tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17018801559953916712024-03-21T17:41:30.928-07:00Jurassic's Blog.A few accounts of my outdoorsy adventures past and present. Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-40869882950687842202021-06-24T13:43:00.003-07:002021-06-24T13:58:24.936-07:00Tour of the Cairngorms. <p> For five or six years I've wanted to have a go at a bikepacking route called the Cairngorms Loop. Confusingly it actually consists of two loops, one inside the other and to complete both loops is a fairly strenuous undertaking. I knew I didn't have the time (and possibly the legs or willpower) to complete both loops so I asked for advice as to which parts would provide the best riding for a three day trip on the Bearbones Bikepacking forum. The recommendations were strongly in favour of the outer loop which is longer but has more rideable terrain. A few people reckoned that a variation of the classic Tour of the Cairngorms (on which the Cairngorms outer loop was based) would be the best option and so I decided to go for that. The weather forecast for the three days that I had available was for days one and two to be settled and fair but there was potential for rain on the final day so I decided to try to get the bulk of the 122 mile distance covered on days one and two, leaving a shorter third day in case the weather was bad. </p><p>With my planning and preparation completed I set off to drive to my starting point at Blair Atholl at lunchtime and after a couple of hours driving (including negotiating roadworks on the A9 near Perth) I set off on my bike at about 3:30pm. The first section followed NCN 7 (cycle route) on a minor road and then cycle path running parallel with the A9.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGZEuNux7JNHLf8HNMC73m7xJGNE1sqR6Ghjr8x1J-xp4CjeJn4E-xS6vnUQJyn6Hixo94cI5p-QvIJ-4yUpnlGoikvbOmBjJYPA26_CUV5f71OJgIkw2lg9ZPmW1GL2O5nlJASxKDD3V/s2048/IMG_20210607_153708943.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGZEuNux7JNHLf8HNMC73m7xJGNE1sqR6Ghjr8x1J-xp4CjeJn4E-xS6vnUQJyn6Hixo94cI5p-QvIJ-4yUpnlGoikvbOmBjJYPA26_CUV5f71OJgIkw2lg9ZPmW1GL2O5nlJASxKDD3V/s320/IMG_20210607_153708943.jpg"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p> It wasn't a bad ride for the most part, the road section being far enough away from the busy A9 to reduce traffic noise and the cycle path wasn't very far. I made good time anyway and had soon covered the ten miles to Dalnacardoch Lodge where I turned off onto an estate track towards the dilapidated Sronphadruig Lodge. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgohS5UkwIaVpw5BhHJ1hI9l0bGrXdIgbTSmyNINlDVTkuKjbosnIiQuYvRQt4toQrtGoG_oz9xo6m9mr20VrJAjqxGdXLwrvub_1r5azABOC8Lrm7ITgpe6JVIO_ygfixl7UWz25p6buq/s2048/IMG_20210607_162436972.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgohS5UkwIaVpw5BhHJ1hI9l0bGrXdIgbTSmyNINlDVTkuKjbosnIiQuYvRQt4toQrtGoG_oz9xo6m9mr20VrJAjqxGdXLwrvub_1r5azABOC8Lrm7ITgpe6JVIO_ygfixl7UWz25p6buq/s320/IMG_20210607_162436972.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g_ULNv78RrE40KEj0QbNV5S17lI4wJu99nF57VFCSpogIubFEJSWs0c6GKbjzphBFJh5v-q4pcUQ_JQWxEZtQddsMs10YQkhLJ03-1cbcQThmEJwqy0fEAwt47ym2yV9m9jiz_7d5Mlr/s2048/IMG_20210607_162453596.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g_ULNv78RrE40KEj0QbNV5S17lI4wJu99nF57VFCSpogIubFEJSWs0c6GKbjzphBFJh5v-q4pcUQ_JQWxEZtQddsMs10YQkhLJ03-1cbcQThmEJwqy0fEAwt47ym2yV9m9jiz_7d5Mlr/s320/IMG_20210607_162453596.jpg"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>The estate track ends just after the lodge and I had a brief section of hike a bike through some peat hags before joining a singletrack trail that ran alongside Loch an Duin. This was quite good fun with the possibility of a mistake leading to rolling down the banking towards the loch spicing things up!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoG-fFvjJcRbeIW2KIMOL6folmXxKDEXN9QpRZcrQLBbyu98_fDbQJEzomdrw5lJzGsEA7-vFOICWoek5CgLCzxEk80OT0QCTqRH0T_DxHr4MQZrxg6T6PmWq7oliurL20OlTbJTzXpZq/s2048/IMG_20210607_164838224.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoG-fFvjJcRbeIW2KIMOL6folmXxKDEXN9QpRZcrQLBbyu98_fDbQJEzomdrw5lJzGsEA7-vFOICWoek5CgLCzxEk80OT0QCTqRH0T_DxHr4MQZrxg6T6PmWq7oliurL20OlTbJTzXpZq/s320/IMG_20210607_164838224.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5-rzZ40dVp3W68W7V_DaeTG0TLGG2jlAkz1ndxQAAn5iS-_C8-IKHBdr7NwmzJjxuVuhFMPNHDDmOcijqq3sVFRLZR5iIkI-F1wNEC71y19YjG9DzB5wT4V4DklNIX1znBnnb8AS0l6t/s2048/IMG_20210607_164809308.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5-rzZ40dVp3W68W7V_DaeTG0TLGG2jlAkz1ndxQAAn5iS-_C8-IKHBdr7NwmzJjxuVuhFMPNHDDmOcijqq3sVFRLZR5iIkI-F1wNEC71y19YjG9DzB5wT4V4DklNIX1znBnnb8AS0l6t/s320/IMG_20210607_164809308.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN7ZAdE-ToylxaVGLjqUDxcEA85J6hBjKyT9Ap8HPQHGl7Hs7kcnyfezblfI34HYpq1NRHr8w-uXjucOGJMFp89gRbhWu72dGM8m_CQjwrSagL4WbdgR1qHFcM8wnjrs0shuPKqJ4THiJ/s2048/IMG_20210607_170809821.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN7ZAdE-ToylxaVGLjqUDxcEA85J6hBjKyT9Ap8HPQHGl7Hs7kcnyfezblfI34HYpq1NRHr8w-uXjucOGJMFp89gRbhWu72dGM8m_CQjwrSagL4WbdgR1qHFcM8wnjrs0shuPKqJ4THiJ/s320/IMG_20210607_170809821.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>Once I reached the other end of Loch an Duin I was able to cross the Allt Loch an Duin river at the normal fording point rather than having to walk back upstream to the outflow of the loch as had been suggested as necessary during wet periods by my advisors on the forum. Apparently the river can get dangerously deep and fast flowing after heavy rain and was the first of several potentially dodgy river crossings on the route. Thankfully I was riding after a dry spell though. Once across the river I joined another estate track leading down towards Loch Bhrodainn, Gaick Lodge and Loch an t-Seilich.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHYRXSzzCOulrMGpLRsp316uP04QODcfABGoj8qMUWxwSQdMGcMZ5lopH4nO-xgXa37uuiD36hYjUHU3eMICbYhmkGeVLLe1oMa4xV5goA26QwOA_Ctoc3kEq7h-vehk1KeOeWu3YaupI/s2048/IMG_20210607_172840703.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHYRXSzzCOulrMGpLRsp316uP04QODcfABGoj8qMUWxwSQdMGcMZ5lopH4nO-xgXa37uuiD36hYjUHU3eMICbYhmkGeVLLe1oMa4xV5goA26QwOA_Ctoc3kEq7h-vehk1KeOeWu3YaupI/s320/IMG_20210607_172840703.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHp3q5RHFNxRBdmAP8E-8VDR_uux7E30eTtmasM7iRamsWTCHAKgoYtQ7pSn18MyNl2Dk8xqVWUSTs9zuS_NJaswSNmqufIkgDCqtKPXAD0I1Fiv7le7S0Y5ZjhL2J8JKuJzvJM-si47rP/s2048/IMG_20210607_174040356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHp3q5RHFNxRBdmAP8E-8VDR_uux7E30eTtmasM7iRamsWTCHAKgoYtQ7pSn18MyNl2Dk8xqVWUSTs9zuS_NJaswSNmqufIkgDCqtKPXAD0I1Fiv7le7S0Y5ZjhL2J8JKuJzvJM-si47rP/s320/IMG_20210607_174040356.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLskJEkGLoPzf29nVPWWDyweBDtL8GmduRDSEkNyu6R96d62JFerYZ4Mh9VCupCEyu5JE-qAUb0rJQDJFkm03KVxjQ1x5lC7PzG3vOqrJMFkGZH3Q3RldU5YQdAj8aYU83LUxdOMWdxkU/s2048/IMG_20210607_175755827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLskJEkGLoPzf29nVPWWDyweBDtL8GmduRDSEkNyu6R96d62JFerYZ4Mh9VCupCEyu5JE-qAUb0rJQDJFkm03KVxjQ1x5lC7PzG3vOqrJMFkGZH3Q3RldU5YQdAj8aYU83LUxdOMWdxkU/s320/IMG_20210607_175755827.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6UOfjeUm3paPBzKO_bQYbQf6ruzXzk9byBqGTkVbEHDB8U7Yb3FggDa9eefKxvRfKpoXUk9LMP7BeC7L9YYfPzk6J7BP39nXnAlWqrY9XZRMqYTbIa2UIBvx2D0yiwYV8S4_WNcuIHPw/s2048/IMG_20210607_175829721.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6UOfjeUm3paPBzKO_bQYbQf6ruzXzk9byBqGTkVbEHDB8U7Yb3FggDa9eefKxvRfKpoXUk9LMP7BeC7L9YYfPzk6J7BP39nXnAlWqrY9XZRMqYTbIa2UIBvx2D0yiwYV8S4_WNcuIHPw/s320/IMG_20210607_175829721.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>Beyond Gaick Lodge the track improved again and eventually became tarmac surfaced as I got down into Glen Tromie. At Tromie Bridge I turned off onto a forest road that would lead me over towards Glen Feshie where I joined another section of tarmac. Glen Feshie was a treat with beautiful scenery and varied riding on dual and singletrack trails. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdkkSvjnqwJAFhtjCtIsQDwG8b8MUZD5ZO2zb8BXkK-FuC9PryfCC-m3kTamELNQXNs3HzD5ExhVDfFsTO33U5fBj3DSP4_n_eaTKifP5JYILCNHJJsnZ9sdpQ-kGyQVyPv7Nyf5Qe1tG/s2048/IMG_20210607_184337610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdkkSvjnqwJAFhtjCtIsQDwG8b8MUZD5ZO2zb8BXkK-FuC9PryfCC-m3kTamELNQXNs3HzD5ExhVDfFsTO33U5fBj3DSP4_n_eaTKifP5JYILCNHJJsnZ9sdpQ-kGyQVyPv7Nyf5Qe1tG/s320/IMG_20210607_184337610.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNO-5-YMp9wZk97vE-feq8xAYdxWcPbAS6EN5S-Y79z1cFYcHqEIuf1ARPa64fwnWvu9v2d-htjadYSmu9-IMI0UMgRmxbu3XU3mGru9ILnCpR2Hg2rBufuwdvPezCW658TV_IzbENAuI/s2048/IMG_20210607_192125574.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNO-5-YMp9wZk97vE-feq8xAYdxWcPbAS6EN5S-Y79z1cFYcHqEIuf1ARPa64fwnWvu9v2d-htjadYSmu9-IMI0UMgRmxbu3XU3mGru9ILnCpR2Hg2rBufuwdvPezCW658TV_IzbENAuI/s320/IMG_20210607_192125574.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cKmpW8_wENT557J5Hu46cvk40nWz2kC-zSCGkFsUtdhQ3Sr7ox-fRns0Q3YYUPBlOWp_CwGg1l6DKBLAjmTo7wAR5-0InbonAKcd5djQq2gnuw-VWEYq_HM2nvhEORVNO2QB_PQ5fSTk/s2048/IMG_20210607_193713923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cKmpW8_wENT557J5Hu46cvk40nWz2kC-zSCGkFsUtdhQ3Sr7ox-fRns0Q3YYUPBlOWp_CwGg1l6DKBLAjmTo7wAR5-0InbonAKcd5djQq2gnuw-VWEYq_HM2nvhEORVNO2QB_PQ5fSTk/s320/IMG_20210607_193713923.jpg"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>At Feshie Bridge I popped out briefly onto a tarmac road, crossing the river before plunging back into the forest again heading towards Loch an Eilein and Inshriach. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlObBIqsDrSEojlhEcVvGXF1zEeu9EJhrHPKiJmDRfFF5MnpC8KkN8cnJ9J1l29O_id8YkSg5MqBdX5-OxlqXtblU6y7IvS_EIOXSIuqU_55IOeBkMu80p1Oid5Vv6RkUUrWbZLtPuBrC/s2048/IMG_20210607_194819284.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlObBIqsDrSEojlhEcVvGXF1zEeu9EJhrHPKiJmDRfFF5MnpC8KkN8cnJ9J1l29O_id8YkSg5MqBdX5-OxlqXtblU6y7IvS_EIOXSIuqU_55IOeBkMu80p1Oid5Vv6RkUUrWbZLtPuBrC/s320/IMG_20210607_194819284.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>The daylight was beginning to fade as I rode past Loch an Eilein but I knew it wouldn't go properly dark for quite a while so was happy pushing on towards Rothiemurchus forest. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGGQOk8ksTOD4CISNT3eZWQcRrUCajmIvNqP2_0HwM7pX3WbTUdXZhyphenhyphenv0wMJAExR60VEs-88ZswJQSj4iOZnjYyZtFKhoJT5DZKqjVy96A9VfkjOPnQdUKhotV5BA1zo9YjAdO6B15cLp/s2048/IMG_20210607_202854107.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGGQOk8ksTOD4CISNT3eZWQcRrUCajmIvNqP2_0HwM7pX3WbTUdXZhyphenhyphenv0wMJAExR60VEs-88ZswJQSj4iOZnjYyZtFKhoJT5DZKqjVy96A9VfkjOPnQdUKhotV5BA1zo9YjAdO6B15cLp/s320/IMG_20210607_202854107.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>It was strange riding into the familiar territory of Rothiemurchus, I've cycled a fair bit in this area while we've stayed at Glenmore in the camper van. Once I reached the Cairngorm Club footbridge I started looking for a place to stay, I was still feeling okay and it was still light and I could have pushed on but I hoped to get breakfast the following morning at a café at Glenmore so I decided to camp next to a burn just before the bottom of the Lairig Ghru. There were a few midgies out but not many and I was able to get by without resorting to my midgie net by walking up and down as I ate my dinner sandwich. After that I got in my bivvy bag (which has a built in midge net) under my shelter and dozed off for the night.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb-XfTvFN3cjey1y6qazKpPRVpCvBCQ9pbtipwNzTNBT7piulbL53BGjQRQfRj74P3zjPGrNCgY8JlteAH1fsBySv2juMwOskwnLWTfqUELnIJblBF8QjI_7IPDmAEW2C9_Er-e1rzEm_/s2048/IMG_20210607_214404466.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb-XfTvFN3cjey1y6qazKpPRVpCvBCQ9pbtipwNzTNBT7piulbL53BGjQRQfRj74P3zjPGrNCgY8JlteAH1fsBySv2juMwOskwnLWTfqUELnIJblBF8QjI_7IPDmAEW2C9_Er-e1rzEm_/s320/IMG_20210607_214404466.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4iyGlgO1YgzPDAENEwvQNzQv7Dm9_fN62yIXg52t1kfpvT-wGOkDUfxTKRR2R6PkwYOQoRivFv6X4rpcefaoasoBcmmU66E01eY40Rm9rDkZmu8IQf5qkNi9wvS57JW2b6-wBQzVPtpY/s2048/IMG_20210607_215230056.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4iyGlgO1YgzPDAENEwvQNzQv7Dm9_fN62yIXg52t1kfpvT-wGOkDUfxTKRR2R6PkwYOQoRivFv6X4rpcefaoasoBcmmU66E01eY40Rm9rDkZmu8IQf5qkNi9wvS57JW2b6-wBQzVPtpY/s320/IMG_20210607_215230056.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br> <p></p><p>I got up just before 7am and combined packing up with making my porridge and coffee for breakfast and was ready to roll by 8:30am. I knew the route well from here to Glenmore and only stopped to take a photo at Loch Morlich. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtk1urza4O7l-l4fcZNHthsS_Ny-rDvCdckWon3JcYluVxXgnFnD3B-tuv-xn1qq9Bfh0tMwNJaCxhfISfy10W1NCJfEAKa5uFGvc8q0BusoNYwJkpI26GWr6H44c-5WdQTcdaF7FG1KDQ/s1600/IMG_20210608_084850982.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtk1urza4O7l-l4fcZNHthsS_Ny-rDvCdckWon3JcYluVxXgnFnD3B-tuv-xn1qq9Bfh0tMwNJaCxhfISfy10W1NCJfEAKa5uFGvc8q0BusoNYwJkpI26GWr6H44c-5WdQTcdaF7FG1KDQ/s320/IMG_20210608_084850982.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>I arrived at the Pinemarten café looking forward to having a cooked breakfast and a cup of tea with milk but was disappointed to find it closed until lunchtime. No matter I thought the NTS café across the road would be open. Wrong again, although there were signs of life there it wasn't open yet and I wasn't prepared to wait around. Although I was disappointed to miss out on my second breakfast I was more annoyed that I could have pushed on further the night before if I'd known. I pedalled on up past Glenmore Lodge towards the Green Lochain and Ryvoan where I stopped for the obligatory photos. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYPRVi4P3NQ9MMByQ8gM3aEKWFurknO2UlDm_sjd7wCFOj7kIxMylRd1hHxJ818GOcgVUbjXHGdUphsicjSfqrjyKihFQlDBQ6JN4LtCv_znmaxJ9SkikKOpnnGpsr3TooFesVPOLr71O/s1600/IMG_20210608_091704362.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYPRVi4P3NQ9MMByQ8gM3aEKWFurknO2UlDm_sjd7wCFOj7kIxMylRd1hHxJ818GOcgVUbjXHGdUphsicjSfqrjyKihFQlDBQ6JN4LtCv_znmaxJ9SkikKOpnnGpsr3TooFesVPOLr71O/s320/IMG_20210608_091704362.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ovDIusl2SB4t51AygSClcLdgqOLgSNgfyDKxj6u3XYocOldO4XLLetNdYXFbCvLBwwbCO0Tmc1jNwBc14P1OQ-hIZXl163cnfy4QUPVTe6B7pX2dalSnoR8KwAMjeNFFygIM5SGcquTC/s1600/IMG_20210608_092804118.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ovDIusl2SB4t51AygSClcLdgqOLgSNgfyDKxj6u3XYocOldO4XLLetNdYXFbCvLBwwbCO0Tmc1jNwBc14P1OQ-hIZXl163cnfy4QUPVTe6B7pX2dalSnoR8KwAMjeNFFygIM5SGcquTC/s320/IMG_20210608_092804118.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHHbbXsybxIY6U2XFApezUYFxb1nw5pu_Gwg6sEsGgss4aswbbgYg9DafHzqN5DhK2JxvQjwItd-Z6bc5WmNNUQGgzL5GwbhzeAAjgTWXbxaynricF3hdGuJFba2XnAOh1mVj8WdXuKOT/s1600/IMG_20210608_094354495.