Some tracks up that way isn’t there?
Anyone biked any up there or know the area?

Thanks!

*whistles softly & drums fingers on desk*

Not ridden a bike there, but been many times on the train.
So, solitude, mountains, Scotlands right to roam, beautiful scenery, flat parts in the valleys if needed. What isn’t there to like about it?
Weather would be one, in driving rain, it is horrible, but on a fine day, the area is outstanding.

Does this mean I have to go & see, then report back?

Landy track up to Orrin Dam leads to a bothy and then a nice singletrack descent back to the road. Mapless atthe moment so short on detail – sorry.

I can see the strathconon hills from my sofa. And can smugly claim that I have ridden most of the tracks in the area 🙂

It’s less technical than neighbouring Torridon but great nonetheless and has a super remote feel. I have never seen another soul when i’m on my own. Difficult to recommend any route over another, there are a couple of tracks that only really go one way though. Great for exploring

I can see the strathconon hills from my sofa.
So can I, except I’ve got a map on my knee.
I hate you.

Vader… It would be good for a guided Saturday please ?

Back at the PC.

Estate road from Aultgourie at NH476515.
Cross bridge at NH477522
Follow tarmac road to dam at NH403504.
Cross two dams & follow track to bothy at NH393485.
Head E/NE on singletrack to Acherdson Farm and Aultgowrie Bridge.

My plans for the Orrin include a packraft…..

Scotroutes, have you done any of these or are you gonna check them out?

Lots of good tracks around here. There’s no restriction on using them. Call in at Square Wheels in Strathpeffer for local knowledge.

Basically an OS map is all the guide you need. 🙂

If you’re prepared to do a bit of hike-a-bike you’ll have more fun.

I’ve done that route – twice. Once solo on a lovely summers day and once with jojoA1. This was Jo at the dam (we’d have frozen in place if we hadn’t kept moving).

Jo at Orrin dam by ScotRoutes, on Flickr

This was an hour later on the singletrack!

Jo at Orrin by ScotRoutes, on Flickr

How about up the Fannichs -although its all white up there ATM.

I camped at the next loch along (heading west) one June and woke up to a fresh covering of snow!

ah yes, some of us work on the weekends mr lecht. I hate you now 🙁

But for starters Inverchoran gets you onto a lovely network ot trails to the south – they form a triangle on the OS at the head of glen orrin. The Middle one is landy now but the eastern most takes you up and over to the bothy at luipmaldrig. There’s unmarked argo trail east from here towards the reservoir and back over to strathconon. Better to go west though, hike-a-curse for a km or so until the path improves then carry on until the junction at loch na caoidhe with the strathfarrar hills towering over you. If you don’t feel remote here you must live on the moon. There’s an unmarked croft at the head of the loch. I can’t imagine living there.
Anyway man up and carry up to torran cean liath and either descend glenn chorain on a mix of st and argo or be tempted by the Drochaid coire mhadaidh and the descent into Gleann Fiodaigh.

Alternatively the full traverse of the gleann fiodaigh is a minor classic for a dry or frozen day, you could start anywhere but Craig is perfect on the a890 – head over the lc then up and up till you enter the glen proper. ST comes and goes all the way until you pop out the other end near the spectacular waterfalls and slides at Corriefeol. From scardroy then head over the drove road to achnasheen an pop out on the a890 again across some bonkers above water north shore. Spin down the road back to the car for tea and medals.

some of the strathconon routes go pretty high, up to 400 and 600 metres. The higher ones are under snow just now.

Tickilin jock if that is sgur mor i salute you! Although i thought it was better on skis

did you do a full traverse?

Vader, I went in to recce it from the south, up past Fannich Lodge. The climb up the west side of Sgur Mor is with the bike on the shoulder. The descent from the top of Sgurr Mor to the lodge is fantastic. The wind formed tiers from the summit are quite unique.

That’s solifluction

ooh yes nice pictures. I remember thinking when we climbed up from fannich lodge that the path might be a goer with the bike. Those ridges are strange, eh?

interesting, i always wondered what it was called.

Thanks for that Scotroutes. I thought they were caused by freezing, but someone “corrected” me and told me it was wind that carved them.

I’ve done the Orrin reservoir loop a few times, as I’m lucky to live in Muir of Ord :).
Another good loop is to start at Erchless castle on the A831 and head north up the lane over track past Lochan Fada and Loch Ballach. Follow the track all the way to Orrin dam, then onto Aultgowrie. The Singletrack along Gleann Goibhre is usually wet and boggy on all but the driest days.

If it’s getting late in the morning and its a scorcher of a day, I often head up the road to Orrin and push the bike (because I have no tyre fatter than 2.4 inches, you see :O))along the south shore and get my rod out. The trout fishing can be pretty good as the sun goes down but I’ll happily fish and sun bathe for most of the day up there. A rarely visited place after the dam. You rarely bump into anyone on the bike loop back to Aultgowrie.

Sunset fishing Orrin reservoir 2012

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