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Ok up for a week at half term (with all the complication's that it brings) at the western end of Lock Awe any thing I should ride? Got the choice of CX bike or MTB
My first piece of advice would be to get a map of Scotland and to find out where both the Trossachs and Loch Awe are.
Ok then any rides in the Lock Awe Area I should do??
You can't say 'Lock' and ask scotspeople for advice in the same sentence! 😉
I hear there's some great riding down in englandshire, stay there and ride it.
Dyslexia is not a crime! Though its no excuse for bad geography.
So have I booked a duffer for riding this holiday? Looking for something around 3hours long joined up with an early start so I can get back to so I can spend time with the kids and all that.
As above, get a map of Loch Awe out and work out routes in Argyll, nearby...
Trail Scotland has a couple on...
englandshire is that Edinburgh?
So have I booked a duffer for riding this holiday?
No, not at all. Some great riding, in a stunning (wet) part of the world.
I don't have the local knowledge to advise in detail.
West side of Loch awe is also massive - where exactly?
Staying 5 mins from Ford at the far western end of the Loch just tried making sense of the map its looking like the CX bike is going to be the best option and lots of fire road bashing. Not bothered about the wet bit as I live in Cumbria.
Google the leacann muir route. And take a snorkel.
Wool - last time I was in Ford, there was a lovely route over the old drovers road to Auchendrain, a lovely technical climb and descent and decent views all the way. Best to check with some more local knowledge though, it's been too long since I was last there.
There are plenty of tracks around there, I don't have any details though as I was following a local in holiday mode......
...last time I was in Ford, there was a lovely route over the old drovers road to Auchendrain
I suspect that was (at least part of) the Leacann Muir route that Nobeerinthefridge mentioned above.
I did it in 2009 and it was, erm, wet to say the least...
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So have I booked a duffer for riding this holiday?
There were certainly some grumpy sods in last night! Compared to riding in Cumbria (and what other parts of Scotland have to offer) I wouldn't hold out high expectations. And saying get out a map is pretty unhelpful in that part of the world as the forest tracks are not up to date and the black dashed lines can be especially boggy.
The Leacann Muir route mentioned above is your best chance of some technical riding tho one leg of the circuit has been completely sanitised. Its not too difficult to navigate (apart from where it leaves the forest drive route - which is helpfully not shown on the OS). Also shouldn't be too wet at this time of the year. Don't know if it would be great fun on a CX bike - a lot is double track like above or fire road but where the forest commission haven't semi paved it then it is still pretty rocky. Personally I would do it clockwise and the northern loop is the sanitised loop. Still a big long climb on a CX bike.
In conjunction with an OS its worth a browse on Strava heatmap - at least that shows were folk are riding - tho either there's not a lot of off road or else not a lot of strava use!
The forestry tracks can either be scenic or tree lined misery but if you've done cumbrian forest you'll know that. Havent ridden the forest tracks there so can't comment.
There are some trails at Lochgilphead (Fire Tower Trail)that used to be worth a look if you were in the area. I understand they are no longer maintained but a quick look at Strava suggests they are still being ridden. Crinan Cycles in Lochgilphead may have some local knowledge - I've never asked them.
There's always the crinan canal 🙂
Have a good week.
PS satellite imagery suggests the black dashed line out of Ford might be worth a look but if you sink to your axles I didn't say that!
Some photos from 2010 [url] https://www.flickr.com/photos/26693195@N03/sets/72157625040220846/ [/url]
I wouldn't ride it on a cx bike.
I did a loop around Crinan and Tayvallich a few years ago. The route was in one of the Bike Scotland pocketbooks. Nothing technical at all though I can't remember that much about it.
I concur auchenDRAIN is good.
Everything else is fireroad but the scenery and views are amazing. Don't rule it out because its not super duper single track. There are loads of Villages castles and prehistoric stuff to amuse.
Get the wee ferry taxi from Tayvallich and explore, Carry your bike up and all over Jura/Islay
Cool thanks everybody for the pointers going to take the 29er and waterproofs ! + going to have lunch at Loch Fyne the 7 year old is desperate to try some oysters.
Well had a fantastic week I didn't bother staying in englandshire and did the leacann muir route on the CX wet yes but good fun and just about doable on a CX. The Scotish Beaver's were most disapointing but loved the trail.....