Help needed to put the mountains into mountain biking – riding the Munros

Wow! Nice pic. Loving the big wheel approach too. 😀

From memory, the path down from Sgurr na Banachdaich through Coir’ an Eich (not all shown on the OS) would give a bit of “sport”.

sanny whats the ptarmigan like as a decent? going up late may and thinking of giving it a whirl G

Steep at the top, more slow speed tech than the main path. A couple of walk down sections though it was icy when we did it. Well worth the effort though. It makes a good alternative ascent too.

Wow! Nice pic. Loving the big wheel approach too.

yip, the rear ended up a bit wobbly by the time i got down

From memory, the path down from Sgurr na Banachdaich through Coir’ an Eich (not all shown on the OS) would give a bit of “sport”.

don’t know that specific path tbh, but the path into coire ghreadiach and the coire na creiche path are all worth of a little play-time. the former being an in and out and goes twice as far as shown on bing maps.

Only climbed Banachdaich once, and descended along the ridge to gobhar and down.

Ptarmigan is a good trail. It’s different to the main Ben Lomond trail. If you’ve got time I’d do both in a day. The top bit of Ptarmigan needs a bit of carrying.

Our run on Ptarmigan from 2010-

And the main trail 2 weeks ago (presumably the same weekend Sanny was up there, we also had a pop at Ben Ime and Ben Narnain).

snow line permitting, Ptarmigan/Ben Lomond or Lawyers for me in the coming week (domestic permission pending). walked both in years gone by.. any opinions on what’s best (or any other near-by recommendations from glasgow area)

is it best to ascend mail Ben Lomond path and descend Ptarmigan?

Yes, definitely- not much of Ptarmigan is ridable as a climb.

Personally I’d do the main descent if you’ve not done either before- it’s a lot of fun.

Main descent for the win given the snow. Ptarmigan is steeper and holds the ice more in my experience.

Munrobiker

We were up Ime and Narnain a couple of weeks prior to you as there was a lot more snow then! Lomond was last year, January if memory serves! 😀

Where are you riding next that is big? 😀

Not really made my mind up yet. After my friend was killed in Glencoe in January I’ve made a mental note to do more mountains this year- they’re there to be enjoyed, but you can only enjoy them while you’re alive (which isn’t for very long).

We were going to do that sneaky Skiddaw descent you put up for the second time and Rossett Pike last weekend but it was too snowy. I’m going to try and pound the Lakes as much as I can over the next few weeks and we’ll see how we get on.

I’m intrigued by the Pillar in the Lakes, just for a photo if anything, but the 4 Passes, Loch Nagar, Ben Vorlich, Great Gable and a few others are on the cards. Also off to muck about in the Pyrenees for the first time this year. Also need to actually do Ben Narnairn- it was way too snowy 2 weeks ago.

Sadly I’m not best placed for big mountains any more, living in England, but then last year I rode more mountains than previously anyway so hopefully this’ll be another successful year.

sanny – lost your mobile, but have just messaged you on FB

Sanny and munrobiker, what was the verdict on ime and narnain?. Sanny, I’ve been having a blether with graham and Sam from the club, with the intention of a weekend on Arran in September. Lots of possibilities for Corbett bashing, not quite munros, but I reckon there may be some good uns.

Know these hills well on foot, have you tried the Cobbler, the new path from the col would be reasonably sporting, approached one evening to the col by the voie normal, quite nice from there but ran out of time, would imagine Imme, so so in descent, good to start to grassy and quite boggy around the col, Narnain would be pretty scrappy I would imagine on a bike and is quite steep.

Munrobiker

I was very sorry to hear about your friends. I had a very memorable day riding with Tom when he spent a day with us in Verbier riding a trail called Big Daddy. He struck me as a very likeable lad. A great loss to his friends and family as I’m sure is the same for all lost that day.

Sanny

Nobeerinthefridge- Ime is one to simply tick off, even on foot. It’s boggy and open, and while it’s fast, it’s not great. The descent once you’ve got between the Cobbler and Narnain is good, though.

The Cobbler and most of the Narnain descent were too snowy and cloudy when we got there, but we cut left at the top of the forest and the last bit of the pipe trail was superb. Very difficult with a lot of drops off the concrete blocks that held the pipes. I can imagine it will be great fun once the weather improves.

The new Cobbler descent does look good, a few guys had a crack at it when we were there but only got a hundred yards up.

