Rides around Crieff, Loch Tay, Aberfeldy

A few of us based in Stirling are looking to ride further north into the hills of Perthshire and I thought I’d seek some local knowledge from STWer’s in the area. We mainly ride hill tracks and windfarm type stuff because we like to cover a lot of ground although we’re all very able mountain bikers so can handle the tech. Looking at Google Maps aerial imagery there seem to be plenty of tracks in the hills between Crieff, Loch Tay and Aberfeldy. Has anyone ever put together some nice loops up there?
Cheers,
Tom

Interested!

I’ve spent a long convalescence planning some big loops around there, mostly gravel with some tarmac and the obligatory hike a bike or dubious looking sheep track linking section.

Especially interested in linking Loch Lednock with the Rob Roy Way as it ascends from Killin, and linking Loch Turret with Glen Almond. One looks like a tussocky hike-a-bike, the other looks like an intermittent sheep track.

Still months before I can get out and try it myself though…

Go to comrie croft, ride the trails there for a morning, buy some flapjack from the cafe and then quiz the guys in the bike shop.

There’s a lot to do up there, if you’re happy to mix and match tracks and roads.

The Glen Ogle, Lochearnhead, Glen Dubh and Liz loop is classic, extend by starting and ending in Killin, go up Glen Ogle on the NCN and return from Liz Toll by going back up to Glen Ogle summit and along the hill track to Breachlaich dam.

The Killin – Glen Lochay – Old hydro road – Glen Lyon – Lawers road back is also classic.

Killin – Lochay old Hydro Road – Glen Lyon – Loch Lyon – Tyndrum – Crainlarich – Killin loop is great, even with some A85 that can’t be avoided.

Bridge of Balgie over to Rannoch via the Larig Ghallabhaich opens up some ace loops around south Rannoch / Black Woods of Rannoch / Bridge of Gaur.

From Kenmore you can head up to Atdtalnaig on South shore and head into Glen Almond via Gleann a Chilleine, back via Quaich road. The hills to the north above Achnafree and Dalriech all have stalking 4×4 tracks, all fairly rideable although in places Uber steep. Good bothy nearer Conichan (old tin schoolhouse).

The new powerline has connected Buchanty through to Amulree I believe on tracks, but I’ve not ridden them myself. You can of course do Amulree up and over to Loch Hoil and Loch na Criege to Griffin above Aberfeldy, although the last few runs in the area/Griffin windfarm has me wondering if the new paths and tracks means that no-one is using the old paths as they were really overgrown.

linking Loch Lednock with the Rob Roy Way as it ascends from Killin, and linking Loch Turret with Glen Almond. One looks like a tussocky hike-a-bike, the other looks like an intermittent sheep track

Correct!

I think it would be easier to do the summit of Auchnafree hill as the track here goes to nearly the top, then 1km hike a bike.
Moine Bheag is just rough hill from memory 10 years ago.
Invergeldie burn to Dunan is hill path, again from 10 years ago memory though.

Lednock to Ardeonaig is horrid enough on foot…

Lednock to Ardeonaig is horrid enough on foot…

I keep telling myself it’s only 2km between the two trailheads.

I think it would be easier to do the summit of Auchnafree hill as the track here goes to nearly the top, then 1km hike a bike.

I think my route came back this way, having first dropped into Glen Almond. It became a sort of training loop for the 3-Peaks (should I ever choose to enter it) as it basically involved three probable big hike ups with sketchy descents and linking fast tracks.

only 2km

This is Finglen top burn. There is a vague quad path to Finglen Farm but I always preferred nipping direct to Ardeonaig centre, although that’s maybe as office was there…

Ah, we’re talking at cross purposes! The route I’d been eyeing up follows the (gravel) track on and above the south banks of Loch Lednock. This track tops out at 540m below Ruadh Mheall, at which point it’s hike-a-bike to a high point of 570m, before descending north to join a hydro track at an intake at 450m. The hydro track joins the Rob Roy Way just before the grassy descent east to Ardeonaig.

Not even 2km, more like 1900m (sounds better that way…)

Aye, that works but still rough. Stay on the track to Killin.

The last field to Ardeonaig is rough bog fest or mildly damp grass depending on the time of year.

It used to be my commute with a bike in the summer evenings.

There’s an amazing frustration of ‘almost’ routes in that area, good looking forest tracks which just stop short of linking with the next glen etc.

Just discovered a big wild glen between Loch Earn and Glen Artney, with a logging track all the way but then 1-2km of thankless sidehilling to meet up with the next track that descends back to the old Loch Earn railway.

All the best routes I’ve plotted always end up with some 2km trackless ‘crux’ usually between glens!

Starting from Fortingall ride up Glen Lyon. At Invervar cross to the other side of the river and follow the track to Bridge of Balgie. Over the Lairig Ghallabhaich to Carie on Loch Rannoch. Follow the road east to East Tempar then the track over the west side of Schiehallion to Blar na Feadaig bothy. There’s about a mile of hike/bike SE to pick up the track back to Fortingall

2km trackless ‘crux’

Most of the shooting rights across that area are managed by one company in Edinburgh. That company are genius at knowing how to keep folk out, including a planned lack of connection in the paths and tracks. I’ve spoken at length with one of the estate managers about it, they claimed our DofE groups couldn’t/shouldn’t connect tracks as your suggesting.

There is also a few trackless bogs that installing paths over would cost a fortune.