Hi folks,
So finally we’re back at Fort William for the DH and a few days after, she’ll be 20 weeks pregnant by then and we’re still planning to MTB but it’ll be blue routes max.
Know that anything at Fort Bill is pretty much out of reach, so wondered if anyone can recommend any riding around there commutable by car?
It’ll be sedate blue routes, marked trails around loch’s / bridleways max and wondered if anyone had any thoughts?
You could take the cycle path that goes up to Fort Augustus via the Caledonian canal.
It's very non-technical, but quite scenic if it's nice weather.
Drive down the Mallaig road to the head of Loch Shiel & ride down to the end & back, 15 miles each way on sublime undulating gravel with fantastic views.
There's parking before Glenfinnan, just after you go under the railway bridge.
^ or for that matter just follow the singletrack road up and under the Glenfinnan Viaduct up to Corryhully bothy and as far beyond as you please. Nice river beside the road and big hairy mountain scenery as you get closer to the bothy.
Oh wow it’s all sounding great and thank you, like the sound of riding to see the viaduct and watch the train pass at Glenfinnan, then riding loch Shiel.
What a change! I’d usually be hunting out some cracking red routes!
Also going to stop at Comrie croft for a blast on the way back to Yorkshire as looks like fun.
Wondered if the weather turns wet is there anywhere more sheltered?
For example after fort bill if the weather is rough we may be best heading south to find better weather, there’s Glentress I can think of and still researching as we speak
If the weather's bad around Fort William, or anywhere else in Scotland for that matter, just wait 15 minutes. 😂☔💦
If it's raining at Fort William, the standard answer is head to Laggan or Aviemore - it's normally the opposite of the Fort William weather.
I would think you could have a nice pootle around Loch Morlich or the nice run out and back to Loch Einich.
I admit it's tarmac but if you ride up Glen Roy from the Bridge car park you get an amazing view of the "parallel lines" evidence of glacier movement from the last ice age.
Also you could go up from Kinloch leven out to the Blackwater dam, pretty cool views and you could squeeze in the descent from the top of the Devils stair case.
In Fort Bill you can ride up from the Braveheart car park in Glen Nevis to the old hill fort. Potentially amazing views across to Ben Nevis and down the Glen.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/dun-deardail.shtml
Kinda related, but the gondola trails are closed at Nevis Range for a couple of days after the World Cup anyway.
Drive to Loch Laggan. Ride in to Corrour Station. Eat. Ride back.
Thank me later
Wow some more great suggestions I’ll have a look at these too, the ones that say “ride up” did make me chuckle a bit, she’s not got the energy she had usually so riding UP anything is much much harder than before 🤣
Yes it’s a shame they are as even though it’s not been rated that highly there’s bits of the blue doon that look fun to ride! Can’t help but thinking closing the trails for that long is very excessive, it’s it’s standard for a WC and I just haven’t remembered
there’s bits of the blue doon that look fun to ride!
I'll help you out here, it's everything in the woods. The top is guff and just a long slog, no real flow at all.
You could take the cycle path that goes up to Fort Augustus via the Caledonian canal.
It’s very non-technical, but quite scenic if it’s nice weather.
Lovely day out. Buy chips in FtAugustus and consume at a suitable quiet spot.
https://flic.kr/p/2a9eNpz
Drive to Loch Laggan. Ride in to Corrour Station. Eat. Ride back.
It is 20+ years since I did that. I should do it again.
Also, get ferry to Ardgour and ride to Strontian. Wee loop around the woods there, cuppa/cake/food, ride back.
Going to over too and staying near Aviemore. My partner is coming back from a broken foot so can't do anything gnarly either. We are planning a stop at Comrie on the way up to Aviemore, an afternoon at Glenlivet and then a day on the trails round Loch Morlich/Rothiemurchus area. Oh, I'm going to hit the wolftrax too, but I think she'll just go for a walk.
I'm planning the Blue doon when the gondola is open again (Wednesday I think,) but I think it'll be too much for her foot with standing for a long period. May just try some of the low down XC trails with her.
K
I admit it’s tarmac but if you ride up Glen Roy from the Bridge car park you get an amazing view of the “parallel lines” evidence of glacier movement from the last ice age.
Great shout, I rode up Glen Roy as part of a longer gravel ride, it was beautiful. The river was especially stunning, lots of deep clear pools full of water with that special blue tinge that makes you suspect it had only just thawed up on the hills and would be shockingly cold. I was still tempted for a dip but have inherited my dad's ancestral Italian fear of cold water...
Strange elevation profile, you do lots of steep tarmac climbing at the start then descend IN to the glen from the big viewpoint.
Such a shame that blue doon could be so amazing but it isn’t, so much elevation to come down, could be like an alps track with big supportive berms and so many great features…. All we can hope is that they will redesign and create more now the foundations are there…