Sanny- yeah, they were a nice bunch, and loved doing bikes in mountains so riding more of them seems a good way to keep on keeping on.

Right then folks,

I’ve set up a facebook group for people such as you that are into biking such as this.

It’s at Big Country Biking[/url]

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High Street, March 2013[/url] by descoolio hughes[/url], on Flickr

Didn’t ride much that day!

Soooooo Buchaille Etive Mor today. Two munros in the sunshine and it was full on but brilliant. We headed up Lairig Gartain then did the stiff climb up to the bealach. The middle slab section was a bit on the delicate side on the ascent requiring some careful foot placement and the snow cornice just below the bealach made for a hard last few metres. From there, we carried up to the middle summit then descended down on what felt pretty techy on the way down and looked impossibly steep from the bottom. I’m still trying to get my head round the fact that we rode it as from below, it looked mental! After that, it was a lovely ride across the plateau before the final carry up to the summit. We met lots of chatty walkers who tended to think we were mental (funny that!)

The descent off the summit was loose but almost entirely rideable and very much fun. Returning the way we came made for a tough carry before another technical descent with a couple of short walk down sections but as with the first descent, it looked a nightmare from below but was mostly rideable. After the Bealach, there was a couple of shortish Carly’s before we got to the second summit and got chatting to a walker about cameras while taking in the stunning views. Returning to the Bealach, the though of descending to Lairig Gartain didn’t appeal so we dropped down off trail on the steep grass to Glen Etive far below. What it lacked in trail, it made up for in steepness and delicate line picking. Not your typical descent but still hugely satisfying as we found lines down.

Spinning down the glen, we then joined up with the Lairig Eildhe trail which was big carry of some 1200 feet with short sections of riding before a blinding descent down the glen to Glencoe. It was a fantastic way to end the ride.

I reckon doing Lairig Eilidhe in reverse would also be pretty special.

Soooooo, a really rather good day out. It was full on and if you don’t have a head for heights and tech riding, would probably be a bit traumatic! There is a lot of carrying for the amount of riding with no real flow until off the mountain but I have to say it was a proper day out! 😀

Awesome work Sanny!! I can wholly recommend the Lairig Eildhe the other way and also the descent of the path to the climbers cottage.

I meant to add that doing it in the wet would be despair as the wet rock and sloppy grass would make things genuinely scary! 😯

Cheers Big Mountain.

Out of interest, have you headed up onto Na Gruichean and descended back to Loch Eildhe Mor? That looks awesome!

I would hesitate to recommend the Buchaille to anyone as it is a full on ride and has a lot of carrying but it was a blinder of a day out! I suspect that it is an acquired taste but we were smiling the whole time. You were spot on about the two Glens being greatly improved. I reckon that they would make for a lovely loop.

Cheers

Sanny

I always fancied Na Gruagaichean, but the right day never came~ done Stob Coire a’ Chairn and the descents from Coire an Lochain and can recommend both~ the top of the descent from Stob Coire a’ Chairn is awesome and links up nicely with the Grey Mare’s tail path for nigh on 1000m’s technical descent with minimal climbing (during the action)… Coire an Lochain links into the Kennels path which is set to become a classic once a few more enduros have been through!!

Top thred, gona be coming back to this one for ages. Like the sick as a dog, show me your bivvy thred. Inspiring

I had a cracking day out in Glen Affric today. The Coire Leachavie descent has been on the cards for a while after being mentioned on here(I think) ages ago.

Spinning along the south side of Loch Affric you can look across the loch and see the descent coming down the coire opposite you
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Untitled[/url] by LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]

A long, long push up to the summit follows, this trail would actually make a great descent too. Soggy in bits so best after a few dry days.
Stopping for a breather and looking down onto Loch Mullardoch
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Untitled[/url] by LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Once on the top you gat the view down the coire from the snow lip at the top, there is a path in there somewhere!
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Untitled[/url] by LOVATSTOVES[/url], on Flickr

The descent is steep and techy dropping into the coire with some tricky hairpins. Further down it is loose and rubbly and still pretty steep, my arms were well pumped. The lower section is the best as it flattens out bit and you can let off the brakes and move a bit faster.
Not the best Munro I’ve ridden but far from the worst.

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Mountain Bikers[/url] by Euan.Mcintosh[/url], on Flickr

A wee pic from the summit of the Buchaille a couple of weeks ago. Tasty tech trail goodness!

