Braemar and Ballater

The Fife Arms and Farquharsons in Braemar are both good for food.

Mastermind is well worth a go if you like enduro trails - can combine with HBR if you've got the legs!

Anything in Aboyne unless you want a hill/mountain type ride.

@Frogstomp   Mastermind is added in the gpx     And the Lightning bolt too 🙂 for extra credit legs

Top tip: check places are open

We did a Monday in ballater in summer a year ago and we're shocked at the amount of places that weren't open despite peak tourist season

I imagine November may be more limited

Mastermind is well worth a go if you like enduro trails – can combine with HBR if you’ve got the legs!

HBR and a couple of laps of MM are do-able for most riders in a day.

+1 Aboyne for amazing enduro-y trails in the woods. Best day's riding we had in that area.

Final Destination was running well a couple of weeks ago, and Aboyne is full-on...

The Fife Arms has a public bar, food is good (and not bad value).

We went to the Barrel last week - went for a drink, stayed for a (good) meal, great welcome from locals and we had a good evening there.

If you want a full on day out with plenty of hike a bike, Ben Macdui is brilliant. The HaB to the summit is brutal and easily the worst I've done. Speak to Paul B. who I know you know.

Final Destination is supposed to be really, really good so add that on as well as Mastermind to HBR if you've got the legs.

And Aboyne is ace, can't wait to get back there at some point.

The descent from Craig Coillich just to the South of Ballater is good. 'the calm before the storm' and 'the storm'
Easy to add into anything from Ballater.

Beinn a Bhuird is fantastic. Huge amount of single track, huge amounts of fun. plateau is an amazing place.

As with a lot of a cairngorms, I wouldn't fancy the plateau in low cloud/fog, some terrifying drops! Also from my last time there I learned that a minion SS in silkworm casing was an appalling choice when hitting (literally) the drainage ditches at speed. Jesus wept.

All the trails are utterly brilliant, enjoy! Sorry, not comments about food, but agree to call ahead to avoid tears 🙂

Final Destination is supposed to be really, really good so add that on as well as Mastermind to HBR if you’ve got the legs.

Is that the trail also known as Culblean Hill Track (on Trailforks)?

We also did a really good figure of 8 ride round Loch Muick & Glendoll, near Ballater with plenty of tech & scenery.

And a note about Mastermind - it's really worth at least 2 goes IMO, as it's so hectic - the first go can be a bit cautious.

Is that the trail also known as Culblean Hill Track (on Trailforks)?

Yes.

It's a cracker, but not easy.

Morrone is a great fun "quickie" from Braemar in a lumpy techy kinda way.

@Fathomer   I noticed bobo did it in May /June   but I dont think ive the time .thats there for 2025 as a few others around Aviemore .

If you want something deeply tech then Glass Alt from Lochnagar is utterly immense.

Unless you're on an eeb  I reckon Bhuird is best done anti clockwise. There and back from the west spur ( Quoich) is just a tad too steep. To ride up whereas Slugain route is beautifully rideable to start with and then good honest HaB hell for a short distance,. Which I prefer

Callater off Sagairt Mor also good

Morrone is ok, but not as good as the ones mentioned already.

Photos here...

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/big-rucksack-big-mountain-big-day-out/

I would rather ride the woods this side of the hill Mastermind/Masterplan, etc are on than bother with Heartbreak ridge. Personally, I found it a long way round, for a trail that was 2/3 average at best, 1/3 good.

Final Destination is really good, even if it is soul destroying to get to. There are others on that section of hill, which are equally as good, if not better & significantly less ridden.

@stevedoc yeah, I was with him, mid June in the snow! It's well worth it, great day out.

And I'll have to start calling him Bobo 🙂

@butterbean

Other trails on the same hill as Final Destination?

If you have time, or fancy a more chilled out day, then Tarland would be my recommendation. It's like one giant, jumpy, pumpy berm from top to bottom.

The Fife Arms and Farquharsons in Braemar are both good for food.

When were you last in the Fife Arms? It changed hands a few years back and they were really unfriendly/unhelpful to us and the locals we spoke to told a similar tale.

I was in last year for a bar meal, and a couple of times the previous year. I've never had any problems, other than it's very busy so booking has become essential.

It changed hands a few years back and they were really unfriendly

Sounds familiar.
Not keen on you turning up in ski gear for a pint or so of apres ski. Somewhat understandable based on the target market, but there's no need to be an arse about it.

The Invercauld Bar is pretty good for beer - not sure they do food!- It's the place adjacent to the "re-opening next year, we promise!" Hotel.

Farquharsons is OK for food, IIRC. The Braemar Bistro was pretty good, but it's been some time since I went there.

Wasn't taken with Morrone, the Beinn a Bhuird ride we did was really good and more enjoyable than Morrone.

Someone up there mentioned Loch Muick. I recall there's about 2km of Hike-a-Bike on the south eastern, lochside path. (Hike a bike for me, anyway).

The Invercauld Bar is pretty good for beer – not sure they do food!- It’s the place adjacent to the “re-opening next year, we promise!” Hotel.

The same owner as the Fife Arms.

When we've eaten or drank there we'd have been staying at the campsite and likely wearig GoreTex/fleece etc. Other diners have been a pretty mixed bunch.

I know you're asking about Ballater & Braemar, but for Aboyne;

Best food - Boat Inn

Best Café - Spider on a Bicycle

Hidden Gem - Tarmachan Cafe

All the trails in the area are great, it's truly an epic place to ride.  Only thing of note is there is forestry work over in the Birse forest so best avoid Chutney & Relish for now.

And if you do go up in the mountains be prepared for the conditions, the local rescue teams have sadly been busy of late with people not prepared for winter conditions

When were you last in the Fife Arms? It changed hands a few years back and they were really unfriendly/unhelpful to us and the locals we spoke to told a similar tale.

3 weeks ago. 4 middle-aged blokes and we were well looked after - beer good, food great.

It's a 'public' bar in a very expensive hotel - tables can be reserved and a chap will come to meet you as you walk in, act accordingly.

Fife Arms, both the bar and the fancy restaurant, have been great when I've been. The Braemar Bistro was bloody awful, despite the good service.

Not much to add on trails - just do what the generalist says and you'll have a good time.

Can anyone advise any add ons or places to get some food after

Depends what you are looking for (like muddy bike kit pub grub or nice meal) - but the Indian in Ballater is surprisingly good for middle of nowhere, and the Pizza/Italian/next to the Non SYHA Ballater Hostel was decent.  Although I don't think I've been to either since Covid so that may be out of date.

Phoenix chippy in Ballater is pretty good too, and you can sit in and eat post-ride.

Just got back from Ballater yesterday. Wish I'd found this thread before I went! We rode HBR, Final Destination, ET/Rollercoaster and Mastermind in one hefty day on Friday. We stopped at the Cambus O'May Cheese & Milk Hoose Cafe twice mid-ride as we passed and ate at The Balmoral Bar in Ballater post-ride. Recommend The Bothy in Ballater for breakfast/coffee. We did Tarland (meh) and a handful of trails in Aboyne on the Saturday. Looking forward to getting back up to do Ben Macdui and have a good couple of days riding Aboyne.