Lochs and Glens North

[oldmanonabike]

Three of us are hoping to do the Loch and Glens North ride rom Glasgow to Inverness next spring. I've just bought the Sustrans route map which follows route 7 but i'm wondering if there have been any changes made since the map was published and when should we do it to avoid the Midges. I am thinking of taking 4 days averaging 54 miles a day. We will be travelling light on road bikes ,meeting up with my daughter in a backup van two or three times a day and staying in B&B's. Any suggestions of places to meet and stay would be gratefully received

[Elizabeth_S]

Midges, you are usually okay before June, but the weather has been mild this winter so far so this may not be true; good warm weather = midge. Any sheltered spot is bad for midges and the best defense is a stiff breeze. I use Smidge, but others have favourites.

[loch eck steve]

As above for the midges , or you could wait until about mid october , by then there usually disappearing , and this year that was about the best month after september weather wise . Years ago avon skin so soft ! was about the best stuff to keep the midges away , but the new stuff dosen't seem to have the same effect , so agian smidge is probably the best .

[wfbroddy]

Wouldn't worry about it, since your not camping and by the sounds of it will be generally moving, this will keep them off you.

Would be worth doing a search for the latest updates on the track as there doing a lot of roadworks on the A9 with dualling this road (I'm assuming the route parallels the A9 up to Inverness)

[khain]

Some of the track is quite rough around the Drumochter pass, though it has improved in recent years. I wouldn't use very narrow tyres. If you go in April or May you should avoid midges but you might get some snow or ice!

[Elizabeth_S]

There's only one section of the A9 dualling active:
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/pro ... g-dalraddy so I think that you would not be affected, but check the transport scotland website.

[oldmanonabike]

Thank you all

[bigjim]

A group of us did this in August. Midge season. Staying in YHs. We were not particularly bothered by them except for one occasion when we stopped for a few minutes in a forest location. Apart from that nothing at all. I was on 28c tyres. The track does get rough in places but not for too long. The worst maybe a few hundred yards and therefore walkable. We had some heavy rain as well. You can avoid some of the off road stuff by taking to the road.
Some of the worst, but, IMO no big deal.