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looooong time since i've posted on here. Job/age blah blah blah.
Anyway
This one's for the likes of Druid (goes by the name of scotroutes now i think which may prove to be very useful)
Mrsmichaelwright and I are stopping up in the highlands after the Shetland Festival this year and are taking our mountain bikes, if they still work.
I'm after some routes, singletracky ones, in the north west highlands. We're staying in Gairloch but planning to hire a van so Assynt, Torridon etc. Even east coast all on the cards.
We've ridden the majority of navigable estate roads on our tourers over the years so something a little more adventurous. Not averse to the odd push/carry to get to where the going is good. Planning to cherry pick some sections of the Highland 550 race (we nearly just rode the north circuit of this as an off-road tour but chickened out) as well.
Anybody got any recommendations of routes or websites with good info?
i'm off to check up on all 11000 odd posts of the tune association thread I started all those years ago......
[url= http://www.mtbtrails.info/Trail_main_page.aspx ]MTBTrails[/url] might be a good starting point for websites.
I'm not too familiar with that side of the country but fancy a trip over some time so I'll keep an eye on the suggestions.
There's a book called "Scotland Mountain Biking - The Wild Trails" that has some great routes.
But basically it can be summed up by saying "Go to Torridon".
Applecross Bay NE on track, always bear left - Kenmore - I loved that, you can *apparently* come back via loop S to lower Inverbain return semi loop.
(*could you post if yo do the Inverbain leg coz I've not done that)
if you want a remote bimble/ remote hotel, Badanoch lodge - Loch Choire track (Garvault hotel)
Thanks for the suggestions
We've done the Applecross-Kenmore track before, it's lovely
Always wondered if the Loch Choire track was passable, we've stayed at the Garvault a couple of times (an experience) and spotted that some of the pony treks follow that route over to the Crask Inn
A couple of suggestions
Poolewe to Carnmore (actually part of the HTR). If you have time, include a detour to Bad Bog. ( http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/p/west-highland-escape-with-lot-of.html)
Loch na h'Oidhche from Loch Bad an Sgalaig (just outside Gairloch). Don't be tempted by Kenny Wilsons optional detour on the return leg.
The Arkle Loop from Achfary. You can do the first leg on the road to get you West Merkland and you're then again on the HTR route. A definite sense of humour required for the wilderness section. ( http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2014/01/rounding-off-year.html )
Oh - and if you're looking for a couple of hours to kill then I can recommend the wee walk to the Fairy Lochs from Sheildaig (the one near Badachro). There's a memorial to the crew of a B-52 Liberator, with considerable wreckage still visible.
Thanks Colin
Some map and geograph time to be spent there
I have some GPX files if it helps too
Did a bikepacking trip up that way last May. We rode the track west from Kinlochewe to the north of Loch Maree and over Strathan Buidhe and down to Carnmore where we bivvied. That was something I couldn't wholeheartedly recommend as a ride (it's a lovely walk!). However, the ride out from Carnmore to Poolewe is superb with some great, swoopy singletrack. And the causeway and surroundings at Carnmore are worth the trip.
We also did the Kenmore track to Applecross, which is great. Instead of returning, we headed on road over the Bealach na Ba to Kishorn and back to Achnashellach where we got the train home.