Never really liked Skye myself (and there are far better places to go if you want beaches)but would echo the Arisaig comments. Incidentally there is a wee Thai wummin that does carry out food (Thai obviously) from her house in Morar – superb grub!

Gairloch is another good call as a base. Isles of Harris and Tiree if you want truly stunning beaches. Some great places to stay on Tiree and Midges very rarely an issue on account of the sun and or wind.

Fluffsville…

It’s mostly been said on the previous thread but a couple of additional observations:

What have they (DMBIS) actually delivered? I can think of 3 fledgling projects within 10 miles of my house which are a.)all bubbling away in splendid isolation b.)could really do with professional help and support c.)are sitting on the edges of green belt which is going to see a massive explosion of new housing. I don’t believe anyone is working on linking these areas up, providing off road access etc and to the best of my knowledge DMBIS isn’t even on the radar. However, this is precisely where their so called “joined up thinking” “cluster working” and “over arching” brief was supposed to have been making a difference.

Is this some form of conference apartheid? I see no mention of how the day programme(£45) and evening (free) gigs are to be split. Can you contribute to or vote on anything meaningful at the evening event for example?

” Scottish mountain bike rider contribution scheme ???” Pay to play?
Best thing we could contribute to as far as this lot are concerned is a representative body which gives us a meaningful seat at the table. Is CTC really our best shot?

Does it have to be in The Fort?

They are working hard to improve the place but personally I’d stop before or keep on driving:

http://www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/accommodation-details.php?id=27

No recent experience of B&B’s but Bunkhouses and YH’s are so good these days (and often with private rooms)they offer a more flexible solution. For example:

Welcome

Fantastic riding near both of my links.

More of Stable than a Man Cave I’d say – how does the Horse get on with the cat?

>Not a great idea to be honest<

I think you just answered your own question.

Don’t know how many of you are familiar with the summit of the Cobbler but I’d be feeling pretty ropey if I’d spent the night on a few m2 of sloping rock with sheer drops on 4 sides.

There’s a proper doss further down the hill. Try that next time and you might hook up with some old timers who’ll provide you with a better nights entertainment 😉

You could always go old skool: shears, lawn edgers etc etc

Mazda 6

>Aviemore<

I think the jaeger bombs are covered there but the lap dancing might be tricky…

Happy to be corrected 😉

Agreed

30 miles is usually more like 1 day around these parts…

However:

Kinlochleven > Mamore Lodge > Loch Eilde Mor > take the singletrack right @ 213 634 before the loch > left once you are over the wee dam > Meall na Cruaidhe > to fork @ 278 626 > right along Allt an Inbhir to the damhead then follow the track (not the pipe) down to the Dubh Lochan and down the Leven.

I doubt that’s even 30km but it will take you 1/2 a day 😉

Steely tail: Re read my posts, I didn’t refer to the old logging trail South of Loch Morlich. “The old logging way” is, as I understand it, the cycle path which shadows the ski road:

http://www.cairngorms.co.uk/resource/docs/publications/10062010/CNPA.Paper.1553.Map%2021%20Aviemore.pdf

Anyway…

No Munros Benedetto but the high point of your outbound trail is only 100 odd metres short of Munro height and very exposed. This is nothing in Alpine terms of course but the weather up there can be highly localised / vicious. I’m sure you’ll be fine just check locally the day before.Enjoy…

The route described by Steelytail isn’t weather dependent in Summer unless you count wind and rain as a problem. Going over the summits is a different matter.

>Particularly interested in riding some mountains and hopefully throwing in some bothies along the way. Is there something that’s south of Edinburgh for us?<

You really need to drive up to Perthshire and beyond to get both.

Quite enjoyed that actually.

That’s perfectionism for you – it’s a cross your just going to have to learn to bare.

Stay off the internet and ride more – that’ll cure it.

>Going with Mrs Gra so need to keep away from anything too technical,<

In that case I’d steer clear of my second and third suggestions. 😉

Steely: I thought the old logging way and the trail next to the road to Glenmore were one and the same – non?