Ace pic Sanny…bonkers place for a bike 🙂

Thanks Matt

It’s not that bonkers though it’s one of the harder mountains to get onto the plateau of.

I saw your Beinn a Ghlo pics. Niiiiice! How was the carry up from Glen Tilt? Is it a good path that is easy to follow?

Yesterday was another first for me. My friend Ross and I rode the six Drumochter munros. I ended up taking the fat bike as the router looked fairly non technical. The climb up onto the two eastern munros is super steep and loose. Ross really struggled on his 29er to get traction whereas the fat bike just gripped like poop on a blanket. The ride across the plaeau in the morning sunshine was glorious and the views rally rather special. We even found a singletrack descent parallel with the main track that dropped over 800 feet vertically.

After that, we headed up onto the four western peaks. Again, this was rideable all the way from the bottom to the top of the most northerly peak. It got pretty rocky near the summit but again the fat tyres proved their worth. After that, it was perhaps a 15 carry onto the next summit before riding between A Mharconaich and Beinn Udlamain. We then descended to the bealach for a last short carry of a few minutes before riding to the last summit. For six munros, I was astonished by how little we had to carry. 😀

It’s a great route for a sunny and dry day. The final descent is on a potentially super muddy track that comes and goes through the heather but was fairly easy to follow. Clockwise would have been a carry fest.

I’d reserve the ride for a day like yesterday. In the clag, navigation could get tricky as the path peters out to nothing on the ascent of Sgairneach Mhor. It’s super short heather and grass so easy to ride across but it’s a ride of great views.

One thing we did notice was a big Lan Rover track headed up onto the ridgeline at the northerly point behind the house they filmed Monarch of the Glen. One to explore I reckon.

Next ride is either Buchaille Etive Beag or if the weather holds, the Mamore ride I’ve been waiting ages to do.

So who else has been riding the munros lately?

Cheers

Sanny

So Buchaille Etive Beag…..it promised so much. A lovely ride with small on off sections up Lairig Eildhe followed by a smashing descent into Glen Etive. A brute of a carry up a vaguely discernible path beset by bloody clegs was topped off with several hundred feet of carrying up through a loose scree slope on the way to the summit.

At the summit, there is a peach of a technical descent down to the saddle. It was terrific and a real test of skill to get down. At the saddle, we were looking forward to the final drop back to the car only to be met by a stone pitched staircase with bloody water bars at the bottom of them to swallow wheels. After all the effort to get up, it was a slap in the puss. Gutted!

If I was to do it again, I’d carry up staircase and then contemplate the ride off the other side into Lairig Gartain. I’m not sure how doable it would be but I may well check it out. After the fine ride of the Drumochter Munros the previous weekend, this was a bit of a let down. Still, it was a day out in the mountains so there’s always an upside!

Nothing new from me but I’ve been ticking off a few favourites I try to bag every year.

First time up this Corbet in a few years (the most easterly).

Epic evening ride. Set out from Loch Muick at 5.10 with the plan of seeing how the legs felt and how quick progess was across the Capel Mounth to Clova. I had a couple of possible options with one stupid huge idea if I thought I could do it… conditions were beyond awesome and my legs felt good when I was above Clova in just over 35 mins so it was game on for the epic.

First time I’ve done the switchbacks to Glen Clova in years and they did not disappoint… although I wished I had lowered my seat a little more as it was very rough and rocky in places hence I wasn’t riding as confident and fast as I could have been. Top to bottom with no stops riding as smooth as I can “on-sight” as practice for the Trans Savoie race in four weeks.
Having got to Clova in well under an hour I knew from STRAVA that someone I know had done the Clova-Mayar-Kilbo loop I fancied in about two hours. If I managed the same I would have 1hr and 45 minutes of daylight to get to get back to Loch Muick from Clova… I know I can do the Muick to Clova circuit in a little over two hours so I figured I would need 1-1/2 hrs maximum; and 15 mins round the Loch could be done in the gloom if need be; half an hour to spare and an extra quarter hour of contingency available… game on!
From Clova I headed up Corrie Fee to the top of Mayar. Corrie Fee is stunningly beautiful but once your at the back of the bowl it’s a carry up rock steps to the top.

It’s a big walk, but the view are awesome (did I say big walk… I meant sweet-mother-of-jesus-hell-carry-big-walk).

Topping out on Mayar was a relief but Lochnagar/Loch Muick and the van are a long way away.

Driesh was tempting me but I didn’t have the time for the short carry to the saddle and top so it was Kilbo time!