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHHbbXsybxIY6U2XFApezUYFxb1nw5pu_Gwg6sEsGgss4aswbbgYg9DafHzqN5DhK2JxvQjwItd-Z6bc5WmNNUQGgzL5GwbhzeAAjgTWXbxaynricF3hdGuJFba2XnAOh1mVj8WdXuKOT/s320/IMG_20210608_094354495.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>The descent from Ryvoan pass to Abernethy was new territory for me and it was nice to see that the forest was comprised mostly of mature Scots Pine trees like Rothiemurchus rather than commercial forestry as I'd half expected. The scenery was stunning with some sections of meandering singletrack through the forest as I progressed through the Braes of Abernethy. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyssVw_XETqgy_g0SGdf2d3MMRXogkT6fifL8vmymgT2F8X_ni6mt3JN-OStWpVVdItHKlv0CGxMbGVzHacHAdBom13NbwA9S4A3wXdDx1tySrTFIvsOmliMwLwdSDpaiwLcDhwOW6-VgK/s1600/IMG_20210608_101904823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyssVw_XETqgy_g0SGdf2d3MMRXogkT6fifL8vmymgT2F8X_ni6mt3JN-OStWpVVdItHKlv0CGxMbGVzHacHAdBom13NbwA9S4A3wXdDx1tySrTFIvsOmliMwLwdSDpaiwLcDhwOW6-VgK/s320/IMG_20210608_101904823.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsX3vcWmaR7Krj0pv0zZ7QEnSKP3pGQIYAnxUikZqlI7qFaaYHlcOAb6OZIrcUMtoGhxzOw1mAGIYAF-dLPQhJmzhMDlmsE1_XBdtaeYR_2jsMY1cz2ajXCH4v8qnv3OMa5r8ux3oaWVL/s1600/IMG_20210608_104047741.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsX3vcWmaR7Krj0pv0zZ7QEnSKP3pGQIYAnxUikZqlI7qFaaYHlcOAb6OZIrcUMtoGhxzOw1mAGIYAF-dLPQhJmzhMDlmsE1_XBdtaeYR_2jsMY1cz2ajXCH4v8qnv3OMa5r8ux3oaWVL/s320/IMG_20210608_104047741.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXhoJX7m2LloDInBPbxKpUUvtj2Tm-7bwXLaHLwkmSVUZ_jtiD302lcM8DLzQT0HIVwfFCMPkQK3yAw8-rnhqrS5QycZzVvKV7N-aSHFa-kwTjSuXljtqidZqL4R_O-atNNN3x-3MgTRH/s1600/IMG_20210608_110524448.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXhoJX7m2LloDInBPbxKpUUvtj2Tm-7bwXLaHLwkmSVUZ_jtiD302lcM8DLzQT0HIVwfFCMPkQK3yAw8-rnhqrS5QycZzVvKV7N-aSHFa-kwTjSuXljtqidZqL4R_O-atNNN3x-3MgTRH/s320/IMG_20210608_110524448.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkAyT3XFu6PBVAU7WM3rIO-XcYmwMRkaN_Ai37dEh43k2F1IHPkWM9rPslk3Ehoyf8rslzR4kyklk0U8hMJT1FAvBZ17fj5wN01lSVERZnznXNMdCfWPosJww-Cj6oJ7HkxyELICesHyY/s1600/IMG_20210608_110543721.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkAyT3XFu6PBVAU7WM3rIO-XcYmwMRkaN_Ai37dEh43k2F1IHPkWM9rPslk3Ehoyf8rslzR4kyklk0U8hMJT1FAvBZ17fj5wN01lSVERZnznXNMdCfWPosJww-Cj6oJ7HkxyELICesHyY/s320/IMG_20210608_110543721.jpg"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>After a brief spell on the road up to Dorback Lodge I began the climb up to the bealach between there and Glen Brown on decent doubletrack. It was a fair climb but the gradient wasn't too severe so I was able to ride all the way to the top. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgswm_isNcV1j3QyyLvJIQ4wBzvTy3v9YeTier1W7ytq9jjKHPT87FxFwltUQIFX94ATa8l_0uMwhyphenhyphen7VNsUtKvUpSuqCz9DSjj5YQTQnhsfkeA5meUunlEpSv-mvN2JSbyNevE6sUZxggU/s1600/IMG_20210608_120750841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgswm_isNcV1j3QyyLvJIQ4wBzvTy3v9YeTier1W7ytq9jjKHPT87FxFwltUQIFX94ATa8l_0uMwhyphenhyphen7VNsUtKvUpSuqCz9DSjj5YQTQnhsfkeA5meUunlEpSv-mvN2JSbyNevE6sUZxggU/s320/IMG_20210608_120750841.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>The descent into Glen Brown was fast and loose so it didn't take me long to reach the bottom. Glen Brown was another section that I'd been warned about if the river was high as it has multiple crossings. Again the water level was very low and I was able to ride most of the fords. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1lYTpET3Be4VBkxwgaS0Uv9PlcjoxbgruXI7gN11OjRBDtQfR18pS_-IB-K1rc85ikCc1qkEC3GkeNpTjbdtIYW8ntUcdKh4EYkaqfHn3iaOg2Cwi9afi01xiZUVzceIJ3Za9s4gVznx/s1600/IMG_20210608_121733279.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1lYTpET3Be4VBkxwgaS0Uv9PlcjoxbgruXI7gN11OjRBDtQfR18pS_-IB-K1rc85ikCc1qkEC3GkeNpTjbdtIYW8ntUcdKh4EYkaqfHn3iaOg2Cwi9afi01xiZUVzceIJ3Za9s4gVznx/s320/IMG_20210608_121733279.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>It was a relief to reach the other end with relative ease as I'd built this section up as a difficult bit in my mind but I was soon climbing back out the glen before dropping back down to join the A939 to Tomintoul. I stopped in the town square in Tomintoul and bought a small feast from the post office before having a picnic sitting on one of the benches in the square. Stuffed to the gunwales I wobbled out the other end of town and began to follow the river Avon upstream on a well surfaced estate road. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhYc3cxLvPxhux9sJfX7NZvM4NWeCqQLdvalcvkcNg6f0472mekMSAAyi8IM2hX13Wzxtf0UMyTxCudoHrS6UZWMYG-dwxrphq61dAKP1aafLAQO9PWyknYPECPHubxYGCipQrM74QZdx/s1600/IMG_20210608_140007042.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhYc3cxLvPxhux9sJfX7NZvM4NWeCqQLdvalcvkcNg6f0472mekMSAAyi8IM2hX13Wzxtf0UMyTxCudoHrS6UZWMYG-dwxrphq61dAKP1aafLAQO9PWyknYPECPHubxYGCipQrM74QZdx/s320/IMG_20210608_140007042.jpg"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>Eventually the road turned into a track and began to climb steadily but it was still good going as far as the junction with Glen Builg. After that it deteriorated into mostly rideable singletrack running alongside Loch Builg. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhfVnAX2awCPH67e5ZYMHeDj19rxLK1WQpXCmlhZkUp_Q9n54JYPKqT3V-3qyvEnV63-ZJyp1raHxrbg4x5i8pQ9nr4QjDxfjSUkqSDUPiEWeuTde3bB-0L_rnq2Wc9FD52J9sLTkdcGF/s1600/IMG_20210608_142349377.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhfVnAX2awCPH67e5ZYMHeDj19rxLK1WQpXCmlhZkUp_Q9n54JYPKqT3V-3qyvEnV63-ZJyp1raHxrbg4x5i8pQ9nr4QjDxfjSUkqSDUPiEWeuTde3bB-0L_rnq2Wc9FD52J9sLTkdcGF/s320/IMG_20210608_142349377.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRw4-JcS3G5JFRp8jwjqkQJXFKB-CVTJDAt8oTQWG9Nv6exh70cdVnb4l2ZkoxbWumBnyE7slFrEKNIQA5sj3cL_hjj6u6E6v7vZ8-gX4aQfQHVmn9xEZS22jImy4VBC8__8yH0xG8-TsH/s1600/IMG_20210608_143931783.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRw4-JcS3G5JFRp8jwjqkQJXFKB-CVTJDAt8oTQWG9Nv6exh70cdVnb4l2ZkoxbWumBnyE7slFrEKNIQA5sj3cL_hjj6u6E6v7vZ8-gX4aQfQHVmn9xEZS22jImy4VBC8__8yH0xG8-TsH/s320/IMG_20210608_143931783.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikERfY0sCXk1xF7GTB9Cwzw7W5fx8q6ab79LjhUrXRp7-GIcxxEUbzDeAH5TazzM9JPJdNM8MFWOh7IoLu1P3KnhWucXntoECjbVZyHLHANSoCYhOZRnvokcLtazgx0SQ5UDZanUGcGje/s1600/IMG_20210608_151716209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikERfY0sCXk1xF7GTB9Cwzw7W5fx8q6ab79LjhUrXRp7-GIcxxEUbzDeAH5TazzM9JPJdNM8MFWOh7IoLu1P3KnhWucXntoECjbVZyHLHANSoCYhOZRnvokcLtazgx0SQ5UDZanUGcGje/s320/IMG_20210608_151716209.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>After Loch Builg I turned off again on track leading to the Bealach Dearg. This climb was tough going and I ended up walking some of it. It's interesting to reflect on the physical and mental highs and lows of a ride and this was my low point on this one. Maybe I'd eaten too much in Tomintoul and my body was struggling to digest it but I felt like my legs had no power and I just couldn't be bothered trying to ride a section that (whilst being a big climb) I'm sure I would have ridden more of on another day. Towards the top I regained my willpower and leg power and remounted to ride the final section. The top is around 730m high and has spectacular views of the surrounding mountains with the weird torrs on Ben Avon standing out on the skyline. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYzlfMFIdnRT5iXgTdX0Do3BuuhCIqmVfRWW4sILGczp4waW-9vh8wgXl49b1jtS6eGkym0pXJ3Ow_jbvB3F3KvyJXGukUlC_aeXLYWOQuW9-BDTUzqF_qA_RD1lLv6exCPruo3qZoGUC/s1600/IMG_20210608_162731108.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYzlfMFIdnRT5iXgTdX0Do3BuuhCIqmVfRWW4sILGczp4waW-9vh8wgXl49b1jtS6eGkym0pXJ3Ow_jbvB3F3KvyJXGukUlC_aeXLYWOQuW9-BDTUzqF_qA_RD1lLv6exCPruo3qZoGUC/s320/IMG_20210608_162731108.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4-OA0zZ3YWw3V7sAWKjO8MBVrHSevuoUO_MKLW40O3W75gVZYpJ1w6VEO8fIbaWJ8tnK5YGG3xlEMFi7Fk6vEwSRKDiVPq3tEeUS9ndmTvByGft7D-SZvRtJKA63JLwmjKUNhM-pca4z/s1600/IMG_20210608_162901838.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4-OA0zZ3YWw3V7sAWKjO8MBVrHSevuoUO_MKLW40O3W75gVZYpJ1w6VEO8fIbaWJ8tnK5YGG3xlEMFi7Fk6vEwSRKDiVPq3tEeUS9ndmTvByGft7D-SZvRtJKA63JLwmjKUNhM-pca4z/s320/IMG_20210608_162901838.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWTTvzB1WR0O4H2HE5vGUEz_OEkEjMgtxqwFpk7CEsDOHp9eo-STtZKVvQZSP16HAImXVfwRw9PbEuPugGJWGHkf3NnjHO3BvOaWa43u77sJzx8sDu-COB2_N6foVcKPrtfDPy26tLAdO/s1600/IMG_20210608_162909901.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWTTvzB1WR0O4H2HE5vGUEz_OEkEjMgtxqwFpk7CEsDOHp9eo-STtZKVvQZSP16HAImXVfwRw9PbEuPugGJWGHkf3NnjHO3BvOaWa43u77sJzx8sDu-COB2_N6foVcKPrtfDPy26tLAdO/s320/IMG_20210608_162909901.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>The descent from the bealach started off steeply but then involved a few short punchy climbs to keep me honest as I headed down towards Braemar. Eventually I emerged onto a private road near Invercauld House which I followed to Bridge of Dee where I joined the A93 to Braemar. I rode straight through the town resisting the urge to stop at the shop as I had plenty to eat. I headed up the minor road towards Linn of Dee with my wrists increasingly sore from gripping my handlebars. I decided to stop at a layby over looking the river Dee to have something to eat and allow my wrists to recover a little. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8upTd2GrzbYO9UJBcmfYslathCK9BVLSZGs5Sqbh8eOYqSOLsRTHNnaAWL4pq3WA1pB3fSqqZvmJbY7m0fZnngX01_8nDbTOcCiZTYUJSEl6DroggJAt1fOkFYGcHA5f8W1XvNnRaQxN/s1600/IMG_20210608_175629882.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8upTd2GrzbYO9UJBcmfYslathCK9BVLSZGs5Sqbh8eOYqSOLsRTHNnaAWL4pq3WA1pB3fSqqZvmJbY7m0fZnngX01_8nDbTOcCiZTYUJSEl6DroggJAt1fOkFYGcHA5f8W1XvNnRaQxN/s320/IMG_20210608_175629882.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>Back on the bike again, I made use of the loop section on the front of my handlebars to take the weight off my wrists a little and to adopt a more aerodynamic tuck on the road ride up through Inverey and on towards Linn of Dee. When I reached the bridge at Linn of Dee I needed no encouragement to get off and take some photos of the stunning river running below and give my wrists another break. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWl9LEukTGHTtQcPwVwGNO3V1LSPKWUFlqda_Dob2ax8Jp3Yr-uldC5lF3NnaSVFyDEB2NxG9wWAU8ylAGJUBBrJRvtTG3KLG78r6y55mVGnONk7bb3PqYydoniyCFOndeco5CfS-U3OkJ/s1600/IMG_20210608_182740143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWl9LEukTGHTtQcPwVwGNO3V1LSPKWUFlqda_Dob2ax8Jp3Yr-uldC5lF3NnaSVFyDEB2NxG9wWAU8ylAGJUBBrJRvtTG3KLG78r6y55mVGnONk7bb3PqYydoniyCFOndeco5CfS-U3OkJ/s320/IMG_20210608_182740143.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfbW-Li4sUA7jU1bWXDY2HGoOSWIfqOMAqQLw2LfUDb16qGSljr_5-ukIbVGIZACgpUUZQKL1ScppAIRgBkjRVIQxhVC6F26J_DTxYlX0YXALdqpaf-RxK3RTtebaCo6BNhmzDg5Hk-zC/s1600/IMG_20210608_182848667.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfbW-Li4sUA7jU1bWXDY2HGoOSWIfqOMAqQLw2LfUDb16qGSljr_5-ukIbVGIZACgpUUZQKL1ScppAIRgBkjRVIQxhVC6F26J_DTxYlX0YXALdqpaf-RxK3RTtebaCo6BNhmzDg5Hk-zC/s320/IMG_20210608_182848667.jpg"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>From this point on I knew that I'd done enough mileage to be able to stop but I wanted to push on until at least White Bridge before beginning to look for a campsite. It was off road again on a track roughly following the river Dee and strangely I began to feel better. My wrists were less sore as I continued to use the loop bar even off road and my sore backside which had also been bothering me became less intrusive as well. </p><p>I stopped at White Bridge to refill my water bottle and have a quick rest and noticed that the wind had got up a little and the sky was increasingly cloudy and looked quite threatening. I wondered if the rain was going to arrive earlier than I expected, it had been 24 hours since I'd last seen the forecast after all. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe7ZGUvEFXuisbzG-N9Dd4AHO6rv4z_ExcG5wfy6wBtdnI2Sb-2t_jHuwiU-xFXgyZrN1IyY3ruhkrgd3NUYBT4YJ4vklYo8WaRi7iT0l8iqBdhMALqQxm_nr0oKFG_EPzQ4600FbgrwG/s1600/IMG_20210608_185309141.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe7ZGUvEFXuisbzG-N9Dd4AHO6rv4z_ExcG5wfy6wBtdnI2Sb-2t_jHuwiU-xFXgyZrN1IyY3ruhkrgd3NUYBT4YJ4vklYo8WaRi7iT0l8iqBdhMALqQxm_nr0oKFG_EPzQ4600FbgrwG/s320/IMG_20210608_185309141.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>After filling my water bottle I began to consider whether I should just keep going and get the route finished in two days. I was feeling really good again, my wrists had stopped hurting and my legs felt strong and it was only 7pm so I should have another three hours of daylight, plus if I felt like stopping I knew I could just find a spot there and then. I decided to push on and see how I felt but with a view to keeping going if I felt good, the weather was affecting my thought process but as soon as I conceived the idea I was drawn to the challenge of seeing if I could make it as well. </p><p>I carried on past the ruin of Bynack Lodge and the turn off up the Geldie Burn (that would have eventually lead to the head of Glen Feshie if followed) and up towards Loch Tilt and the Glen Tilt watershed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSUPDmniObyaKsYgsl7lKxRSPeApxArvwVcIn_q1V9TuiRy_fnTFvdnbIuyuCiBT6Lin1US2sVa-_PP8-o_n2cuNMPmqO5i2NAzvi76S2DKayDq4Mh5wyL0QIK9zADw8W4dB9Ksjrhc7n/s1600/IMG_20210608_192133617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSUPDmniObyaKsYgsl7lKxRSPeApxArvwVcIn_q1V9TuiRy_fnTFvdnbIuyuCiBT6Lin1US2sVa-_PP8-o_n2cuNMPmqO5i2NAzvi76S2DKayDq4Mh5wyL0QIK9zADw8W4dB9Ksjrhc7n/s320/IMG_20210608_192133617.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>The trail turned back to singletrack and there was a small airy section above the fledgling River Tilt that was fun to ride. I'd been warned that I'd probably want to walk the section at the top of Glen Tilt as it was supposed to be quite exposed with a big drop down to the river below, surely this couldn't have been it? Nope, soon enough I hit the really exposed section and was more than happy to get off and walk it. The drop was indeed long and very steep into the river and there were two narrow terraces worn into the hillside where others had walked pushing their bike. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD77aSgMgLmcOPKK4ph3PTNA10jk2E29GCEn8rwDaPUc1jlO2ao-RxeWiIjYVW26FfxkN3wAxOfbkrniXHLXySstw7r30kY3bPJs_zPdz84jdRAOSBzBxLxbIC_BuU4WDOtdxRURIJx7rr/s1600/IMG_20210608_195554555.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD77aSgMgLmcOPKK4ph3PTNA10jk2E29GCEn8rwDaPUc1jlO2ao-RxeWiIjYVW26FfxkN3wAxOfbkrniXHLXySstw7r30kY3bPJs_zPdz84jdRAOSBzBxLxbIC_BuU4WDOtdxRURIJx7rr/s320/IMG_20210608_195554555.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROSxy8JbeOxfANBqUY_i0M_Uz9mK9jJQRzFyb0uthcxnHhwOkLxDynyqbp0h-HJuezUDS8iUVTFhL79hObjm7DbD4hcGlloWq0gLbwhER3OlhQBcRjobqhMWKp6cumz2ps5XOaUFxewAB/s1600/IMG_20210608_202131705.