Yep – BBC TV news headline- Scot "crashes" out of Wimbledon
In fairness 5 coverage had some semblance of balance

wrightyson – classic

I guess by that definition I became middle aged when I came down from Fort William overtaking everything and had to stop in Tyndrum cos passenger wanted the loo – every overtaken car had passed again before I had even locked the car door

Tho I thought becoming middle aged was defined by

1. Listening to Radio 2
2. Buying a 3 piece suite
3. Starting to wear slippers

But then I'm well past middle aged in everything but my my mind :P

GT blue is brilliant for all levels 5 – 50

and beyond :-)

The skills loop to the left of the Buzzards Nest would provide a good progression from the Green and gives a chance to sort out gears and brakes on a quiet loop. You can then head straight onto the blue.

The climbs and zig zags on the blue will probably be quite challenging for a newbie but if she realises its OK to walk bits and as long you are patient(!) she should have fun.

The route Waderider describes is the way I have done it – indeed as I recall it was in the company of the retired Flyingpaddy (tho I believe he is still flying around these parts!)

What I can't recall is how much hike a bike a bike there is starting from the steep climb away from the Bruar to the 912 trig – I recall the section which is marked as Minigaig not having a lot of riding which would mean about 6k of pushing portage to the trig – maybe Waderider can add some info ?

From the 912 trig is a rough but rideable descent and the return circuit is superb

Its also worth noting that the Bruar can be pretty hairy to cross at times – tho presumably not an issue this year!

Copy paste !

I take it this is the route which is described on Heritage Paths? It sounds passable without a bike anyway!

http://www.heritagepaths.co.uk/pathdetails.php?path=108

I remember watching a tele programme with Nicholas Crane trying to follow old drove roads in the footsteps of Thomas Pennant and ending up well into bogs in the Rannoch area – but can't remember the details of the routes. I see from google it was repeated in April – but not available on iplayer – so not very useful info

Curious about the differing opinions on the time for some of the routes in this area – tho I suppose it will vary dependent on rainfall.

I made the mistake of following the path from L Eilde Mor up and over to Blackwater a couple of years ago – which in v wet weather wasn't the most joyous of routes (on the plus side it was my 1st trip onto the Chairain path for the return to KLL)

Of the people I know that have posted in this thread ….most of the people who have posted on this thread can ride bikes to a very high standard

And a few others wouldn't be looking to use age, eyesight or bladder as an excuse despite being mid 50s or older :D

Sannies trip [/url]

looks a good day

some barsteward has pinched the chains on the Elie chain walk

http://www.tgomagazine.co.uk/news/elie-chain-walk-closed-1.1023284

edit – I heard this on the radio last week but assumed it was just along the path – I'm trying to work out how I've lived nearby for over 25years with lots of outdoor contacts and never realised this bit existed – my kids would have been in their element (they have now been spoiled by having been on the real thing – and they are not kids anymore !)

Assuming a route you have recorded on the phone GPS & you have registered on the website

Select "options" _ "upload to service" and wait

If the route is longer than an hour it can take a few goes before it gets accepted

photos from our trip about a year ago are here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26693195@N03/sets/72157619422288538/

very scenic double track with not a lot of technical riding. Definitely one for good weather. Personally I thought the descent that Stuart refers to was the (tech)riding highlight tho I can see that it wouldn't be to everyone's taste. the opt out that Stewart referred to is now a surfaced path and would be quick finish but zero fun. We did meet a bearded ancient who thought he was safe from the dreaded MTB and was not happy with our presence ! The descent was tricky enough that the bearded wonder nearly overtook one of our party despite his advancing years.

Couple of navigation pointers –

the turn at Kinloch – just before point 3 in Kenny's book is easy to miss – tho you get the bonus of playng on the beach in my photos :D

the river crossing at Point 5 after the climb from Pattack is the one to watch out for – you are descending on a fast sweeping path and could easily go flying by the crossing not helped by a very vague path on the other side. Mind you once you cross you might wish you had stayed on the descent – the climb to the Bealach (in Kenny's photo) is a pretty tough grind

(Edit) The only "sludgy" bits will be on the climb to the Bealach – not likely to be affected by snow melt. How much of the ascent you can ride depends on how strong you are – but it is only a couple of k to the top. From the Bealach there is a good track but as Stu says it gets a bit vague and boggy once you are on the descent – keep heading towards the river and you will be pick it up if you look carefully – it gets less boggy but more technical.

