[Closed] The Answer to the Ultimate Question - The Best Descent in Scotland

I really like the descent off Carn Ban Mor.....

The descent south over the border. 🙂

Not ridden many (which I'm trying to rectify) but I thought Bealach na Lice to Annat was pretty special.

Up hill, along the flat and down, its all good in Scotland. There must be some good stuff around Fort William.

M74.

As Mr. Bicuits said above, to Annat on the Torridon circuit...

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Hoping to try the descent to Achnashellach sometime soon, heard it's as good.

But Rob is it though, i have it on the list, hopefully not all shirt and no trousers if you know what i mean, bit of a hike up there...but just north of Callander... i may have found the prize.

rickon Really enjoyed Can Bam mor on the hardtail, must have a go on my other bike, heeps of fun i'm sure.

Does this mystery gem you speak of have jedi-ish credentials?

Or have you led I astray?

Rob, is the Achnashellach descent the one where you turn right at Bealach na Lice instead of the left and over the summit and down to Annat?

There's a path on the right that traverses high along towards Coire Grannda/Beinn Liath Mhor?

Can't wait to get back up there although it's a massive trek from Leeds 🙂 Hoping to attempt Glen Feshie/Carn Ban Mor BH weekend.

I'm sure the Jedi master would ride it with panache, but this is more about everything not just the technical difficulty, it has ambience for sure.

The holy grail is a loop that takes in both the Annat descent and the Coire Grannda / Coire Lair descent.
The way I prefer is starting in Torridon and doing the Annat descent as a climb first, round to Coire Lair and down followed by a climb past Coulags Bothy and ending up going back down to Annat.

Have heard great things about the Coire Lair descent, it is already marked on me map.

Ben Lomond is the best I've done, but I've not done that much.

What's the one near Callander?

North of Callander? Hmmm. Ben Vorlich is really good. Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas are better. Ben Ledi is not too bad but not the best in the area. The descent off the Inverar Horseshoe is pretty special.

I'm intrigued Fergal, where are you thinking?

I've still to ride the descent off Stob Binean and Ben More and have always wondered about that on the bike.

Ben Lomond really is a cracker, must get back up this summer, would really like to checkout the Ptarmigan descent,less flow but more tech, i think Sanny was saying off here.

edit talk of the devil!

Sanny have no fear you really are the oracle on these matters, in your'e honest opinion how would you rate the ptarmigan descent.

Hi Fergal

I really like Ptarmigan. We did it in the winter with ice at the top meaning the first bit was a walk down. I reckon the first bit would still be a bit of a walk down in the dry too. However, after that it gets very good indeed if you like slow speed tech. I'm planning a return trip in the dry on a sunny evening to really give it a good go. If you don't like slow speed tech, you may hate it but it's my bag and it put a huge smile on my face! A wee ride report below with pics if you clicky the link.

http://www.gmbc.org.uk/ben-lomond-ptarmigan-the-hard-way/

So what's your north of Callander route then? I'm intrigued! It could be somewhere I've yet to ride which is always good!!!!!!

Cheers

Sanny

I loved the Carn Ban Mor descent but I've been told it's been ruined somewhat with *improvements*, namely lots and lots of waterbars 🙁

Coire lair/Annat large loop:

Go in at Coulags (on Lochcarron Road) past bothy upto Beallach na Lice. Over top, left and down to Annat for a pint. Then along road past Ling Hut to Loch Clair. Turn right and up the Coulin path until you get to a bridge that either takes you on over the hill towards Craig or turn right upto Waterfall and small hut (take this route). Cross river and then single track climb up to Coire lair. You come in above the technical stuff, therefore turn left and let it flow. This takes you down to the Station at Achnashellach. Along road and pick up car. Ledgowan for a pint then lots to eat as it is a reasonably big day out.

8)

Can Ban Mor descent now involves 100+ water bars - not as much fun as it used to be I suspect!

I better start practicing my bunny hop technique then as I aim to ride this BH w/e.

Well I was going to tag the ascent and descent of Carn Ban Mor onto the Glen Feshie loop but I'm sure I've read on here that the Carnachuin bridge has been swept away.

The holy grail is a loop that takes in both the Annat descent and the Coire Grannda / Coire Lair descent.
The way I prefer is starting in Torridon and doing the Annat descent as a climb first, round to Coire Lair and down followed by a climb past Coulags Bothy and ending up going back down to Annat.

+1

The Coire lair descent is better than the bealach na lice down to Annat IMHO.

I really enjoyed the descent ( sorry if the spellings wrong!) in Aviemore, Carn Ban Mor in the dark was pretty good fun 2!

The descents to Achneshellach and Annat are both great in their own way which is why its such a great loop. +1 for doing it from Annat as you end up at the Torridon Inn for beer and food.

For me, the best descents I've done are Ben Lawers or Beinn Ghlass down to the car park, or Ben MacDui down to Glen Derry. Cairngorm down to Loch Morlich via Coire an Snechda is pretty special as well.