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROSxy8JbeOxfANBqUY_i0M_Uz9mK9jJQRzFyb0uthcxnHhwOkLxDynyqbp0h-HJuezUDS8iUVTFhL79hObjm7DbD4hcGlloWq0gLbwhER3OlhQBcRjobqhMWKp6cumz2ps5XOaUFxewAB/s320/IMG_20210608_202131705.jpg"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>This bit took much longer than I expected and it seemed an age before I reached the familiar sight of the suspension bridge at the Falls of Tarf. I'd ridden here a couple of times back in the nineties but only had the vaguest of memories of those rides. The daylight was fading faster than I'd expected as well due to the increased cloud cover compared to the previous night and this impacted on the quality of my photos from this point onwards. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkf30vZKBoIFNJ00gIdd4DG916bYoqnSzercg944phyphenhyphen_ac59zd2G3skWQJh6-CNY3w_1qfrBlmPYxgIztb2BZAA9H0yCGOMpnDD-yDfNFaXFC8GHkBjvoDUp84ua4bTxbY_rikamSeMGMq/s1600/IMG_20210608_205616017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkf30vZKBoIFNJ00gIdd4DG916bYoqnSzercg944phyphenhyphen_ac59zd2G3skWQJh6-CNY3w_1qfrBlmPYxgIztb2BZAA9H0yCGOMpnDD-yDfNFaXFC8GHkBjvoDUp84ua4bTxbY_rikamSeMGMq/s320/IMG_20210608_205616017.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59WpTsYRdeV1KLc1XaIeHzheg_DZfwn0LiELFRAAT1WxJq87uDPP6Kb4R12BRkHaf9lsJcxNZ7LtlrO1XfWiG2rD6Ig_yzra0PoFcgYSH3lIlF9lzxYOnKGHmJcXou7WnoINPEG0uNfCZ/s1600/IMG_20210608_210133774.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59WpTsYRdeV1KLc1XaIeHzheg_DZfwn0LiELFRAAT1WxJq87uDPP6Kb4R12BRkHaf9lsJcxNZ7LtlrO1XfWiG2rD6Ig_yzra0PoFcgYSH3lIlF9lzxYOnKGHmJcXou7WnoINPEG0uNfCZ/s320/IMG_20210608_210133774.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>The singletrack turned back into estate track again as I worked my way down the glen racing the onset of nightfall. Suddenly I came across some strange looking wooden sculptures on the hillside above the track and lots of plastic checkerplate mats that I guessed signified the area had recently been a film set and a little further down there were some strange huts and a temporary bridge had been built across the river to a sort of corral on the other bank. This must have been a big budget production judging by the efforts that had been gone to. There was also piles of turf at the side of the track that had presumably been used to disguise it and give an increased sense of remoteness. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoAs3HNsE2LAkOpxcnmNMTcSfLzjCzpB5QZF15erjg8JE-oyf0uF9OTJ7v5DEO1QDG72Bxv6GHY_JC5pD9IhXHCOUZ4rLRAbND3Wp4-tMKJiYjhK67iUbmAlzpRk_P6AJA4SGZY2NT5GX/s1600/IMG_20210608_213245358.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoAs3HNsE2LAkOpxcnmNMTcSfLzjCzpB5QZF15erjg8JE-oyf0uF9OTJ7v5DEO1QDG72Bxv6GHY_JC5pD9IhXHCOUZ4rLRAbND3Wp4-tMKJiYjhK67iUbmAlzpRk_P6AJA4SGZY2NT5GX/s320/IMG_20210608_213245358.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLJ_cRMnJO8iiQ8C9t4CLfZQ5FUE91jpv-5BtecODZiNqsGjW76e7gT6cs3jtMI3y91z_clmI-AdAPRQzc6keC3_0O2SYNR0lATQUQ_-PfE64-HK1xqShDeyX96f7RPxgDLF8JB6BBxaI/s1600/IMG_20210608_213320713.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLJ_cRMnJO8iiQ8C9t4CLfZQ5FUE91jpv-5BtecODZiNqsGjW76e7gT6cs3jtMI3y91z_clmI-AdAPRQzc6keC3_0O2SYNR0lATQUQ_-PfE64-HK1xqShDeyX96f7RPxgDLF8JB6BBxaI/s320/IMG_20210608_213320713.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52HV0kIBWHsAbHG4Rb-NbQ_yDkHTwknessIpMQ16CqxGMgn0KoJ0O1hoKFD78lZmXHAMTFpWaKZjmtU3Wqm3IoLBm6ry8yNxsQz_nRLBTgSD8JRgtG21Uzwq2iOtWWFbfw5jQ0B4hJfcX/s1600/IMG_20210608_213348338.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52HV0kIBWHsAbHG4Rb-NbQ_yDkHTwknessIpMQ16CqxGMgn0KoJ0O1hoKFD78lZmXHAMTFpWaKZjmtU3Wqm3IoLBm6ry8yNxsQz_nRLBTgSD8JRgtG21Uzwq2iOtWWFbfw5jQ0B4hJfcX/s320/IMG_20210608_213348338.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>Slightly further down was a huge temporary parking area, lots of generators and a large tent building all eerily deserted. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2M_KHkMAAzwqMHPq4CpvcEIO1edk7vFNi9DRRQ9QGAj8kQTCuyK_eyOXTbzKezLlVCPKvMYPO4YKmvn4mqjEU9ZZPIZoghyoyTOo_Yfzp6B6D9B1YaNGl7J7trf7_FviF-Ubb0LHzRvm1/s1600/IMG_20210608_213817179.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2M_KHkMAAzwqMHPq4CpvcEIO1edk7vFNi9DRRQ9QGAj8kQTCuyK_eyOXTbzKezLlVCPKvMYPO4YKmvn4mqjEU9ZZPIZoghyoyTOo_Yfzp6B6D9B1YaNGl7J7trf7_FviF-Ubb0LHzRvm1/s320/IMG_20210608_213817179.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>I subsequently heard that the filming was for a new Star Wars movie! </p><p>I carried on down the glen which seemed to be going on forever, I had to stop and put my headtorch on as it was completely dark by this time and I couldn't see where I was going under the trees that lined the track on this section. At last I popped out through a stone gateway onto a road that I vaguely recognised from all those years ago. I knew it was only a mile or so down the road back to the car, I'd made it! </p><p><br></p><p>Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/PCZGVV1jmhb</p><p>Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/bSjSvv5jmhb</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-68231189555976498662021-06-23T09:46:00.004-07:002021-06-23T12:18:47.328-07:00A new but old bikepacking loop.<p>I recently rode a bikepacking circuit on my mountain bike that incorporated some familiar terrain combined with some new riding that I've been curious to try for quite a while. </p><p>I set off from a very busy Bridge of Orchy late on a Sunday afternoon, eventually managing to safely cross the A82 road and ride up past the station and under the railway line to pick up the West Highland Way path heading south. It was a relief to be on a relatively quiet footpath after the frenetic madness of the village and busy road and I quickly progressed towards Auch Glen. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><p></p><p> </p><p>Here I turned east to ride up the farm track that leads to Loch Lyon. I've ridden this way before but in the other direction and the climb up to the loch was easier than I'd imagined it would be (albeit with lots of river crossings to ensure I had wet feet from the outset). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br><p></p><p>I rode along the northern shore of Loch Lyon, favouring familiarity over exploration (a decision I only began to question once I was half way along the loch, climbing some steep sections and noticing how flat the opposite shore looked). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTImtbJ9qSwoR9ZFprwC2re7s9TNptnX9G4C11ylDDxsvKKU9fl0qTMM81pgowJfPhMWWtRjjo4wIEXyX9rjI-VeErql1QgdINn1__BZ6HjifI_m5iYEiSsOUiB4rJ8-uGrhGgMRL7bO1j/s1600/1624463039232714-4.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>I made good progress along Loch Lyon and then dropped down past the dam to join the road in Glen Lyon. It was enjoyable to pedal down the glen, the road was very quiet due to it being early evening. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ZJWwBTMWu6eGxRj4LVKMjitF5LbZ1Gjaj12nAIFDpwXY-8mPs69J-PpqUOFpeiVF1u9PC5frImLBYpy-cFcFryhtQDpKRHMzbmyvMWgPa02SjkrNwP4cbmLA3_NRXuX6ST8pWCmd5ZBm/s1600/1624463019151958-5.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>At Innerwick I joined the old Kirk Road that crosses the high ground from Glen Lyon to Loch Rannoch. The climb out of Innerwick was steep and rough but I managed to ride most of it, only pausing near the top to eat a sandwich that I'd brought with me. The Kirk Road is quite a rough surface and I was pleased that I was riding my mountain bike rather than my gravel bike (which I'd considered using). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4vrYQqe6NCwgTKMj5AwFZUWGMiPpSos8fZbug_WjWzpzJwSN02_v_EB1FSFv9mzmLsbjbI683mbG63IhUITkaZU-KW18NlBGj2SmcwqgwQTQexp9wjIqlHTcnWn_Z-u1xcS45BR6QIo7/s1600/1624462950706975-8.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>Soon I started to drop down into the forest above Loch Rannoch and after a frustrating navigation error (which saw me riding a couple of miles on the wrong track) I turned off west towards the Allt Camghouran river where I would emerge from the forest. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqM_XRcsQHZ2sm2c7fEYOjaREZ-ehz71trwuqlQ4yj7DX5fM2eB6AKG7gc2u0ZsqQ4EbGR2Oc7CPXmVc3euUCy_-FFFZXKhyphenhyphenr5ULbgzgiTdDe20Jm6TSFjNO1s3V1p4ATMfsNDPZft2-p/s1600/1624462936086181-9.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>Here I picked up an estate track leading towards the Munro Garbh Meall (above Bridge of Gaur) where I hoped to find somewhere to camp. The light was beginning to fade by now as it was almost 10pm but it was still pleasantly warm and there were no midgies which was a bonus. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6JINPf5kUQowX6LD2W66Ga3kKQiJQMzQno9wQRBkw4LzwaGsHzz-MEY3sqBENfOaswa6h2BevwO1-kzLKFvEJCyoTo0jHy-KzZX-5BZ9LchL_niNak-IKFrc6pYSMx-PtJqx4rNOFZMD/s1600/1624462918138481-10.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>I passed a few potential campsites but pushed on in search of that perfect spot. Eventually I found it, it was level with a burn close by and I had ridden about 40 miles by that point which was what I'd been aiming for. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7okzGSbDw4p2vRQLko0MC8vW4v61sviAHWywLVTFyB15J5tf00xQv6a6qjr3FJtSuUPiGmL16GFYJQRYs1jjPFS5AvzwwNpZ3Lt7loQbvgGt8-1QrBGe4drG2AyM_MRrvRNeelGZ7UMxL/s1600/1624462899245825-11.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>I had my tent up in short order and made a huge mug of tea to drink. I didn't bother cooking any food having had my sandwich earlier and not being hungry. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br><p></p><p>I slept well only getting up once at around 3am to answer the call of nature and being rewarded with the sun beginning to rise in the east. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBdf2j2HmaW9qIWhAvcOGa6YueKJLg-vYp57pfeKE8bkj-mj3xF_hcza5bexbQR52QpiAeXxOdxAiM2YiBB-JO7cHsQdrRSfia9xvIHFS0RM2sMrBrstZd1NhA3GPx16BVDRtngIKHM0W/s1600/1624462845515347-13.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p> In the morning I made some breakfast and packed up before riding down towards Bridge of Gaur in warm sunshine. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXsmNrBU7wI5Wjkyb6DlboluY5NMMw1PoCc7AXqDZDGx1XKQv8Ut8w8AktcRA8WuA-KU2Xt5cAsqPVrfYrLeDaIm9OlEwcszgEMrPTQB6nB7UOPS23AzCMbydE9Cdq1LPupUOif3IwuSt/s1600/1624466736814672-2.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>At Bridge of Gaur I joined the road to Rannoch station and began the climb up inspired by the hope of a second breakfast at the station cafe. I was rewarded by a bacon and egg roll, a pot of tea and some chocolate cake!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6J3T5jbHs-wrFdZyELvna9apA8tOObyVCEleSCbu890Y2FfqPpMcIaQXYLCcPP-v32ySBEaRLuZwc5S82vQx3CYVtZDDcubT7wWQtytlA4HzplbP1Q8OWGvfVA4cKSbFD4cwdq6CHOB4/s1600/1624466710198622-3.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>After refuelling at the cafe, I pedalled along the pleasant forest track above Loch Laidon until I reached the crux of my route, a section of boggy footpath across Rannoch Moor that I knew would be unrideable. On the map this looked like it would only last for a kilometre before joining an estate track however the reality was that it was almost 4 km of boggy hike a bike. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRePbklanVThCLwsEp8wYyMpm7BCkKvF9Qd-zp9254TQkzG3H5bb-pT9EX2aPqmgro1jF2ah1S2r9A7LIjDRTjSkO-JD2THQL_iCcXOKOtUB_HiX_cnyqo97J3yjxp_DTSw7S6EckKTTIA/s1600/1624466608360080-5.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>Eventually I joined the much anticipated estate track and was able to start riding again, making good progress past Black Corries Lodge towards the Kingshouse. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br><p></p><p>Kingshouse was a shock to the system after the solitude I'd been enjoying, it was absolutely thronging with people and my plan to stop there or at the ski station for a can of Coke that I'd been craving was abandoned in favour of pushing on down the West Highland Way back across Rannoch Moor towards Victoria Bridge. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71zpHx_dMD66v2-uR_USKl0-wjZmdbasYLhFyIzFHl5zlKhS9O23XLv0ctSLO5n8JKiCOnY6MXbqxALW8jGLjdIWaJFMEvY07l40rAZ1hBfxOFxHAnwiunXHvIte844ZGJEAH-6erCk-2/s1600/1624466544782797-7.png" width="400">
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</div><br><p></p><p>The ride across Rannoch Moor was also quite busy with sunburned, hobbling walkers toiling their way north and when I reached Inveroran I decided to just ride along the road rather than negotiate all the walkers on the hill path section above Bridge of Orchy. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br><p></p><p>This meant that I made great time back to the car at Bridge of Orchy and a much anticipated can of Coke that I'd left there, it wasn't cold but it still hit the spot!</p>
<iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/activities/5384966082/embed/4b5f86e873c5e5eefd74bdc7b834935ec1be4f57'></iframe>
<iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/activities/5385046747/embed/364bb99d686037e16be40459f7af6a0da5ea9fab'></iframe>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-78211231851328597452019-08-27T12:13:00.000-07:002019-08-27T12:42:01.763-07:00Gravel bike packing Loch Shiel and Ardgour. I haven't managed to get away for an adventure with my friend Chris for ages. Day to day distractions such as work and family have meant that it just hasn't been practical recently so when he mentioned that he hoped to have a time slot available which corresponded with me being free as well we jumped at the chance to plan something. Initial thoughts centred on a train supported mountain bike trip that I've been meaning to do for ages but weather concerns (the route has a lot of stream crossings which can be impassable in heavy rain) and bike related mechanical issues meant a change of plan. Fortunately I had a Plan B ready to go so last week we loaded up our bikes on the car and headed for the Corran ferry. The forecast wasn't good at all with the Met Office predicting a greater than 95% chance of rain for most of day one and part of day two, the saving grace was that there was supposed to be a weather window overnight which would at least mean a dryish camp. We arrived at the ferry and amazingly it was still dry so we loaded up our bikes with luggage and hopped on the first ferry we could catch. The ferry is currently free for pedestrians and cyclists however the installation of ticket machines (which were still wrapped in black bin bags) on the slipway at each side suggests that this is about to change. Almost as soon as we boarded the ferry it started to rain so we headed into the shelter of the pedestrian cabin for the short crossing.<br />
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Spirits were high as we disembarked at Ardgour despite the fact that the rain was getting steadily heavier.<br />