Agree with the 6-7 hrs for the Tilt circuit – we always clock up about that time with a reasonable group – tho if you are fit under 5 should be possible (assuming you manage not to get lost on the N side of Shinagag were the route is at its most vague.)

I have done from Geldie into Tilt and IIRC it was superb going south and fairly good riding (though some in our party did not like the exposure along Allt Garbh in bits)Its likely to be a bit of a sapping way to finish going back at the end of the day. Would have thought you should allow an extra 2-3 hours on the time for the Tilt circuit(unless erosion has done for the Allt Garbh singletrack since I was last there

It is all here – work out how many you contravene – I am surprised they let me join a ride at all

http://www.cycling-inform.com/articles/247/1/Unwritten-rules-of-cycling-etiquette/Page1.html

the track from Glen Finglas through to Balquhider (sp?) I found to be mostly unrideable

others for whom just 'getting out there' is more important will tell you how great they are

happy to oblige :D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26693195@N03/sets/72157605375465310/show/

Loss of Ample doesn't sound good. S/T through Menteith hills was still OK last summer – though blink and you are through the other side. There is not much around Drunkie – but worth the detour for the scenery – if you do that come back via monteith – not the KW route – which is a soul destroying FR climb on the forest drive.

re track above Lendrick – AFAIK it doesn't link thro to Kilmahog – the track you can see at Kilmahog links from the S L Venacher Road under Dunmore Fort. The tracks at Lendrick start from the newish carpark and are rideable into Finglas – tho very steep in parts. With a loop of Finglas it makes for a good all weather circuit tho nothing technical

There is reasonably pleasant link (scenic fire road) at high level from Kilmahog to the tracks at Stank Glen. The up and down at Stank Glen is short and best done anti clockwise IMO.(up the N side of the river and down the S) Nice technical drop adjacent to the river (S side)down to the lodges is probably a bit beyond a trail centre red?

I did go on a mission to link from Kilmahog thro to Strathyre on the high level fire track which shown as a way through on the 25k map but is not there in reality. I was trying to link to the descent off Sidhein – a very tech path which my son has ridden (on a DH bike) but I suspect might be beyond my skills.

Rethinking this the OP asked about Balqhuidder -> Finglas ie N – S

The photo I have posted is S -N and that is def the way to do it – I think the S/T towards G Buckie would be extremely difficult to ride climbing (tho maybe that is your challenge!)

I have done N-S once – it was more rideable than I expected but the ground was frozen – if it is at all wet you will be pushing most/all of the ascent going south. The last 1k to the col will be a push in any case (for most folk anyway)

the descent to arivurichardich N-S is supposed to be good – I havent done it – tho there is no actual path on the N side of the G Vorlich col – and whilst you can kind of ride down through most of the rough heather I doubt you will be able to ride up

Finglas should be fantastic at the moment – tho it can be 1st gear downhill when its wet :? There is a short push from the track to the col – and maybe some pushing on the track itself tho it is rideable.

Arivurichardich is as 13thfloormonk describes – tho the road climb from Callander is not a joy if you have weary legs. Used to be greeted by a no bikes sign at the farm but I believe that is long gone.

For a real cicuit from Balquihidder you can go over Kirkton Glen and return by G Dubh/Kirkton :wink:

I bought a CanoScan 5600F- £100. A lot of the scanners that get good recommendations are not available anymore – dont know whether cheaper ones have improved or the market just isn't there.

Negs Scanned at 1200DPI takes about 1min – it will also do slides and scan at 4800dpi. I didn't notice a big enough difference to justify the extra time for better quality. I thought I would get them all in fairly fast and then see what could be improved on the better ones. I did about 150 in a couple of evenings in a first burst of enthusiasm – and then found better things to do!

result below with no precleaning and nothing altered – bit grainy but good enough for an archive for me

The problem with negs is old ones have curved so giving a rainbow effect across some of the scans but slides should be better.