>I heard that the Carn Ban Mor descent had been sanitisied<

It’s been repaired. If certain members of the outdoor community didn’t straightline it with their back brakes locked perhaps that wouldn’t have been necessary…

Laggan Red has drops? Just get off and walk them…

Burmah Rd (original circuit) is good as a training run and it’s a big old climb but little more than an Estate Road bash tbh.

Some nice singletrack from Inverdruie>The Polchar (unnamed Lochan)Loch and Eilein> Loch Gamhna (East side)> on to Feshiebridge > Inshriach Forest and a whole bunch of way marked trails above Uath Lochan. Great views from the top. Loch Insh watersports centre does a decent pint / pub food. You cant really get lost in there so don’t worry too much about map reading.

Further over that way you can chain gang out to Auchlean, head South on the Singletrack East side of the Feshie then East on the Estate track before Ruigh-aiteachain bothy, bag the Munro Mullach Clach a Blair (circa 700m vert from the Glen floor and all rideable if you’ve got the legs / lungs)then double back on yourself over Carn ban Mor and on to Sgor Gaoith. Now we’re talking views 😉

Once up on the plateau it’s all easy riding. Descent is via the Foxhunters Path to Auchlean (Northern most of the two you see on the map after the trail splits)Quite technical in places but no shame in getting off and walking – esp if you are on your tod. You can park up circa 1 klik before Auchlean if getting out and back sounds too much. Don’t even think about Sgor Gaoith et al in anything but clear visibility if you can’t navigate.

Another: Glenmore>Ryvoan>Coire Odhar>Fords of Avon>East Glen Avon (few tech pitches but nothing really hairy)Inchrory>Dalestie>Torbain >Tomintoul>Kylnadrochit Lodge>Dorback Lodge>Braes of Abernethy>Ryvoan>Glenmore

If you are in Central Scotland, the Callander Trails @ Falkirk would be superb for them. Red would be too steep but Blue and Green are ideal for this level.

I’d put that around 35 miles each day but the Lairig and Laoigh is a tough old trail so you can forget about trying to polish it off in 3.5hrs – you’ll be out all day 😉

Messiahs option would also be my own personal default however, the Cairngorm plateau is not somewhere to be caught in bad weather and or if you are poorly equipped / unfit / inexperienced. There are also 2 routes up and 3 routes off (all descending into Glen Derry) but without knowing your level of experience I’d be hesitant to recommend any of these options to you. Not trying over dramatise or put you off but anything ‘over the tops’ is definitely weather dependent – snow and hurricane force winds are possible,even in summer.

I’m old skool too so can’t give you GPS but happy to give you detailed directions / grid ref’s. Also, I’d book your accommodation now as its peak season. There are numerous small hotels and B&B’s but the bunkhouses are good and will allow you plenty of flexibility.

You can start straight from the front door here:

http://www.aviemore-bunkhouse.com/index.html

Braemar is ‘nice’ but much smaller than Aviemore and a bit of a time-warp on the accommodation and catering front. It’s dominated by two large Hotels usually rammed with coach parties catering for the 70 year old+ market. I’ve stayed here and it was basic but adequate:

http://www.hostelz.com/hostel/25347-Rucksacks-Braemar

steelytail + 1.

Classic…

By starting in Aviemore itself you’ll even up the daily distance. Use the “Old Logging Way” which shadows the ski road as far as Glenmore then per steelytails route.

On the return thro Glenfeshie I’d stay on the East side of the river and on to the tarmac @ Achlean. From there continue on the road til you see the singletrack on the right between Lagganlia and Feshiebridge (look for two large boulders just off the bend in the road)From there you are heading for Drakes bothy @ 883 056. The track then leads around the East side of Loch Gamhna and spits you out @ Loch an Eilein – turn left then clockwise round the loch to the car park. Keep left out of the car park on to minor road then after 1km turn right at the cottage 894 093. Don’t turn off at any of the trail junctions, within 10 mins you will hit the road @ Inverdruie.

Best of luck.

