TUESDAY 30th December, Carrbridge (again). Meet at village car park 6:30

Next ride TUESDAY 23 December yes TUESDAY from Carrbridge village carpark 6:30 start followed by a lemonade in the Cairn

Wed 17th December, Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore, 6:30

We'll try again from Aviemore and see if a few more folk turn up than tonight's four Riders of the Storm

Wed 10th Dec, Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore, 6:30

Wed 3rd December 6.30pm Carrbridge, meet at village car park

Craig Farleiter

I was out for a walk at the Uath Lochans yesterday and found a new bit of singletrack on Farleiter hill. As you turn left at the top for the big boulder it goes off to the right through the trees. It's a good deer track all the way and comes out down on the Uath lochans trail.

Wed 26th November, Glenlivet Trail Çentre 6:45

We're planning a 6.45 start from the trail centre car park
http://www.glenlivetestate.co.uk/media/189741/directions_bikeglenlivet.pdf

Abriachan

Seeking drier weather I went up to Abriachan today as the forecast looked ok for that area. I haven't been there for some years now and wondered if it been changed in any way. It hasn't been altered and is becoming very overgrown and in need of maintenance in many areas. There are broken bridges and fallen trees in places. It is not the most challenging or exciting bike centre by a long way but it does take you up to a great viewpoint at the top, particularly if you wander along to the cairn. I swung off the route on the return and followed the Great glen way southwards and then turned north again along one of the walking routes. This was much nicer with some point of interest along the way including some carved stones embedded in the ground. The views towards Inverness and south were superb on this side. I took a few pics as I went and here they are.

Next ride Wednesday 19 November, Suie hotel Kincraig for a 6:30ish start

Wed 12th Nov 6.30 pm Nethybridge Hotel

Sorry Douglas you beat me too it (been to London for a few days)

Wed 12 November Nethybridge Hotel Car Park 6.30pm

Looks like George has failed in his attempt to create a post !!

Tyres for rent....

Ever felt that everything's happening too fast..... that you need time to take in the view......that you prefer not to be part of the crowd......


Or do you want to push yourself harder and yet still not take the lead.....or you want to flatter your friends and disguise your true fitness....


If this sounds like you then see George or Douglas they have just the right tyres for your bike. Nearly new and always ridden slowly.

Wed 29th October, Carrbridge Village Car Park, 6:30

The following week, 5th November, we are planning going from Grantown followed by pies in the Craig Bar

Wed 22nd October, Uath Lochans, Glenfeshie 6:30pm

Next ride Aviemore, Bridge Inn Wed 15 October for a 6:30 ish start

The Fungle

As the forecast for today said the best weather would be in Aberdeenshire I headed over to Aboyne in the morning. I have done most of the routes shown on the Deeside series of trailmaps except for one, the Fungle. I left the car in Aboyne and  crossed the river and up a wee side road. The turned right and past the farm Newmill setting all the dogs barking. Then the climb started, its a long steady climb about 4.5 kms stopping to take a pic early on.

After this you carry on for ages, always in the trees and no views at all, but gaining height steadily. Eventually the gradient lessens and you start getting glimpses of views knowing the end is not fat. Finally you come out of the trees and the junction is shortly after that.

Now the single track starts. This is described as awesome in the leaflet. Well  the first several hundred yards seemed to be badly washed out and was full of loose stones, very narrow and testing. There were long rooty sections as well  some of which creating big drop offs. If it hadn't been for the recent torrential rain there and it was dry it would have been easier. However lower down it improves and further down again after some muddy bits and a burn crossing it gets much better. I took some pics of the best bits.

I then arrived at a cottage called "The Guard" and a little below that is this curious construction which appears to have been made as a viewpoint. A previous estate owner in the 19th century built all sorts of strange edifices all over the estate, many with poems engraved on them. There would have been good views from here but it is surrounded by a lodgepole plantation. Also here was a sign warning of "dangerous" capercaillie.

 At this point I decided to head back down as the place was still very wet, and my GPS ran out of batteries. So it was a fast descent down a forest road with care need as it was full of water bars. I came out near Bridge of Ess and here was another construction, a water trough emblazoned with a poem too. I enjoyed the day out and lan on coming back and finishing the route after a dry spell.

Inshriach woods

They have started clear felling in Inshriach woods and the singletrack which goes up to the old Scots pine and the two descents on either side are completely trashed. So stay clear for just now as there is a lot more felling to do yet.

