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So we’re going to go to Scotland at the end of September for a smidge over a week so looking at some rides I can take my other half on. I’ve done all the 7 stanes and I normally go to the tweed valley and I’ve taken him once. Only stipulation is we’re going to head up the left side up to Skye/Torridon and then across to Inverness height (possibly Golspie high) And down the right hand side.
So far on The list I’ve got
Ben Lomond up and down
Balquhidder (McTrail rider inspired)
Dunkeld
Torridon Lollipop
Ballater
Can be big loops like Torridon or laps/winch and plummet like dunkeld will be.
I reckon something else Cairngorms way would be good, or hit me with your suggestions. I’ve done Lagan before but may go again. Other than the one trip to the tweed valley he’s done nothing in Scotland.
Aviemore. High Burnside. Brilliant techy trails.
Rode Burnside last week, I reckon Laggan brown is better, bloody enjoyed it though!.
Pick short rides, as it looks like you'll be spending a while driving.
We may have to whittle it down to reduce the distance but it’ll give the leisure battery chance to recharge!
Mullach clach a bhlair & Sgor Gaoith in the cairgorms can be done as one ride as well as driesh and mayar.
Balquhidder (McTrail rider inspired) other youtubers have ridden here as well 🙁 lol
Beinn Fhada loop, still ranks as one of the best descents I've done anywhere ever.
Balquhidder
It's a bit Central for your plan of up West, down East...?
While I like Balqhidder, and have helped with some of the trail building, it's tiny and pretty limited.
IMO if you only have a week, there's better.
Will Nevis Range be open? Top Chief and all the other trails there are ace.
Balquhidder (McTrail rider inspired) other youtubers have ridden here as well 🙁 lol
I saw you.
Your not the only one to get wet at that stream... 🤣
Aye, forget Skye and have a day on the gondola, top chief is just ****in awesome. 8 runs, about 15 mins of descending each run, you'll be in bits that night.
One of my mates works on trails at Nevis, was out at Laggan with him last week, both of us proper excited about the new blue opening next summer, it sounds amazing.
Your not the only one to get wet at that stream… 🤣
yeah but I got off cause I didn't want to fall in 🙁
While I like Balqhidder, and have helped with some of the trail building, it’s tiny and pretty limited.
could do it as an inbetween break going up.
I’ve actually not ridden the top chief but wanted to for a while now. Might have to add it to our list if it’ll be open. The only reason to actually go over to Skye was because that’s where my fella usualLy went alone so I thought it’d be nice if he showed me some highlights and I’d like to see a sea eagle and golden eagle if possible! Well also not be riding everyday so would like to do some easy scrambles too.
I figured if we’re stopping to do Ben lomond (been on the list a while) that it wouldn’t be much further for balquhiddar even if it was a same day ride. I’ll drop it if needed as we’re planning to move to Scotland so can always do it then! I did look at Trailforks and think hmmmm doesn’t look much.
Keep em coming!
Ben Lomond is an alright ride but here are better Munro’s to do and ones that are going to be a lot less busy.
If your intent on doing Ben Lomond, treat it like Snowdon, do it at sundown, any other time of day and you'll only be a nuisance, it's the busiest munro in the country.
Instead of Balquhidder, go to Comrie, do Ben Chonzie and then lunch at Comrie cafe, then afternoon round the awesome trails there.
Cameron McNeish has published some of his favourite routes in his magazine.
http://www.scottishcyclingmag.co.uk/
Plus a lot of stuff for the Adventure Show
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0071mxr/clips
But is doing some of his own videos now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZzXKCHZFQU
https://twitter.com/CameronMcNeish?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
For a Cairngorm route, you could do Glenmore - Sugarbowl - Chalaman Gap - Lairig Ghru - Glenmore. Good range of terrain and scenery without getting too high. Route finding is pretty straightforward. Add on Loch Eanaich if you want to stretch it.
Beinn a bhuird (Braemar)
Loch Muick over to Clova and back (Ballater)
Lochnagar loop (Ballater)
Mastermind and Heart break ridge (Ballater)
Scolty was Relatively dry last few weeks (Banchory)
I was at Dunkeld last week and all the trails on the Mast side were pretty overgrown but everything else was great.
I've not been in a couple of years but brother was over Torridon last week and has not stopped going on about the trails think its time i went back.
Hijacking the thread a little but I think its relevant. Is top chief the new name for the Red at Fortwilliam? Been a couple of years since i did an uplift there. I wasnt a massive fan of the red just felt like excessive board walk. Thought the world cup track was a better trail in every way.
Instead of Balquhidder, go to Comrie, do Ben Chonzie and then lunch at Comrie cafe, then afternoon round the awesome trails there.
Ben Chonzie is a dull ride. And Comrie's ok for half a day but it's not amazing.
Having done what you've done in the past, this is what we did (a week each time in a motorhome)-
Ben Lomond (good, not too busy on a weekday)
Glen Nevis (the riding we did wasn't great but if you want to ride Top Chief it's there)
Torridon (two days riding here, all excellent - we did the lollypop and the Ben Damph loop which was great)
Back down to Kinlochleven (we rode the Ciaran Path here which is good if you're into big chunky tech, but there's also the Devil's Staircase, Binnean Mor and all the Dude's trails which are all excellent)
Glentress
Dumyat by Stirling
Up to Braemar (we rode from Braemar, through Glen Feshie, up Carn Ban Mhor and you could add in Sgor Gaoith which is excellent, then to Aviemore for the night, then back to Braemar going over the top of Cairngorm and Ben Macdui and down Glen Derry- two of the best days on a bike I've had)
Lochnagar (this is mega tech and if you're not into that maybe try the Glen Callater route which is miles of flowy rocky singletrack)
Lairig Ghru out and back in Aviemore
Laggan trail centre (the best in the UK)
Devil's Staircase in Glencoe
Those were excellent trips - riding wise I'd say the second was better than the first. If you don't go for one of those and your heart is set on Torridon this is what I'd to with just over a week-
- Ben Lomond on the way up. There's not much better riding between the border and Glencoe
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- Binnean Mor in Kinlochleven, or the Devil's Staircase out and back if that seems too gnar
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- If you want to ride Fort William then you could (I'd rather ride natural stuff in that setting)
- Skye for two nights and a day (if you want to see a Sea Eagle there are boat trips from Portree, and you could even take a couple of hours and ride the Quirang. You'll have more luck with Golden Eagles in the Highlands though, particularly the Cairngorms)
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- Torridon for two days, probably the Annat Lollipop and the Ben Damph loop.
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- Ballater for a couple of days - either Lochnagar or Glen Callater one day and Heartbreak Ridge the next
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- Dunkeld on the way back south
That would be an absolute who's who of some of the greatest bike rides in Scotland, with a relaxing day in Skye thrown in.
Awesome reply! Will work through what you've said and look them all up. I've done Torridon before but the two guys I did it with hated it so it sort of ruined it for me. Even if the fella hates it, I'm going to love it regardless this time!
Shocked TJ hasn't chipped in with his usual Beinn A'ghlo route . 😀
munrobiker just nailed it.
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