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I'm planning on doing this route tomorrow along with a friend. We're going up to (at least) Broad Cairn - I've walked a fair bit over the White Mounth earlier this year and purposely left Broad Cairn to 'bag' by bike.
I've noted the good path from Carn an t-Saigart Mor to Cairn Bannoch and I'm wondering if it's possible to continue from Broad Cairn to the foot of Carn an t-Saigart Mor (I think that bit is okay) and down to the Dubh Loch from there. Does anyone know if there's any kind of path down to the Loch? Is it just a bog?
And secondly, what are the descents like? We were over in the west and did the Devil's Staircase yesterday. Loved that. Coire Chash anything like that or should we consider the easy track down to the Spittal? (I don't think that's likely).
Coire Chash is fine but I didn't enjoy it that much because of all the drainage ditches ... bunnyhopping that often gets a bit dull!
Some photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartmarshall/sets/72157621846003911/
and here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartmarshall/sets/72157621801065323/
Nice photos Stuart. I like the look of that track from Loch Callater (Jock's Road I believe). Noted for another time - however while walking up above Loch Callater Lodge last March I watched two bikers getting into a mess trying to find a way around the loch.
We'll get to Broad Cairn tomorrow and see how far we feel like extending the route then. Unless anyone else knows of a path down to Dubh Loch...?
There isnt really a path down to the Dubh Loch. Its a nightmare of a hike a bike. Its better to start from Loch Muick and ride/push up the singletrack and ride back down.
The path around the Dubh Loch is as you said barely rideable, thats not an invitation to a challenge. Its just not rideable.
My mate and I was told by an old Mountain rescue guy that there was a good ridable path from the Dubh Loch up to the path round Carn an t-Saigart Mor and we would be able to ride down to loch Callater and into Braemar (it was games day), well the path from the Dubh Loch was hardly walk-able never mind ride-able, we carried our bikes for a good hour, the ride down into Callater loch was real good fun, we were going to go the Broad Cairn way, we will the next time, the Mountain rescue guy was my mates Dad, he was winding us up, the views back down to the Dubh Loch and to Loch Muick were ace though. 8)
That settles it then - up to Broad Cairn and down Coire Chash. Just heading out now. It's going to be crisp up there today. Thanks for your advice.
Not sure if I'd recommend Jocks Road - some bits are amazing but there's a lot of hike-a-bike! The singletrack on the north side of Loch Callater is really good in a challenging way but eventually it disappears just past the loch and then there's no path until you're up out of the glen! After that it's all rideable down to Glendoll and lots of fun if you like rocky techy stuff 🙂