[Closed] Routes in Torridon

Has anyone got fairly up to date trail condition info? I was up there in March and hiked up towards Loch na h-Oidhche, which I understood to be ridable. Whilst the trail goes through some amazing scenery it would not be fun on a bike I suspect. Large sections were made up of loose, head-sized rocks that would require carrying the bike on the way up and maybe on the way down!

I've ridden that and thought it was fine.

There's a fairly straightforward route from Poolewe in towards Carnmore bothy that you might enjoy. It's there-and-back so a bit less committing than a big loop. Doesn't go as high as the normal Torridon routes either.

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4026/5165091292_79b3c0c337_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4026/5165091292_79b3c0c337_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/8SqrG9 ]A' Mhaighdean and the Dubh Loch[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/ ]Colin Cadden[/url], on Flickr

Still to do this myself ..so can't tell you much about it ..I was up in the Torridon area a couple of weeks back ( walking only ) and the trails were holding up well ..take any forecast with a pinch of salt as it is so changeable ..we were expecting nothing but rain and got quite a bit of sunshine ..

I found this #OffRoadBiking route and thought you'd like it. http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTAyMDU5 Via @ViewRanger

I had looked at the Poolewe paths on the map, and wondered what sort of nick they were in. This doesn't sound to promising though...

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=82416

Trails built for walking rather than riding will always have some frustrating sections. The lollypop shaped loop out of Annat, Coire Grannda, Coire Lair descent (in the opinion of many, the best in the UK though fairly tricky), up from Coulags and over the pass back down to Annat is of course brilliant but you will find yourselves pushing a lot of the uphills just to conserve energy. I've only done bits of this loop as I was ticking off munros whilst I was up there (the summit of Maol Chean-Dearg is the most amazing viewpoint ever!)

Walkers using shonky old bikes to save walking are not really mtbing though. I've ridden to the causeway and back in three hours in the pissing rain and it's all very ridable (drainage ditches are small; there is a boggy section in the Kernsary plantation).

I did wonder if they were using heavily laden junkers...

A quick search on the forum has led me to this video, not sure we'll get this weather in late October but who knows...

The Highland Trail 550 route used the section from Carnmore to Poolewe until it was rerouted along the Postmans Path. It's a fantastic place to ride. A few of the water bars need a bit of care and there's one potentially short push, other than that, you'll love it.

That's my video above,as you can probably tell from it we loved every Minuit of it .I think it took us around 4 to 4.5hrs to do the 15 mile loop .Only a couple of small bits of bike a hike and all the rest of it rideable more or less .Great experience.

Have ridden Torridon a good few times. Couple of weeks back did the lollipop but rather than go up from Annat, went up from Ling hut. A lot more rideable and knocked 45mins-1hr off the climb I reckon. Still 2hr from car to top of Coire Lair prob 50% biking rest pushing. Would recommend that as best way up tho.  Lollipop is a big day tho, 5-6 hours of biking prob 7hrs factoring in stops.

A less committing loop, in terms of time and ascent is Coire Mhac Nobuil to Coire Dhuibh. Under 4 hours all in but still a cracking. 2.5km descent to finish. Maybe an hour of hike a bike in the middle.  Starts from same car park opposite Ling hut.

Any hike a bike worth it for the descents and the  views though.

I’ve ridde torridon a few times from coulags to annat but didn’t realise you could go up by the ling hut .

normally we do the full loop from the coulags to annat up the road to loch clair and down to achnashellach station which is a great route . I normally do this route in about 4 1/2 hours moving time it’s 30 Miles and the hardest bit is when you go up the road from annat to loch Clair ( headwind )

This doesn’t sound to promising though…

Walkers are rarely a reliable source of info for mountain biking. Unless they're bikers too they've got little to no idea what's rideable / fun.

I remember doing a fantastic ride out along the coastal path from Lower Diabeg out (what felt like) the world's most remote YHA some years back.

Also a nice ride up through the Achnashellac Forest up past Loch Coulin and Loch Clair.

Ling hut - I would say I rode more of that than I ever did the Annat climb. Much more direct route. Day we did it another group left car park same time, just as we finished lunch at top of Coire Lair, saw them round the corner into the bowl below, so reckon they were at least 45mins slower the Annat way.

The Loch Coulin route misses out the upper 2/3rds of the Coire Lair descent though but makes for an easier day.

I remember doing a fantastic ride out along the coastal path from Lower Diabeg out (what felt like) the world’s most remote YHA some years back.

That would be Craig. No longer a hostel, now an open bothy. The track northwards from Craig to Red Point is a lot rougher and less ridable.

The Ben Damph circuit is a lot shorter than the Lollipop with less altitude and the (mostly rideable) climb is never ending. But the descent is an absolute cracker...

Thanks all, some really good stuff here. Going to have to squeeze an extra day on the bike in somehow!