I've been looking at the forum from three years ago and the possibility of getting from Loch Dee to Loch Doon. The general consensus at the time was it wasn't possible, but having study the satellite images on Google Maps and Apples there is a distinct path running beside the Kirreoch Burn that bridges the gap. Has anyone been that direction lately? I fancy a bit of an adventure.
I think it's mainly doable theres a lot of roads for forestry but they don't link across this may be a bit of a hike a bike.
study the satellite images on Google
hmm that's interesting, I am sure since I last looked at doing something similar a new forest road has appeared on the aerial imagery to the west, making a connection through the plantation from here
to here
rather than the hike a bike route I had read about to the east?Â
There is still no linking forest road that I'm aware of. The best option is to go to the end of the road at Riders Rig, NX485888, cross the burn and then head north with the tree line on your left, there is a faint grassy track that is rideable in places (you can see it on the satellite image). Keep going until you reach the clear felled area, NX487897. From here it's a quest across the detritus of the clear felling for about 300m to get to the forestry road. I've done this a couple of times now and it's a much better option than the old way (published in a couple of guide books) which heads north through the forest firebreak which is around 2km of bog.
Bing maps has much clearer imagery.
I have wandered all around the hills there many, many years ago and they can be a boggy stooshy of horridness.
However, looking at Bing with such as short distance between clear forest tracks, I would take the smidge and buckle down for a push or carry for half an hour through a cut in the forest.
Bing maps has much clearer imagery.
I have wandered all around the hills there many, many years ago and they can be a boggy stooshy of horridness.
However, looking at Bing with such as short distance between clear forest tracks, I would take the smidge and buckle down for a push or carry for half an hour through a cut in the forest.
Bing imagery is interesting, seems higher res than the Google imagery, eg zooming right in to here, the track looks reasonable
55.174721, -4.406108
But I guess things may look different on the ground!
The track the you see (55.174721, -4.406108) is the traditional route as described in some old mountain bike guide books. I have been that way in the past and it is a real slog, thigh deep bog for large parts of it. The route I describe above still involves a bit of hike a bike but it is much easier going.
There is a shorter "walk through the woods" on east side towards Carlins Cairn.
From 55.176252, -4.389444 or NX 47920 89506
to 55.173437, -4.384048Â or NX 48253 89169
OS maps has a winter satelite pic that shows more again.
OS maps has a winter satelite pic that shows more again.
is that this one:
also worth a look is the imagery on NLS map-viewer (available as background mapping):
cheers,
Keith
also worth a look is the imagery on NLS map-viewer (available as background mapping):
came to post the same thing - often earlier maps indicate routes that still exist but aren't necessarily now mapped - so using the spy glass it can be easier to spot those desire line routes on satellite views
Another useful tool for scouting is Geograph - photographs from each square on the OS - which can often show you want the ground conditions are like
Another useful tool for scouting is Geograph - photographs from each square on the OS - which can often show you want the ground conditions are like
yep very handy too, though the date of the photo is worth checking!
eg
perhaps the OP could do some recce for us and put up some new pics 🙂
Well I had every intention to recce the aforementioned last week but things didn't go to plan. I had decided to do a shorter loop near by and take a detour to check things out. We picked the Carrick Forest Four Lochs Loop from the Southern and Central Scotland book by Peter Edwards (Cicerone Press). It's a very scenic ride with some challenging singletrack from Loch Bradan to Loch Doon. The route, whilst fireroad heavy, was just what was required after an enforce break from the bike. However the section (4 in the book) as you enter the forest above Loch Doon was a quagmire. The harvesting machines had done there worst and it took us well over an hour to traverse 700 metres of track, by the time we had reached the solid fireroad beyond we were exhausted and all thoughts of further exploration were abandoned for another trip. I will get back to it on the next visit to the area, certainly the scenery deserves another ride in that region.
Carrick Forest Four Lochs Loop from the Southern and Central Scotland book by Peter Edwards (Cicerone Press)
good to get a report, thanks! it's a possibility for us in July 🙂 midges ahoy
I last did that 11 years ago, following the tree line then the burn past the sheepfold, before picking up the firebreak. Haven't rushed back but don't remember it being a nightmare (with a loaded bike).
