Speyside Way - any experience?

[KneesUp]

We're off on our holidays in a few days, and are staying up near Speyside. I won't have much time to go off on my bike because family etc, but I'm planning on taking an afternoon to have a pootle down the Speyside way to the coast - I'll probably join around Craigellachie.

If anyone has cycled this bit, I'd be interested in how the going is - I'm guessing it won't be comfortable on the road bike (23mm) but would it be ok on my MTB with commuter slicks, or - this being Scotland in summer, would you recommend getting some off-road tyres?

I've read that the Speyside way is plagued with gates, but that seems to be other sections, however, if you've any other recommendations for an afternoon cycling in the area, that'd be great, and I can look at them rather than working

 

[Cycleops]

Be sure to quaff a few drams of Speyside malt.

 

[KneesUp]

Be sure to quaff a few drams of Speyside malt.

Yeah, I might do that instead and just claim to have been for a ride

 

[oldwheels]

Report on the radio that the speyside way was closed by locked gates near Aviemore. No other detail available but worth checking. Uncooperative landowner apparently. Presumably some incomer of the " get orf my land" persuasion

 

[Brandane]

this being Scotland in summer, would you recommend getting some off-road tyres?

I'd recommend snow chains.

 

[KneesUp]

Report on the radio that the speyside way was closed by locked gates near Aviemore. No other detail available but worth checking. Uncooperative landowner apparently. Presumably some incomer of the " get orf my land" persuasion

Thanks for the heads up - it seems this is at Kinrara - I don't think I'll get that far anyway, sadly.

21 July 2017
Ramblers Scotland is calling for the immediate remval of new locked gates that are blocking the public from accessing woods at Kinrara in the Cairngorms, and joining with the Speyside Way that runs through them.

Three electronic gates were recently installed at the beautiful Kinrara Estate south of Aviemore – preventing walkers, cyclists and horse-riders from accessing the popular Speyside Way. - continues at http://www.ramblers.org.uk/news/new...access-at-kinrara-impacting-speyside-way.aspx

 

[gasinayr]

I was up at Aviemore a few weeks ago and cycled the Speyside Way up to Boat Of Garten. Good surface most of the way on this section

 

[KneesUp]

I was up at Aviemore a few weeks ago and cycled the Speyside Way up to Boat Of Garten. Good surface most of the way on this section

Thanks.

 

[KneesUp]

Just to update this in case it helps others - if you have a 2001 OS Map it will show the Speyside Way as going from Dufftown to Aberlour. However, when you arrive there you will note two things:

1) the ride from the centre of Dufftown to the start of the trail is terrifying for children and adults who don't regularly cycle on roads. Park at the distillery at the bottom of the hill instead - it is open until 6:30, is free and has loads of room. Plus you don't have to cajole the kids up a hill at the end of the ride.

2) The path is not part of the Speyside way any more and you will see signs warning of land slips and so on. However, I rode the whole thing and couldn't see any evidence of a landslide anywhere.

If you need to hire bikes, it's free from Collectors Cabin in Dufftown (you just need to make a charitable donation into Hip Replacement Research - the chap who does the hire has had a replacement hip and it's changed his life, he said).