Carn Ban Mor is pretty good, but not a patch on those above

Edit: and Lochnagar down to Glas Allt Shiel is a cracker

Sorry for a slight hijack Fergal

Captain M, What is the details on that Lochnagar route, eg do you go in at Loch Muick or Braemar etc.?

Really fancy doing that one.

Captain M, What is the details on that Lochnagar route, eg do you go in at Loch Muick or Braemar etc.?

this thread needs more pics. lots more pics.

Cheers Captain/Fergal

Need to sell this to the lads with Keen/Firmouth Rd thrown in as well. Could stay at Aboyne, Just need the weather.

Here's those water bars down Can Ban Mor

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Depends how you ride really..

http://video.mpora.com/watch/AcvGOzewd/

Glas Alt Shiel is lovely. Well worth doing as part of the 5 munro loop from Glen Clova.

Kilbo path is nice though a bit too straight to be my favourite descent.

Jocks Road is ace fun. I still fancy trying the descent of Corrie Fee off Mayar. 😉

Aye, MacDui is pretty darn good too.

So Fergal, what is this north of Callander descent of which you speak?

Wowser GW some pretty impressive descending going on there, probs the first time that track has been dry and dusty.

Sanny don't worry you have ridden it, i walked it a few years ago, have since seen pics of persons unknown riding it and raving, looks a corker, just waiting for some sunshine, will of course spray on t'internet when i have done the deed.

rthomas17 "my god what have they done!" i can feel a song coming on.

Another wee gem is the descent off Morrone just outside Braemar.
We did it as part of a loop involving heading up Glen Callater then descending down from Bealach Buidhe and onto the A93, then take the Landy track up to the summit. Easy peasy 😀

obviously i would recommend Spooky Woods as the one i love.

Fairhurst you rogue like.

rthomas17 "ice cold nowhere to go in the arctic tundra" the NP will not be happy untill they have paved the Cairngorms for the tourists, just imagine, polar bears with summer jobs, selling ice cream from kiosks.

Macdui\Etchachan descent is a peach.

I think Its the mythical 'kinchie trail' which is hidden somewhere in the depths of the land they call east Lothian .

only on a Fatbike dude 😉

There is too many to choose from!

BermBabyBerm

Glas Allt Shiel is a cracker, both fast and flowy, and slow and techy. Have managed to ride it all, bar the corner next to the waterfall. Puts a grin on my face just thinking about it.

The bit below the tree line on the Lairig Ghru is one of the best bits of trail I have ever ridden anywhere ever. We got to the bottom and immediately rode all the way back up to do it again, which is unprecedented.

Obligatory low quality pic of me smashing it;

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(I'm actually doing about 450mph in this pic, you just can't tell)...

I rode past that trail a few weeks ago,Fortunateson. I never bothered going to the top to ride it as it's altered a bit since <2004ish for the worst.Its a shame.It was obviously once natural top to bottom and I like to remember it that way.

I know its not the Ciaran Path...

Jocks Road, the descent to Loch Muick or possibly the Torridan Bealach na Lice and Achnashellach round is my favorite so far.. after Spooky Wood that is...

You can find most of these descents here:

http://www.mtbtrails.info/

Certainly haven't ridden enough to say which ones are amongst the best. But I did enjoy Capel Mounth to Glen Clova for sheer speed and fun

so much to do..... so little time!!!!

Sanny's Carn an Chlamain descent is pretty special. The natural stuff near Innerleithen is pretty good too; in paticular PHH straight down to the GC (I'd get lynched if I owned up!)

http://www.dbethune.com/Mountains/GlenTilt/CarnaChlamain.html

'Finally, a pleasant 5 downhill miles on the bikes (no punctures this time!) back to the car at Old Bridge of Tilt'

Aaaaye! Sounds braw. (below border translation ~ spiffingly fantastic)

[KingofBiscuits - Member

Rob, is the Achnashellach descent the one where you turn right at Bealach na Lice instead of the left and over the summit and down to Annat?

There's a path on the right that traverses high along towards Coire Grannda/Beinn Liath Mhor?]

Hi I have ridden the route discussed above. I can confirm it is an absoulte cracker! We started at Coulags ride up past bothy etc hike to the BEalach and instead of bearing left and down to Anatt bear right and folw the trail. It actually descends into a sort of bowl with a lochan at the bottom then its good old hike a bike up and out to the Bealach. You find yourself looking down.....onto the good bit that takes you down to Achnashelach station.... only you have about 5 km of decent to get to that! 😀

I took some pics when i was there last can post some if anyone is interested!

Hmm. I reckon the descent off the Mamores from the bealach beneath Stob Ban would be mint. I carried up it on Sunday and it looked brilliant to ride down especially if you rode from the summit to the east of the lochan and down the switchbacks.

I rerode Vorlich a couple of weekends ago and it was great second time round.

Northcountryboy, yep fire the pics up. Always interested 🙂

Just had an ace blast down Dumyat in Stirling tonight. Reet good fun 🙂

Capel Mounth into Glen Doll. Fast to technical to silly, just not long enough and its's a hell of a climb up to.

