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My brother is moving up there soon, just wondering if there are any good routes? I've found the Ardgarten peninsula route which I gather is mostly forest road, and the Arrochar loop which looks quite good.
I was wondering if any of the local peaks are worth a go at? Don't mind a bit of push/carry if the descent is worth it - loved Ben Lomond. It looks like maybe there are paths you could ride over towards Glenbranter where there is some purpose built singletrack. I also wondered if there is any decent riding down through the woods paralell with the road from Rest and be Thankful.
Any suggestions/ideas much appreciated, cheers.
Bump
I popped my cherry in lochgoilhead. Probably not that much help to you sorry !
POIDH.
from the os maps and google it seems possible to ride south from carrick castle along some fireroads into ardentinny at which point you can explore the tracks up to and around loch eck.
ps. worth buying '60 walks..loch lomond and the trossachs vol 1 (west)' by tom prentice.
edit - ignore me - specsavers issue - Lochgoilhead/lochgilphead - apologies
presumably you've seen - http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6N6H6H
we did Crinan Canal (which I suggest is worth doing for the tranquility and views) and then from Crinan S on coast and into woods is an offroad track I planned to do but didn't get time,
Thanks folks. Yeah Lochgilphead is a little way away but might be worth a look at some point. Seems like there are a lot of forest roads but I might need to just explore to find more interesting stuff.
Hmm, thought I'd replied to this one.
You could make a big day by doing the peninsula route but tagging on the Coire Grogain route, if I recall this becomes a 70km day and you'll get the best bits of the riding in the area (the descent from Coire Grogain is fun, and also the Forestry Path that links the Peninsual Circuit with the forest tracks beneath the Cobbler, you'd want to do it both ways to get the best out of it). Still largely fireroad though, take a fast bike not a big bike!
Further afield there's the infamous Auchindrain loop starting just south of Inveraray. When I've ridden it it was a mix of fire road (perhaps 40%) with a variety of rocky loose wet singletrack, rocky loose wet cart track, massive water splashes and an excellent final descent through the trees. However I think the forestry has sanitised some of the better bits.
The road riding in the area is decent, a loop of Hell's Glen, up the north side of the rest and be thankful and then descending back to Lochgoilhead will give you a brilliant wee spin, and then you can reverse it the next day!