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  • Lochindorb/Dava Moor
  • davetrave
    Free Member

    Sadly, despite having lived(ish) in Elgin for some time now, I’d never discovered the back road from Forres to Carr Bridge until this weekend, having usually driven down to Aviemore via the A95, and was amazed at the terrain.

    So…

    Any of the far northern contingent explored the areas north and west of Carr Bridge and Grantown, bordered to the west by the A96 and east by the A939? Thinking about both bike and hill running routes that are close to home rather than the drive all the way in to the Cairngorms…

    In the meantime, roll on Christmas hols – decamping to Feshiebridge for Christmas and New Year, a whole fortnight of bike and foot, or hopefully ski, touring…

    jemima
    Free Member

    I’m a fan of the roads around there for the road bike. Very nice and usually quite quiet.
    Not done too much mountain biking in there at all and suspect its worthwhile travelling a bit further to the Rothimuirchus/Feshie areas. Its probably just mostly rolling estate landy tracks into the hills which could be good for your hill running?
    Although I think there are some nicer trails around Carrbridge and Grantown themselves.

    davetrave
    Free Member

    Aye, road routes around there will also be on the cards.

    Inshriach, Rothiemurchus and the Gorms are for big days out when I’ve got the time to escape. At the moment, the short blasts are generally in Oak Wood on the bike or up and over Ben Rinnes running; just looking for a bit of variety…!

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    jemima
    Free Member

    Get the OS map out, explore and then share if you find any good stuff 🙂

    davetrave
    Free Member

    Can go one better than standard OS – have access to military systems, OS mapping down to street level, nevermind 1:25k, and imagery that’ll knock the spots off Google Earth… Unfortunately, even with the might of the MoD, or more likely US DoD, behind me the little sheep/deer trods that often make the best singletrack still don’t show up too well 🙁

    Exploration time it is…

    kcal
    Full Member

    scotroutes might have some gen.

    The back Dava road (via Ferness) used to be my default fast route up and down, unless you met any other traffic one it, nightmare to get past (when I was young and invincible ..!)

    Do you mean “west, A9″ boundary”?

    I’ve driven past stuff that looks interesting but it’s just a bit too far to actually take a bike down and explore fully I’d reckon.

    Other point of information / guidance might be either Matt or esp. Reg @ Stuarts through in Forres, Dave. I reckon estate roads for the most part, and unlikely to link up as you’d hope, but there’s usually only one reliable way to find out!

    North of Grantown there’s hints of paths over east of the Dava Way towards Roy’s Hill / Romach.

    Must look out for you in the Oakwoods – either on an old yellow Stumpjumper or an old green Kilaeua..

    kcal
    Full Member

    and to add, always thought there was scope for tracks leading off the Ferness road to the north (so towards Cawdor eventually) but I suspect they’re simply estate tracks again, and almost certainly peter out.

    davetrave
    Free Member

    Duh – A96… Where did that come from! Aye, A9 obviously in the west – brain fart…

    Know what you mean about the exploration and mainly estate roads. Will probably have to go out on foot first, find that’s generally the best way of initial exploration – slow time makes opportunities and lines easier to spot and much easier to push on out of dead ends when you’re running.

    I’ll drop in to Stuart’s when I get back at Christmas. You’ll have to be quick looking out for me! Given I generally only get home for long weekends, a quick hour’s blast in the middle of the day is usually the best I can manage – either on a black ano Scandal with white Magura Durins and just the clothes I’m wearing or on foot in shorts, vest/Helly and snazzy green/blue Inov8 trail shoes. Sometimes head in to Monaughty if I’m dropping the boy at school (Mosstowie in Miltonduff) – just leave the car in the school car park and head off… Give it 18 months though and a change of jobs means I should be around a lot more…

    kcal
    Full Member

    excellent (if you’re around more). the more the merrier.

    The best tracks are the ‘newly discovered’ ones 🙂

    If I’m in Oakwoods or Monaughty I’ll look out for you, work from home so I take myself off if there’s a break in weather or I just need out. In the west side of town so placed to get into Oakwoods or heading out further afield – towards Rothes or similar..

    MartynS
    Full Member

    Gents,

    I think you are the ones to help!
    Gf’s parents are in upper rafford. We were up there in the summer and went out exploring on a couple of days.. Didn’t find a massive amount, so where should we be looking for next time?
    There was a Forrest off the back road to Elgin we found a downhill track in, the trail bikes obviously played in there to
    If anyone has any good route in the area I’d be really grateful

    Ta

    kcal
    Full Member

    Martyn,
    From Rafford – usual recommends would be head east to Monaughty – that would probably where you were, the DH track isn’t all there is, there are some nice ribbons of singletrack, a lot of fire road, and some footpaths.

