Hope to be round a first lap by then, weather depending. Xher – post-up on Friday if yer going & maybe I'll catch you there, roadie on a Large Pitch Pro with a light blue lid.

That does look sweeeet… Think we were in Dunvegan just before you, and Damn, was it hot, but nice & clear too. Sligachan definitely on the cards for later this year.

Cheers guys – I'll probably just ride the road unless that track's easy enough to find, only got a few hours on Saturday morning. Although, if a zone is found, maybe stay all day + sunday morning too! Might also zip up Holcombe Hill to the Pilgrims Cross, just because I've walked it so many times.. But I'll take purpose built too, any day!

Cool, thanks for those. Will pad up for first lap anyway, went round Laggan black a couple of months back & cant see it being more tech than that! Slow round at first I fancy.
BTW, are there any food places nearby?
Cheers.

Hmmm, thought the boathouse-on section was some light relief after the preceeding few miles! That water splash was seriously welcome in the heat though. A couple more pics here –

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/your-best-start-off-pic-ever

(forgive my inability to save under a cool name..)
Looking forward to a nice smooth go up the Pents this weekend!

p.s. nice thinking with lifting the gate off – must try applying that kind of logic one day

Excellent, I was worried I was complete crap for a moment…!

Colin – a recent photo of the same spot, slightly better weather though..

Interested to hear if fwb2006 did it – am I under-rating it’s pounding power?

Did the na-h’oidhche route today + a little of the #42. Jesus it’s rough, looks like some temporary road was put in a couple of years back + has eroded away. Scree on top of 2 inches sandy gravel on most climbs + fist sized round rocks everywhere punching your wheels left n right. Glad I didn’t take the hardtail. Couple of high gates too. Just glad the place was pretty much bone dry, slick rocks would’ve added a good hour to the ride I reckon. Couple of photos to follow…

Q1. That sounds a little like the track that connects to NineMileBurn, which I’ve only climbed before – long but not too taxing, depending on how much the grass has been flattened. Real fun descnt back towards Harlaw (?)
Q2. Carlops road into the hills was ok end of last year…

I’m sure these bits are totally different to your plan!

Can vouch for suitability right now – did most of that route today and enjoyed every minute (druidh – basically the same route ‘we’ did last week, I fancied the last bit you did after I bailed). Is it a mythical achievement to get all the way up the Black Hill ascent? (‘cos I didn’t! nearly but not quite)

Cheers for the heads-up – my folks say it’s been tropical up there for a couple of weeks so hoping for a bit of dry ground (unlike an early dash into the Pentlands tomorrow…)

Hi Colin,
Why not the waterfall bit, somewhat rough is it? I’ve walked the track a few times (including to the top of Baosbheinn on xmas day ’95!) but 1st try on the Pitch next Friday..
Tried the Tollie – Loch Maree track last November (part of KW route 43) uphill from the Loch after 2 weeks rain – Total Nightmare on the hardtail.

fwb – a decent one, if it’s been dry, is the track inland starting at Sheildaig, a mile over the bridge just south of Gairloch. Park opposite the hotel then take the right a little way back up the hill. Takes a little bit to get going but once you clear the lower parts there’s fun to be had. Think the OS ref is approx NG 180883, 872050.

Ahh, my homeland.. I’m up to Opinan (just south of Gairloch) on the 25th June if you’re around by then – going to do a couple of stalkers tracks, including route 41 (?) in the Kenny Wilson book.
Have found quite a few routes just by dashed black lines on the map – one previous thread:
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/can-you-help-routes-in-the-highlands
I’ll see if I can find grid ref’s for starting points & post later. Be prepared for flying vampires though.

We can be glad we were all off the hills in good time –

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8100953.stm

Must remember to carry some baps, salad + steak knife next time…

Rob – drop me an email (you don’t seem to have one listed) and I can supply a wee guide to some of the Pentlands tracks. You’ll need Google Earth.

Colin – have upddated profile with address, education much appreciated. Cheers.

Got mine off Amazon 3 or 4 weeks ago, I’m sure they had a few available

Eh, thought I was the speedy young chap 🙂
By the by, while trying not to sound too like a tourist:
“quad track – scalextric”
Where the H are these? Is that left coming down from Bonaly reservoir then down the ‘farmers’ track? So much to learn

Damn, bailed before the second photo op… Don’t worry, got soaked on the motorbike instead 🙄 Should’ve asked who’s who re forum names – TJ + Markd I managed to guess. Good to meet fellow dirt-fans, extra kudos on to TJ + J, wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it! Hope to catch you out there again soon.

Anyone cleared the one from the gate / cattle-grid on the west side of Allermuir to the top? Can manage about 3/4 up & no more, lousy steep, bumpy terrain!

Under 2 minutes?? Is that down-hill? 🙂
Sorry, are you guys heading into the Pents then? Can’t quite tell from above – if so might come along to say hello + tag along for a bit. Do you usually go right or left at the top reservoir gate? Lefty myself, more climbing then down the back of… wish I had the map on me!

