lair must surely be worth it, but in reality it is a bit of a rubble field and not worth the carry. And given how brilliantly rideable the single-track up to the Ach descent is on the Classic, it's defo the best option

<IMHO>

which from memory was just a straight trail covered in rubble

Agreed. Great views though...

must get back up there now that my son has started biking again. Quite a few rides I've done in the past that I'd like to revisit with him. 

I did just that last year ( mine, not yours)

But realisticlly is it worth the effort ? 

Yes

   Ive nabbed Andys Gpx  .. just when to go now .  

WFAF? There's no such thing. There's The Lollipop and there's The Classic Loop

Wow, there's no need to be such a dick about it FFS!

The Classic Loop, as the name suggests, is a loop. Whereas the Lollipop is shaped like, you've guessed it, a lollipop.

No shit sherlock, I'm sorry I upset your naming convention. I'm fairly sure Steve and anyone else knew what I meant!

Wow, there's no need to be such a dick about it FFS!

Valid point well made 🙂

TBH I was annoyed with myself partly for just reading the word Classic and not the word lollipop the first time I read it.

I'm fairly sure Steve and anyone else knew what I meant!

They might have done, but I'm still no clearer which route you meant... Was it the classic or the lollipop?

Steves more that happy to agree to disagree with everyone , All I want to do is driver 435 miles to ride my bike for 6-8 hours in the SUN !!! and return back to the car in once piece and find something cooked well and a warm bed for the night before making my way back to Aviemore for a play before the 350 miles back home. 

Just to further muddy the waters, my preferred option is the Ling hut loop.

This gives the two full descents of the lollipop, but the climb feels more efficient than going up Annat.

I think the extra effort to get to the top of Coire Lair is worth it, although I can see why others wouldn't bother.

As part of a longer trip, the Classic Loop is definitely worth the diversion - even the drive over from Inversneckie is pleasant; gets increasingly dramatic, the farther West you go. 

6 to 8 hours should be plenty. I did it solo a couple of years ago; going back in May with a mate who missed out on that trip due to injury. 

Weather was a mixed bag last time out, but not nightmarish.

Just to further muddy the waters, my preferred option is the Ling hut loop.

Ooh, tell us more. Is this the vague track on the map that comes into Coire Grannda from the north (from Ling hut no less)

I was wondering about that option

Posted by: hairyscary

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Aye, the Coire Mhic Nobuil 'ride' from his book is etched into my memory 😀.

I did repeat it a few years ago and the 'path' has improved a bit. Still a horrible on and off type of ride for a big chunk though.

 

That's exactly the route I always think of too when recalling his hike-a-bike too!  Worst bit for me was that I split a front tyre shortly after finally reaching the descent, and had to walk down 3/4s of it anyway!

Having seen a few mate's Strava rides (I'm no longer on Strava so can't access any of that now - so hopefully I'm not going to be getting asked for further examples) in the area where they have called it lollipop and it isn't the lollipop, I called my reference Classic lollipop as I assumed there were now multiples and I was referring to the one that was called it first.

Agreed it isn't called that, but rather than post all the above I went with something that sounded quite obvious. Hadn't considered anyone would get so upset about it, but there we go...

Exactly that.

It's a good path most of the way, it gets indistinct for a few hundred metres just as you approach Coire Granda.

Some of it is rideable, then easy HAB.

Bickering aside 🙂  iF any like minded rider fancies doing the original loop  I think I should be in Torridon around 830am-9am Monday . If not I will let you know if I survive . 

Looks like you are gonna get a good day for it. 

Unfortunately I'll be at work so won't be able to head across. I'll be heading across mid May.

Enjoy.

Gah I was trying to organise a ride up there this Spring, which was pencilled in for next week. Sadly I couldn't find anyone to go with me who was available / fit / up for it. For me coming from Bristol it's 10hrs+ drive each way. maybe next year...

Spring you say.....

Is  Manchester close enough to make the fuel split viable?

