James Vincent rides possibly the best descent of his life in the North West Scottish Highlands. But is it worth the steep price of admission? Words …

By justinbieber

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Issue 152 UK Adventure: South Glen Shiel Ridge

Where’s the like button!?
Sounds like a proper adventure. In retrospect, would the ridge go better the other way? (West to East?)
Not that I’ve got anywhere near the fitness for such bigs days out anymore…

Walkhighlands will melt down.

Sounds like a proper adventure. In retrospect, would the ridge go better the other way? (West to East?)

I don’t think so. The last descent was pretty good but going the other way you’d end up walking down more descents and the final descent would be largely fireroad, with a load of steps before it. More rideable, certainly, but not better.

I ‘rode’ the SSR back in 2013 or thereabouts. I remember that most of the up was carrying but almost all of the descents were rideable and that the final descent at the west end was particularly good.

My memory of walking it was with the Mrs and our eight year old son and what’s stuck in my mind is that I’d forgotten to bring painkillers (I got my ankle fused two years later). Thought the descent off the western end was awful😮

Great stuff. I can’t explain it either, but there’s something about big remote riding like that that just can’t be beat. Adding it to my list.

Don’t add it to your list, unless you can add some excellent company and decent weather to your list at the same time. It’s very remote, and I wouldn’t want to be up there in anything other than perfect conditions!

If you do foolishly head up there, let me know how it goes – I’m utterly torn between wanting to ride it again without a camera pack, and never wanting to go near the entire Glen ever again 🤣

Don’t worry, it’s not something I’d undertake lightly. The company shouldn’t be an issue, but even so aligning weather/time to travel means it’s chances of happening are slim. But still.