Me too – stay in Bonaly for easy Pentland access – sky blue helmet (hur hur) + water bottle + Revolution Triad 2 most of the time, occasionally spesh pitch-pro to stretch its legs. Good training grounds, the Pentlands, + there seems to be a home made mini DH developing down white hill plantation… (I) always say hi to others who are out, whatever the reaction!

Out of interest, does anyone know the difference in wheelbase between the large/medium? The way the front wheel seems yards away every time I get on after my hardtail never ceases to shock me – shallower rake + maxle thing I guess.

I’m 6′ with long legs (34″) and find the L just fine with no changes to stem etc. There seems to be some thought that the L loses some of the M’s character – guess try-before-you-buy, but I’m happy with the L (except for having to send the forks back as lockout kept failing!)

Must get up there again soon – good to have a more challenging course around.. Sounds like you enjoyed it in an envelope-pushing way O355.

I’m sure there was another topic here somewhere…. Oh yes, trailbuilding. Bollox, I’m at a wedding in Skye the June weekend – just have to take the bike along. August it is then.

Comrie Croft was THE place to teach me that some features are better done off the bike, depending on your experience. I wouldn’t put it on a par with, say, Laggan (black) but there are some good technical features.

Organic355 – sorry you didn’t have a better time – think you’ll go back? I Think it’s one of those ‘tame the beast’ places; check out the ‘Hairy Coo’ website – the ‘fun’ race last year was just that (even with about 6 endo-style offs on the first lap! Road riders eh? :oops:)

Yeah, not too worried about losing the bike from the garage, contents insurance etc., + home area’s fairly safe. More if it got lifted while out somewhere. Not sure I want to draw attention by fitting mucho security to the garage door, though some form of anchor to lock the frame to is on the cards. Either way, it’s the possibility it can be traced back that appeals.

Did their ‘Hairy Coo’ race last year, and thought the trail was great, short lap, around 30 – 35 mins I think, but quite technical for my then fledgling skills – dying to get back up now I’ve more experience, e.g. lowering seatposts! Easily enough entertainment for frequent 1/2 day visits. A mate who’s currently leading the Masters section of SXC had a weekend there last easter and thought it was ‘awesome’. Believe the facilities aren’t yet too brilliant for ‘day-visit’ riders, more for weekenders staying there, so take a few provisions. Great un-sung centre.

Thanks JP – was your thread that lead me to consider if it really helps. Hope so in your, and all other, cases.
Stickers eh..? How much do they weigh though 😉

As I remember, you get a vial of gluey liquid, which has uniquely numbered ‘micro-dots’ in – these can be scanned by a (police) reader; question is how many have a reader.
Googling it, theres an official looking site, “Bike Register” which employs the same thing.

Can’t be doing with elitism, superiority, hostility; whatever the location or situation.
Wish I could stop being frustrated at, e.g., not being able to manual 100yds and just ride safely instead.

Just as you come into Aberfoyle from east, theres a wee road heading towards the hill, to ‘Dounans Centre’ – the start’s from the top of that road. There is a bit of a car park and a forest road leads you up. I’ve only been to marshall at that race, so far – some more experienced bods could advise on the trail itself… Be prepped for mud if it’s wet though, and midges from May on.

(sigh) Bump

You could probably find some good routes looking for stalkers tracks, black dotted lines leading into the hills off minor roads, though I’d check around in case they’re in use.. I’ve done a couple up home (near Gairloch) that are no longer ‘stalked’ and been pretty surprised what’s there, eg.

Obviously, keep track of weather up there over the next 2 weeks, though last year it were glorious throughout late April + May. Midges shouldn’t have got going either. I’d seriously look around Glen Garry, bound to be stacks of walking tracks you could hi-jack.

To those who posted, and everyone else, Laggan yesterday was great – as a first timer, went for the black route first and learned what ‘Technical’ means; managed everything no problems until faced with ‘devils chessboard’:

Sorry to say this was the first feature I’ve not been able to do on the FC type trails – had a good look, walk through, went for it & something-not-of-my-conscious made my hands clamp the brakes and foot off the spd. The last 2 thirds are fine but the first third… nope, no way. So, does one approach at reasonable speed to clear the first couple of steps? (I know the photo doesn’t look too bad, but try standing at the top, middle or end!) Wether was also terrific, after a cool start.

P.S. to anyone heading up the A9, roadworks at Bankfoot, 5 miles north of Perth, causing horrendous tailbacks – ‘kin hour I was stuck! Turn off just past Dunkeld for Crieff instead.

Another Minch Moor, 18 March, 15 Degrees!!

One of the mags (MBUK, MBR?) is a ‘scotland special’ this month, with quite a few locations covered – admittedly the free ‘visitscotland’ guide’s a bit family-oriented, but it highlights quite a lot to start with.

Cool, feeling that tinge of excitement already. Look forward to posting a celebratory, if brief, report, presuming typing is still an option afterwards… Should be there around 8 a.m. with a Pitch Pro, + blue helmet (you know it’s gonna be cold). If anyone’s going, say hello!