    Into Altyre woods to the west of Rafford would be a useful starter as well, though I’m not familiar round there – again, the bike shop in Forres (Stuarts) would be best drop-in point. From there you can head back towards Rafford from the Dava Way – Tomcork and thereabouts.

    Not too far away – Roseisle forest down by Findhorn is a maze of little paths, nothing major but an hour or three in there at decent pace and you’ll be well exercised.

    For out in the open stuff, there’s not so much singletrack, more over estate tracks, round by the windmills towards Rothes or down to Knockando (Paul’s Hill).

    davetrave
    Free Member

    Or for simple point and shoot, if you don’t want to spend time exploring/getting lost, head along the A96 (not the A9!) to Fochabers and hit up the Moray Monsters. If you do go to Roseisle, refuel in the Kimberley in Findhorn afterwards…

    Another Elgin homeworker…! One of the other dads at Mosstowie does likewise, he lives in Miltonduff and spends most of his day “working” in Monaughty or Oakies. In the RAF quarters in Bishopmill so usually start off by dropping down to the river and following that for a warm up, head up Brumley Brae in to the woods then follow my nose for a bit, finish off heading back past Spynie Hospital following a nice little ribbon of track around the edge of town/estate looking out towards Covesea that eventually pops out by the Buccaneer. Not been in Oakies for a while (had a big stack in Sanquhar Woods end of Aug – broken elbow/dislocated shoulder), heard there’s been a lot of deforestation on the Rosebrae side – has much of the singletrack up there been wiped out?

    kcal
    Full Member

    homeworker dad – sounds a bit like Duncan possibly..?

    know where you are, can picture the singletrack..

    Yes, you can cut in off the Duffus Road round into Covesea houses, then head for the new houses, through the gate with latch, and down the back, narrow singletrack at its finest.. sometimes then head over towards Spynie from there, little sections even if you don’t go over to Lossie woods.

    Rosebrae side – it’s a bit messed up, some of the nice tracks have gone, though little by little I think folk are clearing thebrash off existing tracks and they’re up and running again. What I miss is the closing section, best E to W, approaching the doggers car park, where the trail was handlebar width only, and line choice round the trees was paramount. sadly gone 🙁

    been exploring off-road routes from Oakies towards Roseisle / Burghead, nice to stay off the Tarmac as much as possible..

    davetrave
    Free Member

    Aye, that’ll be be Duncan!

    Bummer, that stretch down the back was great, especially that final run to the car park. Hmm, will have to get reacquainted at Christmas.

    Off road to the coast sounds interesting…

    Will have to meet up – I finish for the hols and will be back up about 13/14 Dec…

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Sorry guys. I’ve done some (very nice) road riding up there and I’ve been looking at some of the old military roads but not yet had time to explore much. The track leading NW off the B9007 at Duthil looks like it might be worth a look at though as it could lead to a decent loop over the tops with potential bivvy/bothy stops.

    paladin
    Full Member

    Offroad from oakies to roseisle woods looks possible to me on farm tracks/paths, not tried it yet tho. Was planning Lossie/oakies/roseisle/findhorn/burghead/Lossie avoiding roads, looks possible when the tide is out.

    Birkenhill out the back of Elgin has a few trails, a lot churned up by moto x tho

    kcal
    Full Member

    Rosehaugh is obvious starter destination, then get involved in going through steadings so I’ve tended to head towards Newton, then cut back in at Spindle Muir, then it’s either NW to Roseisle or NE to Mossyards.

    not sure it can be done more completely than that..

    MartynS
    Full Member

    Holy thread reserection!!!
    Just thought I’d post what we’ve found on the latest trip up there.
    Found a little in the woods behind the gf’s parents house, but it’s mostly double track access roads, took the dava way into Forres, sanquer woods (sp!) saw off a wee bit of time with the trails in there.
    Following day was fairly big, woods opposite Dallas du (fairydale I think) were good, found some nice bits in there, then got round to sluie walks and found a couple of really nice tracks, reckon there’s more to be found!!
    It was getting frustrating following stuff that went nowhere, fortunately we began finding stuff that went somewhere!!

    kcal
    Full Member

    Martyn – if you’re still reading this thread — I explored – from Elgin direction – a little in Newtyle woods, but didn’t fiund much beyond what you did. Down to Loch Romach, over the Hill towards Dava Way.

    Sluie has some little tracks; there’s a path that goes further but it’s a interesting and not for faint hearted. Altyre should be good for little tracks – I’ve found several running off the Dava Way.. happy hunting!

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