Scottish hill-track historians: Rannoch Station – Loch Ossian

Just typing up a route I rode a year or two ago (the ‘Dalwhinnie gravel classic’) and trying to recall, what was the track like from the hostel up and over to the Loch Rannoch road before it was resurfaced, and WHEN was it resurfaced?

I have a recollection of a quad track with numerous stream crossings which was *slightly* better than the quad track between Rannoch Station and the Kingshouse, but still a bit of a trudge in places? I have a memory of trying it whilst towing a trailer and not having the best time, but might be confusing it with one of many other similar instances with the trailer across the highlands…

Ta

It doesn’t have the feel/look of a track that’s been resurfaced in living memory, so I’m going to guess it was at least a decade ago, if not further back.

Rough. I first walked it in 1989 and certainly didn’t think it would have been fun on a bike. Better than the King’s house to Rannoch track though.

Although it had once been “The Road to the Isles” it had worn badly. It was substantially improved for the construction of the mini-hydro scheme (2011-2013) but that was only allowed on the proviso that it would be allowed to narrow to quad track width again over time, which is now occurring.

I rode it pre resurfacing I think and it was OK and much better than the other one you mention.   Like a decent stalkers path.  That must have been 25 years ago tho

It was a quad track most of the way in the mid 90s.  Actually it wasn’t bad. A few soft bits but pretty rideable. Far better than the middle couple of miles of the Rannoch – Kingshouse  track ever was.

The day I did it we also went from Rannoch to Gorton Bothy. The middle mile or two there was far worse despite signs claiming it was a path.

Thanks all, sort of backs up my recollection, although I must have remembered more of the soft bits and less of the decent stalkers path!

The day I did it we also went from Rannoch to Gorton Bothy. The middle mile or two there was far worse despite signs claiming it was a path

I’ve always wanted to try that through route, just to satisfy my curiosity, but there’s other, more rideable alternatives in the area I also haven’t ridden so it could be a while!

My recollection is that it was improved maybe 15 years ago, reformed with locally won material.

It was the worst part of a one day loop. Worth it to complete the loop. Otherwise I can’t recommend it.

Bridge of Orchy. WHW to Devils Staircase, across Blackwater Dam, past Chairan bothy, Corrour Station, Rannoch Gorton.

Victoria Bridge would have been a better start/finsh point. Good track on west side of Loch Tulla replacing final road section to BofO.

Just since we’re all here, has anyone seen a map of the ‘original’ road to the isles? There’s some tantalising glimpses of it dipping in and out of Loch Eigheach and then possibly reappearing again at Bridge of Gaur and in places downstream… Getting carried away on Strava trying to plot a route following the river(s) all the way from Rannoch to the Firth of Tay. Good fun wee exercise…

Oh and irc, this was my version of your loop, not so rugged (planned for a gravel bike) and still with a hike-a-bike across the moor, but am looking forward to it when I find the time…

https://www.strava.com/routes/3276977433538281638

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=13.2&lat=56.68982&lon=-4.50026&layers=203&b=ESRIWorld&o=0

That’s a brilliant resource, the 1900s map is a thing of beauty.

Funnily enough though it all barely looks any different, certainly doesn’t hint at the ‘Road to the Isles’ being any sort of substantial through-route, wonder how far back you have to go…

The NLS site is brilliant.

Here’s the same location on the OS 1″ of the mid-19th cent:
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=13.2&lat=56.68569&lon=-4.54183&layers=205&b=ESRIWorld&o=100

and even earlier, Roy’s map:
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=13.2&lat=56.68569&lon=-4.54183&layers=3&b=ESRIWorld&o=100

Not sure how to photos photos these days (it’s been a while), but here’s a photo of the Road to the Isles from 2003 – heading north from Rannoch towards Ossian.

The NLS site is a bottomless pit, where time passes at a different pace from the real world. One “I’ll just a have a quick look” and a couple of hours pass.

If you want more history on the Corrour Estate then there’s a lovely book available, written by the current owner. It’s also available, free, as a PDF from this page…

CORROUR: A History