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I'm going to take a couple of weeks next month trundling the trailer around the west coast of Scotland and I'd appreciate any ideas from you knowledgeable folk.
I want to go west of the Great Glen and will be travelling between train stations. I thought about booking trains to and from Kyle and then being able get on or off a train anywhere between there and Inverness (I'll be travelling up from Edinburgh).
I have spent some time up there in the past and would be looking to do some new stuff - wanting to bag a few munros: Liathach has been on the radar for some time and I'd like to do some biking (without trailer) in that area as it seems to be roundly recommended. I might also like to get up to An Tealleach, possibly further north. I don't know if I'll get up into Assynt if I spend a few days being active in various places.
Sketchy itinerary I know but I'd love to hear any ideas about routes to bike with a heavy trailer, camping (wild and campsites), cheap decent places for food, nice pubs and of course ideas about biking/walking/scrambling combinations all welcome.
Limitations might be how many big days I can do in a row which will affect how far I can travel in that time.
Read 13thfloormonks tales for inspiration
a note of caution -he is truely mad, a climbing loon and a racing snake 🙂
I have a softies estate road loop but its all south of the great glen. I want to ride glen affric but not the falls of glomach
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/glenfinnan-to-cape-wrath-part-1-the-rough-bounds
That is inspiring stuff indeed. I did read them when first posted and I'll look through them again later.
Glen Affric - I have visited before and would love to go again but it's a no go as through route to Morvich witha trailer.
I would have thought you could get to Morvich with a trailer? No tried tho
I rode up Glen Affric staying at Alltbeithe hostel on the way. The route onwards to Morvich would be mostly rideable with a trailer but there are some steep descents which would be awkward. Not sure how easy it would be to even walk down some of the path. Fantastic ride without a trailer though.
cheers
[OK, excuse the long wordy post, but I love an excuse to waste a Friday afternoon at work, and this kind of trip is one of my favourites, and one of my favourite areas for it too.]
Having done similar (both road and off-road with a tent), I'd organise trains to and from Inverness. That gives you most flexibility. Then take a train north or west as you see fit at the last minute. If the weather is really bad on the west it gives some options on the east and a straightforward coast-coast ride options to Ullapool(ish) using either road or estate tracks to shorten the trip. There is also a good value bikebus run by D&E (01463 222444) between Inverness, Ullapool, & Durness, but you'd need to book a day or two in advance.
If you think Affric – Glenshiel/Morvich is a no-go with a laden trailer (parts of it would put me off recommending it to others) then I'd guess much of the best off-road riding around the NW would not be ideal for you with a trailer. Having just read 13thfloormonks stuff again, it's a great guide to judge what is fun with a trailer (day after day) and what is not. That said, in 2 weeks you can easily cruise between great riding/ scrambling/ walking areas using the roads and estate tracks to link them. In fact, I'd say that is a very good approach.
I can't help you with proper campsites. Camping “wild”, there are loads of spots that rage from OK to fantastic – if the midges play ball. I tend to find weather, hunger and knackeredness are the most important criteria. Bothies as per 13th's reports are handy too.
The itinerary below is a good one for getting up some of the best (IMO) hills. Probably has a bias against the (mountain)biking though, especially at the end. There are a couple of easier days, a couple of harder ones, and a couple of free days for you to fill either on the beach, up a hill, or doing a ride somewhere. Or ride the north coast to Wick/Thurso and pick up a train south (massively underrated area I reckon, but my knowledge of mtb potential is virtually nil. Good road riding, great beaches and some great hills though).
1) Inverness, trailer Black Isle, Contin
2) Ride Strathpeffer, train Garve- Achnashellach (I'd like to suggest a bike route, but don't know one that makes more sense than the train.
3) Trailer Achnashellach – Torridon via Coulin Pass. Liathach and/or Benn Eighe (foot)
4) Ride in Torridon (probs Coulin, Corie Lair... Annat...)
5) Trailer Torridon – Loch na Sealga… (either road via beaches and food or Tollie path)
6) An Teallach (foot - could combine with above or below to make a long day)
7) the Deargs (foot)
8 ) Trailer (maily road) – Corrieshalloch Gorge, Ullapool, Stac Pollaidh (foot) (probably the dullest day biking – if you are fit you can combine with much of the day below)
9)Trailer (road) Lochinver, (track) Suileag, Suliven (foot)
10) Trailer. Option 1: coast road (hilly, beaches) Option 2: inland, one bigger hill, Quinag maybe. End up at a west coast beach somewhere past KLB.
11) Trailer (road) (track) Strath Dionard, Foinaven (foot). Camp here or on the Kyle.
12) Spare Day
13) Spare Day
14) Durness, beaches, Durness – Inverness (bikebus) – last train home
bajsyckel that's awesome! I'm going to go over that (with the maps out) later when I can get on my PC but that looks fantastic. Thanks for that.
Gold dust!
Okay, I'm thinking of spending a few days at Torridon to start with. I might miss out Contin - not a huge fan of trail centres and I had originally considered trundling up the road from Kyle - just for the scenic route.
I anticipate boggy, midgy camping at Torridon. Any alternatives? The location is perfect for the munros and bike routes I've pencilled in.
Is the shop still open in the village? Pub nearby?
I'm cautious of trying to attempt too much in a short space of days - seem to have been doing a fair bit of that recently so will try to pace myself over the days.
As far as I know there is no shop in the village, I was only there a month or two ago as well. There's the Torridon Inn which is nice for a pint or bite to eat. You could also try the Youth Hostel, it has basic supplies...there is a free campsite next to this with a free hot shower too.
I think the one thing that could sicken you with your trailer could be the amount of drainage ditches on any singletrack routes! They're not too bad on a normal bike but I'm guessing they'll want to eat your trailer wheel?
Thanks d45yth. I'm probably not going to attempt taking the trailer on technical singletrack. Learnt from dragging it on part of the West Highland Way a few months back. I had considered the Coulin pass but I'll be doing that as part of the big round, unladen on another day.
Will the YH sell supplies? I'm going to need plenty of milk for my porridge every morning.
I'm thinking of doing A' Mhaighdean from Poolewe - a nice combination of biking and walking. It's a bit of compromise biking in walking boots but it's okay if it's not too techy and I keep the rucksack light. I hear the bike in is pretty good. Not sure I'd have the energy for the whole Fisherfield 6 from Shenavall and it's worth leaving some for another day.
I'm pretty sure they must sell milk as they sold those mini boxes of cereal. Apart from the DIY, frozen microwave meals, it was more like a tuck shop than a general store though.
I've just done a search for shops in Torridon though and it turns out there is the Torridon Stores & Cafe! 😳
I didn't notice it while I was there, but we didn't get there til after tea so maybe it was closed. Here's their email if you want to check with them: jo@torridonstoresandcafe.co.uk
I do remember there being a shop about 10 years ago. Little old lady, neat rows on shelves, higher prices. I'm trying not to buy too much from shops as I end up spending more than budgeted for too often.