Kilbo was more mental than I remembered. Huge ruts and holes in the trail with loose boulders and dodgy looking grass banks with a massive drop off to the right if you get it wrong. Riding fast but cautious had me stop a few times but only for long enough to suss out the route and go for it. Again I took it top to bottom and by the by the end my hands were like claws… but it was brilliant fun.
Cruise up to Bachnagairn waterfall which was easier riding than I remembered, and then my water ran out as I carried up and out to the pony hut above Loch Muick for the final descent of the day. The Streak of Pants was better fun than I remembered it being and I really enjoyed myself working out how best to tackle the water bars and other features.
The moon was up when I got back to Loch Muick with half an hour of daylight left.

A true mountain epic… or perhaps that should be two true mountain epics? 5100ft of climbing in under 25 miles… in just over four hours!
Back at the car at 9.20 so 30 mins of daylight left. I caught the shop in Ballater for water on the way home which I really needed. Puggled but very happy with my evening mountain epic.

So another ride to add to the growing list and this one was an absolute bloody belter!

With a perfect forecast for Saturday, me and my mates Shearer and Big Kev opted for an explore of the eastern Mamores above Kinlochleven. Binean Mor and An Gearanach have been on my radar for a while as the approach path up onto the mountains looks really rather nice and looked like it had potential.

A ride up the West Highland Way with a bloody puncture at the last corner stopping a clean ascent of the technical climb (Arrrrrgh!) made for an impromptu stop and contemplation of a return trip to try the lower peak that separates the Westie from Loch Leven. There are some sweet looking switchbacks there!

A ride up past Mamore Lodge on the resurfaced Land Rover track led to the turn off for the main event. I’d expected to be carrying from the start but there is a lovely undulating track to follow until a small river crossing where the carrying commences.
The track cuts diagonally up the hill before splitting at a cairn where there is the option of cutting across towards a lochan or continuing up to the two higher peaks. We opted for the latter which is a blinding section of narrow, exposed singletrack with some really nice switchbacks. Reaching the saddle, we started to ride and carry up to the split off for the two summits. Na Gruichean was first. A super rocky descent to the saddle was followed to a carry before a short 5 minute hands on rock boulder hop to the summit.

A stiff carry back to the split off was followed by a quick traverse to the summit of Binean Mor. With nary a breathe of wind, we spent ages blethering and enjoying the views before couple of lady walkers appeared asking us why we had brought our bikes up. The return to the split off was a nice technical short descent followed by a short and sharp ride up.

What followed was outstanding. From the lower part of the saddle, there is an uninterrupted descent back to Loch Eilde Mor and it is a technical delight! The switchbacks remind me of Verbier – not quite as tight but pretty exposed where a fall would mean a looooong tumble. My Giant 29er made short work of them despite the big wheels while the rocky and loose descent that followed just seemed to flow under tyre. Reaching the stream crossing with brakes squealing in the heat, the next section down to the Land Rover track was a beautifully twisty, turny affair that on it’s own would be a find. That it was at the end of an already excellent descent made it all the better.

To finish, a choice of descents into Kinlochleven beckoned. We opted for the Grey Mares Tail, a perennial favourite of mine which was the perfect end to the ride.

In a word, brilliant! After the disappointment of Buchaille Etive Beag the week before, this was the perfect antidote and now easily ranks in my top ten descents anywhere. 😀

Cheers

Sanny

So another ride to add to the growing list and this one was an absolute bloody belter!

With a perfect forecast for Saturday, me and my mates Shearer and Big Kev opted for an explore of the eastern Mamores above Kinlochleven. Binean Mor and An Gearanach have been on my radar for a while as the approach path up onto the mountains looks really rather nice and looked like it had potential.

A ride up the West Highland Way with a bloody puncture at the last corner stopping a clean ascent of the technical climb (Arrrrrgh!) made for an impromptu stop and contemplation of a return trip to try the lower peak that separates the Westie from Loch Leven. There are some sweet looking switchbacks there!

A ride up past Mamore Lodge on the resurfaced Land Rover track led to the turn off for the main event. I’d expected to be carrying from the start but there is a lovely undulating track to follow until a small river crossing where the carrying commences.
The track cuts diagonally up the hill before splitting at a cairn where there is the option of cutting across towards a lochan or continuing up to the two higher peaks. We opted for the latter which is a blinding section of narrow, exposed singletrack with some really nice switchbacks. Reaching the saddle, we started to ride and carry up to the split off for the two summits. Na Gruichean was first. A super rocky descent to the saddle was followed to a carry before a short 5 minute hands on rock boulder hop to the summit.

