Golspie – how long?

Hey folks,

May be passing Golspie next week and tempted to try and ride the red route if time permits as I have heard it is great. Can anyone tell me how long is it? Info on the Highland Wildcat site seems good but I cant find the length of the routes on there….

Anything to look out for or be aware of before I venture up?

7.5 km

http://www.highlandwildcat.com/redtrail.php

Doh…..

Felt a hell of a lot longer than 7.5k
.. Let me check

Did it myself for the first time a couple of months ago. It’s bloody brilliant. The climb isn’t too bad until you get to the section called ‘lactic ladder’ and then I pushed for a fair bit.

The last section of the climb is a very steep sort of fire road and if it’s windy it’s absolutely horrendous, so just watch out for that.

The descent is amazing. A few tricky bits but they just need commitment.

I was up at it for the first time last week. I liked it a lot, I managed 2 runs from the car park to the top (Black) & down again in a baw hair under 3 hrs.

The climb is rather enjoyable & it was more my crappy technique that let me down on lactic ladder than my fitness, did a lot better the second time. The descent was great fun though but I was well aware that,

1 It was a Monday morning.

2 I was by myself.

3 If it had gone wrong, like space, no one would of heard me scream.

(Visions of the Hound in GoT)

Highly recommended, shame it’s a 240 mile round trip for me though.

It’s a proper climb up golspie, unlike a lot of trail centres, so plan for a low average speed. I think the black tends to take me 1.5hrs or so depending how focussed I’m feeling.

Cheers all, hopefully be able to squeeze it in.

Is the trail well signed e.g. red/black/blue?

Yeah it seemed ok to me, a couple of posts were maybe missing directions iirc.

Anyone cleaned the Lactic Ladder part of the climb? I’ve failed miserably every time I’ve been 😆

25-30mins for the red route. Strava has it as 3.8miles. Lactic ladder is on the black route, the red climb is pretty straightforward. Amazing trails, really good fun and well built with some great and cleverly built features especially on the black. Would probably say my favourite trail “centre” out there. Enjoy!

Anyone cleaned the Lactic Ladder part of the climb?

Yes! I can do it most times depending on energy levels. You really have to pedal hard whilst lifting front and rear of the bike up and over some of the rocks by lots of body weight shifting. Brakes get used a bit too!

Brilliant trail, I rode it for the first time 2 weeks ago in blazing sunshine with Gordy from Bothy Bikes – we just did the Black route and with ample stops for pics and a while spent at the top taking in the views we got round in just over two hours, And i managed to clear Lactic Ladder but i was on my Scott E-Genuis which made the rock step-ups easier to handle, brilliant descent, just utterly brilliant and kudos to the trail builders.

Tried to pay in the lower car par for parking but machines were not working, shame as i’d happily pay £5 to ride that trail.

Gordy making his way up the climb on 4psi of phat traction

Views were too nice not to stop and take in, loads of dragonflies buzzing about

Dusty dry trails, could be almost “mediterranean”

View from the top, could’ve sat here for hours in the sun 😀

View from the monument, just one of those perfect riding days i’ll remember for ever, followed by a very decent 3 course meal and beers at night in the Old Bridge Inn Aviemore.

In fact the entire week i was up in Aviemore i was blessed with fine sunny weather, god must love e-bikes 😉

double post

Davesport – Member
Anyone cleaned the Lactic Ladder part of the climb? I’ve failed miserably every time I’ve been

I can’t, but seen it done on singlespeeds many times.

Golspie is just magic – last time we were there we also had weather like Somafunk’s pics. I do love our little island when you get views/ days like that 🙂

I work all over the Highlands and go to Golspie quite often. It’s a great place but can be pretty savage in winter, like the time I struggled to the top and found the top section of the descent axle deep in snow!

I think my best time for a full lap is just over an hour (was late for getting home!) and I think I’ve cleared the lactic ladder with no dabs about 2 or 3 times, It’s not easy!

What day are you going?

Davesport – Member

Anyone cleaned the Lactic Ladder part of the climb? I’ve failed miserably every time I’ve been

Nearly done it 3 times now- screwed up an easy bit twice, and got distracted by a deer and rode off the side of a straight bit once 😆

Ended up making it Golspie today and think I pretty much covered all the blue, red and black routes.

Had a bit of a nightmare from lactic ladder onwards unfortunately as the weather turned really nasty slogging up the final fireroad at the top, then got 2 punctures early on the descent and after that rear brake failed so I was really tip toeing down for a while.

I think for me personally the red grade route and on up to one of the black shortcuts is ideal if I were passing again. Nice climb up that’s not a boring fireroad slog and some swoopy single track descending with a few features thrown in.

I’ll definitely be back next chance I get!