UKC

I know that you can easily get as far as Derry Lodge using a mountain bike and I reckon that you could get a long way up Glen Derry on one without having to be particularly technically proficient (the route on the Lairig an Laoigh is on the MTB tour of the Cairngorms) but how easy/difficult is it to get to Corrour Bothy by MTB?

Looking at getting on to Braeriach etc walking in the summer so wouldn't be carrying much.

ALC

In reply to a lakeland climber: Once your past Derry lodge the path gets more technical, there will be a few parts to carry(not far though) then once your round the shoulder it easier, you will have to carry it over the bridge and up to the bothy though.

In reply to a lakeland climber:
It's easy to cycle to the fence just before the Luibeg crossing. Leave the bike there and walk - it will be faster than trying to get the bike over the shoulder of Carn a'Mhaim. You can easily do a day trip to Braeriach this way.

In reply to both:

Ta. I don't mind a bit of carrying but it's a balance between the increased speed of the bike vs the faff of sections that simply aren't rideable unless you are Steve Peat or Martyn Ashton. Without ever having been in the Lairig Ghru I don't know how the path matches my (in)ability on the bike

ALC

In reply to Scomuir:

Agreed. Easier to walk with even the lightest of packs.

In reply to Scomuir:

Agree, beyond Luibeg is not worth the hassle. The only people I've seen take them beyond are those on a mission to cross the Ghru by bike.

An alternative is to approach from the North via Glenn Einnich (sp).

In reply to ScraggyGoat:
If you are going specifically to mountain bike it, then fine, but otherwise i am sure it's faster on foot. I've often got skis on my back, so it's definitely faster on foot! That said, would like to descend to Luibeg sometime on the bike. I think that would be great fun.

In reply to Scomuir:

For me it's to shorten the approach rather than try and prove how far I can bike. Drainage channels and the occasional tricky section are fine but I'm not going to push/carry a bike up a slope for 1Km just to get to 1Km of riding on the other side.

Assuming that this http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/239531 , http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1932435 and http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1397687 are typical of the path once you've climbed up from Luibeg then it looks OK. Of course these could be the only sections of that standard

I've ridden up Glen Einich - one or two interesting fords after wet weather but nothing remotely technical as far as the loch.

Does anyone have a list of Munros that are made much easier by using a mountain bike for at least part of the approach? I'd imagine the Ben Alder group would be amongst the list.

ALC

In reply to a lakeland climber:
Practically right the way to the summit. I got knackered and left my bike slightly lower down though.
http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/hill.php?id=12749

In reply to a lakeland climber:

I imagine it would be a pretty long list!
Off the top of my head (excuse spelings):
Ben Alder group
The Fisherfield 6
Glen Tilt (Beinn a' Ghlo etc)
Glen Ey (Beinn Iutharn Mhor etc)
Ben Avon/Beinn a Bhuidhe
plus most of the hills accessed from the Linn of Dee

In reply to Toreador:
You are only meant to bike as far as the edge of the forest so still a bl**dy long way in!

I thought the road head wasn't so far from the main path for Beinn a Ghlo - I've done the MTB circuit of BaG but can't remember how far away it is. There's one on the west side of Glen Tilt that would be worth it though.

Done most of these, just Carn a Mhaim and Beinn Bhreac to do. (other than the Braeriach lot hence the original question)

ALC

In reply to a lakeland climber:
Of course, there are some good sections, and some not so good sections from Luibeg to Corrour, but as you say "For me it's to shorten the approach rather than try and prove how far I can bike", then I would stick with dumping it at Luibeg.

As for a list of Munros easier by using a mountain bike, just look at a map for any that have landrover tracks on the way!

In reply to a lakeland climber:
Some others
Beinn Dearg (Blair Atholl)
Beinn Dearg (Ullapool - not a massive help but you can roll back to the car)
Maoile Lunndaidh and others
Lurg Mhor and Bidean a' Choire Sheasgaich

In reply to Mike_Watson_99: Used the bike for most of the hills in this thread, handy for Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan and Mullach na Dheiragain from the north via Glen Elchaig, also approached these hills from the south along Glen Affric as far as the Alltbeithe hostel using the bike.

In reply to a lakeland climber: Agree with leaving your bike before Luibeg. Tend to leave mine about half a mile earlier than the edge of the plantation at the end of the new improved path which finishes as you come out of the trees at 0268 9394. Once met a couple on mountain bikes after Luibeg - they were doing a loop round Sgor Mor - although looking fit and competent they were finding it a real struggle.

As for Munros made easier by bike - well most of the Cairngorms for starters:

Mount Keen from Glen Tanar or even Glen Esk though it's a short day anyway, hills accessed from Glen Callater, from Glen Taitneach at Spittal of Glen Shee, Lochnagar, Broad Cairn and hills from Glas Allt Shiel, Beinn a' Bhuird, Ben Avon from various start points, not just Keiloch, Bynack Mor from the road end after Glen More Lodge, Meall Chuaich, Beinn Dearg from Calvine. Enough, enough I hear you cry! OK one more that I've not biked myself is Mullach Clach a Bhlair from Glen Feshie; I've seen guys cycle right up and do a loop that included Carn Ban Mor but it looked a right grind going up and the track down from Carn Ban Mor looks a bit difficult on a bike.

One non Cairngorm suggestion and then I'm stopping: from the concrete bridge at the W end of Loch laggan you can get access to loads of hills including a rarely used way up Beinn na Lap.

In reply to a lakeland climber: You can easily get to Luibeg on a bike, however the path gets churned up by the bikes. It is really a good location to view how intense this damage can get. I leave mine at Derry Lodge tied up behind the rescue hut or there abouts. Not sure the extra Km is worth adding to the erosion when it is wet (e.g. now).

If the path is frozen or dry it is a nice cycle up to the Luibeg deer fence.

Although the Luibeg deer fence is no longer there. (Well, it is, but the poles are down and the wire is rolled up waiting to be taken out.)

In reply to Scomuir:

I'm never sure in Scotland - you go from 100% rideable to 5% rideable yet the track has the same symbol on the map It does need a bit of heads up as to which are actually useable. An example would be the track from Lochinver to Saileag bothy (near Suilven) which is generally easy apart from a couple of steep sections. Head north from the bothy towards Little Assynt and you'll be lucky to ride more than a couple of hundred metres.

ALC

In reply to a lakeland climber:
I cycled into Fisherfield via loch a Bhraoin, which was hard work, then out to Dundonnel on the way home. The northern track was all ridable this way. The worst bit was the road back to the car near the loch.

In reply to a lakeland climber: Just to add about the tracks I've mentioned is that they are all landrover tracks no more difficult than going up Glen Einich.

Also if you are planning on going to Braeriach then apart from going in via Luibeg or Glen Einich you could cycle in from the W end of Loch Morlich to Rothiemurchus Lodge (or a wee bit past) then follow a wellmarked path to join up with the Lairig. Used that route when I was in earlier this year and it gives a super fast run back down at the end of the day. Again it is a non technical landrover track. Think I prefer it to going through the Chalamain Gap.

In reply to a lakeland climber: For a change I came in the back of Braerriach as the poster above notes,probably faster than leaving bikes in the woods at Luibeg,esp if you are going up or down the A9.