MTB routes on Skye

blinddrew

Heading up to Skye for a week in the summer, anyone know of any decent off road biking up there? XC / single-track type stuff is my normal poison...
Cheers
Drew

bentalla

Couple of good routes i believe up there but not been myself. Sure one of the mags had a bit about Skye not long since.

http://www.skyeactivities.co.uk/Mountain%20Biking.htm

blinddrew

Cheers Bentalla, Useful link, will check against the map and get planning.

chick0

Here is a famous route, Im planing on doing it this summer..


http://www.mountainbikescotland.com/sliggy.html

betski

i'm going to skye in a few weeks and was looking at the sligachlan route. Apart from being remote, are there any particular dangers with the terrain, flooding etc. as i will be riding solo?

passout

I did that route (Silgachlan loop) last summer - it is remote but there are plenty of walkers about. Best in dry conditions, it's potentially very boggy. Beautiful up there I had a great time - nice singletrack (quite bumpy) but only one longish descent. Take a decent map & a waterproof - nothing out of the ordinary but I did get a snakebit on one of the drainage ditches near the pub. Not a 'hard core' ride but really quite sublime -I challenge anyone not to love it! The Silgachlan Hotel is great place for a post ride pint!

Also did MacLeods daughters ride from the Dunvegan Castle area where you ride along cliff tops. The singletrack was perfect to start with but it turned into an exrcise in carrying a bike over heather for half the ride! Now that really was remote - no body there! The views were out of this world - a tiring but memorable & unique ride. However I preferred the aforementioned route overall.

If you want a walk the Quirang is a pretty amazing spot.

I love it up there.

RedJohn

Did the Sligachan last year as well. Long and remote, no especial dangers. Very steep up at the farthest reach - I'd be impressed with anyone who rode up!

I also managed about 10 punctures which was a bit ... irritating :evil: . Especially come the evening when the midges attack anything that stands still for 10 seconds ...

passout

RedJohn wrote:

Did the Sligachan last year as well. Long and remote, no especial dangers. Very steep up at the farthest reach - I'd be impressed with anyone who rode up!

I also managed about 10 punctures which was a bit ... irritating :evil: . Especially come the evening when the midges attack anything that stands still for 10 seconds ...

I rode down it!!

Were you on a hardtail? I would guess you'd get more punctures on a hardtail with all the drainage ditches etc...

royeggy

Hi,
I'm also looking at going to the Isle of Skye in the summer, does anyone have the GPX files for Sligachan. Also, on the link http://www.skyeactivities.co.uk/Mountain%20Biking.htm it mentions the quiraing loop, does anyone have any info on this ? Thanks

passout

I walked around Quirang it's busy with walkers and the trails don't look too MTB friendly to me. I'd guess the other routes mentioned above are better to be honest. Amazing walk though!

This website is for walkers but it is helpful - good maps for a website: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/

Singletrack on Harris os meant to be good too.

blinddrew

Thanks for the comments folks, looks like there should be plenty to keep me busy as long as i remember to get my 25000 map!