Aviemore - Lone MTB riding

passout

I'll be an Aviemore on Holiday in 10 days time. Will be doing some lone riding - when 'er indoors allows it. I'm a pretty [and] experienced MTB'er and have spent alot of time in various mountain ranges but obviously don't want to get standed 20 miles from the nearest human being. That said I want some decent routes around Aviemore or that immediate part of the highlands. Been to the Visit Scotland website which was very useful, but there's nothing like recommendations. Thanks in advance for your time.

Any info. on distelleries and / or family entertainment would be welcomed too - she made me put that bit in :roll: !

dave_hill

Why not combine both and do some of the Speyside Way? It's a long distance path that roughly follows the River Spey from Aviemore to Buckie and it passes LOADS of distilleries.

Start at one end, visit a few distilleries along the way and get 'er indoors to meet you at the other end!

Hic!

passout

Interesting. Have you done it? If so, would it be suitable for the Mrs on her hybrid with child seat and a trailer on my bike? Then again your idea would involve less moaning/screaming!

dave_hill

I've walked parts of it a few years ago and if I remember correctly it shouldn't present too many problems (I called into quite a few of the distilleries myself...).

Like all long distance paths in Scotland (West Highland Way, Southern Upland Way, etc.), it's open to all users so there's nothing to stop you cycling on it, but be aware that there will probably a lot of walkers around too...

Chaka Ping

Your wife wants you to visit distilleries? You should be grateful!

passout

Chaka - Anything that cheers me up - well almost!

Thanks for your help Dave. We go tomorrow although theweather does not look great.

cjw

passout wrote:

Interesting. Have you done it? If so, would it be suitable for the Mrs on her hybrid with child seat and a trailer on my bike? Then again your idea would involve less moaning/screaming!

Clearly you miss-typed that sentence....should read...

"would it be suitable for the Mrs on her hybrid with child seat and a trailer, me on my bike?"



Seriously, here's a link to 'still in Speyvalley

http://www.aviemoregolf.com/distilleries.htm

If you can get to it, Glenmorangie do a good tour.

My preference is for the peaty malts though (eg Laphroig)

miggillicuddy

I did a ride described in a wee book called 'BIKE SCOTLAND TRAILS GUIDE - 40 of the bet mountain bike routes in scotland".

The ride is called 'Glen Feshie Challenge' and begging in Achleum, rides south down glen Feshie then basically climbs east to the peak of a munro (carn Ban Mor) and tthen has an awesome descent back down to the valley floor.

Buy the book and check out the ride described.

passout

Just back. Did Glen Feshie singletrack but not the descent mentioned above
Still, did some excellent forestry commission singletrack and some trails that were used in the XC world championships a while back - near Glenmore Forest. Got my routes from Bothy Bikes - highly recommendended. Left the wife in the hotel pool & forgot the whiskey as soon as I hit the singletrack . Took the kids on some good day trips though - they loved the Reindeer. Great riding up there, hardly anyone else around. Lucky with the weatther too.

Dazzza

dave_hill wrote:

Why not combine both and do some of the Speyside Way? It's a long distance path that roughly follows the River Spey from Aviemore to Buckie and it passes LOADS of distilleries.

Start at one end, visit a few distilleries along the way and get 'er indoors to meet you at the other end!

Hic!

Is that the one known as the whiskey trail?

Been and done that a few years back, loved visiting glenlivet.

Grouse are wierd though in the way that they flock on the ground. :?

pemsey

The Whisky Trail takes a bit longer - winds all over the place! The Speyside Way basically does what it says on the tin and follows the route of the Spey fairly closely, with some detours along old railway lines etc. However, I had heard that some parts of it did have restricted access to prevent damage to the surface (which is perfectly possible under the Scottish access law as there is some sort of restriction on access to land used by others for recreation!! I'm guessing that's to prevent mass invasions of golf courses )

Superb riding up round Aviemore - even the Family Cycle Route from Colylumbridge to Glenmore has a couple of nice switchbacks - Rothiemurcus etc all good too. There's a nice ride out from Nethybridge, through the Reyvoan pass and back down An Sluggan that makes a good loop - was up there over the summer and did a 40 mile loop from Nethy, Reyvoan, An Sluggan, Aviemore and back along the cycle route to Boat of Garten. Nothing too extreme, though there's plenty of single track to be found - just ask the Bothy Bikes guys

Appreciate the aoriginal poster has been up now, but though this might help anyone else searching for ideas in the area.

Cheers
P.

battykat

I know it's a bit late to add this, but there is a group of mtb riders who go out every wednesday evening at 6.30pm, from varies different locations around aviemore, grantown, boat of garten, carrbridge, nethy bridgy, kingussie, etc. anyone can come along. to find out more, and where the next cycle will be, click on the following

http://www.cairngormimages.com/html/mou ... iking.html

there is also a groupt hat meets every sunday in carrbridge, at the cemetary car park. for a 2 hour ish cycle on local singletrack routes.

hope this is of use to someone.

passout

I might take you up on this next time I'm up -whenever that will be.
Cheers.