We’re setting off tomorrow on an impromptu mission. Probably late in the day so may only manage to do Laggan Black and Reds tomorrow. Then we need somewhere close to stay as I had seen a natural route near Laggan in a recent mag (MBR?) that we could do Wednesday morning if it’s worth it? So rest of Wednesday maybe Burma Road, Aviemore…? Or keep on driving over to near Tornapress. Do a road ride over the Bealach Na Ba (always fancied this since driving it) for a pint at the Applecross Inn then maybe some mountain biking near Torridon on the Friday before zooming it home?

What do you reckon? Any great, CHEAP places to stay that you can recommend? Any particular trail maps you have or can point us towards?

Do yourself a favour and skip Laggan, It’s pish.

HEY! I’m no trail centre fiend, in fact, I HATE them but Laggan’s not pish! It’s the only one I can say I actually like. But hey, maybe I should miss it out in favour of stuff we haven’t done before…!

Yeah… if I were heading that far north I wouldn’t just visit another forestry commission car park, I’d do the Corrieyairick pass then head further north to Torridon or something.

The Corrieyairick is 40km to Ft Augustus and back if you drive all the way up to Melgarve bothy, which also solves your cheap place to stay problem! 8) The descent to Ft Augustus is a 700m vertical drop (bigger than Ft William DH course I think) on a fast, rocky landrover track. Once you’ve reclimbed it you have a 400m descent down the switchbacks before more rocks back to the bothy.

there is a free campsite about 2km north of kinlochewe … extremely basic at best and the worst midges i’ve ever come across … but it was free and a great view:

bealach is a great road ride … have a look at the ‘bealach beag’ route for a good suggestion of a road ride for it

http://www.handsonevents.co.uk/Events/Bealach/event_description_beag.htm

Sweet, thanks, that’s great.

I’ve been informed that this is pretty sweet:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/33754653

Yep, I think thats the ‘classic’ torridon circuit, although I think the route you’ve got there avoids one of the best bits. I’ve only done Coulags to Annat, but apparently the best bit of descending is from Drochaid Coire Lair to Achnashellach following the River Lair.

Do a search on here, Torridon has been discussed pretty thoroughly.

I’ll make my usual recommendation and suggest the 10km out-and-back from Lower Diabaig to Craig’s bothy. Do it in the evening with the sun setting over the Cuillin on Skye and enjoy a nice chilled ride over some very entertaining bedrock while being blown away by the views.

Easy to find this Lower Diabaig to Craig’s bothy? Been trying to find a route for the last wee while (I’m pretty hopeless to be fair). I’ll search for Torridon on here as you say.

Yep, its on the OS maps as a single dotted line, just drive along the road from Torridon until it stops, then there’s a signposted path. Just don’t go beyond the bothy, the trail becomes a bit of a nightmare after that.

I’m the same….Laggan is the only trail centre I have ever enjoyed riding.

Coulags to Annat is good.

Kenmore to Applecross is good either way.

Rivendale guest house in Shieldaig was good value with bloody brilliant nosh….Shieldaig also has a Crofters campsite…pay what you think it’s worth.

There’s loads of stuff near Laggan.