Aberdeen to Ardnamurchan – A Coast to Coast Off-road Cycle

[gma73]

Can anyone assist?
I have been inspired by the three gents who submitted a report on the above coast to coast on the CTC web-site- so to the questions
Does anyone have a detailed map of the route?
Is it advisable for those taking up MTB in January 2013 for a June start?

[mrjemm]

Sounds an interesting ride. I was talking with a colleague yesterday about a UK equivalent, but know nothing about a route up there.

It may be worth contacting the Rough Stuff Fellowship; it sounds like the sort of thing they'd know about. There is a group in Scotland-
http://www.rsf.org.uk/local-groups.html

http://www.rsf.org.uk/scotland-06.html

Another source- http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/comms/info.htm

Sorry I can't be more help. I just remembered a colleague was talking about doing a ride via Ness way, but he's away now and I can't remember his thoughts.

[gma73]

Thanks mrjemm for the reply. I will certainly look into these sites and gather further info.

[mrjemm]

Here's some more inspiration I just stumbled upon- nice pics.

http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index. ... 964.0.html

Now I must go and hunt the report you mentioned in the opening post. Cheers. Jem.

[ChrisButch]

Peter Koch-Osborne's series of guides, some of which have been reissued by Cicerone Press, are still far and away the best source of information for off-road routes through the glens. It's usually straightforward to string a sequence of these together for longer itineraries. The most valuable feature is the classification of surfaces on the comprehensive sketch maps - something it's impossible to glean from OS maps, even at 25,000 scale.

[gma73]

Peter Koch-Osborne's series of guides, some of which have been reissued by Cicerone Press, are still far and away the best source of information for off-road routes through the glens. It's usually straightforward to string a sequence of these together for longer itineraries. The most valuable feature is the classification of surfaces on the comprehensive sketch maps - something it's impossible to glean from OS maps, even at 25,000 scale.

thanks chris, I'll look into these

[gma73]

[quote="mrjemm"]Here's some more inspiration I just stumbled upon- nice pics.

http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index. ... 964.0.html

Now I must go and hunt the report you mentioned in the opening post. Cheers. Jem.[ these pictures are great along with their map. It has answered a number of questions- thanks/quote]

[ChrisButch]

Just to add that I spent some time in Ardgour & Sunart at the Western end of your route in September. Was there for Corbett-bagging rather than cycling, but did use a MTB for access to some of the hills, so got a fair idea of some of the routes you might use. The track from Glenfinnan along most of the Eastern shore of Loch Shiel is a former road and is wide, mostly flat, well-surfaced and easy. This takes you through to Strontian, and there are several stretches of good forest track which can be used to connect Strontian and Acharacle. From Acharacle there is a mostly rideable track along the north coast of the Ardnarmurchan peninsular.

[gma73]

Thanks Chris for the advice. the Loch Shiel track/road looks okay. Do you think that Glenfinnan to the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan is rideable in a day?

[ChrisButch]

It would be a long, hard day, and only doable if you're prepared to take to tarmac between Pollock, Strontian and Acharacle, and again all the way to the lighthouse after the North coast track from Acharacle to the Ockle roadhead. The coast road is slow going - a continuous switchback; but trying to continue on the North coast after Fascadale would involve a lot of walking and be very indirect. The scenery is outstanding, and the roads are off the main tourist routes - so I'd be inclined to take your time and spread it over a couple of days.

[gma73]

Thanks Chris for that- I'll bear this in mind when we are planning the route and timescales

[gma73]

Thanks to all for advice- after a presentation to the group it has now changed to Inverness to Ardnamurchan Lighthouse with the Aberdeen to lighthouse being saved for next year.
Therefore advice now on the following, if anyone has some it would be greatly apprecaited:-
1 I anticipate four days for this trip which I have outlined below and to be honest I am not sure what to do when we get to the lighthouse if there isn't someone there waiting to meet us. Any advice on where to go next or is it pedla to the nearest train station.
2 Is the length of each section enough each day or will Day 3 as an example be over in a few hours ( I am trying to get at least a 2 hours ride in the morning and 2/3 in the afternoon after lunch. Basically what can I achieve with all riders trying to be able to cycle 30-40 MTB miles on tracks as a measure- how long roughly would it take to do 37 miles on the great glen way on Day one?)
Day 1- Inverness to Fort Augustus- 37 great glen way
Day 2 Fort Augustus to Glenfinnan or corpach 44 great glen way with a wee detour through the tracks at the bottom of Anoch Mor
Day 3 Glenfinnan to Strontian- 26- B road/path- it doesn't seem that far
Day 4 Strontian to Ardnamurchan Lighthouse- 30 B road / track

I appreciate that getting off my backside to see what it means to me on the bike, which I will do, but I know there are a number of you out there that can look at this and advise with no thought at all and have probably done this route.
So here's hoping and thanks for at least reading through this.

[The Mechanic]

Sounds an interesting ride. I was talking with a colleague yesterday about a UK equivalent, but know nothing about a route up there.

It may be worth contacting the Rough Stuff Fellowship; it sounds like the sort of thing they'd know about. There is a group in Scotland-
http://www.rsf.org.uk/local-groups.html

http://www.rsf.org.uk/scotland-06.html

Another source- http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/comms/info.htm

Sorry I can't be more help. I just remembered a colleague was talking about doing a ride via Ness way, but he's away now and I can't remember his thoughts.

Is Scotland not in the UK then? Or have we jumped forward to August 2014

[mrjemm]

Hehehe. I think it's just that Aberdeen feels like purgatory...

[kcal]

hm, just found this post, so sorry I'm late to the party.

By stitching together various C2C reports, myself and a mate managed the Ardnamurchan to Montrose C2C in about 5 days IIRc - a handful of years ago. We reckoned about 50/50 split between on and off-road so I don't know if that works for you.

Ardnamurchan (actually we RVd in Tobermory) - Strontian (round by Acharachle as above)
Strontian - South Laggan (over Polldudh, Loch Shiel, canal path, cycle path)
South Laggan - Newtonmore (over Corrieyairack, including a lap of Laggan)
Newtonmore - Ballater (through Glen Feshie, Balmoral)
Ballater - Montrose (Fungle Road, down over to Tarfside then continued over to Tillybardine)

Happy to provide more details..