Anyone familiar with Drymen, Loch Lomond?

The West Highland Way runs through Drymen. North you can ride up and over Conic Hill which is interesting enough. South is more gravel type riding. Lots of gates. So many gates.

There's plenty in the way of tracks, trails and quiet back roads. It's not really a mtb attraction as such - if I was stuck there for a month I'd be thinking road or gravel bike. I'm assuming you mean riding from the door as if you head a bit further there are loads more options in say half an hour.

You are just 5km away from the southern end of the Gravelfoyle trails.

I'd be heading north and exploring them...

You're just down the road from Aberfoyle, which is awesome. Lots of steep, technical stuff with no shortage of roots and rock. The red-graded trails are fast and fun.

All on Trailforks.

Not a bad spot to be for a month. As others have said, there is ace riding locally. From gravel to Ben Lomond...

Mrs_oab is the nursery teacher there currently, it's a hardship of a commute... 😉

Just a note that Conic hill paths are closed till 31st March https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/things-to-do/walking/hillwalking/conic-hill/

Also mention that there is loads round Aberfoyle, big mtb loops and lots of winch and plummet laps possible.

There aren't any dry men there on account of the loch.

Out and back from Balmaha northwards to Inversnaid, when you're looking for a longer ride. Or the first section as far as Rowardennan, if you only have a couple of hours of daylight one evening. Cracking lochside singletrack, with one or two techy surprises along the way.
Similarly, as an evening ride, the top section from Rowardennan to the Inversnaid hotel is the most techy and is pretty rewarding to ride, despite not having any sustained downhills. If you do this bit, don't be tempted to take the lower fork at the Ptarmigan section, 2km north of the Rowardennan Hotel; stay up on the doubletrack and follow it instead as the lower trail is not rideable for significant sections. They join up again further on and turn into good singletrack.
On quiet spring evenings, both of those would make very pleasant sessions and with a bit of challenge chucked in.
As day length is improving already, a dawn session up Ben Lomond might be a real eye opener on the right day, catch the sunrise and avoid the crowds.
Oak Tree Inn for good grub at the fireside and decent coffee too. They also have a wee 'village shop' and a coffee shop for cake supplies.

Good longer loop is WHW to Cailness just south of Inversnaid. Then obvious steep track up hill for 100 ft or so followed by long fast gradual descent into Aberfoyle forest for gravel roads back to Drymen.

More for gravel bike than full sus though. Can be cut short (time wise) by using the road from Drymen to Rowerdennan.

I think irc forgot a 0 in that description just above, the climb up from Cailness is a bit over 300m vertical, up and over into Gleann Dubh. Then via Gravelfoyle forest tracks to hook up with the Rob Roy Way and return to Drymen.
Gravel bike or hardtail, it's all good fun.

Oak Tree Inn for good grub at the fireside and decent coffee too. They also have a wee ‘village shop’ and a coffee shop for cake supplies.

NO!!!!, it's crap, give it a wide, wide, berth. There are enough of the red socks brigades without getting multi coloured MTBs' taking all the seats 🙂
Don't tend to see many many skinny roadies there, perhaps the food's to good.

 

Thanks for the recommendations. I was thinking I'd try Ben Lomond early doors, but after watching this video (great vid), it looks absolutely amazing, but I will not be doing this descent on my own. Even the Go Pro doesn't flatten it

Just resurrecting this as I was up here sans bike last week and had a drive up as far as Rowardennan.

I have the bike with me now and although I'll be short of time tonight, it's beautiful weather, if a little cold so fancy a spin out.

Was thinking Drymen up to the Oak Tree Inn for a pint and something to eat. Can see the WHW taking in Conic Hill, but that's closed and possibly a bit nadgery on my own in the evening anyway.

Is there an off road route avoiding the hill? I can see a Drymen meander route taking in a bit of the NCN7, but it appears to drop back into the road again quite a bit before Balmaha

Just realised I should have put a link to my site, as there is a bit of info there about the Conic. Picture 8 is approaching from Drymen ( you can see the path running along just below the ridge) picture 10 is the nasty stepping ascent section ( quite short)

There is also pics/ info about the WHW further north

https://gbmtb.com/mtb-west-highland-way/

Regarding other mtb routes in Garadban Forest, I'm almost 40 years out of date! Me and my best mate from Drymen did loads there but I have no recollection which bits...

Best of luck.

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Wow! 👆😍
(And not just the pint)

Was so glad of the e-bike on the way back. Went back through the forest 6.5 miles in the dark. Couldn't feel my hands or feet, so whacked it in turbo and got back ASAP.

Was handy for outrunning the wolves, bears and axe murderers too.

The pint is Munich red lager, never come across it before, absolutely amazing

8 miles back East on the WHW and you're into Mugdock and the moor above Strathblane - lots of singletrack, most of which is on Strava & Trailforks.

Lovely!

Wow, looks lovely and great pics 👍

Did Balmaha to Rowardennan tonight, lovely bit of track up. Last couple of miles in the dark and the return leg on the road. 5° when I set off, -2° when I got back to the Oaktree Inn

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