I've never ridden this before, but had read that it was largely landrover track with some interesting slabs or something nearer Glen Etive.
Now I hear the interesting slabs are gone leaving landrover track the whole way?
Is this true? I'm meeting my dad at Victoria bridge and we're going to ride through to Inverawe, he's an experienced cyclist but with no recent experience of boggy/rocky singletrack. Anything I should warn him of?
Cheers
Depends on your dad's age, skill and fitness.
Done it a couple of times years ago in good weather. Two of us on steel hardtails with elastomer forks.
There are a couple of river crossings near the start and the main climb up to the watershed is a bit lumpy in places but by and large it's rideable. The initial descent past the slabs needs care as they can get very slimy if wet. Not sure of recent road building so can't comment on that. Once on the LRT descent towards Ardmaddy, the surface and average speed improve dramatically.
PS Once at Ardmaddy, the road south beside Loch Etive to Inverawe is easy. The 'path' north past Ben Starav to Glen Etive is murder, with much walking and river wading over 10 miles.
Lovely bit of the country with glorious views and a great sense of remoteness. Uusual rules about remote riding / self sufficiency apply.
What a shame it would be if that had been all LRTed. If he's a cyclist it shouldn't be too much bother. The bulk of it is LRT, and +1 for the beauty of it, too.
I remember the slabs being interesting but not technical. Just the sort of ride that might convince someone of the merits of MTB!
Shadow of its former self unfortunately - it's certainly no classic now.
Would be fine under the summer sun but I'd absolutely avoid right now
There's less than 1km remaining of what you might call Singletrack (down thro the slabs into Coire Beithe. The rest is a mixture of deeply rutted LRT (before this)rough quad type track then 3m wide estate track.
I was over it last year around this time / under similar conditions and it was purgatory - everything between Loch Dochard and Coire Beithe was very soft / trenches of water and the new section of estate track comprises unconsolidated sand and gravel. The estate track along Etive gets pretty soft in winter too
Hmm, good info there, thanks!
He's been biking for decades, and would be able to turn out a good few miles on landrover track. I'm a bit worried about the soggy stuff though, might be worth him parking up at Inverawe and cycling in to meet me, at least my bike is well equipped for the soft stuff!
I bike up there regularly and wasn't far from there last w/e. There has been further thawing / snowmelt / rain since then. Trust me on this that trail will be pretty unenjoyable / hard going right now no matter what bike you are using.
Realise you might have your reasons for going to Inverawe but what about Tyndrum to The Kingy as an out and back on the WHW? Or shorten it and go from B of O. All of that is pretty solid underfoot...
I'll definitely bear it in mind heather, thanks.
I'm doing it as part of a three/four dayer, starting in Doune and finishing in Benderloch.
If I didn't do Glen Kinglass I'd have to do some tarmac bashing, or perhaps just do the stuff on the north shore of loch etive, except I've already done it and found it a little uninspiring.
Its all preparation for a bigger trip, so a little hardship will be good 'mental' preparation, if i can enjoy argyllshire in april then I'll enjoy anything!