A stiff carry back to the split off was followed by a quick traverse to the summit of Binean Mor. With nary a breathe of wind, we spent ages blethering and enjoying the views before couple of lady walkers appeared asking us why we had brought our bikes up. The return to the split off was a nice technical short descent followed by a short and sharp ride up.

What followed was outstanding. From the lower part of the saddle, there is an uninterrupted descent back to Loch Eilde Mor and it is a technical delight! The switchbacks remind me of Verbier – not quite as tight but pretty exposed where a fall would mean a looooong tumble. My Giant 29er made short work of them despite the big wheels while the rocky and loose descent that followed just seemed to flow under tyre. Reaching the stream crossing with brakes squealing in the heat, the next section down to the Land Rover track was a beautifully twisty, turny affair that on it’s own would be a find. That it was at the end of an already excellent descent made it all the better.

To finish, a choice of descents into Kinlochleven beckoned. We opted for the Grey Mares Tail, a perennial favourite of mine which was the perfect end to the ride.

In a word, brilliant! After the disappointment of Buchaille Etive Beag the week before, this was the perfect antidote and now easily ranks in my top ten descents anywhere. 😀

Cheers

Sanny

Messiah

Top effort fella!

So what do you reckon to riding down Corrie Fee then? I really like it as a carry up as it’s not too long and the scenery is fantastic.

Cheers

Sanny

Aye Sanny; I did think about your comments as I carried up it and I think bits of descending Corrie Fee would be fun, but some of those steps are crazy steep and an OTB on them would mean a long drop!

The Kilbo descent though is a classic… 12 mins of oh-my-god-no-way-oooof-phew on repeat. Awesomes

Och aye but a lot would be rideable I reckon! 😀

You need to get over to Kinlochleven. You will love it! Different from the MacDhui descent but no less a classic.

Cheers

Sanny

Thread resurrection time. Another reasonably big mountain ride yesterday. Headed down to Ambleside for the day for a bit of a Coniston mission. After buying my weight in food in The Lunch Box sandwich shop, we headed over towards Claife on the recently installed cycle path (brilliant) then climbed through the woods to do the lovely rocky descent to Hawkshead. Up through Grizedale got us to the classic Parkamoor descent which is riding as good as ever. Thought this had been redone a couple of years ago? if it had, the weather has ensured it’s back to being a techfest. 😀 Kudos to the guy in the Land Rover driving up the bedrock – seriously impressive stuff. A spin round the bottom of the Lake and some road bashing up Hummer Lane got us to Stephenson Ground where we climbed up the the narrow (and remarkably dry) trail to the quarries above Walna Scar. The top section of the trail before the quarries was getting fixed back in December and is now well bedded in and has removed much of the boggy despair.

From there we joined the Walna Scar climb where we rode past Steve Coogan and his mate James Lance……”it’s not far now!” he told me. I suggested that we both knew he was lying. My mate Donald wasn’t convinced it was them but the chances of two looks likies is pretty small.

The climb up was fine – steep but ridden. Changed days from when it used to be super loose! At the saddle, we decided to head west up the steep but rideable switchbacks and gradually made our way over to the Old Man. The riding is superb – big views, proper edge of big cliff trail, rocky tech descending along classic Lakeland bedrock. Very much akin to Ben Lawers. At the summit, we chilled and pored over map before opting to ride the ridge along to Swirl How…..very quiet and bloody good value which meant we kept our height and got to marvel at the scenery. Wet side edge was terrific…..a bit vague towards the bottom but well over 3km of gradual descent down easy going trail with the odd steep section to keep us on our toes. All in all, a brilliant day out. 😀

Good stuff, sounds awesome Sanny. Heading down the week after next on what looks like a wee solo mission (no riding buddies off midweek!) which means I may stay away from really techy stuff, Harter fell and ill bell maybe? I’ve never been up helvellyn either, so that’s an option too.

Canny beat the lakes.

Ill Bell is grand as a Garburn Pass, High Street and Nan Bield Loop. Or you could do a cheeky High Street footpath over to Boredale Hause descent which is mint!

Aye, I’m usually only in the lakes at weekends, so maybe going midweek in term time is a grand opportunity for some cheekiness!.

In that case, have a look at the Cat Bells horseshoe – well worth a mooch……
😀