All I want to do is driver 435 miles to ride my bike for 6-8 hours in the SUN !!! and return back to the car in once piece and find something cooked well and a warm bed for the night before making my way back to Aviemore for a play before the 350 miles back home. 

  I think I should be in Torridon around 830am-9am Monday

That would be today then, tell us how it went....

I'm seriously tempted drive up Thursday evening, Sgurr Gaoith Friday, Classic Loop Saturday, Ling hut Sunday.

Home and alive   

After watching the weather Sunday evening from my cheap digs in Inverness, there appeared to be a weather window until 1pm so with that I set of at 6am and arrived in Torridon around 7.30. The drive became more and more stunning  the closer I got to Torridon and somehow makes my local haunt the lakes even less impressive now ... 

  After leaving Torridon with no wind at all the road to the eastate and fireroad didnt seem to bad and Id soon fired past the first 10 miles .  Doddle this I thought ...  To the bothy and remembering others saying it was very much an on/off the bike experience rang true ,  didnt take to long to get to the top of the Achnashellach  descent so a couple of images later I was more than ready to tame this .. on pissed wet stone  whats the worst that could happen right...descretion very much got the better of me on the wall ride partly due to me cowarding out and being very aware of the wetness and the two Dutch walkers that looked feared for their lives  as I cam skidding to a less than cool stop. After a few mins chatting about some guy they had watched in Scotland called Danny on a bike like mine  I left then comtemplating my foolishness as I rattled off down to the train line with zero dabs from that point .  

  From the train line to the turn off for the Coulags estate was simple enough barring every motorhome ever seeing how close wing mirrors can get to a set of grips . At the turn I was 21 ish miles in feeling good and ready for a quick bothy stop for a snack before the last "wee" push to the Annat descent ..  Its soon dawned on me that this wasnt going to be a quick 9 miles of so with even more on off the bike action and now with the added sun and newly ready to devour me midges, needless to say my bothy stop lasted 2 minutes max . The first small Lock Corie Fionnraich was a small relief when it came into view and skirting round the very wet left hand side it hit me like a train..  on the trail goes up again ...  and its starting to rain, ah well that will keep the midges at bay for a bit .  What ensused for the next 30 minutes was a a bit of swearing, self motivation and explaing it will be worth it and be glad you brough the heavy bike ..   At last Loch An Eion and the singletrack on its right hand bank, just as the mist lifted and exposed my surroundings, stunning to say the least. I can only liken it to the first time I drove through Glencoe I had to have a moment (not only the view but my back was jipping me ).

After that now really to report I rode back to Annat ... Via a truly rocky extremely wet trail of wits nerve and luck .  I did stop after the top section where the rocks were placed just enough to cause mind games, but not for ability just arm pump Alps style .  Afte which I did smash jib and ride my luck without any further dabs (luck or finesse you decide ) . And boom Id parked with luck almost at the bottom of the descent. Just in time too as by god did the heavens open and carried on until Id got back to Aviemore where I was staying the evening .  

I will say the last 9 miles were harder than I expected, maybe the 25 miles I did around Aviemore and the 400 mile drive the day before didnt help. But I dont think I did to bad time wise .  Its defo not a ride /day out Id recommend to everyone, just the seclution and nature of the riding could leave some coming unstuck . 

Glad I went ...  %100 yes ..  Gutted im back in England even more so, it seems much erm.. less ! 

With luck the images will load  

Nice work! I find myself empathising powerfully with your account of the climbing after Loch Corie Fionnraich. Not a fun one in the wet.

Just proof read that back.. time for bed I think  .. please ignore the typing/spelling errors 

Love it. Someone actually went cycling. Great update.

Regarding this bit:

midges, needless to say my bothy stop lasted 2 minutes max . The first small Lock Corie Fionnraich was a small relief when it came into view and skirting round the very wet left hand side it hit me like a train.. on the trail goes up again ... and its starting to rain, ah well that will keep the midges at bay for a bit . What ensused for the next 30 minutes was a a bit of swearing, self motivation

That's the other reason I start at Achnaschellach... Gets the nssty bit out of the way early on when you're fresh and there's less chance of midgies