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We put on our waterproofs in anticipation of the deluge to come and set off along the A861 towards Strontian. We were battered by strong winds as well on the first section alongside Loch Linnhe but hoped that the wind would be behind us once we turned westwards to climb through Glen Tarbert. Further stops were made initially to make adjustments to clothing, bikes and luggage.<br />
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The climb through Glen Tarbert wasn't too hard and the wind did give us a bit of a push at times as we'd hoped but the rain continued to get heavier and by the time we rolled into Strontian we were more than ready for a late lunch in the haven of the local cafe.<br />
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The food was better than expected but all too soon it was time to venture back out into the rain and commence the climb up to the bealach on the minor road from Strontian to Polloch. This was the first time I've ever felt the need to cycle with the hood on my waterproof jacket over the top of my helmet in an attempt to keep the rain at bay! The gradient wasn't too severe at first but as we cleared the tree line we could see the road ahead disappearing into the clouds. The climb saved it's steepest slopes for the very top section when we were already tired but although it was hard work we eventually made our way triumphantly to the top.<br />
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We paused very briefly at the summit but the weather wasn't conducive to hanging around admiring the views (which were mostly concealed by the cloud anyway) so we plummeted down the other side towards Polloch. I was at some advantage on the descent due to my bike having disc brakes which were far more effective than the rim brakes on Chris's bike. I ended up a fair way ahead by the time we reached Loch Doilet near the bottom and when I stopped at the side of the road to regroup I began to be a little concerned as there was no sign of Chris. He eventually caught up and revealed that he'd sensibly decided to take it steady due to his bike's lack of stopping power on such a long steep descent in the wet. We continued along to Polloch where we left the tarmac and joined a forest road that would lead us towards Loch Shiel. We caught fleeting glimpses of the loch but it was largely concealed by the forest that we were riding through. Although we weren't yet halfway round our loop we began to look for potential spots to spend the night, we passed a few likely places but pushed on hoping to find something a bit further on. It was quite difficult to gauge our progress due to the lack of open views but crossing the Allt Scamodale river (which was spectacularly in spate with all the rain) gave us a reference point.<br />
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We pushed on again constantly searching for that perfect camp spot that seldom exists and sooner than expected reached the end of the forested section of the lochside. As we were both planning to hammock camp we decided we'd have to backtrack and search harder for a place to stop. In the event it didn't take long (once we'd lowered our expectations a little) and we found a decent spot right on the edge of the loch. We soon had a nice shelter set up with our tarps joined together and both of our hammocks strung underneath to allow for a sociable evening. Chris then played his trump card and unpacked a few cans of beer from one of his panniers! Sitting comfortably on our hammocks enjoying a beer was a great conclusion to a day during which the weather had proved challenging to say the least and we couldn't help feeling a little smug that we'd dealt with the conditions with no real problems.<br />
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Although there were some heavy showers overnight it was dry when we woke up and started our morning routine. After eating some breakfast and packing up we loaded up the bikes ready for another day's ride.<br />
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The first mile or so was very familiar as this was the third time we'd ridden it but once we emerged from the forestry we were finally treated to some fantastic views (made all the better by some patches of blue sky).<br />
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We were passed by a few logging trucks thundering along the track and a Post Office van presumably on it's way to deliver mail to the house at Scamodale! Further north there was a semi industrial fish farm development at Guesachan but the view of the islands at the north end of Loch Shiel with the Glenfinnan monument and viaduct in the background made up for it.<br />
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We continued on round the corner and joined the busy A830 road for a few kilometres before branching right onto the quieter A861 singletrack road which follows the southern shore of Loch Eil and the western shore of Loch Linnhe. </div>
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We stopped briefly for lunch at the side of the road before pushing on. Ironically shortly after stopping we passed several places with picnic benches which would have been perfect for our lunch break. As forecast it began to rain again as we approached the junction of Loch Eil and Loch Linnhe and as we turned southwest we faced a strong headwind as well. Needless to say the hoods were back up over the top of our helmets again and the only respite was provided by the line of trees which separated the road from the loch in some places. It was a case of just getting our heads down and getting on with it as we battled steadily back towards Ardgour and the ferry (which we caught tantalising glimpses of in the distance). All of a sudden it was all over and we were back at our starting point and all that remained was to wait for the next ferry back to the car. I think we were both surprised how enjoyable the trip had been despite some testing weather conditions and hopefully we won't have to wait too long until we can get back out again for our next adventure. </div>
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-27725105420523874252019-06-03T15:40:00.000-07:002019-06-03T15:40:03.348-07:00Winter bikepacking in Dumfries. Back in February my friend Ian got in touch to see whether I'd fancy joining him for a bikepacking trip in the Galloway Forest Park. We made plans based on a GPX file that Ian had got from another cyclist and as the time neared the forecast looked okay as well.<br />
I met Ian in the small village of Mossdale on the western side of Loch Ken just after lunchtime and we loaded up our bikes ready for two nights out.<br />
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The first section of our route took us along an old disused railway line which was relatively flat and well surfaced allowing us to make decent progress towards Creetown.</div>
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Unfortunately our progress came to an abrupt halt just before we reached Loch Skerrow as a bridge had collapsed leaving a dodgy river crossing as the only option for further progress on our intended route. Although the crossing wasn't very wide the water was deep and fast flowing and after a brief recce and discussion we decided that our only safe option was to backtrack and detour round the obstacle. </div>
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The detour involved a significant backtrack and reroute around the northern side of Stroan Loch and would add a fair bit of extra time to our ride and leave us potentially short of daylight. The positive was that the scenery was great. </div>
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We pushed on as quickly as we could, keenly aware of the fading winter light. Eventually after an incredibly wet section riding in flooded vehicle tracks we rejoined our original route at the far side of the downed bridge. After another stint on the disused railway we turned off at Cullendoch and joined a forest road heading north towards Loch Grannoch Lodge where we intended spending the night. A final brutally steep climb led us to a high point where we could see Loch Grannoch ahead, relieved that we'd reach our destination with a little daylight left we rolled down the hill to the old Lodge. </div>
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We quickly pitched our tents next to the derelict buildings of Loch Grannoch Lodge and were able to take shelter inside the building to cook our dinner. Although this gave us shelter from any rain showers it was very cold so after eating we both retired to our respective tents and the warm sanctuary of our sleeping bags for the night. </div>
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The next morning the weather was pretty good (although it had rained during the night) so we packed up and ate breakfast while I tried to dry my sleeping bag which had got damp from condensation in the tent overnight. </div>
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Soon we set off again, initially retracing our route from the previous night before turning north along the ridge above Loch Grannoch. </div>
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The forest road led us eventually towards the dam at the end of Clatteringshaws Loch where after a short hop on the main road we turned off to follow the minor road which runs along the edge of the loch.<br />
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We followed the road until it ended and then took to forest roads once more as we wound our way up towards Loch Dee. </div>
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Sooner than expected Loch Dee came into sight, at this point we knew we were close to the bothy that was to provide our accommodation for the second night so we lingered and enjoyed the views and the welcome early afternoon sunshine. </div>
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We followed the forest road a little further until the bothy came into view then turned off onto the boggy track that led up the final climb. </div>
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The bothy is White Laggan and inside it was in great condition and even had a fire still burning in the wood burning stove to make us feel extra welcome!</div>
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I hung my still damp sleeping bag over the drying rail to air properly and we ate a late lunch before heading out to collect as much wood as we could to burn during the evening ahead. We also pitched our tents in the hope that they'd dry out a bit from the night before however this proved to be a vain hope as it absolutely poured with rain during the late afternoon and early evening. We passed a pleasant evening in front of the fire before heading for our sleeping bags before it got too late. </div>
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The next morning dawned cold, clear and frosty and our tents were covered in ice from being soaked prior to the temperature dropping overnight. </div>
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We ate breakfast, packed up and tidied the bothy before setting off down the boggy access track to retrace the first part of our route from the day before. Loch Dee was looking even more beautiful in the morning sunshine. </div>
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Once we reached Clatteringshaws Loch we followed the Southern Upland Way around the northern shore as an alternative to staying on the road.</div>
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This eventually brought us out near the dam that we'd passed the day before where we turned onto the Raider's Road forest drive which we would follow back towards our starting point.</div>
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I imagine that during the summer this would be quite busy with cars but as it was winter (and the forest drive was closed) we had it to ourselves. The track roughly followed the Blackwater of Dee river and was very pretty. We decided to stop for an early lunch at the "Otter Pools" picnic area as it was so idyllic. </div>
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Once we hit the trail again it wasn't far back to Stroan Loch (where we'd detoured on day one). It was looking beautiful in the late morning sunshine. </div>
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It was a short ride back from Stroan Loch to Mossdale (where we'd left our cars) including a fun singletrack section into the village.</div>
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Thanks to Ian for putting the plan for the trip together and Jeff Price (<a href="https://fat-bike.com/author/summittoppler/" target="_blank">https://fat-bike.com/author/summittoppler/</a>)for providing us with his GPX file as inspiration. </div>
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-86463674486836050472018-06-04T15:30:00.003-07:002018-06-04T15:48:27.421-07:00Around Ben Alder. I've been planning to do a ride in the vast, largely uninhabited area around Ben Alder for some time. I'd plotted a route starting and finishing at Dalwhinnie (inspired by reading other accounts on the net) and taking in Loch Garry, Loch Rannoch and Loch Ericht. As I mentioned the area is quite wild so I'd hoped to do this ride with others (both for the company and for added safety) but the recent long dry spell and resulting good ground conditions prompted me to just go for it on my own.<br />
The drive up to Dalwhinnie takes a while and this combined with a late start meant that I didn't actually start cycling until after 4pm. The first section was down the cycle path that follows the A9 from Dalwhinnie south to Dalnaspidal Lodge.<br />
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As I'd anticipated this section fell more into the "to be endured" category with the heavy traffic on the A9 roaring past and a stiff headwind to contend with. At least the surrounding hills and glens were picturesque to provide some distraction though.<br />
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It didn't take too long to get to Dalnaspidal where I left the cycle path and headed off road towards Loch Garry.<br />
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My route now followed a good estate track along the bank of Loch Garry for a few miles.<br />
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The track continued just beyond the end of Loch Garry where it petered out abruptly to be replaced by a vague walkers path across the low lying boggy ground leading up to the start of another estate road which would take me to Loch Rannoch. In accounts that I'd read of riding this section the going had been described as boggy hike a bike but as I'd hoped the dry weather meant that some of it was rideable for me. </div>
