Off-road to Glenfinnan

I’m looking to do a ride over several days with the plan being to end up at Glenfinnan as I’m meeting a bunch of mates there for May bank holiday weekend.

I’m based in Edinburgh and would ideally travel light and stay in hostels where possible although a bivvy would not be out of the question if the weather was okay.

Does anyone have any suggested routes? Maybe starting from somewhere like Aberfeldy to make it around 100 miles but open to suggestions. Also, riding buddies welcome as I don’t fancy doing it on my own.

Cheers!

We did some walking in the area last summer – the section we did from Stontian to Glenfinnen looks like it would be a decent bike ride and all offroad

We have also cycled from Callender to Ballachulish mainly offroad where you could do a bit of road towards fort william and then get the Corran Ferry over to ardgour and a bit of road to strontian

We didn’t go over the devils staircase but it could be included

Email me if that sounds interesting and I can give you more details That route would be around 120 miles – but mainly easy offroad

Sounds good TJ, easy off-road and great scenery is what I’m after. I’ll be in touch for more details.

bump the thread tomorrow – there should be other folk with better idea of routes.

There is a killer of a climb from Strontian to Loch Shiel if you do the road out to there. The track along the loch From Polloch to Glenfinnian is up and down, quite easy, bit rough in places, just large stones though, easy overall, very wide dirt track.

*types cautiously*

…I think you could make a belter of a route finishing in Glenfinnan, if you were up to just a tiny smidgen of hike-a-bike…

Dalwhinnie train station to Ft Augustus via Loch Pattack, Kinlochlaggan and the Corrieyairaick pass.

From Ft Augustus to Glen Affric somehow (this route exists, I’ve just never ridden it) and finish in the Allt Beithe Hostel or Camban bothy.

From the Hostel descend through Bealach an Sgairne (a famous descent) to Glen Shiel, up and over the Ratagan Pass on tarmac, and round the coast to Loch Hourne and Glen Arnisdale.

Through Glen Arnisdale into Gleann Dubh Lochain and follow the good tracks and VERY steep descent into Kinlochhourne.

Tarmac from Kinlochhourne to Loch Quoich, cross the eastern dam and follow the mostly good singletrack into Glen Kingie, and the Kinbreak bothy. From Kinbreak you would probably need to push up the bealach beneath Fraoch Bheinn before a good quad bike descent into Strathan, then another push up Gleann Cuirnean (not all pushing, some singletrack) to the bealach beneath Streap, before a triumphant, fast, descent to Glenfinnan! 😀

That sounds great. I’m going to get some maps and have a look at these routes.

Any more suggestions?

Descent to Kinlochhourne

Loch Quoich singletrack (its good between the puddles)

Gleann Dubh Lochain track

Descent to Strathan with Streap in the background.

Thanks to 13thfloormonk for the beginnings of a route suggestion. I went for a slightly easier Dalwhinnie – Kinloch Lagan – Fort Augustus – Clunes – Glenfinnan route. All completed in amazing weather and with the minimum of fuss.

Camped on the Corrieyairack Pass about 500m up, beautiful evening but woke to frost covering everything. Still warm in the bivi though.

2nd night camp

Views along Loch Arkaig

Final night in Glen Pean Bothy

Great adventure, kit included two cheap straps to hold dry bag to bars, Ortlieb saddle bag, rucksack, Alpkit bivi bag, Alpkit tarp (unused as it never rained), Mountain Equipment sleeping bag. A very gentle 150km over four days although if it was raining I could have done it in three.

OOH ooH ooH

Lovely stuff. You cant buy that with money – only wit sweat and tears

Looks great – glad you enjoyed it

Completely awesome. Hoping to see more of these photo-stories this year.

This is proper mountain biking.

Pissing around in some trail centre is not.

Niiiice! 😀

I’ve never managed to stay in Glen Pean, what a view out the door! Nice campifire shot too.

How was the push up to beneath Streap, did you take that route? It was my first descent when I passed through the area last year and I could barely get the wheels turning till right at the end, there was a nice wee hidden waterfall though.

The push up Streap was pretty awful, I had to stop every 100m to brush ticks off my legs and the path was very easy to lose. I just got some happy tunes on the stereo and thought of the descent down the other side which I had walked up before. The only other bit of pushing was on the Corrieyairack Pass where parts of it were like cycling up a river bed.

The weather really made it and I’d do something similar at any opportunity. Let me know if anyone fancies another trip.