Its all open to opinion I know so lets hear some! Natural trails or trail centres.
Dunkeld downhill track
lol at the idea of someone really suggesting a trail centre, laggan is fun but im sure there is so much out there that is danny mackaskill/ hans rey techy.
What i suppose you really mean is what is ridable by the average STWer?
Been to dunkeld and would aggree its pretty tough
Dumyat, south face. It's less descent, more freefall.
Inn Pin
north descent off nevis is right up there i reckon.
Natural is always going to offer more technical options. Trail centres are designed to be ridden after all even the really techy bits still have a bike in mind.
With natural trails its really down to how brave/ skilled / stupid you are and the limits of whats possible.
Ton, down CMD or one of the gullies? what route?
Dunkeld DH track isn't anywhere near the most technical descent you could find in Scotland, very little that's well used is ever massively technical. man made trails certainly can be though.
GW, would you agree that Glenoe > Dunkeld anyway? Glencoe's the only one I can think of that throws you from one 'oh ****' moment straight into the next with no break at all
not really anymore TBH! it's actually fun and flows really well now it's been built properly, only actual crash I had was second (still asleep) run down and forgetting there was a 90deg right hand corner after the blind brow/railway sleepers, pinging down the R/H side T-boning it and launching myself over the top (completely my own fault).
trying to brake all the way down so as not to freak out the only women brave enough to ride it (but clearly way out of their league) was way harder than just going with the flow ie. "the not pinning/mincing comfort zone". track standing on slippy 45deg rocks and expecting to get away with it is pushing the zone slightly 😉
Not the same style as the others (more slow and techy) but out of Coire Mhic Fhearchair on Beinn Eighe would be an heroic but not impossible effort to clean.
The most technical downhill in Scotland is most likely completely unridable by almost anyone. The best downhill I've done in Scotland was Capel Mounth down to Glen Clova, which was quite technical in places, but all doable. Seem to remember pushing a little bit, but was riding within myself somewhat.
GT red, without a shadow of a doubt.
Good mix of opinions there! Ive had a wee think and Skye comes to mind. The descent from Loch Coruisk into glen Sligachan is pretty tough but not the most technical and the Ciaran path also sprang to mind. Cant come up with the top one though. Still thinking.....
That's because there is no "top one" even if you do find your most chalenging descent, it could more than likely be made way more technical by simply riding the even more ****ed up line to the left or right.
it could more than likely be made way more technical by simply riding the even more **** up line to the left or right
so following Mike then? 😉
Ciaran path?
I hear the path DH from Morven into Braemar village deserves respect.
(This is a 'worth doing?' enquiry BTW)
Technical? what counts?
How about the main path of the cobbler summit? Ridable with the balls / skill
The track from the black cuillin down into sligichan is rocky and chainstay rippingly dodgy but not steep or terrifying.where do we draw the line in coming up with techy tracks off mountains? We could spend all day coming up with tracks like the easy descents off carn ban mor to the other end of the scale.. riding down alladins couloir!
Alladins - pah - it's only a Grade I in winter. How about descending Doctor's Choice on a uni-cycle?
I'd agree with GW that there is no answer to this.
Speculation is fun though.
Ben A'an looks good. Not really ridden much in Scotland but it does look tough.
Had a wee crack at ben aan and found it quite good. Fairly quick push up - top in about 2hrs and stunning views - and the ride down is tuff with a few bits that would require practice! The ciaran path runs from blackwater reevoir down into kinlochleven. Again tuff but rewarding! Maybe shouldnt have said top one but I do like hearing aboout some of these. Never heard of a few of them!
Weather changes thing dramatically also.That's because there is no "top one" even if you do find your most chalenging descent, it could more than likely be made way more technical by simply riding the even more **** up line to the left or right.
Well, I rode the WHW Devils staircase over blackwater dam wall 🙂 and onto the Ciaran path last week. I would say its tricky but all descents are rideable. The Technical part of the trail is the short little climbs (it was wet) and the stream crossings that you encounter. A very enjoyable afternoon out. Coffee in Ice factor in kinlochleven is quite nice too.
Technical is all relative to bike/skill etc. It has to be worthwhile aswell. Some of the Paths round Torridon are pretty funky and worth a scope out.
got some videos of said technical descents? useless without, and pretty useless with as it often doesnt tell you just how steep things are....but at least its somet fun to watch innit
How about descending Doctor's Choice on a uni-cycle?
Pfft... That's nowt, I reckon some of the heroes on here would be able to have a fair crack at The Hurting (on a fixed gear of course).
