I haven't got any gear with me, just wanted a leg stretch so if any in town please get in touch.

But that sounds a good idea if cannot get anything local, will have a look at what I can get and the area as dont know it. I'm from Inverness 😯

Cheers LMT

Slight hijak psj0

tiggs121, that sounds brilliant. Pencilled in for next year already

How long did it take you and how much baggage did you have?

Sorry Willy, dont have it but there are all marked paths and some road beside A9 etc.

cheers, Gav

Really enjoyed a 3 day route earlier this year:

Day 1: Aviemore (Glenmore Lodge)to Braemar via Abernethy Forest, Tomintoul, Loch Builg.
Day 2: Braemar to Blair Atholl via Linn of Dee, Glen Tilt.
Day 3: Blair Atholl to Aviemore (Glenmore Lodge) via Dalnacardoch Lodge, Gaick Lodge, Drumguish, Feshiebridge, Loch Gamhna, Loch Morlich.

Swayndo and myself travelled light by phoning accom ahead and asking about laundry facilities. With all the light layers now it drys really quickly anyway.

You could build on that route with an extra day in Braemar (see Stuartie C for advice on a Lochnagar loop etc) and day 5 round Aviemore with a must do route down Lairig Ghru.

cheers

Strathpeffer-Contin has lots of knarly routy trails that are really good as Cullen-Bay says, also Inverness has routes that can be combined with a social night or two. Aviemore has a number of options including a descent of the Lairg Ghru that is a must.

Cairngorm has Lochnagar, Glen Tilt etc (a number of better local sources on site than me for that area) but the 456 loved it.

Looking to get away from it all you have an Arkle loop that has lots of wild camping and a bit of hike a bike. Also a round Gairloch loop from Loch Maree and back by Tollie path (pub stop on that one :D). If the weather is bad you have the man made stuff as a back up BUT I suggest that you look at the weather a week before and pick an area that looks good as there are many routes that you can do in all the areas around but you will enjoy it much more in descent weather.

You will not have a problem finding a route to do as they are everywhere, we tend to look at a map and just go for it.

The (Skye) Sligachan to Camasunary trail is hardcore XC (probably best on full sus) but what a run if done their and back on a nice day. Skyewalkers hostel (Portnalong) just along the road from the Talisker Distillery at Carbost is nice and approx 16 quid a night. There is plenty of wild camping around and a mountain bothy at Camasunary if you want to the carry in. You can travel in from Broadford by b road and come over the hill on a landy track if carrying but I would not recommend panniers from Slig.

Torridon area, Coulags to Torridon then back by Coulin Pass to Achnashellach. There is also a great route that takes you into Coire Lair but again probably best on full sus. Again lots of wild camping around, also bothy at Craig.

Are you talking hard tail or full sus, as it will make all the difference to route selection?

Same as Allyharp said Gary.

Son has been there and main act was on about 2100hrs although depends on how long they tend to play as they finish about 2300hrs, therefore a 2200hrs start for the one album wonders 🙂

Thanks uplink, I will try the number later if still get an undeliverable message.

Gary, thanks I will and take the right method when I assess the options from Wiggle.

Thanks RealMan, just wanted to check that the sales at was a route that I could take. I will try again later using you info.

cheers

Thank you Gary for this but as it was a present I unfortunately do not have the sales receipt at this time.
But nice bit of sarcasm on a Friday morn, just what I expected.

Yesterday ride home

Looking from work.

View up the firth

Route choice, ST wins every time

Nice to meet Mrs Crash and Crash pooch

Home just in time before heavy rain appears.

I did a respray and put this on mine. Nice to be a little adventurous JT.

Ashes win, it is going to be Flintoff. Especially now he is retiring from test cricket. Button if not.

Difficult to separate the 2 for me as both are inspiring and have been along with the track peeps for years. All this nonsense about Cav and the TDF just sums up our total inability to enjoy our champions. Did we put down Cipollini, Petacchi and of course Abdoujaparov (my 3 year old at the time used to astound people by saying his name in conversation).

Why do we confuse personality with skill, determination and courage?

We were on a travelling light route from Aviemore, Tomintoul through Braemar to Blair Athol and back to Aviemore.

The Moorfield was brilliant with the owners washing and drying our gear for the next day. They put ours bikes in a safe place and could not have been nicer (I think the guy is on the committee Notiocal), food was excellent too. We enjoyed our Leffe's in the Fife Arms (foggies had their own place next door) with plenty of chat and banter from walkers, bikers and locals. There is a bike shop for any emergency parts/tubes which cannot be bad.
That's the good points but where on this world would you close a hostel in the Summer???? Not exactly promoting itself with little or no information on trails etc. and as above shops/foodpaces close a tad early.

There are a number of routes that I would like to do in the area and have taken information from this site on trails but need hostel/cheap accomadation sometimes and this was very hard to find.