>because it keeps my long hair out the way<

What about Ti Kirby Grips? It’s what all the girls are wearing…

>My favourite is peanut butter, chilli sauce on one piece of buttered bread and mayonaise on the other, then either three or four fish fingers(depends on size of bread). I’ll sometimes have some cheese as well in there.<

I’d never even heard of fish finger sandwiches until I spotted this thread but that is one vile concoction!

>Someone else will do something.<

Nail on head.

Not buying into the “when I’m on trail I’m completely in the zone” mentality. A blind man on a galloping horse is going to spot someone in an orange jacket lying anywhere near that part of the trail.

On reflection I’m really not that surprised – NR and Trail Centres in general are magnets for the type of arseholes who would ignore someone.

I just throw any of the cheap non drowsy antihistamines at it – and in significant doses (up to 4 times the daily dose) That keeps it at bay for me. However, I did have major problem with my eyes over the w/e which I’m certain is related to the massive growth spurt brought on by all this rain. Will get the eyedrops referred to above and see if that helps…

Can’t say I would advocate beannierippers approach. I did SFA for the best part of two decades and my body singularly failed to do anything about “dealing with it.”

Try Rosebikes and Hibike (both German)

I’ve used both and recently bought a replacement XT drive train from the latter at a significant saving over Merlin et al

>Given a possible perceived threat of litigation if things go wrong when administering help, I’m not surprised that so many people carried on without checking to see if the guy on the floor was ok. <

There are two aspects to this. Happening upon a victim who is quite clearly being attended to by a number of other people is very different from ‘riding on by’ someone who is lying on the ground on their own.

In the latter scenario I don’t perceive litigation as being a threat at all. Can you cite an instance where an ordinary member of the public has been successfully sued for going to the aid of a badly injured person?

If folk were riding past someone who was clearly injured – and alone, I find that both surprising and appalling.

>So you stopped and were helping him? Why did you want everybody else to stop as well?<

If you read the OP’s subsequent post he mentioned that others before him had not stopped.

I would have thought that someone with teeth missing and a collapsed lung is going to be in a rather obvious state of distress. If riders did in fact pass the guy I find that inexcusable.

>unless it was clear that someone needed help I’m not sure I would have stopped.<

Not having a go at you but it’s really not that difficult. Been down that trail countless times and have witnessed big offs,riders at the side of the trail, mechanicals etc. Somehow I’ve managed to concentrate on what I’M doing and shout ok as I approach? If I don’t get ok back I’d check it out. It’s basic courtesy / hill-craft.

>plus several riders passed him before I even got there.<

Far far worse than not stopping when help has obviously already arrived.

Far more interested in the potential mtb development over in Coire na Ciste. That has the joint potential to resurrect skiing uplift from the mothballed chairs.

IIRC the original was something along the lines of “Now is the winter of our discount tent.”

Blacks?

‘Fraid that just looks like a brand new frame on a way overbuilt mount. The mount detracts from any visual effect the frame might offer…

Take it down, re build it, thrash it to breaking point (so it actually has a story to tell and the scars to prove it) then remount it set 150mm off the wall with a clear acrylic rod set in the bottom bracket.

Oh and you need a big room for this kind of thing 😉

Do you know about the search facility? 😉

Aye, why not go for the full English and see if you can get THOMSON to put a P in their name 😉

Yuk.

But the red squirrel allows fires. Fires count for a lot – and they keep the bastard midges at bay;-)

Some of that healthy stuff sounds utterly rank…

Double egg chips and beans. Preferably served up by the legendary Ballinluig Motor Grill en route to tackle some big jaggy mountains 😉

Just pulled a pair of BBB’s off my bike – tension pulley wheel bearing seized solid. The (top hat) design of the plastic axle inserts is also poor – really bad for snagging long grass, sheep wool etc.

I’ve tried various after market JW’s over the years and none have matched XT for reliability / longevity. Rose bikes sell them pretty cheap.

Geal Charn is close and dead easy (start @ Balsporran cottage 6 kliks South of Dalwhinnie)

Carn Liath (start Aberarder North shore of Loch Laggan) also close by.

Meall a Buachaille is a good shout as a circular (tho not a Munro)Start @ Glenmore Lodge then Ryvoan, summit and back down it’s SW flank

Stock answer from me. Inov8