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A wee bit late in posting this but might be handy if folk are searching for Cairngorms routes.
The Scottish Rights of Way Society publish a book - [i]Scottish Hill Tracks[/i] - and it is due an update. I'm one of the folk re-surveying and updating the route descriptions. I took on a few around the Cairngorms and one section I've never been on is that bit between Fords of Avon and Inchrory. I looked at various ways of getting to/along it and eventually decided I'd do a loop from home via Glenmore, Bynack Mor, Fords of Avon, Tomintoul and back home. I knew of the hike-a-bike section around Bynack Mor and expected more torwards Faindouran.
The weather forecast wasn't great so I was carrying a decent amount of kit. That wasn't best for the climb up Bynack Mor but better than arriving at it with full bikepacking kit and having ridden from Blair Atholl. This is crossing the River Nethy at the foot of the big climb up Bynack Mor.
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Folk familiar with the Cairngorms Loop route will likely know this view. Bynack Mor.
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Ben Avon away in the distance. I'd traverse below this later. It looks nearer than it is 😀
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I overtook some walkers and a couple of other cyclists on the descent to Fords of Avon, though I was taking it fairly easy on the descent as it's not a place to have an off, especially if riding solo. I reached the shelter just before midday, so not exactly record pace. This would be me now on unfamiliar ground.
Looking East along the path to Faindouran.
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As expected there was a fair amount of footwork heading along the river. I was cursing my decision to wear the Shimano "flatties" rather than my walking boots as I had a couple of slips, though nothing that had me on my arse. I'd seen an estimate that the track was "about 60% rideable". That's probably about right, though that was often 6m in every 10m so not worth jumping on and off the bike. The route is clear enough until it heads away from the river, where it gets a bit boggy. However a (very) old line of cairns can be followed. About 1km from Faindouran a rough landrover track is reached and this improves hugely at Faindouran itself. There is a MBA bothy here - in very good condition.
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Having left a busy Aviemore/Glenmore and then seeing folk going up and down Bynack Mor, this section just seemed so desolate, lonely and remote. Some very moody clouds threatened rain but came to nothing.
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Thoughts that it would be easy from here to Inchrory disappeared when I encountered some of the hills on the route.
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Just before Inchrory, I came across the Linn of Avon. If I'd thought I'd had more time I'd have definitely had a swim here but I was already pretty knackered and knew I wasn't half way round yet.
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I arrived in Tomintoul very hungry so high-tailed it to the Glenavon for a bit of lunch (it was already after 3pm). I was very tempted by the thought of a big hamburger and chips but experience tells me that I struggle to eat that amount while in this condition so satisfied myself with soup and a sandwich (plus a beer for rehydration).
As I was heading out of Tomintoul I encountered three horses and riders. Turned it they were part of a larger group heading towards Nethy Bridge. We chatted at one of the gates then played a bit of passing and re-passing as they were quicker uphill and I was quicker on the descents. The biggest problem they gave me was that I kept inheriting all the flies 🙄
I do like seeing horses out on these old RoWs and was very impressed at how capable they were on some of the very difficult terrain, and jealous of their dry-shod river crossings. I'd long since taken to just wading rather than faffing about trying to keep dry feet.
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It finally started raining when I was about 15 minutes away from home. By this point, I didn't care!
Garmin says 103km and 1,855m of ascent. It didn't record how much of that was walking 😆
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Superb Colin, I'm for a wee up n down of Bynack in a few weeks. You're rught about Avon being further than it looks!
Week split between Dumfries and Peebles. Brilliant weather, dusty trails. First time at The Golfie and it was amazing. VERY glad it wasn't wet 😉
That ^^ pic is my mate Steve who ruined his ankle on the slab last year in the wet.
Took my new GoPro and have loads of footage. I never realised how much I talk to myself when I'm riding 😉
the pub had a real edge of the world feel though sadly it got closed long ago
They were ripping the foundations out by digger when we were there at the weekend. The new building look really good though.
Is that owned by Qinetiq?
Today: impressive precipice at Sron Ulldale out and back. Absolutely superb singletrack ride out and back, not long but good height gain and loss.
@scotroutes - time to take a horse with you for those river crossings when bikepacking....
An Clisham in an intimidating mood today. Wet, midgey, overly humid and an unrelenting climb up.
Just arrived at Hebden Bridge, aiming to head off on the bike tomorrow morning. Looks like it might be a bit damp…
Meant to add these last week. Had a few days at Achiltibuie.
A week late but here's some sunny pics of our trip to Nethy Bridge. The waterproofs stayed in the bags all week Lots of walking and swimming, mostly from the doorstep and a little bit of biking..
Loch Mallachie
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Meall a Buachaille
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Loch A'an
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Bynack Mor
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here’s some sunny pics of our trip to Nethy Bridge. The waterproofs stayed in the bags all week
Last month's rain all arrived today 😂
Ben Damph round - meltingly humid climb up, p*ssing down rain for the descent. Trail felt very eroded by water in places....
Mini weekend adventure for us, to test bikes, bodies and kit ahead of some bigger adventures. Been absolutely ages since we bikepacked, and it turned out well 🙂 New restrap bags a lot better than old Alpkit stuff, and got the formentioned Hubba Hubba in. It was about the joy of carrying your own stuff, getting away from it all; not the miles.
Photos mainly by @p20.
Interrupted by the loss of a phone. A couple of pics of Liathach last week.