With the magical Glen Tilt trail leaving from Braemar, I would be shouting from the rooftops promoting my place. Not to mention Derry, Feshie, Lochnagar and Builg etc. 8)

80mm fork is very limited in these sort of areas no matter how good you are. What about Torridon out Diabaig to Craig then Redpoint. If wanted go onto Badachro for a pint (lovely spot). I know it's mainly road but it is quiet and she will still talk to you afterwards.

I have looked at riding to Kenmore from Applecross up the river and past Croic bheinn but I have only looked on the map so dont know the lay of the land.

Have a good time whatever you do.

I just ran a front brake on our Barra to Lewis tour, no problems although the v rear would probably be a safer option.

No chance of an over the bars escape with all the weight on the back 😀

Si, YGM

A bit expensive over here compared to the US though (sorry Si) but pound for dollar is so last month (or two). Do like the look of it though.

Thanks Hora

😀

Highland cousin

Good luck mate. I'm sure you will do great. 😀

Went yesterday for the first time with 4 mates.

Really enjoyed it although the wind got up in the afternoon causing some consitnation in my riding the boardwalk (any lightness in the front end meant sideways movement).

First run was undertaken at a gentle speed to get used to the layout with a few stops to regather and scope the line (red arrows and red lines both take you through appropriate routes). Opens out into sandy berms and then onto old track or downhill after stream.

Straight back up and gave it some welly on the 2nd run with crux points:
Tight rocky left corner followed by sandy righthander immediately after, nice rocky section with a couple of small ups that can catch you out, tricky boardwalk (well for me as it was very wet now and not sure if it handled well ps it did handle well btw) with nice sweeping rocky down keeping on the rock for suprisingly good grip. Lunch then some more.

Overall, Although boardwalk bores me, I really enjoyed the rock sections and it is more technical than the DH through that bit. I was on 6 inch front and 5 rear and never felt limited at all even managed some speedway down at the end due to a front tyre deflating to just about 0 psi. 😀

Sorry Albanach,

Just read your post properly but not sure what your after, could you explain a little further?

Not a guru by any means,

Sub enter_zero()

Range(“B2”).Value = 0

End Sub

Spot on with the last one Stuartie C. Can heartly recommend Coulags up past bothy to Bealach na Lice over and round the wee loch and onto trail to Annat. Give the hotel a phone to check on food if wanted and of course a pint 8O.

Return Options:

Trackle up road to turnoff for Coulin Lodge and take the pass across to Achnashellach Station, then down road to Coulags.

Return on trail upto Bealach na lice and turn left over Bealach Ban to Coire Lair and down to the station.

Coulin pass less fearce.

These routes do require big tyres as drainage ditches abound on first section but this is the real deal when it comes to mountain biking and has a beer stop to boot.

I would look at doing Braemar out past Mar Lodge and down to Blair Athol through Glen Tilt (magic bit of ST on route), up by A9 to Dalnacardoch Lodge. Then upto Sronphadruig Lodge, Gaick (another lovely bit ST by loch) and down to Weir above Bhran cottage.

Here is the crux, we went onto down towards Kingussie, Feshiebridge round the lochs and back to Glenmore near Aviemore. BUT there is a track showing that takes you into Feshie where you can do the run up Geldie burn and back to Braemar.

We did a longer loop out through Abernethy to Tomintoul, Inchrory and past Culardoch to Braemar then onto described and we did it over a few days but I am an old fart and you young uns could probably beast it in no time.

Have been looking at a route from Glenmore, Ryvoan, Strathnethy, Fords of Avon refuge (could be well named) Glen Derry to Linn of Dee and then back via Feshie. The best bit about that way would be the fast ST round Loch Gamma & an Eilein and then Morlich at the end.

Then of course there is Skye, Arkle loop, Evanton to Ullapool via Croick Church etc.

Whatever you do hope you enjoy. 😀

Cheers uplink, your a star.

Didn’t want to force anything without asking first.

I have beerbelly, bust it on the seat tube. Thought about trying to fix it but haven’t so far. Miss it TBH.

I am 14 stone though mate so thats my excuse. 😯

Thanks Uplink,

I have it completely stripped but how do you get inside the chamber? The body seems solid.

Gav

Looking across too Ben Wyvis which is as white as a ghost 😀

mind you 5 minutes ago I was under a desk aquiring velcro strips for helmet mount op sorry for H&S reasons I was rechecking cable routing honest 😯

I have an old Hardrock GSX that I want to do now, what should I use instead of Hammerite then?

I was going to try a put a patch of tartan on this but bailed out. Awkward to get temp/conditions in shed this time of year so stuck with basic but I did comission some sticker alterations. Hammerite car spray and laquer over last 2 months.

Good luck with it.