Actually, having said that, I topped out of a winter route on Nevis a few years back only to find a guy up top on a unicycle – no winter gear at all and said he'd been unable to ride anything 'cause of the snow/ice. Reckoned he would go down the tourist path. As we were skiing down, we never saw him again but assume he must have made it, or is still at the bottom of one gullies.
Not the most difficult but Coire Lair to Achnashellach is the most enjoyable technical descent I have done.
And to the poster with the infeasibly long username, yes Morrone summit to Breamar is very good, techy but all do-able and a good variety of terrain.
😀fizzer - Member
Inn Pin
Surely once you are over the lip at the top it's easy? No steering to do, just straight down.
I know some trails which have spectacularly sphincter clenching moments... but I could not describe them as "the most technical descent in Scotland?".
For me, tech has to mean something that I don't clean first time and end up going back and redoing until it's ridden or something which I look at and gives me a little bit of the fear.
One man's "piece of piss" is another's "quite hard actually" but my favourite tech descents are, in no particular order, Glas Alt (rode it recently and loved it), Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers top section (bottom is really flowy but not tech), the steep stone pitched steps on Mealle a Buchaille, Ben Vorlich top section, Cairn Toul rocky switchbacks of much rockiness, Jocks Road, Ciaran Path though it is more of a traverse, one of the steeper descents into Kinlochleven from Mamore Lodge, the steep scree laden descent from Beinn a Bhuird to the bealach with Ben Avon and the descent of MacDhui to the Hutchy Hut.
However, there are so many more to be discovered - on my radar is the Ring of Steall, Ben Cruachan, Beinn Glas (walked up it on the way to Lawers - it looked stunning)amongst others. For me, big mountains are generally the way to go when it comes to finding sustained technical descents.
Spin
The path from the three buttresses of Beinn Eighe back towards the northern flank of Liatach is awesome but a real head melt if you don't like stop start hoppy style riding. I rode it last year and loved every bit of it whereas not everyone I rode with that day shared my opinion. Ha! Ha! It's hard to get to but the three buttresses are stunning to behold.
Messiah
I tried but failed on the corner on Alt Glas you spoke of before. I was endoing and hopping up onto it but was catching the big ring on it. Garrrr! Awesome descent though.
So which ones make you go criminy,that's a bit scary!
Sanny
For tech, I reckon the descent that singletrackbikes posted on you tube under Kinlochleven MTB ride from June of this year looks like it could be one of the finest traverses and descents in Scotland. I'm itching to get up there to do it. Do a search. You'll see what I mean.
Oh and add the Quirang to the list - not long but cracking good fun. And of course the Lairig Ghru has little techy bits but the flow alone means it should be on the list.
No ones mentioned the Etive slabs(trilleachan slabs)
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Ben Lomond is the most technical one I've ridden, I'm sure there are worse though - ranging up to completely unrideable by almost anyone.
That I've ridden - Ben Lomond. The Cobbler path from Beinn Ime is quite tricky, but no where near as insane as Ben Lomond. Great fun!
Has anyone ridden Ben Starav? Thinking about heading there on Saturday but I haven't walked it so unsure how possible it will be to ride down.
Starav?? It's a while since I was there but I can't recall thinking "this would be good on a bike" at any point. The route up the middle of the corrie would give some sport and, IIRC, the path carries on all the way to the col but is very steep in its final phase. The usual walking route is up the obvious North ridge which is pretty broken up in places and vague/pathless at times.
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North ridge on Starav not pathless any more, but top 200m is a boulder field and the first couple of miles in must be a total quagmire now, plus, most people walking up Starav are impressed by just how bloody far and steep it is up the ridge, so I wouldnae fancy the push up! Path up coire from col would be good though..and the granite slabs in the river bed!
Edinburgh castle and your point is caller? Arthurs seat has some tricky descents, beat the curfew!
Starav have you been working on your heroin chic, boulderfest.
still waiting for proof of Sanny's descent of the Cobbler from the col between center and north summits, without sherpa support.
Doesn't sound ideal. Starav is out then. Any other suggestions? Has to be in the west, seeing as that's where it looks like the bearable weather will be
A bit more central, but Ben Vorlich is sanctioned by the Sannymiester,
looks good walked it years ago, from the glen to the north is the way.
The one near Calander.
Here's Sanny on Jock's Road.
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I shouldnt really post these, for fear of erosion issues.
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There was a recent thread (Sanny?) which suggested Beinn a Bheithir
Glas Allt Shiel?
