Cairngorm loop + Ben Macdui

I’m off for a cairngorm loop tomorrow (well, driving the 9h to Blair Atholl anyway) and fancy adding in Macdui by stashing my bags at the bottom of the descent where it meets the loop, pushing up the 4 miles and 2,500 feet then riding back down

Any reason that shouldn’t work, other than the fact it’s gonna be extremely hard work? I do have an extra day to play with if it ends up taking ages, which I’m expecting it will

When I walked up Ben Macdui I remember thinking it wouldn’t be much fun to ride, but I could be wrong.

I’m trying to think where it it is, though where it meets the loop ?

Going by the Garmin Explore map it’s just at the border of Mar lodge estate, where the loop peels off from Derry Burn

If I’m right and you’re thinking of going up via Loch Etchachan and returning the same way, I can’t see why not. It’s a cracking descent and there’s no easy way to do it. At least it’ll give you a chance to look at it on the way up and it’s easy to go off course if it’s misty at the top. Also worth remembering it can be quite grim at the top even in summer. One of my coldest experiences on a bike was late summer on Ben Macdui. Some walkers were rescued from the area on the same day.

Suggestion:

Drop bags off near Derry Lodge, continue west and then north onto the trail up towards the base of the Sron Roach trail. Up the glen is a challenging but fun ascent, until the point where it suddenly gets too steep and you’re pushing the rest of the way up. Climb steeply, it’s a good trail most of the way up… Summit, then descend via Etchachan and past the Hutchison hut into Glen Derry. Cross the river at the little steel bridge and continue back to your bags.

With, I suspect, a very big grin on.

It’s one of the very best ‘black’ grade descents in the UK, technical but not crazy. A few short features are very challenging but the vast majority is just great fun.

Can I check which loop you’re doing? Or at least which of them you’re planning to do McD from?

I guess you’re doing the enormous 300km one if starting from Blair Atholl….

Depending on the above, if we assume Aviemore as a point of reference, what about going up Cairngorm then across the plateau to McD rather that going Ryovan/Bynack Mor/ fords of Avon…

Highland man’s suggestion here is really good. Nice cycle as far as Sron Riach and then a reasonable push for most of the way up. Ie nice grassy wide path with no rocks and heather to catch wheels. ( Obviously the top section is scree hell, but you can’t have everything)

Obviously this would be more of a height deviation than your OP

@highlandman that sounds right up my street, have plotted it out for next time I’m up that way with decent conditions. Cheers!

Yep the big 300km bikepacking loop

Thanks, I now have 2 more interesting options to check out! I guess the weather will most likely make the call for me so great to have a few to pick from

Can’t wait!