Strathfarrar

Having lost the taste for faceplants in the dark I still go out lots in the day time. Today I took a chance on the weather and headed for Strathfarrar. There were strong winds forecast but they never really materialised and I had a great ride up to Loch Monar in warm sunshine with stags roaring in the hills already. It's a tarmac road all the way up, but there's no traffic and the scenery is superb. Here's a couple of pics I took.

Wed 8th October, Carrbridge Village Car park 6:30pm

Peter's video link was pretty impressive, but here's one from much closer to home that you can all try for yourselves http://youtu.be/xQ_IQS3VKjA

There is a half hour documentary on the making of the video on BBC next Friday night 10th October

Awesome mountain descent

How's this for a bit of descending?
http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/broadcast.record.message.click.do?ea.url.id=289312&ea.campaigner.email=XHuD0j6HqU0cTSKZx458dOwvaGrZxKvq2t8RM2eLScw=&ea.campaigner.id=eIfzByLwnlQ=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0

Next ride Wednesday 1 October Suie hotel Kincraig for a 6:30 ish start.

Wed 24th Glenmore Lodge 6.30pm

Next ride wed 17 sept Grantown for 6:30ish start meet at the carpark opposite the petrol station. plan suggested was for a pie afterwards at the craig

Wed 10th Sept Nethybridge Hotel 6.30pm

Rob Roy way

I headed down to Pitlochry today to look for dry weather and explore some routes there. I found out about the Rob Roy way which goes up over the hill opposite Pitlochry and down to Grandtully. You are straight into a long steep climb with several route options branching off. Once at the top there is a pictish stone circle to visit. Shortly after that you come to a signpost and a long single track descent all the way down. Grassy at the top and then narrow an twisty with some technical bits. Great. There were a bunch of folk kayaking on a slalom course right under Grandtully bridge so I watched them for a while. I came back on the road via Logierait bridge and the back road having been unable to find another singletrack section beside the river Tay.

Wed 3rd Sept Carrbridge 6.30pm Meet car park middle of village

Archie and Sandra en tour

We'll miss the next couple of Wed nights as we will be swanning around the south of France (hopefully!).

Like last year we will try to keep a blog of the trip, mainly as a journal for ourselves, but you can check our progress ( or lack of it) here

Wed 27th August, Old Bridge Inn Aviemore, 6.30 (followed by a curry)

Wed 20th August, Uath Lochans, Glenfeshie 6:30

The following week, 27th August, we're planning a run from Aviemore followed by a curry.

Wed 13th Ralia car park for 6.30 pm Enjoy !!

Progress report

I got the all clear from the consultants yesterday and am allowed to use the bike again. So I was out today on the Loch Morlich circuit, feeling OK and managing fine. I will be getting the miles in on easy trails over the next few weeks and by September should be able to tackle the rough stuff again.

Wed 6 August Old Bridge Inn Aviemore 6.30pm

Wed 30th July, 6.30, Carrbridge

Wed 23rd July 6:30, Dorback

Meet to end of Tarmac road to Dorback Lodge

Next ride Wed 16 July Boat of Garten for a 6:30 ish starter

Time for skinny tyres?

http://www.redbull.com/uk/en/bike/stories/1331623916324/ashton-road-bike-party-biking

Next ride Tomatin Wed 9 July, meet in the village hall carpark for a 6:30ish start

Wed 2nd July, Tomintoul 6:30

Meet at Queens View car park

Wed 25th June, Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore 6:30

Planning on going for a curry afterwards, about 9:00

Wed 18th June - Kincraig 6.30

Probably best to park at the village hall rather than block up all of the Suie car park

Next ride wed 11 June Uath an Lochans for a 6:30ish start.

Route plan was a nice ride out followed by a swim across the feshie and a bonus loop of the
 Burma road. I would love to be there but will be mostly eating burgers and watching carrbridge primary take on the south end of the valley at Shinty. See you next week.

Next ride Wed 4 June Grantown meet at the car park opposite the petrol station for a 6:30 ish start

Fair haired lad pass

Having done most of the Trail of the seven lochs last year in sections, I still had to do the bit from the pass back north. I did the pass before from Inverfarigaig and the corkscrew. So I went up on Saturday and parked the car at the Scaniport road end and set off up the T7L from Cullaird to the Essich road. Then along the very quiet tarmac roads to the start of the trail. This time I had a camera and got some pics. It is easy to find the start as it's waymarked nd the climb up is not hard. The trail seems very little used though it was used for the Man v horse recently. Evidence of that along the trail. I saw only vague signs of the passage of bikes, not recent at all. But when you get up there you wonder why not, views are amazing. The descent is absolutely superb! This is the best of highland mountain biking. Tricky for the first 200 yards then lovely flowing hard pack through open woodland on grassy dry track. Eventually you come out on to Forest road and contour back through Erchite Farm on to tarmac again. I did about 25 miles and climbed to 1000 feet at the top of the pass.