Super hardcore. I'm a mincer, but the day we tried it the wind blew the waterfall upwards. Sanny, Italspark and a few others rode it a couple of weeks back.
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Cheers! Ended up doing a circuit of the 3 Beinn A'Glo Munros. Was a pretty epic day out. Probably the last epic before winter descends on us and the world ends
Well, Beinn Dearg and Carn a Chalmain were on the agenda today and they were awesome. Almost 100% rideable up and down. Beinn Dearg is an old school classic with some really nice singletrack up from Alt Sheachan Bothy. My fancy new Ice tech disc warped on the descent despite it being below zero which made the climb if Carn a Chalmain really tough as the front wheel stopped spinning freely. Still, the climb was magic and the views in the afternoon setting sun stunning. As glorious as the views were, the descent down the stalkers was sublime. A true classic. I can't believe that no one ever writes about it as a ride. It's a gem! Ah well, that's another two munros done this year adding to the tally of classic days out. Beinn a Beithir, Carn Gorm horseshoe and the Ring of Steall next. Sweet!
Stunned at the weather - blue skies and baltic. First ice of the winter made for a memorable day out. Amazing how hard frozen the trails were.
Sanny
Hi Sanny that sounds great any pics from the ride? Whats the route?
I have riden the Kenny Wilson route that goes behind Liathach then descends back to the road but not up any of the surrounding hills.
Any more info would be great.
Sounds brilliant, I might head for Beinn Dearg and Carn a Chalmain tomorrow if the weather stays like this. We spent the day doing the 3 Beinn a'Ghlo Munros. I wouldn't recommend it to be honest, the cycling to hike-a-bike ratio was a bit crap. Still had an amazing day though.
The ascent up Airgiod Bheinn and descent down Carn Liath were both fairly mental. There are some [url= http://www.trailscotland.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=1537 ]photos over on Trail Scotland if anyone's interested[/url]
Stunning photos fella!
How did you manage to find so much cloud? We were across the valley on Sunday and managed to avoid most of it and as the day wore on, it just got better and better. I see you took the steep way up! 😀
Carn a Chalmain is ace. Better descent than the Beinn a Ghlo three - a lot more rideable too. I only carried up two very short sections of the climb for a couple of metres and rode the rest. If my brake hadn't rubbed, I reckon I would have cleaned it. Garrr! Still, it makes for a wee target for next time. 😀
The route we did was 54km and took 8 hours with breaks for food, photos etc. Of the two, Carn a Chalmain is the better but Beinn Dearg is also a lovely hill to ride. All good!
Route is up past Alt Schiachan then out and back on the main track to the summit of Beinn Dearg. It's not on the map but the main Land Rover track does a full circuit that drops you into Glen Tilt at the gun range. From there, we rode up the Glen and followed the Land Rover track climb which, again, isn't fully shown on the map, but goes to the summit of Carn a Chalmain. On the plateau just before the summit, there is a faint path marked with little cairns. Follow it down! The descent is mint and becomes very obvious very quickly.
Has anyone ridden a descent NNE from the middle Munro on Beinn a'Ghlo, past point 1004m and down to the footbridge a couple of miles upstream from Forest Lodge? Just wondering if these could be linked to Carn nam Chalmian?
Great pics drookitmunter. It's an awesome loop once you are up on the 'plateau'.
Cripes Sanny have you gone soft, i thought the thread was "most" technical, hill of the rounded blisters by george, you really should get on Beinn Ghlas(Lawers) and report back.
Cripes Sanny have you gone soft, i thought the thread was "most" technical, hill of the rounded blisters by george, you really should get on Beinn Ghlas(Lawers) and report back.
[url= http://glasgowmbc.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/ben-lawers-the-legend-of-ross-black/ ]Sanny's ride report[/url]
Fergal
Ha! Ha! The Carn a Chalmain stalker path is a delight. A little bit tech in places so not the most tech in Scotland but terrific fun nonetheless.
I've been looking at Sgurr Eilidh Begg - it looks to have potential. Anyone want to confirm?
I think Ben Lui could be good too. So much potential. Looks like I'm going to be busy!
Sanny
Great photo's drookitmunter. Looks like an epic day.
Did Ben Vorlich (Loch Earn) on Sunday. Cracking descent!
Most technical thing I've ridden in Scotchland was a descent near Glen Cova. Never knew the name of it, but was first time I've been owned by a 'girl' on a DH (JoJoA1), albeit she was on a full suss and I was on a HT. And 'm sticking to it...