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Spot the trail! The end of the estate road and the start of a tenuous path across the flat boggy watershed. </div>
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After a mixed riding and pushing section for a couple of miles I reached the next estate track which led me to a lovely old bridge (with a more substantial modern bridge just upstream). It was a pretty spot so I stopped for a few pictures. </div>
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From the bridge it was a short ride to my overnight stop for the night at Duinish bothy. This is an estate bothy (not one administered by the MBA) so I wasn't sure what to expect but it proved to be a nice enough place to spend the night. </div>
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My plan for the next day didn't involve a huge mileage so I decided to have a lie in until 8am, despite this I was back on the trail by 9:30 and heading for Loch Rannoch on a good estate track. </div>
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As I progressed further south the unmistakable profile of Schiehallion appeared on the horizon. From this direction it looks like a spectacular peak but in reality it's quite a boring walk (I know, I've climbed it!) It was to feature in my views for quite a while as I dropped down towards Loch Rannoch. </div>
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After a fast dusty descent I got down to the road that runs along the northern side of Loch Rannoch.</div>
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The next section was along this road and I'd anticipated it being a bit dull, in reality it was very pleasant with light traffic and lovely views in the bright sunshine. </div>
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I followed the road until just before Rannoch Lodge where I once more turned off road and climbed a steep forest track northwest. Eventually I emerged from the forest and the views opened up. </div>
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It was really hot work and I passed a tempting clear green pool at the side of the track, curiously it had small fish in it but no obvious water sources feeding or draining it. How did the fish get there I wonder? </div>
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As I gained height the views west opened up and I could pick out more familiar landmarks (such as the mountains of Glencoe) in the distance. </div>
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Ahead the bulk of the Ben Alder massif began to appear.</div>
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The track turned downhill and I was treated to a high speed blast down towards Loch Ericht after which I continued along the western shore of the loch.</div>
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From past experience (and from online research) I knew that the good track along the lochside would only last so far after which another potentially boggy hike a bike section would be in store. Once again however the dry weather helped me out and much of the section between the end of the track and Ben Alder Cottage proved to be rideable. </div>
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After one final push Ben Alder Cottage came into view in the distance and as it was downhill I was optimistic that I'd be able to ride all the way. Inevitably this lead to my front wheel sinking into a soft patch catapulting me knee deep into a bog! I managed to get out without losing my shoes (a real danger) and continue on down to the bridge over the Alder Burn and on to the bothy. </div>
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I'd arrived much earlier than I expected and briefly contemplated pushing on but I was in no rush and it was a lovely afternoon for lounging about at such a nice spot so I had some late lunch then went for a swim in the burn to cool off and wash my muddy legs. Later I was joined by a couple of hillwalkers with a dog and some fellow bike packers (three guys on long travel trail bikes doing their first overnighter and a Dutch guy who had been riding the Highland Trail 550 route in reverse) who were all very friendly and interesting to chat with.</div>
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Clean legs again!</div>
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The next morning I woke early and packed and ate breakfast as quickly as I could before starting the singletrack climb up towards the Bealach Cumhann. This section (and the bit after it over the Bealach Dubh and down towards Culra) was the section of the route that I'd been looking forwards to the most. I knew that much of the climb should be rideable (despite climbing up to over 700m at the Bealach Dubh) as it was on well surfaced singletrack. The only slight fly in the ointment was the frequency of deep, square edged water bars that crossed the trail providing drainage. My fellow cyclists at the bothy had mentioned that they could be a hazard leading to a puncture, damaged wheel or worse a crash if they weren't negotiated with care so I started out cautiously. After a while though I got into the groove and was able to successfully bunny hop my bike clearing most of them which only added to the fun. </div>
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Looking up towards the Bealach Cumhann.</div>
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The view back to Loch Ericht in the distance.</div>
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Although it was a bright morning, as I got higher the hills around me were shrouded in clouds adding to the atmosphere. </div>
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Once I'd crossed the Bealach Cumhann the gradient eased for a while and there were even a few downhill sections which were fantastic fun to ride. </div>
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The view opened up to the southwest down towards Loch Ossian and Rannoch Moor. </div>
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I pushed on up the Bealach Dubh promising myself a rest at the top and a bite of food, the last section up to the bealach was pretty steep and hard going but soon I popped out at the top.</div>
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After a breather at the top I set off down the other side of the bealach, the guys at the bothy had warned me that the top section of the descent was very steep but it wasn't actually too bad other than a few awkwardly placed water bars. It was fantastic whizzing down the steep descent bunny hopping the water bars as I went. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRjIgjNWsDuGtr0p8W1KQlgFF5QdSYmtZd8U1UlG0GD05OLCd9ooBHuJT9Z7Kl5uNdgRnxmhXBA1qXgX6Gdjz-kxrxF0uhG3NZQPB0y4sQ8EtNzYKIo4LaYfQudDUVCwh_BO0VP6N4TJd/s1600/IMG_20180531_103419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRjIgjNWsDuGtr0p8W1KQlgFF5QdSYmtZd8U1UlG0GD05OLCd9ooBHuJT9Z7Kl5uNdgRnxmhXBA1qXgX6Gdjz-kxrxF0uhG3NZQPB0y4sQ8EtNzYKIo4LaYfQudDUVCwh_BO0VP6N4TJd/s320/IMG_20180531_103419.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Lower down the gradient eased but the trail started to snake more making it even more fun to ride, I also passed a section in a small river gorge which was absolutely beautiful. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClMfByF4t3ZWxzaOHGPi7SbLSXwDeNWES_lXdyu-YxChB8YTQjOuOtzYBoKl9N34MywdB1a5mXhf7xPhO3HqP0u72CxG8CnM1Iv7SiRoCOCQf1TMooblg4zwY_PKYErR9KzyZWTaF0X_-/s1600/IMG_20180531_105759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClMfByF4t3ZWxzaOHGPi7SbLSXwDeNWES_lXdyu-YxChB8YTQjOuOtzYBoKl9N34MywdB1a5mXhf7xPhO3HqP0u72CxG8CnM1Iv7SiRoCOCQf1TMooblg4zwY_PKYErR9KzyZWTaF0X_-/s320/IMG_20180531_105759.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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All too soon the sublime singletrack came to an end and I popped out onto a landrover track which passed the sad sight of Culra bothy (now abandoned due to asbestos used in it's construction). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUv04pA7dQaMfa_hTN002I1jxIYZoV18xh4Og8bNzfoYvuJmvDL2TCc1GrK-daWkIV-iRwJqcpzQbcaQM0s3Ezycl7qGUf5SHli0iASSYodLevV4FASbF57l-lt0ao6Kh-bzp7XoW586f/s1600/IMG_20180531_111119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUv04pA7dQaMfa_hTN002I1jxIYZoV18xh4Og8bNzfoYvuJmvDL2TCc1GrK-daWkIV-iRwJqcpzQbcaQM0s3Ezycl7qGUf5SHli0iASSYodLevV4FASbF57l-lt0ao6Kh-bzp7XoW586f/s320/IMG_20180531_111119.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Ben Alder massif looked very impressive back in the direction that I'd come from.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvQxKtvcvmyfYCY3xrnPFFayHPMvzQU_ZhkpCg_7n3d3t3Q6Zx_NfmGcsi_XCjFuCG1sRD8KG4js1NAJgn5V0htpgwIKtnb50vYmVtH1n-k3lZiI7gIhbwYkrMcorljRwi_BGqt9RkjM4/s1600/IMG_20180531_111129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvQxKtvcvmyfYCY3xrnPFFayHPMvzQU_ZhkpCg_7n3d3t3Q6Zx_NfmGcsi_XCjFuCG1sRD8KG4js1NAJgn5V0htpgwIKtnb50vYmVtH1n-k3lZiI7gIhbwYkrMcorljRwi_BGqt9RkjM4/s320/IMG_20180531_111129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I pushed on towards Loch Pattack which came into sight in the distance. </div>
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As I followed the track towards the loch I noticed another track branching off to the right, it looked a bit tenuous and I couldn't be bothered stopping to check the map so continued on following my gps, I was later to be caught up by my friends from the bothy who took the right hand fork in the track which they said cut out quite a lot of distance. I reached the loch and stopped to take more pictures before crossing the wobbly suspension bridge across the river feeding Loch Pattack. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGdLgAehqXgFwmPTBZHbl4HimvhSYPFUlC3jKqgyvvuIkbfc0XsVxbIZCAgSarrqwR938TEMPOV4xni2QEBzcAchAHo8kOtzXvY-tLS6cgrt-gNAmuUenIi-hl3VNM-wFs9q6x9uk7L20/s1600/IMG_20180531_113011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGdLgAehqXgFwmPTBZHbl4HimvhSYPFUlC3jKqgyvvuIkbfc0XsVxbIZCAgSarrqwR938TEMPOV4xni2QEBzcAchAHo8kOtzXvY-tLS6cgrt-gNAmuUenIi-hl3VNM-wFs9q6x9uk7L20/s320/IMG_20180531_113011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At the other side of the bridge I was greeted by two ponies one of whom was very friendly, enjoying being petted and scratching his/her neck on my bike handlebars. After a short break to enjoy the company of my new equine friend I set off again joining another estate track leading towards Ben Alder Lodge with it's impressive turrets and electric gates! My route now followed the shore of Loch Ericht once more back towards Dalwhinnie. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UFuZmZVobeUSnQae1Qw33pNe_Tg1BZmkS064BNzxrlKBA-DM7b7FP9UjLLdKar_YYR6xlHw_SZkRTlz1pDiyEZoamEIgcbQyIPTdrCkuCLDKmsfZAE4Z1e1MFuX69WklQKwmzZxQUij4/s1600/IMG_20180531_121346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UFuZmZVobeUSnQae1Qw33pNe_Tg1BZmkS064BNzxrlKBA-DM7b7FP9UjLLdKar_YYR6xlHw_SZkRTlz1pDiyEZoamEIgcbQyIPTdrCkuCLDKmsfZAE4Z1e1MFuX69WklQKwmzZxQUij4/s320/IMG_20180531_121346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I've mentioned I was rejoined at this point by the three guys on bikes who I'd met at the bothy so it was really nice to have some company for the last few miles. All too soon it was time to go our separate ways though, they were heading on to Torridon for some more mountain biking adventures while I was heading home. </div>
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This had been a great trip, I was very fortunate to be able to do the ride during a rare spell of dry, hot weather and the scenery was spectacular. I'd definitely hope to go back and ride the singletrack over the Bealach Dubh and Bealach Cumhann again (possibly doing an out and back trip to Ben Alder Cottage to ride the trail in both directions).</div>
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Below is the video that I made of the trip. </div>
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-19126222155948683562018-04-29T12:55:00.000-07:002018-04-29T13:07:39.973-07:00Throwing in the Cowal.Last autumn I did a bike trip from Rannoch Station back to Bridge of Orchy and surprised myself that I was able to ride the route in a day (even though I'd planned to do it over a two). During the winter I've tried to keep the momentum up with my cycling but almost inevitably my fitness has slipped downwards and my weight has slipped upwards.<br />
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After a number of false starts, the weekend saw me finally make it back out to do a bikepacking trip. I have a number of routes that I hope to tick off this year but felt that it would be sensible to start off with something that wasn't too ambitious (given the factors mentioned above) so after a last minute food shop I hit the road to drive round to Glenbranter on the Cowal Peninsula. This was to be the starting point for the route that I had in mind and I was pleased to find a large car park with no restrictions or charges where I could leave the car. </div>
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I quickly loaded up my luggage onto my bike and set off up the climb out of Glenbranter heading roughly southwest following the Cowal Way long distance path. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqkQhfpIou5k1cTNqfewgi6T4Lp2CH3FFtUm4MirABs5y_EHnpITy50U5yyHnhibMdRQDiqBCfJBBAiKlkQmEiOTelYT9iahp0ahJWtQWz7WdYC9mVSOnjRaJlvcrI-e7q_KYFOVQlow7/s1600/IMG_20180428_124018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqkQhfpIou5k1cTNqfewgi6T4Lp2CH3FFtUm4MirABs5y_EHnpITy50U5yyHnhibMdRQDiqBCfJBBAiKlkQmEiOTelYT9iahp0ahJWtQWz7WdYC9mVSOnjRaJlvcrI-e7q_KYFOVQlow7/s320/IMG_20180428_124018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It was steep and relentless climbing on a forest road (not made any easier to handle by being caught and passed by another bikepacker). After a brutal warm up the gradient eventually relented and the views began to open up a bit. The sun was shining making it tricky finding the correct amount of clothing, I was overheating badly on the climb but as soon as I picked up speed on the flatter terrain of Strath nan Lub I started to cool down quickly. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNf4jAM_5J2YutZe_Fb8G5PmesHhRCHD5G_xI3koc8T9HX9s54lyGkXnUGAoOy9VMqczcwmQdkffkFl6n8qwsxC_G5-8k4kk5M5x6bL9qHtXohqHNierG7S7uPIQE9WFraEGuVAoM2Efz/s1600/IMG_20180428_132534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNf4jAM_5J2YutZe_Fb8G5PmesHhRCHD5G_xI3koc8T9HX9s54lyGkXnUGAoOy9VMqczcwmQdkffkFl6n8qwsxC_G5-8k4kk5M5x6bL9qHtXohqHNierG7S7uPIQE9WFraEGuVAoM2Efz/s320/IMG_20180428_132534.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMnV3ve29lXxYQSUqhXH93KFwiGiAZpq4AJkgrib_BLREtSKHbWOXD2xbHAGzbFfewBMNckr-RLFOURcFtua5pY6Mwa-zmoLQDa63tj6Lwsew8eD-ag9iLx_pW_So_VZeJ-6IIfTXzb1w/s1600/IMG_20180428_132556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMnV3ve29lXxYQSUqhXH93KFwiGiAZpq4AJkgrib_BLREtSKHbWOXD2xbHAGzbFfewBMNckr-RLFOURcFtua5pY6Mwa-zmoLQDa63tj6Lwsew8eD-ag9iLx_pW_So_VZeJ-6IIfTXzb1w/s320/IMG_20180428_132556.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'd zipped the sleeves off my jacket but they soon went back on again as I whizzed down the lovely winding track towards the farm at Garvie. </div>