Wed 28th May, 6:30, Tomatin

Meet at Community Hall / Sports pitch.

Cateran trail loop

I found out about the Cateran trail whilst hillwalking in the Angus Glens. So as the bad weather was in the North I headed south today to Pitlochry and then over to Strathardle. The plan was to explore a section of the Cateran trail from Enochdu towards Spittal of Glenshee.  I parked at Kindrogan Field centre having negotiated an very potholed access road. I set of in warm sunshine and located the start. It was a long steady climb past Farm land and then into a forest. Eventually you come out in open moorland. I stopped at the upper lunch hut for a bite to eat and then set off on a now grassy track towards the highest point of the loop at around 1900 feet. The views were wonderful at the top. Thereafter it was a lovely grassy descent eventually becoming farm track again. Here are some pics I took along the way. On the way up, carved finger post, the lunch hut, the track up and the lovely grassy descent.

Overcome with guilt at not turning up in Kingussie due to what turned out to be no more than a light shower, I resolved to go for a long ride today. The Forecast was OK so I went west and headed on up to Loch Ossian and Corrour station. There is work going behind the Lodge on a new hydro scheme and there was construction traffic moving everywhere. They are putting power cables in beside the road on the East side of Loch Ossian as well so that's chewed up. I was hoping to get a tea at the cafe at the Station but it was closed and is now a fancy restaurant only open in the evenings. Not much use for the hill walking scene.

Wednesday 21st May, Glenmore Lodge, 6:30

Next ride Kingussie Wednesday 14 May meet at station carpark for a 6:30 ish start.

Wed 7 May Carrbridge meet in the village carpark for a 6:30 ish start

Wed 30th April, Grantown 6:30

Meet at the car park opposite the petrol station.

Last weeks route can be found at the link below, although I missed out a bit of the single track when guiding the rescue party back to the car park!  I hope your shoulder is  ok Martin, let us know how you got on

http://app.strava.com/activities/133476897

Domingo's road

Finally got an answer to my photo and letter in the Strathy a couple of weeks ago. There's a letter today explaining who Domingo was.

Had a great ride up to Faindouran lodge on Saturday, wall to wall sun and bone dry tracks.

Wed 23rd April Glenlivet mtb trails

Meet at the trail centre car park 6.30

Here's where we went last week http://app.strava.com/activities/130978428

Wed 16th April Nethybridge Hotel 6.30

Here's where we went last week http://app.strava.com/activities/128574443

Next ride Wed 9 April Suie Hotel Kincraig for a 6:30 sharp(ish) start

For some essential training before Wednesday try http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5acDTfjJsV4

2nd April, Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore. 6:30 prompt!!

I don't know where all this 6:30ish nonsense came from, standards are starting to slip!  (I'm bound to be late now)
Hopefully with the arrival of British summer time some of the fair weather bikers (and those who are scared of the dark) will be emerging from hibernation, rubbing the sleep from their eyes, scraping the rust off their chains and getting back on their bikes for next week.

Next ride wednesday 26th at Uath an Lochans (spelling?) park 6:30ish start

Next ride Wednesday 19 March Grantown car park opposite the garage 6:30 ish start

Next ride Aviemore Bridge Inn 12 March 6:30 ish

George, tyres Maxxis High Roller single ply wire bead 60A maxpro 2.35.
Not the High Roller II which is the new more higher price version.

The Corbett Round

If anyone wants to order a copy of Manny's Book drop him an email at manny68g@hotmail.co.uk and he'll bring them along to Carrbridge next week saving any p&p costs

Next ride wednesday 5 march carrbridge 6:30ish start. meet in the car park.

Boat of Garten Wed 26 Feb 6:30ish

Worth a read

I was a bit pissed off at being stuck in Edinburgh today and missing tonight's biking. Fortunately I had a good book to read on the train home.




Available here

Wed 19th February, Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore

Only five of us braved the snow and Heilin' Coos last night