Sanny, I thought that the last time I walked down that path after coming along the devil's ridge.

onehundredthidiot - Member

Capel Mounth into Glen Doll. Fast to technical to silly, just not long enough and its's a hell of a climb up to.

Its a cracker aint it, Did this on Sunday. Was a bit disapointed with the descent into Loch Muick from Corrie Chash.

So many water bars, but it gets way better the lower you get 🙂

Kunstler

What would be the best way of getting up to the start of the descent? Is the steel cable crossing and up the path a possibility. I could definitely hook the bike up onto the bag to get across the water but was wondering if the path up is sufficiently direct without being a trauma scramble the whole way? A wee bit of exposure is fine.

Cheers

Sanny

Thread hi-jack >>> WHW in a day,what direction will be the most fun ,descents and the like? <<<< Thread hi-jack 🙂

We did it South to North in 2 days and loved it. Doing it in 1 day you'd be knacked by the time you got to Devils staircase etc... maybe not so enjoyable then? We considered North-South but went with convention in the end.

Hey mactheknife! Will pst some pics next week, going to Scotland tonite Torridon Saturday 😀

Thanks robert.
So is the best way to enjoy the staircase going North?
Just trying to figure out what the benefits of each direction would be .
[i]I have family that I can stay with in Milngavie ,whatever way I choose to go.[/i] 🙂

Damyat: Nr Stirling is my current fav.

But then I've not looked at Ben Aan yet... (although another decent rider I know reckons it's "nearly unrideable" and Joe Barnes is a "****ing legend")

So is the best way to enjoy the staircase going North

Anyway, back on topic. On balance for me the best descent is Ben MacDui to Derry Lodge. Everything from very steep and highly technical to swooping ST, along with stunning views. Hell of a grind to get there but worth it

Sanny, it's been a long time since I've been up that way but I wonder about going over Mullach nan Coirean, the western most of the Mamore munros and over to Stob Ban. From there to the beallach is steep - I don't know what the path is like as I've only walked in snow but maybe worth checking with geograph and walkhighlands. It could be a nice bit of high level riding before that final descent.

I'd be interested to know how you got on if you did attempt to get bikes across Steall wire bridge. I think the ups and downs, scrambling and airy ridges of The Ring of Steall would be best without a bike but that's just me. Where did you go after you'd ascended under Stob Ban?

I was going to post on the munro thread that maybe you should have a look at Binnein Mor climbing from Loch Eilde Mor (from Kinlochleven). I was up on the two most remote (eastern) Mamores - Sgurr Eilde Mor and Binnein Beag looking across to Binnein Mor and it looked a good possibility by bike. Up to Corrie an Lochan wouldn't be a problem. I left the bike and walked from just before there but it would have been good on bike to the foot of the munros I climbed that day. (steep cones of scree and rocks - not bikeable themselves). Probably only one good way off Binnein Mor - back the way you came but it would be good all the way to Kinlochleven.

Food for though anyway.

Kunstler

Looked at that several times. It's getting done soon.

Stob Ban top section looks mad steep but walking down a little would be no disaster.

Might do Bynack Mor next for a quick evening ride fix.

Sgorr Gaoth is back in nick so that might go too.

How nice is this weather eh?

Cheers

Sanny

Hi mactheknife had to go back up to Torridon to check is I still think the best bit is down to Achnashellach station or down to Annat. There both very different both very good and at the weekend were fantastic. As promised afew pics...........

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NorthCountryBoy, nice pics there. Scotland rocks, ill be cracking Ben Lawers in a couple of weeks. Ill return the favour with the pics.

Jon O Groats to the English bodrer, as everyone knows, it's all downhill.

Me and a couple of the boys pushed up The Merrick today. To be fair a lot of pushing for us but as a bang per buck descent it was superb. A little bit of everything! Super fast grassy/rocky first section heading into a
Loose, gravelly second bit with lotsof wee waterbars to pOp off! Then down into a wood with a really nice footy/ rocky section and on into a much slower techy section. We had smiles for miles!
All in at our slow pace and a puncture stop a 1 hr descent. Kudos to the chap on his own on the kona, glad I had company just incase'. Sweet, checkit!

did the 4 monros east of Bridge of Orchy yesterday with Sanny !.BeInn Dorian, Beinn an Dothaidh, Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a Chreachain in that order, finishes with a 780 meter singletrack descent back down to the A 82, you dinny get that at glenstress !
oh aye sub 8 hours with the 8 km option home avoiding the main road of doom

Noob on here, but heres my list of what i can think of just now in this order

Devils staircase to KLL, good if you keep the pedal on through the troughs
Lairig Ghru down to Rothiemurcus, short but amazing flow
Morven of Morrone, nice and nasty
Ben Lomond, tourist path
And finally Coire Grannda to Drochard Lair wins pants down

Doing Vorlich tomorrow and will report back

Bealach na Ba