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I knew from studying the maps that there wasn't likely to be any technically challenging riding on my route but the lovely weather, beautiful scenery and fast winding track made for very enjoyable riding anyway. At Garvie I turned briefly onto the A886 road before continuing to follow the Cowal Way down the quiet unclassified road towards Glendaruel. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rBB4TcqTzt9tOids5qhlXI1rgtXM35iSogju-ebAUTmPXXOJ6754gVM4T8JGVZmSyVx3_zcvM70TIakdcfuDvhF3zSRhxyM1KAP1cvVevZikSSw9Gkuyj8HRQe4kr4Yqqo2wxSd-aA49/s1600/IMG_20180428_140720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rBB4TcqTzt9tOids5qhlXI1rgtXM35iSogju-ebAUTmPXXOJ6754gVM4T8JGVZmSyVx3_zcvM70TIakdcfuDvhF3zSRhxyM1KAP1cvVevZikSSw9Gkuyj8HRQe4kr4Yqqo2wxSd-aA49/s320/IMG_20180428_140720.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_vycisUvMs1_64kBwoCf5oMlbRg_i40QNnr8rJetHIkNRfYJqKt726QNkfBucugmx7AFpvIH6qQFjBH_9BC9B15Pnwq8BR47UQpbBLQoaMLwZAL009sSItdXD1iokrpwAZBGIrUYtC0e/s1600/IMG_20180428_140737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_vycisUvMs1_64kBwoCf5oMlbRg_i40QNnr8rJetHIkNRfYJqKt726QNkfBucugmx7AFpvIH6qQFjBH_9BC9B15Pnwq8BR47UQpbBLQoaMLwZAL009sSItdXD1iokrpwAZBGIrUYtC0e/s320/IMG_20180428_140737.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At Glendaruel I stopped briefly to watch a game of Shinty being played before pushing on past the sadly derelict Glendaruel Hotel. It would have been great to call in for a swift pint but as with many such remote establishments the hotel seems to have fallen on hard times.</div>
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There was nothing for it but to have a swift swig of my energy drink and push on rejoining the main road A886, passing the turn off for Tighnabruaich before turning off myself onto the B836 towards Loch Striven. I was treated to fleeting glimpses of the Kyles of Bute in the distance.</div>
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I'd ridden this road a few times on my motorbikes so knew that I was in for more hard work. I toiled up a steady climb past Stronafian all the while knowing that I was going to lose all my hard gained height when I dropped back down to sea level at the head of Loch Striven. The consolation was that the descent was a hoot (I was able to easily keep up with a van that overtook me at the top) and the views down the loch were superb. </div>
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Next it was another steep climb up towards the reservoir at Loch Tarsan. </div>
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The ride along the side of the loch was very pleasant until I passed Glenlean farm and turned uphill once more onto a forest road which climbed and contoured round above the eastern shore of Loch Tarsan. I decided to start looking for a spot to spend the night (it wasn't late but my legs were tired from all the climbing and I was past the halfway point of my circuit). One advantage of having plenty of time was that I could be choosy where I decided to stop. I passed a perfectly flat grassy layby with a water source which was surrounded by trees but decided to push on a little further in the hope of finding a campsite with a view. My luck was in as a little further on I found another layby with a stunning view and a picnic table!</div>
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The ground was covered in gravel which gave me some concerns about puncturing my sleeping mat but I had a thin ground sheet to put underneath it to offer some protection. I decided to pitch my tarp supported by the picnic table to save using my bike and front wheel as "poles" like I usually do. </div>
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Once I was all set up it was just a matter of enjoying the sunshine while I cooked my dinner. </div>
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I was finished eating by 7pm so went for a short stroll along my route for the next morning before turning in very early. It was cold overnight with a full moon but I was toasty in my winter sleeping bag and bivi bag. </div>
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As I'd gone to bed so early I woke early too, I got up and got started with breakfast but it was very cold and I had to wear all my cycling and camp clothing to keep warm until the sun came up. After breakfast I set off again (heading towards Glen Massan). I was treated to a few final views of Loch Tarsan behind before I plunged down towards Glen Massan. I was amused to note that some other laybys had picnic tables as well. </div>
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The descent into Glen Massan was really fast and fun and the scenery was lovely.</div>
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I passed two cows with tiny calves and had to stop and take a picture.</div>
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The track down Glen Massan eventually turned into a tarmac road which wound it's way down the pretty glen.</div>
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At the bottom of the glen I passed Benmore Botanic Gardens and Arboretum (which looked well worth a future visit) then there was a stretch alongside the River Eachaig. </div>
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I followed the river up to it's source, Loch Eck and joined the rough track which follows it's western shore. </div>
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The track meandered and rose and fell along the length of Loch Eck and was very varied and picturesque. Eventually it emerged beyond the loch near my starting point at Glenbranter. </div>
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It had been an enjoyable ride and confirmed my suspicions that I don't yet have the strength and endurance in my legs that I had last year, still it's a step in the right direction and hopefully the weather will continue to improve and allow me to do some of the more ambitious trips I have planned.</div>
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-55099694921845897532018-02-07T09:52:00.000-08:002018-02-07T10:02:08.316-08:00Bikepacking with a difference. I'd been planning to do a ride from Rannoch Station for a while and back at the end of September 2017 I had two days off and a decent weather forecast. I'd reckoned that my proposed route would take me a couple of days as I wasn't super fit so I intended to carry overnight kit with me on the bike so that I could stop and wild camp somewhere on the route.<br />
I left home early in the morning to drive to Bridge of Orchy station where I parked the car, unloaded my bike and gear and then sat and waited on the platform for the train to arrive.<br />
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I'd pre-booked myself and my bike on the train and when it arrived I loaded the bike and luggage into the Guard's van and settled down for the short journey to Rannoch Station.<br />
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Rannoch Station has a cafe so before setting off on my ride I treated myself to breakfast. The first section of my route took me from Rannoch down the road to Bridge of Gaur where I crossed the River Gaur and rode along the singletrack road that follows the southern shore of Loch Rannoch.<br />
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I followed the road for a few miles until eventually I reached the turn off for the Old Kirk Road which leads from Loch Rannoch over the Lairig Ghallabhaich to Glen Lyon.<br />
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This initially took the form of a narrow path that climbs through the woods and forestry, it was hard work on a loaded bike but good fun and quite picturesque.<br />
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After a while I emerged at a reservoir in the forest and stopped for a breather before pushing on up the forest track climb that forms this section of the Kirk Road.<br />
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Eventually the trees thinned and the track emerged onto the open hillside above Loch Rannoch (which was hidden by the low cloud).<br />
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A deer fence and gate marked the start of the Lairig Ghallabhaich proper and the track began to undulate rather than just being a relentless climb.<br />
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After a while the track started to descend towards Glen Lyon and the village of Innerwick.<br />
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Initially the descent was gentle but it turned into a steep, fast ride down the final section of the Old Kirk Road until it emerged at the tarmac road at Innerwick.<br />
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A short ride along the road took me to Glen Lyon Tearoom and as it was lunch time I stopped for some food. If you ever happen to be passing the tearoom I'd recommend stopping to sample the food, it's very good.<br />
After a hearty lunch of soup, sandwiches and cake washed down with a pot of tea I hit the road again. Initially my legs felt tired but soon the energy from my lunch kicked in and I felt much better as I tackled the short sharp tarmac climbs of the Glen Lyon road. Although this section was a road it was very quiet and scenic so was an enjoyable ride.<br />
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Eventually the road reached the Stronuaich reservoir.<br />
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By this time it was mid afternoon and I'd progressed much further along my route than I'd expected, my thoughts started to turn towards where I'd stop for the night. I reckoned that I'd push on to Loch Lyon and reassess my progress there. Just before the tarmac road ended at Pubil I stopped to have a look at a memorial to Robert Campbell a founder of the Hudson's Bay Company who originated in Glen Lyon.<br />
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At Pubil I left the road and climbed steeply up a track that would eventually emerge high above the dam at the eastern end of Loch Lyon. There is a choice of routes here, you can either follow the northern or southern shores of Loch Lyon until the two tracks converge at the western end of the loch. I chose the northern track.<br />
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The view back east along Glen Lyon (the way I'd come).</div>
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The dam.</div>
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The way ahead, west above Loch Lyon. </div>
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The track alongside Loch Lyon was a rough rollercoaster of a ride. There was nothing technical on it but there were some fast bumpy descents punctuated with water erosion damage that meant concentration had to be maintained to pick the right line. I was also very grateful for the suspension forks on my bike which added a little much needed comfort on these teeth rattling descents. After a couple of miles I crossed the Allt Meurain stream, this was a ford that could be a potential problem if this route was ridden after a wet spell of weather. </div>
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The view back east along the loch was spectacular, highlighted by the dramatic clouds hanging over the mountains.<br />
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At this point my thoughts turned again to an overnight stop. It was late afternoon and I'd made far better progress than I'd expected. My plan had been to stop for the night near the watershed at the head of Strath Tarabhan but it was now dawning on me that I could easily complete the ride in a single day. I was a little bit torn as I love wild camping and this was a spectacular setting to spend a night but I now felt the lure of the challenge of getting round in a day. </div>
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As I rode over the watershed the lure of the challenge won and I decided to push on down towards Gleann Achadh-innis Chailein. </div>
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The descent down towards Auch Glen was really fast and fun with multiple crossings of the Allt Kinglass river by way of fords. Soon the familiar viaduct that carries the West Highland railway line across Auch Glen came into view (except this time I was viewing it from the opposite direction from the usual vantage point of the A82 road). </div>
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After passing under the viaduct I joined the West Highland Way for the last few miles back to Bridge of Orchy. It was strange seeing all the walkers on the path as I'd hardly seen a soul for the last few hours. </div>
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Nearly there!</div>
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Made it!</div>
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The final push back to the car was soon done with and it was time to reflect on a trip that hadn't panned out as expected. I'd ridden further than I'd imagined I could have managed and obviously had more in reserve than I'd realised. I'd missed out on my night out but the sense of satisfaction from completing the route in a day made that worthwhile. Next time I'd definitely do it without the extra 8 kilos of luggage on the bike though! </div>
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-1213946611336144812018-02-05T13:05:00.001-08:002018-02-07T06:54:43.703-08:00Scratching the Hebridean itch.For quite a few years now I've harboured a desire to travel to the Outer Hebrides and with the recent acquisition of our new van this year seemed like a good chance to finally scratch the Hebridean itch.<br />
My "summer"annual leave allocation for 2017 fell from mid May until early June which I thought would be a good time to visit the Outer Hebrides but I didn't want to commit to the trip until the last minute in the hope that I could get a feel for the weather conditions that we were likely to encounter (I didn't want to submit Val to days of howling gales and driving rain). Plan B (for a poor forecast) was to head for the south west of England. With a few days to go I decided to risk it, the forecast wasn't perfect but it wasn't too bad so I bought an Island Hopscotch 8 ticket from CalMac ferries and reserved a place for us on the lunchtime ferry from Oban to Castlebay (on Barra).<br />
