Suggested ride from Blair Atholl

Spatulala

Arrive early on Saturday (day before Etape Cally), staying in Blair Atholl, fancy getting 50 miles or so, pref with some climbs and spectacular Highland scenery. Different to the Etape route, any suggestions? Looking at the map it's
Pitlochry > Glenshee or head the other way from Blair Atholl towards Aviemore? Weather permitting of course. Thanks.

Flexisurfer

You could put the bike in the car and drive down to Pitlochry. From there ride out of the town north and head for the B8019 towards Loch Tummel, you'll ride past Queens View which is a fantastic photo spot across the loch. Keep going on towards Tummel Bridge then onto Kinloch Rannoch, as you get into the village turn left, should be signposted Sheihallion (check spelling) which is a nice testing climb. Once at the top turn left at T junction B846 and take a fast decsent back towards Tummel Bridge at the bottom turn right back onto the B8019 and follow the route back into Pitlochry. Not sure on the distance but most of that ride is on the Etape Caledonia and is a great ride.

bompington

If you want proper hilly, you need to head to Kenmore and up the Glen Quaich road, or up Glen Lyon and over the Bridge of Balgie road - both go up over 500m, and the Glen Quaich road has some really quite vicious bits. Both a bit of a stretch though, certainly over 50m round trip unless you drive to a start point.
From Blair itself you could head down the old A9 through Killiecrankie to Pitlochry, you can use the pedestrian footbridge to avoid the A9 when you cross Faskally, or use the A9 to avoid the short forest track / footpath section, then take the road up the Tummel and along the south side of Loch Tummel: turn right for Tummel Bridge - shorter and less climb - or keep on up to the top of the Schiehallion road and turn right there to follow the Etape course backwards for a while, but cross over to the north side of Loch Tummel and take one of the wee roads over the hill to Calvine or Dalnacardoch. Lovely routes all.

Or maybe you didn't mean that hilly the day before the Etape C (although you might as well do at least one hilly ride while you're in the area ;-))

mycool

I'd 2nd Glen Quaich having done this climb last October. also did the Loch Tummel ride but as others have said most of it is on the Etape Cal. route - which is what i based my ride on.

Try this route (if you drive to kenmore to start its a nice combination of a decent climbs and some fast smooth roads with beatiful scenery): http://www.strava.com/activities/90977941

adr82

Glen Quaich is a bit far from Blair Atholl if you just want to do ~50 miles, unless you drive down closer to start. It's also a really vicious climb as noted, particularly from the Kenmore side - I think you'll want a 25 sprocket minimum, preferably something bigger (I know I was wishing for a 27 or 28 last time!). The Ben Lawers/Bridge of Balgie one is a similar length but much easier. I wouldn't want to do Glen Quaich the day before the EC! I'd suggest going down the road to Pitlochry, then taking a left in the middle of town onto the A924 and going up that climb towards Kirkmichael. If you just went out there and then back the same way it'd be around 40 miles I think, or you could do a wee loop round the B950/A93 before heading back. The descent into Pitlochry is a lot of fun on that road too!

Spatulala

Great thanks. We'll have no car as we're taking the sleeper train up. Will check out your tips.