So, anticlockwise it was (Glen Tilt, photos)

What a fantastic ride, and probably the most scenic I've had the pleasure to witness in years!

Full set of photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gingerfox/tags/glentilt/%5B/url%5D

P.S. Isn't Glen Tilt itself a bit, well, dull? Apart from the first section…

Distant Mountains

Friend Giuliano climbing up from Shinagag

Pushing up from Allt Loch Valigan

Heathery singletrack round flanks of Sron na h-Innearach

Carn an Righ (1029m) in the background

Nuts singletrack before head of Glen Tilt

Glen Tilt singletrack

Un-named falls

looks fantastic!!!

Superb.

*Sigh*!!

Kit, so you chose to go down to Shinagag and then turn left, rather than just carrying straight on at the fork in the LR track. Was it all pretty obvious across the grass/heather?

Yes CM, we did. Kenny Wilson's route takes you down that way and we did wonder about cutting the corner. Not that I we looked for it specially, but there were a number of turnings off the track so not sure which one it would have been. We then missed the turning just before Shinagag, but a short retrace and it was obvious. From there, we nearly missed our turning that crosses the burn (see photo of G pushing) and from there it wasn't too difficult to pick up and once on the singletrack you couldn't get lost!

a great ride IMO and fantastic scenery but what an anticlimax when you reach Glen Tilt itself. After the nice ST in your pics it all becomes as you rightly say….dull.

Someone off here last year took in the Carn an Righ group of Monroes then joined up to this anticlockwise loop which looked much more fun and it gives you a great decent (which the ride from Kenny wilsons book misses). Think i'll give that a go later this year.

…but what an anticlimax when you reach Glen Tilt itself.

That's exactly what we thought! All the best riding is away from Glen Tilt.

e_m_c, do you have a route for that? I'm guessing its a fair old distance…

>P.S. Isn't Glen Tilt itself a bit, well, dull<

Totally – but have always felt a little intimidated by the lemming like chants of 'Scottish Classic' to out my views before now 😉

Can be good as a winter route tho – clockwise when the grounds frozen

Upper Glen Tilt = classic

Lower Glen Tilt = land rover track into a headwind

tsk tsk. the trail centre generation have a lot to learn.

not enough (tiny) jumps, berms and braking bums for you?

shakes head and thrusts hands down front of RH tracksters.

beautiful

Ahh you would be the chap who bought the degreaser the other day then non?

Kit, no route planned as yet, but my mistake it wasn't Carn An Righ, it's the first group of Monroes that are (mostly) rideable. There's a track that turns left off the LRT a few k's out of Bridge Of Tilt leading up to Can Liath (975m) then a steady ridge to Braigh Coire Chruinn (1070m) and then the last push up to Beinn A'Ghld (1129). The NE descent then brings you out at the east side of River Tilt where a river crosing is in order to descend back down the glen. I can't remember who it was off here that did the route but it did look spectacular with an awesome descent. I'll be waiting for some decent weather before tackling that one though.

Ahh you would be the chap who bought the degreaser the other day then non?

Ahh, I guess I was then. Are you the owner there? I think we've chatted before when I've popped in. Great degreaser by the way!

e_m_c – Have you looked at the route on a map or in reality? My riding buddy (pictured) has walked up Can Liath and said it was a nightmare so would hate to think what it'd be like to carry a bike too. Fair play to whoever did it, and to yourself for considering it! It looks proper scary and hard from down below…

Yep and aye we have.

Cool, well good luck shifting that Shimano degreaser 😕

Oh, and I was accidently telling you a complete fanny about the route. When I actually looked at the map, the route goes nowhere near Braemar (as I'd said)! I'd highly recommend it though.