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Heading up at the end of May. Have previously done the big loop - down the road from Annat to Coulin, up and over to Achnashellach and then road again to Coulags and back over to Annat.
Looking at doing the lollipop or a variation on it this time. Normally on big loop we would go up past Loch Coire Fionnaraich. Is Bealach a Choire Ghairbh a viable alternative to then go past Loch Coire an Ruadh-staic and the west side of Maol Chean-dearg. The paths on the OS map don't seem to quite join up? Is it possible on the ground? How does it compare to what is on the big loop that I've described?
Are there also any paths worth exploring on the Liathach side and can a loop be formed or is it out and back type stuff?
I'm in the area for a several days and was also going to try the Ben Damph loop as well as a trip across to the Applecross Kenmore route.
Appreciate that there are possibly threads with answers out there but I'll be riding solo so wanted to make sure I'm not attempting more than I can bite off and got some fairly recent info. Thanks.
Ben damph if it's been wet will be a slog around the loch.
It's pretty little loop though.
It felt to me like a long way to go for that decesent. But that wooded section at the ends sublime.
Kenmore to Apple cross I love. It's lovely not too tech at all. I prefer starting at Kenmore and having cake in the walled garden n then back to Kenmore.
Looking at the map of your first question, it's only a couple of hundred metres or so "missing" so not a great effort depending on what the ground is like to join them up. There may be a walker's path between them. Check out geograph.org.uk to see if anyone's taken shots in that area.
Looking at whoownsscotland you can see why the two paths don't join - they are stalking tracks on different estates. In times gone by there were few reasons to head in to the hills so you would get the old drovers' roads, the military roads and then the stalking tracks.
As for the back of Liathach, I seem to remember from a thread some time ago that the marked tracks weren't worth the effort. The only time I've been in that area was on foot and it wasn't easy going even on the popular path through Coire Dubh More in to Coire Mhic Fhearchair.
There was a thread a month or so ago about tracks around Poolewe, have a look for that for suggestions slightly further north.
Whitestone - thank you, some good resources there.
I'd hoped it wouldn't have been too much effort to link the paths - there's certainly nothing on the map that suggests any crags or cliffs or anything and no real deviation in contour lines.
Hi, the tracks do link ok but I prefer to come back up via bealach na lice as it's a better balance of effort to reward.
I’ve done the loop round liathach. I quite like and it was just over 3 hours all in so good if you don’t want a full day.
The descent was a nice 2-3km similar in places to Coire lair descent.
There is a hike a bike in the middle. Flattish rather than a climb it’s just so stop start you’ll end up mainly pushing for a mile or 2.
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Bealach a’ Choire Ghairbh is all ridable from the top, took me a bout a minute to find the descent path so don't worry about the "missing" section on the map. Personal opinion, but I prefer that descent to the Bealach na Lice. Be prepared to an hours pushing and portage to get up to the top.
The Damph circuit involves much effort that was not really rewarded at least in riding terms it is a grand day out in fine weather (we did it in the drought last June). I'd probably do it as an out and back from the pub.
If you look on the map you will see there is a track that heads up towards Fuar Tholl from the Coire Lair path. You can do this as an extra to the descent of the Coire or you can ride over the Coulin from Achnashellach, the round via the Tea House to Drochaird Coire Lair up to Fuar Tholl (about an hour depending on how much you ride, I can be a lazy git in th sun). Then return down the usua descent to the station.
Thanks for the responses - all very helpful.
Sounds like Ben Damph may be an option as an out and back rather than the loop.
Bullroar, cant quite picture where you mean but I'll get the map out later and am sure it will make sense.
Should be pretty obvious, look for the col between Fuar Tholl and Sgorr Ruadh (West side of the Corie Lair) find the path and follow it down hill to the river where it joins the usual descent path.
I was in Torridon last week.
There's a new landrover track around the back of Ben Damh (cuts out about half of the singletrack climb).
I'd definitely still do it as a loop. For me, that loop is all about the big open vistas as well as the fantastic descent back to the pub.
I've never done it myself, but I'm told the path from Bealach a’ Choire Ghairbh to then join the regular Annat descent is well worth the extra effort. (and the paths definitely join up).
Bullroar - yeah, can see the Fuar Tholl path - do you mean tag it on as an out and back?
The other addition you mentioned is a good shout. Puts me by the little bothy as you say by waterfall/footbridge which we'd ride past if starting from Annat and going down the road to Coulin. Then a second bite at the train station descent.
You can add it as an out and back on the main loop, might be a bit too much for my liking. Doing it the other way I suggest is a (relatively) short day. If you do it that way you an always ride up and down the Coire Lair for extras.
The Coulin estate has also recently spent loads of money on paths. There's a new hydro scheme that goes up past the Tea Hut, so smooth landrover tracks as far as the hut make the going much easier.
The Bealach a, Choire Ghairbh route is described here
When I did it, I didn't think the descent was worth the extra climb. The weather was yuk so I might have had a better opinion on a nicer day.