I loved living in Brum that I moved to Devon 20 years ago

haha – similar – except I moved to Scotland (and it was 25 years ago)

There are some nice bits – we lived in Kings Heath and it was easy to get out to some wonderful countryside on the south side. Then theres easy access to Wales and the Peak district on the N side

Can't all be bad. And there are some superb beers round about

What in your eye's is a good route in his book?

For one route? I would pick 35 Fungle and Mounth Roads

no wait – route 28 Glen Tilt

no thats not it – Route 17 Glen Garr

Then again Route 19 Kinglass or 13 Glen Ample

Hang on 24 Glen Bogle was a superb day

B****r you've got me confused now!

Seriously tho – like any guide book its somebody's personal view and a clue to what to look for in the area. Most of the routes I would do with some variation – his circuit of the Ochils for instance is not one that many who ride locally here would chose but if you did it as the book you would certainly be back to try out the variations.

Some of the routes are likely to be pretty hard going after recent rain – particularly Auchendrain -as you noted yourself on another thread – which is wet (tho rideable) at the best of times. I love Glen Garr – tho I don't do it quite as KWs route, and I have seen photos of folk up to their axles in mud on it.

Where do you ride steviegil – I've done work down that area – but it does seem to have a lot of riding that is dependent on the forestry roads and be void of good singletrack

it was one from Aberfoyle, the optional singletrack it shows was nowhere near worthwhile – maybe if it hadn't rained for about 3 weeks.

That'll be the Menteith Hills – which I avoided until recently cos I thought the s/t would be a bog trot and then did on 2 consecutive weekends. I wouldn't do Kenny's fireroad route but surely it can't have been too hard to work out what it was going to be like? The optional s/t is definitely worthwhile – you either got it in really crap condition (admittedly that might be 60% of the time) or didn't find it all. There is excellent stuff around the visitor centre if you can find it. IMO Best way to do that route is out and back the same way across the hill track and forget the climb from L Drunkie.

I've ridden a fair number of Kenny's routes and I've certainly found the fireroads (tho as others say a bit obvious that that is what you will encounter from a look at the map) but have had very little experience of the bog trots (now if you were to go with Stirling Crispin that's a different story :D )

The man has been an inspiration from the days of the "fallofalot" website. His book is one of the best out there as long as you can use a map and I await the next edition eagerly.

I did nearly mention that as an exception to the bog trots – tho you may need a canoe at the moment :wink:

From Arrochar you can also wander down to Lochgilphead have lunch in the The Smiddy Bistro (or the Oyster Bar on the way if its more your style)and take a quick spin around the Fire Tower Trail – not forgetting to cast your eye over the Cup and Rings http://home.freeuk.net/jenny.blain/cuprings/achnabreck.html on the way round.

(be wary of the dashed lines that cross temptingly between lochs in that part of the world – some are difficult bog trots)

I did put Rebas on my wife's Kona (shedding tears as I cut the steerer to fit) and also put on Kevlar tyres. Both together did make a fair reduction. It didn't cost any real money as the parts had become spare after a rebuild/upgrade on other bikes. Psychologically its lighter and its easier to handle and (very importantly!)easier to lift over fences but it hasn't made much difference to her riding speed. Wheels would be the next option but you start to get into a lot of expenditure and have to consider if weight is really the main issue. Does she use SPDs – does she ride as often or have the same skill level or want to keep up? Can she keep up if she is on your bike and you on hers – or similar swap if sizes aren't compatible.

I've shed a load of weight off my bike and I still can't keep up with my son. (and just to confuse the issue there is barely any difference in my speed over a given ride if I am on my lighter bike or his heavier one – 1 minutes difference comparing 2 timed runs on the black at GT for instance)

our local wall – nothing amazing

You're a hard man to please Richard :-) If you're climbing 6a then Ratho should still have quite a few options to offer(says he with all the authority of having climbed at both places for the first time in the last few days!). Just got back to trying it after at least 10 years and rather stunned at how bad I now am ( and how knackering it is)so you can (willy) :roll: wave when you see me on embarrassingly low grades.

