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Doing some route planning/speculating for a bike packing trip next year. I've been piecing together some stuff but need some advice for areas I'm not familiar with. Thinking about a rambling coast to coast from Oban or thereabouts to Stonehaven, via Glen Lyon, Loch Rannoch, some of the Cairngorm outer loop (Tromie, Burma Road, Tomintoul, Braemar), Banchory, etc. So:
Glen Kinglass, from Taynuilt through to Bridge of Orchy. Seems like it's rideable, mostly, but better going the other way? Will it be a total pain heading East?
Kinloch Rannoch to the A9. Looks like there's a route that goes over to Loch Garry and on to Dalnaspidal, passing to the east of Beinn Mholach. Anyone know if it's a goer?
Currently thinking about round the NW side of the Cairngorms, because I know it better. But is there potential to get to, say, Braemar, on the southern side (that isn't Glen Tilt)?
Suggestions for Ballater towards the East Coast, somewhere with a train station. Currently looking at a few tracks heading east to Banchory via Scolty, then SSE over the hills to join a small road Tipperary, then into Stonehaven. But, I don't know this area well at all so open to options.
Kinloch Rannoch to the A9. Looks like there's a route that goes over to Loch Garry and on to Dalnaspidal, passing to the east of Beinn Mholach. Anyone know if it's a goer?
Absolutely. Regularly traversed as part of (possibly) the best gravel route in the UK. There's a relatively short grassy/boggy bit just south of Loch Garry itself but not enough to compromise the overall route.
Currently thinking about round the NW side of the Cairngorms, because I know it better. But is there potential to get to, say, Braemar, on the southern side (that isn't Glen Tilt)?
Go through the Gaick to the Allt Bhran, then the track into Glen Feshie, through into the Geldie, White Bridge, Derry Lodge, Mar Lodge and Braemar?
Kinloch Rannoch to the A9. Looks like there's a route that goes over to Loch Garry and on to Dalnaspidal, passing to the east of Beinn Mholach. Anyone know if it's a goer?
From memory if you are coming from Kinloch Rannoch it will be a fair old climb on a decent landrover track, then a couple of miles of not much path in the middle then a flat good landrover track. When I did it it was very dry and I just cut across the grass but I seem to remember a faint path at edge of the flood plain as marked on the map. It could well be a walk with a bike in the middle if wet but only a short walk
Glen Kinglass, from Taynuilt through to Bridge of Orchy. Seems like it's rideable, mostly, but better going the other way? Will it be a total pain heading East?
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I think you are getting the worst of the climbing going that way. Long time since I rode it however
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Thanks folks, good to know. I'll have a think about Feshie and White Bridge, that would be a lot more direct than what I've currently got, which is this. Â
Will see what my better half thinks. Might cut out some options like Burma Road and Heartbreak Ridge to lessen the climbing, and White Bridge would cut the distance too. @ScotRoutes, is the route up Allt Bhran pretty rideable? Pushing more than half an hour could be a deal breaker for my partner.
Wanted to start and finish somewhere with a train, so think the last real unknown is trying to work out the best way from Banchory towards Stonehaven.
Glen Kinglass, from Taynuilt through to Bridge of Orchy. Seems like it's rideable, mostly, but better going the other way? Will it be a total pain heading East?
Not all rideable, but very scenic and spectacular, I would certainly recommend if you don't mind wet feet.
I rode it in your direction, wrote it up here:
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/bike-forum/the-devils-bypass-200km-in-lochaber-a-photo-essay/
"last real unknown is trying to work out the best way from Banchory towards Stonehaven."
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Is there not an old railway line bike path almost all the way to Aberdeen? Granted not gravel but perhaps a nice contrast from the preceding days.
As for not wanting to push more than 30 minutes. Depending on bike and ability/recent rainfall there may be more than that going across from Glen Feshie to Braemar. This pic from Geograph shows the path near the Feshie/Geldie watershed.
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@13thfloormonk - I knew I'd seen it somewhere recently! Thanks for that, looked like a great loop you did.
The OS is way out of date regarding the Allt Bhran track. There is now a good, wide, forestry road going all the way into Glen Feshie. However, getting from there to Geldie Lodge area might test the patience of your partner. It's all rideable up until the Eidart but progress from there will very much depend on ground conditions and recent rainfall amounts.Â