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So; my gold group are walking from Glenfinnan to Knoydart second week of the school holidays, they are heading up Glen Dessaray then camping a wee bit above Sourlies. I will be 12 weeks after an ankle fracture so can't walk it carrying my pack. They are possibly the best group I have ever worked with and I have taught most of them for 6 years as well so i'm keen to see them off. About 30 years since I have been to Sourlies; what is the track in like these days from the Dessaray end? I am hopefully minibus driver so can dip in and out.
Worth a ride in from Inverie, not from Glen Dessary, in my opinion. But hey, I passed by Cruib last week and a couple had dragged their bikes in from the road, so everything's possible.
Must have changed since I was last there, which is some time ago, because I recall it as not worth biking from any direction. And I don't mind a bit of hike a bike. Has someone improved paths in the area?
You would need to enjoy hike-a-bike stuff, which might not be suitable depending on the OP's ankle, but the Inverie track doesn't exceed my own personal pain/reward threshold.
My nephew walked over that path a couple of years ago and thinks mainly bikeable but not certain. My memory from many years agao is easy to upper glen dessary but some deer fences then rough to the top of the pass but thats more than a decade ago
Geograph might help?
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3241012
Packraft.
From Glen Dessary it’s a hike a bike. If it’s been raining (which it will) then the path is mostly submerged under the Lochans at the col. if it’s not been raining (doubtful) then it’s still a rocky hike a bike. Lovely location for it though. Worst place I’ve ever seen for ticks though so don’t forget your remover.
I deduce you haven't been to Jura...
My mate Robin (Walk with Wallace on Youtube) did the CWT a few weeks back, first week he could, and he's doing a wee timelapse fly through, which will cover that section, keep an eye out for it.
Worst place I’ve ever seen for ticks though so don’t forget your remover.
Robin never got any on the whole CWT, I got over a dozen trailbuilding on an Ayrshire hill in an hour. Don't go in heather in shorts, kids.
A while since I've been there, but there was enough stalkers trail to make it a great run. I'd bike it as an out and back trip but not contemplate it carrying an overnight pack.
If you are the minibus driver and they are heading to Knoydart, are they going to take the ferry back to Mallaig after? In which case, park the bus there and kayak in to join them in Sourlies. Loch Nevis is a good trip.
Thanks for the tips folks,not looking either likely or the smartest idea for those couple of legs. Oldbloke; cracking idea but no way of transporting the Kayak. I would have to bin a couple of seats and kids to get it inside the minibus and apparently that is a no-no.
I would have to bin a couple of seats and kids to get it inside the minibus and apparently that is a no-no.
?? That's what roof racks are for. You put the kids up there to make room for the important stuff.
Doffs cap.
Oldbloke; cracking idea but no way of transporting the Kayak.
If only someone had suggested a packraft.
I think this is the day you are looking for....
As a slight thought as a fellow DofE supervisor - if your abilities are reduced through injury, have you plans in place for 'shit hits the fan at the furthest distance from help, as is sods law'...?
I say this having had Gold group member with nasty broken collar bone at 9:30pm at the upper end of Tilt in 2019... It brings home the planning that is in place (and which I have used once before in 20 years of DofE) and need to step in and help a group out promptly.
Fair one Scotroutes.
Matt, I am not responsible in any way for them; even if I broke myself again one of the other staff has his bus licence. I was just wanting to dip in and out and pipe them over the finish line.
Edit; watched the video..baws to that on a laden bike.
👍
I know that feeling. Watch them arrive as nervous and confused youngsters, watch a group of adults full of confidence stroll out a Gold trip...
Rode from Inverie to Sourlies it was 70% rideable the descent was very patchy and huge holes my ride was and out and back it hurt a lot hike a biking back up. Get a ride in on a boat bribe/pay a local.
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Fantastic pics rich and thanks for the advice. Hanks for the advice everybody, It is going to be one or possibly 2 days I miss them for, so I will get the ferry in to knoydart and inspect the work of the forges new owner potter about and then make my slow way up to meet them.
Duckman, you sound like a top bloke, your DoE kids are a lucky bunch.
The track along Loch Monar to Tarbet is very rideable, leaving sheltered water for a Packraft extension to Sourlies. I know people do hire boats in, too. The church at Tarbet had been converted to a hostel, sleeping on the pews, although I assume the old boy who was the live-in caretaker is long gone.