It’s getting to the time of year where i start hatching plans for the summer, this has been on the radar for awhile, this year! anyone ridden this descent, if i remember rightly it is an old stalkers path down to loch elide, spelling? is this right. Any tips on the best descent into Kinloch thanks.

I think that is the track we used back in 2012 ..nothing too technical as I recall …we followed that all the way to Luibeilt and turned right all the way to Loch Treig..we then followed a track up Glen Lolairean getting off the beaten track ( lost ) as it was pretty indistinct on the ground and if memory serves me well pretty chewed up ( when we did find it again) by motorbikes ..

I’m not the best person to tell you the best descent back to Kinlochleven ..a host of ” new” descents have sprung up since we were there …just don’t use the Ciaran Path !

Oh maybe i wasn’t clear, from the summit of Binnien mor, or the munro top just before as i think the ridge connecting the two is a jumble of quartzite blocks, is this the descent you did?

I’ve done part of that, specifically the descent from Coire an Lochain, a few years ago. I thought it was a pretty good descent but not easy to get to. Our route was an anticlockwise loop around the back of Sgurr Eilde Mor. That bit was rubbish but from the lochain down was pretty good.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=222352&Y=765140&A=Y&Z=115&ax=222245&ay=765110

No ..sorry Fergal .

Thanks Ecky  looking at streetmap  it looks like there is a direct  zig zag descent from Sgurr elide beag joining the coire an lochain path, or a more contouring one to the north, wonder which is the best?.

sorry, I’ve not ridden those.

South zigzags off Sgurr elide beag looks a bit steep!!!

Hiked up to ride down a few years back… from what I remember, we were gonna go to the summit but sacked it off a bit above the Lochan as it was fairly clear the riding above there wouldn’t be that great.

It might have been something to do with there still being snow here and there, but that’s not the way I remember it.

Below the Lochan was pretty sweet though… looking at the map I remember riding both descents… the one closer to Kinlochleven was better, the other was overly technical in places.

Stob Coire a Chairn towards Na Gruagaichean is worth a pop.

I’ve run most of those tracks. As JHJ says the western path isn’t bad, the eastern one has a few hands on scrambling sections, only short, that would be more than interesting in descent on a bike! Don’t bother with the track heading north from the lochan – a steep descent to the burn then a rising rocky track with a steep pull to the col between Binnein Mor and Binnein Beag.

Have look on geograph.org.uk to see if there’s any shots of the tracks. Mostly it’s walking stuff but occasionally you get shots that show the trail. The link below is better to use than the map on the front page.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/browser/#!/display=map_dots/pagesize=100

Yay  Jivehoney that descent into coire na Ba looks  very enticing, an old stalkers path i presume, could be a winner.

Aye, that’s the one… it’s a bit boggy in places and there was a fence or two to cross, but the majority is pretty darn schweet, you can go right from the summit down to the Grey Mares tail path into Kinloch, which gives you 40+ minutes of drool inducing descent.

Jivehoney, what route did you take to get to the top of the descent off Stob Coire a Chairn?

Out and back or a circular from WHW and around the North side of Am Bodach?

I loved it when I did it, and I know Sanny is really keen on it too.

Here’s the turn off for where I went up and down. I might have a gpx somewhere if you want. The zig zags are well good going down.

It’s easy to access like this – up the fireroad to Loch Eilde Mor, via Mamores Lodge, up and down the same route to the summit. After 900m it’s not much cop, but the descent from Sgor Eilde Beag back down to the loch is excellent (you want the more westerly trail that spits you out at about 400m). Then you can go down whichever of the classic Kinlochleven trails you like.

Stob Coire a Chairn towards Na Gruagaichean

Is that the descent all the way into Glen Nevis? Sounds interesting if so, I’ll have to add it to my list.

Tis a cracker. Ridden it. Loved it. Going back to feature it in an article.

Munrobiker’s route is the one of choice. The zig zags are particularly fun especially as you struggle to keep your eyes on the trail when all around there are stunning mountains.

Definitely do it. I’ve also ridden Coire Na Ba. Binnean Mor is undoubtedly the superior descent of the two.

Cheers

Sanny

Out and back or a circular from WHW and around the North side of Am Bodach?

Out and back… wanted to check if it was ridable on the way up…

That said, from what I saw, a circular route from the WHW should be doable.

Not into Glen Nevis I’m afraid munrobiker… you could try the route down to Steall falls, but best option for Glen Nevis would probably be Sgurr an lubhair down.

Another option for Glen Nevis, although streetmap doesn’t show it, the path from Mullach nan Coirean goes all the way down to the fire road in the forestry (I should know, I helped build it), from where you can link up to the trail next to the burn that comes out at Achriabhach.

Thanks  for the confirmation guys , a few routes to go for now, probably read about your exploits, but a memory like a sieve.

My understanding was that from the saddle W of Sgor Eilde Beag you dropped N  and E down to the lochan (track marked on 25K OS (use Bing maps and zoom in if you don’t have a copy). then take the more E of the descents down to Loch Eilde Mor. Could have it all ass over tit though.

I’m wondering about pushing up the Stob Ban path from Glen Nevis and picking my way over to do the descent N from An Gearanach down to Steall. Obviously a bit of scrambling with the bike but I do get to tick the three munros I’ve not done there. Anyone got any thoughts on that descent?

Jivehoneyjive

when did the path get built? I always read that the bottom section is boggy. I rather fancy descending down it by coming across from Stob Ban. I have climbed up the path to the Stob Ban saddle. Pete Scullion is the only person I know who rates it.

Chickenman

i like the sound of the An Gearanach descent. I know that there are steep zig zags so am keen to give it a go. It could be good or despair. Who knows? If anyone has walked it, let’s be hearing your views!

Cheers

Sanny

Stob Ban was a bastard of a walk last time I went up it.  Was really washed out.

We were doing a refurb after the forestry clear cut it in 2011/12… sure enough, the top of the forestry section was insanely boggy~ did the best we could, getting loads of big rocks (being the biggest, I was expected to carry the majority of them… after a few weeks of that, I probably could’ve wrestled a bear) to build a base, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the muck just swallowed them like smarties, laughed and let out a big methaney belch.

That wouldn’t have been more than 50m though… however only did work within the boundary of the forestry, so can’t comment on any horrors further up