Take it you've been to Callander as well? Nice little wall there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26693195@N03/sets/72157622638232501/

Some reasonable riding and excellent views – it was rideable tho heavy going when we were there a couple of weekends ago. Unless youre a strong rider I would anticipate a bit more pushing after the last week. We had some interesting route finding after leaving Milngavie and then finding the route to Burncrooks Reservoir (tho not as bad as another poor sod we saw pushing along the southern side as light was fast failing)

Don't fancy trying it anti-clockwise tho no doubt someone out there will prefer it that way

Headfirst – I might need to use that label suggestion – weirdly just before you posted it a member of my staff complained that our kettle is a H&S Hazard as the steam scalded her hand while she was using it

not the hand holding the kettle – the one holding a spoon in the cup while she poured boiling water towards it !

http://www.bikemaps.co.uk/merinowoolcyclingsocks.htm

another vote for the bikemaps merino – thought they were a bit cheaply made but seem to be lasting fine

you can also get a handy wee guide free from the tourist board which I think covers them all

http://cycling.visitscotland.com/mountain_biking/mb_reg

and I am sure Jonjon's rumour is completely unfounded!

If you want to find out more about bi-polar read Stephen Fry's experiences.

For an insight into personality disorder get the DVD "Tom and Viv" with Miranda Richardson giving a chilling performance as Vivienne – TS Eliot's wife. Though don't be fooled by reviews that say this film is passionate, romantic or light viewing (as I was) If you have a close relationship with someone who has these problems you may end up in tears.

If your are emotionally involved with the person(or they think they are with you) the situation will be impossible to live with and you will both end up very hurt unless you are very devoted.

It is easier if you are good friends and you can accept that they are ill and will need support and (hardest of all) if you can move past the hurt they will throw in your direction. If they are like the people I know they will not recognise or understand the hurt. They will have few if any friends because few people can cope with them because they do come across as "a dick".

And 5 years is not a long time to span through a trough and peak for the person I know -which makes it even more difficult for those who love them (or should love them).

None of this may apply to your friend and nobody can say on the basis of an internet forum. I respond to this on the basis of really knowing two people – one person within the family the other the second wife to my best friend. He was unable to cope and left that relationship. The choices are more difficult with family.

Good luck if you choose to support your friend.

The section along Glen Orchy the OP is referring to is in Kenny Wilsons book for his route around Kinglass – noticed it is classed as closed but suspect in this case it is no longer maintained as a cycle route as it predates the 7 staines stuff.

I wouldn't have any qualms trying to use it tho it would be a pain to plan it into a longer route and find it was no longer passable.

I was out last Sunday exploring some high level tracks above L Lubnaig and Strathyre looking for options on return routes for longer rides that avoided the Sustrans stuff – some bits were soul destroying fireroad but there were some superb views and one decent descent from a circuit around Stank Glen.

I did ignore "no unauthorised access" signs which were for felling works tho there was nobody about on a Sunday.

Also climbed over a mile to a dead end – on a track which was marked as a through route on the 25K map – aiming for the descent path down to Strathyre from the west. Mind I've only walked it before – not sure if my bike skills are up to riding it

Small hills with big views

Conic Hill overlooking Lomond
Ben A'an overlooking Katrine

Bigger hills

Ben Venue
Ben Ledi
Ben Cleuch via The Law
The Cobbler as above but go via Narnain for a bigger day
Ben Lawers or Tarmachan overlooking L Tay from the Lawers visitor centre

2hours from Forth Road Bridge takes you to a lot of hills – you could do Curved Ridge or Anoch Eagagh in Glen Coe if you are bold enough

For all the options look here (its not just munros)

http://www.munromagic.com/

As above no problem parking but last time we were there the car park was not well signposted – we ended up on an unplanned visit to the CET just down the road! Resonably clear if you look at the Dyfi website, tho does sound like you have been there before.

