[Closed] Taking a MTB to Newtonmore - am I being a bit optimistic

Laggan is 8 miles the other way (south west) - that should be fine for biking...

Glen Banchor to Cluny Castle is an excellent excursion.

Many years ago I rode on road from Newtonmore to Laggan, did two laps of or the red, and then rode back via Glen Banchor. Excellent day out.

It's not been raining much the last few days so the river crossings will be fine.

I think you'll be ok for snow at low level. Maybe give bothy bikes a call, they were planning Badaguish tonight.

Glen Banchor sounds a good shout. Anyone know if the woods at Inshiriach are OK? Last time we were near there we got stuck in a mudfest due to logging lorries and I was not popular.

Bits of crunchy stuff still lurking in the woods. Did Ryovan/Nethy loop tonight and some of that was hard going where lots of folk had been walking and the footprints in the snow had all frozen. Lovely fire on in the bothy on the way past but we resisted temptation.

It's supposed to get a couple of degrees warmer over the next few days so I reckon you'll be fine. You could, of course, hire a fatbike from Bothy....

The very, very, muddy bit you're talking about, was that on Moor of Feshie? If so, it's not as bad as it was. Nothing else seems to have been too bad recently.

Yup -Moor of Feshie, never seen mud so deep. I don't think my son or nephew will ever forgive me.
I had wondered about hiring a fat bike for a laugh, the only problem is I might enjoy it.

I know the bit you mean then. TBF, low temperatures mean it's all been fairly fast and dry round there recently.

To go back to your thread title "a bit optimistic" there's loads of folk up here manage to ride those trails all year. I reckon you'll be just fine 🙂

A fatbike would certainly offer up additional possibilities.

FWIW, there's a snowsports/music festival on at Cairngorm and Badaguish this weekend. That could be (a) interesting or (b) a pain in the nuts. Either way, expect a few more folk around in those areas.

I think that is next weekend but you are the second person who has mentioned it.

11th to 13th
http://www.skiddle.com/festivals/groove-cairngorm/lineup.html

Yep, it's this weekend, I was meant to be heading up wi the bike and for the festival as a mate is playing a dj set at it but I'm roped into farm sitting for mates, bugger. I've been looking forward to it for the past couple of months...hey ho 🙁

I'd second Glen Banchor but I seem to remember a minor bogtrog between the Castle Cluny track and the track from Glenballoch and Newtonmore.

It's nothing fantastic..... but I quite like the run south on the cycleway next to the A9, turn off at Etteridge, along to Phones then along the old Wade Road to Ruthven Barracks, although you have to cross the A9 just before Ruthven then duck back underneath it again to get there. Before you do that last crossing of the A9 you go through an old abandoned Crofting Village, probably a victim of the Clearances, and further back you cross a classic 1700s Wade Bridge. Once at Ruthven you are on the road back to Kingussie, then Newtonmore. It's interesting and it stays low, and you can duck out at Milton of nuide where there is another interesting earthwork from olden times.

Further on from Ruthven you've got Glen Tromie and the Gaik Pass route. That has a tricky hiker-bikey bit at the highest point beside and after a Loch, then a river crossing which could be a no no when in flood, then a drop down on a Landy track to the A9 cycleway and back on that.

Further on again from Ruthven is Glen Feshie and associated trails. I think you can duck round to glen tromie and back but I've never done that..I think this is on a track that joins the Minnigaig descent which I have done, but I'd not recommend-I couldn't find a track down after the top!

There's loads of stuff. Enjoy. Wish I was there.

Should've been here today. Mountains are white, sky is an endless, unbroken blue.