We’re doing the Cairgorms Loop (300km) next weekend. Starting in Pitlochry;

Day 1 = Pitlochry to Aviemore
Day 2 = Aviemore to Braemar
Day 3 = Braemar to Pitlochry

Any advice regarding the route appreciated, staying in bunkhouses, all on 29er Hardtails with 130/140mm front suspension.

https://www.cairngormsloop.net/

Typo!!!

If you’re starting and finishing in Pitlochry and it’s “only” 300km then you’ll not be doing
the “official” route from cairngormsloop.net (also now available on Komoot)? Might still be worth downloading this though as it shows the recent route changes in Glen Feshie. There was a landslip a few weeks ago opposite Craig na Caillich. The path is now very narrow and eeroded at that point. It’s not possible to bypass it unless you take the first ford and go up the West side of the glen past Feshie Lodge (whereafter you could cross back to the East side).

So – tell us what actual route are you doing and then I can likely provide a bit more info.

Following the Yellow route.

Just enjoy it, although maybe ScotRoutes will the suggest the same to you as us to stay on the inner red loop to Ryvoan Bothy and then “stay left” down to Abernethy. More interesting than the outer alternative.

Ah. The Outer Loop

Blair Atholl to Aviemore is pretty quick. You should make it there for food easily enough.
Might be worth booking food in Aviemore rather than winging it.

Easy road out of Aviemore and almost all good riding to Tomintoul. Dorback Burn should be low and easily crossable. At Burn of Brown you’ve a choice of multiple river crossings or just make the first one and stay on the South bank. If you do the latter you’ll be fighting through bushes so Smidge up.

Hopefully no headwind up Glen Avon as that’s a killer. Loch Builg track should be firm at the moment. Fast ride to the lunch huat at the foot of Culardoch then a steep climb, Good descent but look out for the juntion when you enter the newly clear-felled area. You want to go left up the less obvious track. Again, might be worth booking food in Braemar.

Easy ride to Linn of Dee, past the red house. Geldie ford should be low. Slow up a bit going down Glen Tilt as the consequences of a fall are extreme. Hard push up to Fealar Lodge then it just “undlates” a bit until the descent to the last ford. Good track to Blair.

In general, 29er hardtails wil be ideal.

If you are on Facebook then you’ll find a few recent photos on the Cairngorms Loop facebook page. I’m also about to pop up a link to a recent sub-24 ride report. You might find some useful info in that too.

The longest day

Edit: as @jimmy says, you can take a shorter route from Aviemore to Tomintoul, past Ryvoan Bothy to Forest Lodge then join up with the official route again. Less road and a bit more scenic.

Great, many thanks for the detailed info.

@coconut – route with the diversion ScotRoutes describes via Ryvoan.

https://strava.app.link/Gi8ZdWaSYrb

Also in case it’s not obvious, the “sting in the tail” dogleg via Fealar Lodge and Daldhu is optional, straight on gives an easy spin down Glen Tilt (apart from the inevitable headwind).

(* not optional for a full CL300 completion but you aren’t doing that anyway.)

@coconut – @jimmy missed out two of the nicest bits of that route. Use the route from cairngormsloop.net once you get to Forest Lodge.

Following with interest.

Planning on doing this at the start of September. Again, just the 300km loop.

@beamers – group start is Saturday 17th…

@scotroutes – you mean I have to do it again, and an improved version at that??! Ah well, go on then.