Convoluted way to avoid Edinburgh bypass – only about 3-4 miles longer

Leave at J4 M9 head to J4 M8 then head towards Forth and follow the A72 route to Peebles

Will take about 20mins longer according to google(about 90mins if you ignore traffic) – and a high possibility of getting lost :? so you have to balance that against traffic tailbacks

I did it once the other way to avoid evening delays around Edinburgh – and on reflection I'd probably rather sit in the traffic

Alan Hay in BofA http://www.biomec.co.uk/about.html

He is a cyclist & well recommended from this part of the world – as are PhysioFocus if you want a physio – link on his site

With all the local experience of just having been nr Dogellau on holiday :-)

Crossing from Pont Scethin is ace – the climb is surprisingly rideable – no carrying tho a bit of pushing for me. Worth it for the descent to BontDdu – which is where you come back down to the Barmouth road and there is a toll bridge crossing to the Mawddach Trail cycleway.

Climbing to the FFordd Du would be hard work but the road from there into Dolgellau is superb – scenery wise – far superior to the Mawddach Trail.

Mind you if you can do all that then a circuit of CdB and return you will know you've been on a ride!

If you are really mad you can climb to Lanfachreth and follow the bridleway from the school through Bwlch Goriwared to the top of the Beast – which I did – tho I was staying nr Lanfachreth :wink:

The other bridleway from the village is more fun but did require hike a bike through a rather boggy middle section.

North of Dumfries but

I've seen a route about that length in one of the comics that goes N from Drumlanrig along the river Nith crosses over nr Mennock and picks up minor roads to the SUW and then follows the SUW around to Wanlockhead and the climb towards Lowther Hill, descending along Enterkin Burn (not SUW)and returning to Drumlanrig. I have only ridden the bit E of Wanlockhead but have meant to try out the circuit – could be v wet underwheel at the moment.

The entire route is marked as tracks on the OS & Rik at Drumlanrig will no doubt explain it in detail if you were interested.

2nd the charmless cafe at CyB – made the mistake of going there for lunch – if you are in the Dolgellau area go to Parliament Cafe – superb relaxed atmosphere and big settees to chill, with internet and wifi access and lots of books – including a copy of Bikefax :-)

No facilities at climachx tho – unless you start from Machynleth

Just returned from holiday in that area, staying nr Dolgellau.

Went down to the climachx trail. It is a well marked circuit tho there are a lot of other paths that look intriguing if you have more time. I was with my wife so it was a very leisurely circuit- enjoying fantastic views. As above the majority of the trail is very smooth and swoopy without any great technical challenge. The final descent is superb – maybe made more so by the contrast to the red sections – and excellent fun. Very quiet – only a couple of other people around whilst we were there. There is also a more free ride/DH section to play on.

I could cycle across bridlways to get to return fireroad section at the top of Coed y Brenin. After the talk about sanitised trails on here I was pleasantly entertained. I was there about 5 years ago and was hugely disappointed then after all the hype. I presume the talk of sanitised means removal of natural features – I recall a wonderful rooty section on the MBR. I took santised to mean unchallenging and took a none MTB friend who fell off on the first rock causeway as you head out from the visitor centre. If you go knowing to expect built trails linked by fire road then it is worth a visit IMO. MBR was good fun.

Based on recommendations on here we also did the Pont Scethin loop from Tal y Bont – which was a big ride for my wife (hikey bike climbs) but absolutely fantastic and not too difficult to navigate around – tho you will need a map to check in one or two bits.

check out Morvan National Park – just over a couple of hours away – tho “old skool” not bike park – 2000k of waymarked trails – should keep most folk out of mischief for a while

Used nokia sportstracker yesterday for a local ride and today at Glentress – similar to sanoodi I presume as you upload a route rather than follow it and then look at graphs and wonder at how it is possible to maintain such a low speed for most of the day (remembering why I got rid of my bike computer) but it appears to have followed the routes within GT with astonishing accuracy so if you are prepared to buy the viewranger maps it should do the job

One limitation is supposed to be battery life on the phone I got approx 5 hours today without any probs on very basic Nokia tho an all day in the hills could be 8-10hrs