UKC

Heading up to Glencoe for a week next week and taking the mountain bike with me. Anyone got any info on good routes around there? I know of the Ciaran track but that is probably a bit too techy for me and I'm hoping to avoid the trail centres.

Cheers,
Davie

In reply to DR:

There's the West Highland Way - steady heading towards Rannoch, quite technical over The Devil's Staircase. Both would be an out and back unless you got dropped off at Tyndrum and picked up at Kinlochleven.

If you can get dropped off at Ft William then there's the Tour of Ben Nevis.

From Bridge of Orchy you can ride down Glen Kinglass and get the train back (need to book bikes).

Both the latter two are in the Scottish Wild Trails guidebook.

In reply to Bob:

Cheers Bob.

Davie

In reply to DR:

A few suggestions.

Park above the waterfalls at the top of the glen, from there ride up Lairig Eilde and down Lairig Gartain. Helps to go with the right attitude towards wet feet and carrying. If you don't have a car you can get to the parking bay riding mostly off road from where the old road (Clachaig turning) meets the A82.

Ballachulish- Glen Duror - Ballachulish, basically a loop round the south of the Ballachulish horseshoe. Good descent but not a soft touch. There are also some tracks/trails in the forest on the North side, certainly quick descending those.

If you do the Devils Staircase then do it as an out and back. The ride up from KLL to the top of the staircase is not that bad, I rode most of it and I'm rubbish going up. On the KLL side the only really tech bit is a short section immediately after where the WHW (coming down) meets the Alcan road.

Most of the stuff in KLL is either steep or quite techy or both. A very non-tech ride is up to Mamore Lodge and follow the estate road all the way out to Luibeilt Bothy at the top of Glen Nevis. Good scenery on a nice day and feels remote but the riding is easy, the ride back is a pain if there is a westerly blowing!

If you can get to The Fort there are more options.

In reply to Horse:

Cheers for those Horse. I'd not picked up on the Ballachulish horseshoe route so I'll check that one out. I bike in the Lakes so don't mind bike 'n' hike and am used to wet feet.

I'd thought of the KLL route up to Luibeilt Bothy, then coming down Glen Nevis all the way to FW and then back over the West Highland Way to KLL - but maybe that is biting off more than I can chew...

Davie

In reply to DR:

Glen Nevis from Luibeilt is generally regarded as a hard slog of bike pushing. A better option would be to cross the river and head over to Larig Leacach bothy then through the woods to Gondola station and then The Fort. It is basically the route of the Tour of Ben Nevis event. Good riding but a huge day out and a big climb back to the WHW.

You could go from KLL to lower Glen Nevis via the WHW as an out and back via the Cow Hill ride in each direction.

In reply to DR:


Or maybe not, though you've no need to go all the way to FW...
http://www.petestack.com/blog/mtb-mini-epic.html

And I'm not even a 'cyclist'... just someone who has (and occasionally uses) a bike!