I'm heading off (by train) to take in a wee Glen Garr loop on Saturday morning. Should only take till lunch. Is there anything else round there to make a day of it?

I know there's a DH course nearby but don't know how viable it is for a 5-incher.

There is nice but not very techy riding around Loch Ordie just to the north / east of dunkeld

Does your loop include Birnam Hill? Some steep climbing (push/carry in places) but some good downhills.

Are you going clockwise or anti-clockwise?

Stuartie, route goes anti-clockwise from the train station. It goes up Inchewan burn to start. Birnam Hill sounds like just the thing but isn't on our planned route. Is there a clear (easily found I mean) path up it?

If you're doing the loop I think you're doing, a wee tip:

After the fun bit of singletrack on the edge of the hill, you round a corner and you'll be confronted by a gate into a field, and what appears to be the singletrack carrying on to the left of the gate following the fence. I made the (stupid, in hindsight) mistake of following the track, instead of going through the gate…

The Birnam Hill track starts very close to the station just off the Inchewan Burn track and is pretty obvious. You could do the normal route (I'm presuming it heads straight for Glen Garr from the station) and then tack BH on at the end depending on available time/energy.

I've only ridden south > north, starting on the Bankfoot road which gives a steady climb with a couple of pushing sections (rock gardens and a wooden staircase) then a steep descent back to the station. I'm guessing the other way would involve more pushing to get to the top of the hill but would be a more interesting descent. Either way it's all very close to the station so would make a simple addition to the main route.

Is there clear a path up it?

Yes – here is the route I would take. Going up Birnam Hill is a bit hikey bikey, but the descent is worth it 🙂

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Glengarr-Birnam-Himm

If you're doing the loop I think you're doing, a wee tip:

After the fun bit of singletrack on the edge of the hill, you round a corner and you'll be confronted by a gate into a field, and what appears to be the singletrack carrying on to the left of the gate following the fence. I made the (stupid, in hindsight) mistake of following the track, instead of going through the gate…

Glad it wasn't just me who did this.

There is nice but not very techy riding around Loch Ordie just to the north / east of dunkeld

I would second that. Worth doing.

Glad it wasn't just me who did this.

😀 How far did you get before you realised? I was almost up the next hill, convinced I could see someone ahead of me.

How far did you get before you realised? I was almost up the next hill, convinced I could see someone ahead of me.

Kind of realised we were way off track but couldn't be bothered turning back. Had to walk for a mile or so I think, crossed a burn then found some kind of bridge built with logs over another burn that led to some forestry tracks and then the main road.

Character forming.

After the fun bit of singletrack on the edge of the hill, you round a corner and you'll be confronted by a gate into a field, and what appears to be the singletrack carrying on to the left of the gate following the fence. I made the (stupid, in hindsight) mistake of following the track, instead of going through the gate…

Its not that stupid really. You can actually get through to Rohallion, at the bottom of Birnam Hill along that path. The problem is that once there, it's quite difficult to navigate back to the Birnam Hill track. Once you've done it a couple of times though its fine 🙂

I've done you another short loop from the station, which takes in some of the Hermitage (not the downhill course) and the banks of the river Tay. Pretty undemanding, but good for a 45 minute spin.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Hermitage-Short

Ta very much all. Will be in the area from about half 8 so say hello if you happen to bump into us.

Did the Kenny Wilson route few weeks back. Assume you doing the same or simmilar. Glen Garr quite easy to navigate but agree about the gate, doesn't look the obvious way but it is. Birnam wood had signs up restricting entry due to felling. Got through as local said they weren't working that day but can't say if be ok now. Struggled to find the start of the singletrack in Birnam have to say though guide book said was signposted. The singletrack back to Dunkeld was pretty good and also the trails round the Hermitage and along the river. Lost a lot of time navigating and got a couple of wrong turns but was worth it.

Well it was an 'interesting' day out. Up until the rumbling bridge everything was great and we headed up through the glen on the LRT towards Balhomish. Cut off the LRT as per the map and onto the trail to Bankfoot.

This section of the trail was badly waterlogged, with several swollen burns a foot or two deep. Then we hit the ferns, which were at chest height. It was like something out of 'Predator'. We couldn't see the ground beneath us so just went for it hoping there weren't any rocks etc.

Because the path itself wasn't visible we kept on following what was probably a deer track which took us way off course and into nothing. Ended up cutting downhill to a farm we'd spotted in an effort to find a road and get back on track. Happily popped out on the road to Bankfoot where a spot of lunch was enjoyed at the local pub. Here I discovered the arse was ripped right out my shorts.

The return leg to Dunkeld was much better stuff. Followed the long route up Birnam hill (thanks geoffj) which gets very steep towards the top. It's a struggle to even carry the bike at points.

The descent to the station was fun though. So slippery due to the recent rain and had me in the undergrowth a few times. Couldn't really brake because you'd just slide, so it was a bit squeaky bum. I'll have to go back and try it when it's drier.

A good day out despite the hiccups. 🙂

Glad you had a good ride. 🙂

I always follow the track to the left of the gate. We call it the 'Field of Death' and in mid summer when the bracken is going for it you can easily get flashbacks to 'Nam.

One September I was riding alone and running a bit late and the sun was setting as I rode through the field. I was concerned that it might go dark, and I was finding it hard to ride as the bracken was snagging the brake levers.

That route is a good wee ride.

EDIT: I do have concerns about Birnam Hill, as in the wet it's a bit environmentally sensitive to locked-tyre descending. There are plenty of other hill users who'd happily tar us all with the same brush, and MTB skid-marks are clearly MTB skid-marks, if you know what I mean…

Yeah to be honest if I'd known it was going to be so slippery I think we'd have dodged it, although we met some walkers on the way down who seemed quite amused at our antics.

TroutWrestler

you can easily get flashbacks to 'Nam.