Lochs and Glens North - Report

[Scoosh]

And it was not helped by discovering that the hotel at Ardeonaig, at which we were hoping to have lunch, was closed for refurbishment so we had to do another 8 miles of ups and downs before we could have something to eat and drink.

I can report that the hotel re-opened at the beginning of July and has amazing food . Mrs scoosh and I had a weekend there late July and had a couple of the best meals we have ever had (and we've eaten quite a few in our time ).

The area around Pitlochry, particularly the roads round Lochs Tummel and Rannoch, on to Schiehallion, Aberfeldy and back to Pitlochry is the route for the Etape Caledonia, the UK's only closed roads Sportive, to be held on 17 May 2009. It's not a race, so maybe a good warmup/ fitness check/ training aid/ motivator for the dark winter months (which seem to have started already ). I had entered for it this year but injury kept me out

 

[Scoosh]

Great report too and I'm beginning to get the bug for touring .......

Now, what do I need:
- bike, tent, cooking stuff, ............

 

[inaperfectworld]

I have never been to Scotland...looks like I've been missing out big time.!

yes you're missing out: lot of quiet roads, feels very remote in parts,climbs are not too steep (they twist about more so are longer), wonderful scenery, and one reason i like going is that the food is very good, lots of local produce. pack waterproofs thouigh and anti midge stuff if you're going to highlands

 

[Pongunagu]

Fantastic - great to see pictures of home! Love the shot of the heather and the lonesome pine...

Hoping to get back up to Braemar area in May next year. Your photos have made me want to start fiddling with the bike again!

 

[Kirstie]

The Drumochter pass sucks! Perhaps, though, it was the howling northerly we rode it in, the p*nct*re I got at the top, and the previous 11 days of relentless cycling which took the edge off it! The cycle track was rubbish: the constant up and down of it to and from the road meant you couldn't get into a rhythm over the 14 odd miles of climbing, and the cindery and loose gravel meant you couldn't work up much speed. I was a wreck by the time i got to Kingussie!

Here I am looking moderately happy at the top of it. I was mighty p*ssed off, and covered in crap by the time I got to the bottom!

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yugrve&outx=1024&quality=70

Having said that, because of the altruist that I am, I am so glad that you all seemed to enjoy it so much. Why and how I will never know

 

[Danny]

Jeez Kirstie - you clearly had a bad time going over Drumochter.

I thought the cinder track was quite good as far as cinder tracks go, or to put it another way I've been on far worse. At least it was quite gently graded so it was far less of a slog than I expected.

And the views once you got to the top were great.

 

[I love my Trek 6000]

Hi Dannyg,

Just seeing your pictures has got my itching to go to Scotland! I am thinking of going there next year and cycling the NCN from Carlisle to Inverness then to Fort William. I think I'll be going alone (many people say I'll go with you then blow it out). I reckon you enjoyed yourself?

 

[macthebike]

hello Dannyg, Sounds like I could do it alright on a road bike, but is the Achray Forest bit really rough ? Maybe I should put on wider tyres ....like 32 mms ?
Nice report,Macthebike

 

[Riding in Circles]

Danny, what was so bad about the early off road section? I have been thinking of doing that route on a trike next year so am interested to hear about any dodgy bits.

 

[Danny]

hello Dannyg, Sounds like I could do it alright on a road bike, but is the Achray Forest bit really rough ? Maybe I should put on wider tyres ....like 32 mms ?
Nice report,Macthebike

Part of the Achray Forest section is a rutted and rocky forest track which looked like it was used to provide access to large forestry vehicles. To be honest I am not sure if 32mm tyres would make it much better. The poor quality section is not that long (maybe a mile or two), and what made it much worse for us is that we had taken a wrong turning just before reaching that section, and it took us nearly an hour to get back on track.

To avoid doing what we did, bear to the small waterfall you see when you get to the bottom of the first major decent in the forest, rather than left as we did. I think you go over a small bridge to keep on the right track, and this has a very small NCN sign on it (which we missed at first).

A lot of the forest route was very nice, and there are some stunning views when you eventually emerge. Worse case scenario is that you might need to push you bike for about 20 minutes, so in the scheme of things it was not a major problem.

 

[Danny]

Danny, what was so bad about the early off road section? I have been thinking of doing that route on a trike next year so am interested to hear about any dodgy bits.

I'll have a think about this and give you a considered response tomorrow.

 

[mike1026]

Enjoyed the pictures and report.
Was the Sustrans signing complete?
Where did you stay?

 

[Danny]

I'll have a think about this and give you a considered response tomorrow.

Considered response....

Personally I would be wary about doing this on a trike - though this may partly because the only adult trike I have ever ridden was a very heavy and cumbersome old thing with just three gears.

Potential pitfalls of doing the route on a trike would be:

• From memory a few of the off road sections have barriers where they meet roads. The barriers will allow a bike through easily enough, but it may not be wide enough for a trike. However you should be able to hoist the trike over where necessary.
• Once you've come out of Glasgow you follow a toe path for quite a way. It's probably just wide enough for a trike but you are not going to have much spare room.
• You would definitely struggle with a trike in some of the Achray forest section, and would almost certainly have to push it for a mile or two.
• Once you get past Loch Lomond all the on-road sections are fairly hilly, and there were a number of very steep climbs. I found it pretty challenging in places on a tourer with very low gears - i.e. I had to get off an push the bike up a hill more than once - and I suspect a trike will be even harder work.

Bottom line is that it is not impossible to do on a trike, but it could be hard work. I guess it partly depends on how light weight and well geared your trike is.

 

[Danny]

Enjoyed the pictures and report.
Was the Sustrans signing complete?
Where did you stay?

1. The Sustrans signing was pretty much complete, though occasionally the signs were small and hard to spot. In Aviemore where we actually missed a left turn and ended up cycling onto a very exclusive looking golf course. We eventually realised we had gone wrong when we started getting nasty looks from the punters, and fearing that tresspassing on a golf course could be a capital offence (or worse) in Scotland we beat a hasty retreat.

2. Originally we had planned to stay in family rooms in youth hostels along the route, but these were booked up way in advance in August. In the end we stayed in B&Bs along the way. The majority of these were very cycle friendly, but one (in Drymen) was a complete disaster. The ones I would particularly recommend are:

Killin - The Barn
Pitlochry - Craigroyston House
Newtonmore - Creag Meagaidh

I would particularly recommend staying at Creag Meagaidh. Ali and Geoff who run the B&B are a really lovely couple, and are both keen walkers and fell runners who are hugely knowledgeable about the area.

 

[macthebike]

lochs and glens

Hello Dannyg, Nice report. Would you say this route is ok for a road bike of the audax type ? Maybe I need to put some wider tyres on. Is Achray forest suitable for such a bike? Cheers