The big day arrived and we managed to pack the van with everything we thought we'd need (and a lot we probably wouldn't!) and set off in good time. As we drove towards Oban I received a text from CalMac saying that the ferry would be delayed until that evening as it was stuck at Castlebay with a rope fouling it's propellers! We were already on the road so there was nothing for it but to continue on to Oban. We parked up at the ferry terminal and went for a wander round town, enjoying a nice leisurely lunch and doing some last minute shopping to kill some time before heading back to see what the latest news about the ferry was. We were told that the ferry wouldn't be arriving until 7pm which meant we wouldn't be arriving on Barra until the early hours (the crossing takes five hours).<br />
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Val waiting for the ferry.</div>
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Finally it comes into view!</div>
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There was an impressive Dutch sailing boat moored close to the ferry terminal.</div>
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We finally boarded the ferry at around 8pm, I was disappointed as it had been a nice day and I'd been looking forward to doing some wildlife spotting during the voyage. In reality we only had a short period of daylight before darkness made spotting anything impossible. </div>
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Still it was good to be on the move again and we ate dinner onboard before getting a little sleep. We arrived at Castlebay after 1am and joined a convoy of campervans and motorhomes all heading for the campsite at Borve. We were greeted by Donald (the campsite owner) who had waited up to show us to our pitches (he even rigged lights so that some cycle tourers wouldn't have to pitch their tents in the dark!) We quickly sorted out the van and went to bed. </div>
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The next morning we drove out to see the remains of a crashed WW2 Catalina seaplane and see the lovely twin beaches on Vatersay. </div>
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On the way back we stopped at a viewpoint overlooking Castlebay and Kisimul Castle. </div>
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We stayed on Barra for three nights in total so had plenty of opportunity to see the sights over the next few days.</div>
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The northern end of the island near Eoligarry</div>
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The famous "airport beach", the planes land on the sand at low tide.</div>
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An Oystercatcher on the rocks near the campsite. </div>
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The cemetery at Gob Bhuirgh.</div>
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An evening lap of the island on my bike.</div>
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On our last evening at Borve I was chatting with Donald (the campsite owner) who mentioned that they often had visits from a pod of dolphins in the bay. He said that the dolphins usually came at around 9:30 in the morning or 9:30 at night. I was a little disappointed that we hadn't seen them during our stay. Later that evening after dinner I saw some of our fellow campers rushing out with binoculars and cameras and went looked to see what they had seen, sure enough it was the pod and it was almost exactly 9:30! We spent the next half hour being treated to an amazing display as the dolphins repeatedly breached while chasing fish. As it was late the lighting conditions weren't great but I put the long lens on my camera and starting snapping away. The resulting pictures aren't brilliant but I'm really pleased that I was able to capture some snaps of these beautiful animals. </div>
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The next day we were booked on the ferry from Barra to Eriskay, the forecast wasn't very good for the middle part of the day and it absolutely poured down as we waited for the ferry at Ardmhor. </div>
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Fortunately it dried up for the short crossing to Eriskay. </div>
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It was quite late in the afternoon when we arrived on Eriskay so we didn't linger and pushed on across the causeway to South Uist where we were booked on Kilbride campsite for a couple of nights. </div>
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Spot the Stormtrooper!</div>
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A nice sunset at Kilbride.</div>
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Looking back towards Barra.</div>
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Eriskay. </div>
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We went for a bike ride following some trails on the South Uist machair.</div>
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Our ride passed this ruined church which we explored. </div>
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The weather took a turn for the worse just after we'd finished our bike ride (fortunately we were safely ensconced in the Kilbride Cafe eating lunch by then) and we spent the rest of the day hiding in the van. </div>
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Next day it was time to move on again. We would be driving up the South Uist coastline which I'd read had some beautiful places to see. In reality the weather was really misty meaning that we didn't see much at all. We did pause for a while at Kildonnan Museum which provided a fascinating insight into the history of the island. </div>
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Next it was on up through Benbecula and across another causeway to cross onto North Uist. We pitched up at Moorcroft campsite in a very strong wind and under grey skies. </div>
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The campsite was almost deserted when we arrived but filled up as time wore on, we began to notice that some of our fellow campers were matching our itinerary closely and there were some familiar faces from previous stops on Barra and South Uist. </div>
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The next day the weather was due to improve so we set off in the van to explore North Uist. First stop was a stone circle called Piobull Finn (Finn's People) near Langass Lodge. Access involved a short, picturesque walk during which we saw a bird of prey soaring and hovering (I'm not sure what it was, I suspect may have been a Hen Harrier). </div>
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We also passed close to Barpa Langais a ruined chambered cairn. </div>
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We drove over to Lochmaddy on the east coast for some lunch and did a little shopping then completed the loop back round the north of the island before heading back south down the west coast. </div>
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On the way we stopped off near Grenitote for a walk on the huge beach at Traigh Ear.</div>
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Obviously this was at low tide, at high tide this would all be flooded. </div>
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Loch Scolpaig and it's tower folly.</div>
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Beyond Loch Scolpaig we could just make out the outline of St Kilda approximately 40 miles offshore.</div>
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When we got back to the campsite I got out for a paddle in the packraft before dinner. </div>
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Sunset at Moorcroft.</div>
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Evening stroll down to the water's edge.</div>
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The next day we moved further north to Balranald which is home to a campsite next to some sand dunes, a stunning bay and also an RSPB nature reserve known for it's resident Corncrakes. </div>
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I went exploring on my bike, riding from one pristine beach to the next along a track that wound among the dunes. </div>
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The bay right across from the campsite was pretty special as well, at low tide it was almost entirely sand, flooding into a beautiful lagoon as the water came in.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2arrOOrk42gxezVo215FQKYK28LuWcTXYwdwO5F90qAdpMSDHLqLHakVbT8lyrySBDbRmFdur3O8jTObR4zTpCMzrzDygkB2kOw3cuek36fSMLr5qHI8-Ig8wj7exZ7EdFO_msiI-wnlD/s1600/P5260162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2arrOOrk42gxezVo215FQKYK28LuWcTXYwdwO5F90qAdpMSDHLqLHakVbT8lyrySBDbRmFdur3O8jTObR4zTpCMzrzDygkB2kOw3cuek36fSMLr5qHI8-Ig8wj7exZ7EdFO_msiI-wnlD/s320/P5260162.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our next move was north again passing the huge beach and tidal lagoon at Traigh Bhalaigh with the island of Vallay (Bhalaigh) beyond. </div>
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Then we continued north across the causeway to Berneray where we were set to catch the ferry across to Harris. We were early for the ferry which gave me time to take a walk out to the beach on the west coast of Berneray which I'd been told was a must see for any beach lover. It turned out to be yet another amazing Hebridean beach and well worth the walk needed to access it. </div>
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The view from the dunes back towards the van parked in the distance. </div>
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Once I'd got back to the van we made the short drive to the slipway where the ferry would eventually arrive. </div>
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The ferry threads it's way across the Sound of Harris through a maze of shallow channels and skerries and it was truly memorable crossing. On the way across I spotted this bird on one of the skerries. At first I thought it was an old fence post as it must have been about a metre tall. </div>
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A crop of the photo above reveals what appears to be a bird of prey which I can only imagine would be a Sea Eagle (possibly a youngster).</div>
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There were also lots of seals basking on the various skerries. </div>
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We landed on Harris at Leverburgh and drove north west to Horgabost which was to be our base for the next few days. During the drive Val spotted an otter swimming in a loch but I missed it as I was concentrating on the road. The campsite at Horgabost was once more on the edge of a nice beach this time overlooked by the mountains of Harris. </div>
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During the next couple of days we explored the local area but Val had started to feel unwell since we'd been at Balranald. Fortunately the Medical Centre in Leverburgh were very helpful and she was able to see a doctor and get some medication that helped her to recover. Just north of the campsite was the amazing beach at Luskentyre, during a trip that was rich in impressive beaches this was one of the most stunning.</div>
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Once Val was on the mend we continued our trip northwards through Harris and onto Lewis. Unfortunately the spell of nice sunny weather that we'd been having came to an end at this point and gave way to some heavy rain and strong winds. On our way up Lewis we stopped for a look around the standing stones at Callanish. </div>
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We spent the next few days based at Shawbost and visited various places on the northern part Lewis. </div>
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Dun Carloway broch.</div>
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The Blackhouse village at Garenin. </div>
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The Butt of Lewis lighthouse (the northern most point of Lewis). </div>
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We also spent some time looking around Stornoway and it's surrounding area. The Rough Guide book that I'd been reading to give us some ideas for places to see and visit had been quite disparaging about Stornoway but we both liked it. We enjoyed wandering round the shops and had a fantastic meal out in a restaurant there. </div>
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Sadly our trip was now coming to an end. The weather was nice again for the final ferry crossing back from Stornoway on Lewis to Ullapool on the mainland. We were able to stand on deck and enjoy the views of the Hebrides receding and the Summer Isles the mountains of the Coigach Peninsula drawing closer as we approached Ullapool. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqR75BqNVMkP1G0n11RjWsBp2J92LoojKZQ3TOxmN1uYSzAZ4dPRHtpqlwn05DyS8H8lg8TagKMKYQMAl5oj6KLLiYHFfbJOpROmlXnhcAteiRQhNlFQWoL-9Wcf6zbF5zzeBsMKH8Aev/s1600/P6020268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqR75BqNVMkP1G0n11RjWsBp2J92LoojKZQ3TOxmN1uYSzAZ4dPRHtpqlwn05DyS8H8lg8TagKMKYQMAl5oj6KLLiYHFfbJOpROmlXnhcAteiRQhNlFQWoL-9Wcf6zbF5zzeBsMKH8Aev/s320/P6020268.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It was great to finally do this trip and scratch my Hebridean itch. The highlights were the stunning natural beauty and wildlife while the only real negatives were the unexpectedly large number of other campervans and motorhomes doing the same thing as us. </div>
Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-30414702115563187622016-10-11T08:24:00.002-07:002016-10-11T09:14:19.313-07:00Glen Fruin, Yankee Road and the 3 Lochs Way. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;">Unfortunately I've not had the usage out of the old Kona that I'd hoped but I managed a little jaunt the other day. I didn't have much time so it was really a micro adventure but it's always good to get out for an overnighter even close to home. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;">I left home in Helensburgh at 5pm so daylight was always going to be in short supply, a quick pedal up Sinclair Street brought me to the Glen Fruin turn off. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6dsgkFKqHgnEL-qZNQJY9n6S7IwTnTFcTaSsMNQF8PHKjHyhJfiWqZihkyBPbweyM41ZFSAM_o4sg-CWM2SdHIJYVheRDy-wrayhqdzDxBibh-n0cbTmPvNf980rRjrhbGmKML7Q8IIh/s1600/IMG_20161007_174844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6dsgkFKqHgnEL-qZNQJY9n6S7IwTnTFcTaSsMNQF8PHKjHyhJfiWqZihkyBPbweyM41ZFSAM_o4sg-CWM2SdHIJYVheRDy-wrayhqdzDxBibh-n0cbTmPvNf980rRjrhbGmKML7Q8IIh/s320/IMG_20161007_174844.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I pedaled through Glen Fruin as quickly as possible, I wanted to get further on to try and find a bivi site before it went completely dark. Soon enough I reached the start of "Yankee Road" (or the American Road as the 3 Lochs Way website calls it, presumably in some kind of strange effort to appear PC). This is a military road through an army training area with firing ranges but there is access to the public as long as you stick to the road when the red flags are flying.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUR3oLA05fv4YjTO5FPXF6JwwtkjGsZhazxi23i1MYAnJCfPFzOVKv76VaYnC0iAC6JLBZ53v2ZQgGUl4XL1NaRbqyhvcd-RNBJ4c3td3a8q4F82rSQtFFXKw8XObX9DxI6N0jul5CXYjH/s1600/IMG_20161007_183727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUR3oLA05fv4YjTO5FPXF6JwwtkjGsZhazxi23i1MYAnJCfPFzOVKv76VaYnC0iAC6JLBZ53v2ZQgGUl4XL1NaRbqyhvcd-RNBJ4c3td3a8q4F82rSQtFFXKw8XObX9DxI6N0jul5CXYjH/s320/IMG_20161007_183727.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Eventually the tarmac road peters out and turns into a forest road along which the 3 Lochs Way runs. I followed this in the gathering gloom looking for a likely spot to stop for the night. My parameters for a bivi spot were level ground, preferably grassy, water source and some windfall branches so that I could use my Honey Stove to cook on (I had a meths burner with me as well just in case I couldn't find any wood to burn). I ended up riding on almost to the end of the forest road just before the "Gurkha Bato" (a connecting track that the Gurkhas built for the 3 Lochs Way). Finally a suitable spot revealed itself and I set about setting up my bivi in almost total darkness.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHMc-HlVC7xGHJBvnwbaXvGO_7TE6tPAWXW5qT4ROAu6U7GGvmCuHSDN_Xi7a_FOqCqGfQOgDlQU1VVoIZm3fMgvNdN6GnSMQNe4Fb4k99vee7oxo7Bo43tm6dfgGp9eCVTCVn18mMYo-/s1600/IMG_20161008_073642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHMc-HlVC7xGHJBvnwbaXvGO_7TE6tPAWXW5qT4ROAu6U7GGvmCuHSDN_Xi7a_FOqCqGfQOgDlQU1VVoIZm3fMgvNdN6GnSMQNe4Fb4k99vee7oxo7Bo43tm6dfgGp9eCVTCVn18mMYo-/s320/IMG_20161008_073642.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I only needed small sticks for my stove and there was a plentiful supply in the area to cook my dinner and then just sit and relax listening to the red deer stags roaring all around me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjEze6iv5-HykLyZzda0X6yt61jMgzVwYv5N4kDQ0HqKEZSrdoboTk0UxkWKAufUglXPhew-PLCvm4NGr4vvuqJvWhaynHpUpTGplmjSVDSDBUOcvwYEzSWaoFu64KrJC1MpMbujxVVvH/s1600/IMG_20161007_211006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjEze6iv5-HykLyZzda0X6yt61jMgzVwYv5N4kDQ0HqKEZSrdoboTk0UxkWKAufUglXPhew-PLCvm4NGr4vvuqJvWhaynHpUpTGplmjSVDSDBUOcvwYEzSWaoFu64KrJC1MpMbujxVVvH/s320/IMG_20161007_211006.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Next morning I got up as soon as it was light and ate some breakfast before packing up.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F0LMkStKbKecwKK7o5r4q7x1T1rdwftak7s9D2y-oh4Rtt9KOTs3IacPLKb77ZslpS5QBV014GA2aVj234KYRz3oWni2yXx_b7kfV3jzrwjxFhPup4zau7QJiyyBq-cyEgeUMsGrZs7y/s1600/IMG_20161008_093617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F0LMkStKbKecwKK7o5r4q7x1T1rdwftak7s9D2y-oh4Rtt9KOTs3IacPLKb77ZslpS5QBV014GA2aVj234KYRz3oWni2yXx_b7kfV3jzrwjxFhPup4zau7QJiyyBq-cyEgeUMsGrZs7y/s320/IMG_20161008_093617.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Then it was on along the 3 Lochs Way, crossing the Allt Derigan stream.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSF5LUyBj76aGVC86qsMioDJC6Vq5Uuzxy1QVjyZjaNOnWdV32ycrC33IJZb7dw-6mXRcq0opSXhQjL5jNyJJBqj4kmqrGPHst2bF5xaNCGjMk5EUq1kh6-4vnytf2JoesvKufgxGgJh8T/s1600/IMG_20161008_094353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSF5LUyBj76aGVC86qsMioDJC6Vq5Uuzxy1QVjyZjaNOnWdV32ycrC33IJZb7dw-6mXRcq0opSXhQjL5jNyJJBqj4kmqrGPHst2bF5xaNCGjMk5EUq1kh6-4vnytf2JoesvKufgxGgJh8T/s320/IMG_20161008_094353.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">After crossing the West Highland railway line via an underpass there was a steep climb up to another forest road that ran up Glean Culanach which leads to Glen Douglas.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaxKu8qJ1yxErRFgeEhCWG2ZFHDkAa5cxUOopcutNJnU8vrTkdz2CT-6MTLgErwZZ31d0GEzCT40Uh24Qa5mQe3t2DbugO535C9gf97AhJ5k40US5QBf8AgczuEdPCv8YVKHBnbOTBvm5/s1600/IMG_20161008_095117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaxKu8qJ1yxErRFgeEhCWG2ZFHDkAa5cxUOopcutNJnU8vrTkdz2CT-6MTLgErwZZ31d0GEzCT40Uh24Qa5mQe3t2DbugO535C9gf97AhJ5k40US5QBf8AgczuEdPCv8YVKHBnbOTBvm5/s320/IMG_20161008_095117.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I popped out onto the road again at Glen Douglas, riding down to the A814 above Loch Long with views of The Cobbler and Ben Narnain and the other Arrochar Alps.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr16cOOHTXGjDvmTpnpwvEJi4gh6fg2oujxX_WEKEX1zTTXflWpBksDMx2spfVavCKG52I-ocVbKU8hItuO_vTA2XzKQaALP5XV-6dxbcmgKT0GQG044s2GCWVoYw-Ec7r3w6Mn2SOviWx/s1600/IMG_20161008_101347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr16cOOHTXGjDvmTpnpwvEJi4gh6fg2oujxX_WEKEX1zTTXflWpBksDMx2spfVavCKG52I-ocVbKU8hItuO_vTA2XzKQaALP5XV-6dxbcmgKT0GQG044s2GCWVoYw-Ec7r3w6Mn2SOviWx/s320/IMG_20161008_101347.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Then it was an enjoyable road ride following the A814 fifteen miles or so back to Helensburgh in time for lunch.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ecedf3; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-23600266739943115212016-10-05T14:21:00.000-07:002016-10-05T14:21:06.337-07:00A tribute to my friend Graham. I was shocked and saddened to recently hear that my great friend Graham Dibsdall had passed away after having suffered a heart attack.<br />
I first met Graham while canoe sailing on Loch Lomond. He was taking part in an OCSG local meet to the less frequented northern end of the loch. Graham was such a friendly guy and I immediately felt totally at ease in his company. At that time I had only just started canoe sailing and was a little in awe of more established sailors but Graham was totally down to earth and approachable. His boat "Cochon Vert" (or Green Pig) was a triumph of recycling. By his own admission Graham had built the boat to a tight budget but although many of the components were second hand the design and execution were excellent and Graham's handiwork was very impressive.<br />
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Over the following months I met Graham again at various OCSG meets and got to know him better. He was going through a bit of a rough patch in his life and was keen to get away from things as often as possible. This dovetailed perfectly with my obsession to get out in my sailing canoe and gain more experience and we ended up doing a number of memorable trips together. Graham was a superb mentor to me and on several occasions when conditions became challenging he patiently shepherded me through the experience. It was reassuring to have Graham sailing along with me and although his boat was quicker and more sea worthy than mine he never showed any frustration at having to wait for me. In camp Graham was an amazing cook, making delicious food from ingredients that sometimes sounded unlikely. He often caught fish while we were sailing and we supplemented our meals with this and fresh mussels that he harvested from the sea. Graham wasn't a big drinker but he was partial to the odd beer or dram of whisky by the campfire while we sat and chatted. It transpired that we shared tastes in music and were both motorcyclists so we always had plenty in common to chat about. Over the following years I had loads of memorable adventures with Graham in the company of our mutual canoe sailing friends. Graham was always the same, a fun, reliable, entertaining, resourceful guy and great company to be with.<br />
More recently I've seen less of Graham, not because we'd fallen out but because he'd found happiness in his life. He'd recently relocated to Cumbria with his partner Carole where they were building a new life together for themselves.<br />
It seems terribly unfair that Graham should lose his life just when things were really looking up for him and I can't begin to imagine how difficult things must be for Carole and Graham's family.<br />
I shall miss Graham immensely and will always remember him fondly, sitting contentedly by a campfire, fishing for mackerel or blasting along in the Green Pig, sail fully unfurled, kicking up plumes of spray while everyone else was reefed down.<br />
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<span id="goog_89253614"></span>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-55466614407556886292015-10-05T17:23:00.005-07:002015-10-12T13:28:26.351-07:00A Rannoch crossing by packraft. Having previously paddled both Loch Ba and Loch Laidon separately I've harboured a desire to connect the two into one trip. The practicalities involved in making this a reality using canoes have prevented this in the past however using packrafts make it logistically far more doable.<br />
Rambo and I drove in separate cars to Bridge of Orchy railway station where Ramsay parked his vehicle then we both hopped in my car and drove up on to Rannoch Moor. We parked adjacent to Loch Ba and readied our rafts and luggage next to the new road bridge which carries the A82 over the outflow of Lochan na Stainge.<br />
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We were soon on the water, threading our way through the islands that litter the western end of Loch Ba. The water level was significantly lower than the last time that I'd been here (in November 2013, <a href="http://jurassic-chris.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/loch-ba.html" target="_blank">http://jurassic-chris.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/loch-ba.html</a>) but we were able to get through without incident.<br />
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Once our into the main body of the loch we picked up a nice steady tailwind which was a real blessing when paddling what is in reality a posh rubber dinghy!<br />
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We paddled on towards Eilean Molach (the pretty wooded island in the middle of Loch Ba), pausing to take in the fantastic views of the mountains on the western fringe of Rannoch Moor.<br />
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We made great time and soon arrived at the start of the Abhainn Ba, the river which connects Loch Ba with Loch Laidon.<br />
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Based on past experience I'd assumed that the river wouldn't be navigable (Graham had paddled the top section in his canoe on our previous visit but the water level had been higher and it had still been very scrapey). To my surprise and delight we managed to wind our way through the first few rapids without too much problem, the ultra shallow draught of our little boats meaning we could run the rapids. This was a major bonus as it saved us having to deflate the rafts and hike through the peat hags of the moor. Finally we reached a section that looked just too bony to attempt so we landed and portaged round.<br />
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A short walk saw us back on the water and we were able to continue for the majority of the river which varied between deeper wide sections and sections of rapids. It was really good fun to paddle although we were a bit concerned about how much damage our boats were sustaining from the extremely abrasive rocks.<br />
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An unfamiliar view of the Bridge of Orchy Hills seen during one of the wide stretches of river.</div>
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From our previous visits I knew that the last 500m of the river would almost certainly need portaging with the water levels this low and this proved to be the case so we had no option but to land again after the final wider section. </div>
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The hike down the bank wasn't too bad and certainly beat having to walk the whole river as expected. </div>
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Soon we could see Loch Laidon beyond the final section of rapids.<br />
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After a short breather we launched onto Loch Laidon.<br />
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After a short paddle we entered the area of small islands which signals the junction of the main body of the loch with an arm which points west towards Glencoe. This was where we were heading to find the campsite that Graham and I had used on our previous visit (<a href="http://jurassic-chris.blogspot.co.uk/2013_01_01_archive.html" target="_blank">http://jurassic-chris.blogspot.co.uk/2013_01_01_archive.html</a>).<br />
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We soon found the spot and landed to set up camp before the light began to fade.<br />
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We soon had ourselves established and were able to enjoy the sunset over the Buachaille and other Glencoe hills.<br />
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As the sun lowered in the sky the wind dropped leading to sporadic outbreaks of midgies so we lit the firebox hoping that the smoke would suppress them a little while we cooked our dinner.<br />
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Once it had gone dark the temperature dropped and the midgies vanished so the firebox came into it's own for warming us and brewing up on.<br />
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The moon came out and lit our camp in a silvery light and despite the lowering temperature we stayed up late chatting and enjoying a dram until we'd finally exhausted our supply of firewood.<br />
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On Sunday morning I woke before Ramsay and got up in time to see a beautiful sunrise. The light bathing the scenery was a lovely warm amber colour.<br />
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I ate a leisurely breakfast while enjoying the views while Rambo had a lie in before emerging from his tent.<br />
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We knew we had plenty of time before we had to be at Rannoch station to catch our train so we took our time packing up before getting on the water and exploring the western arm of the loch.<br />
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After that we retraced our track back on to the main body of the loch and headed east with a freshening wind pushing us along. <br />
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The view back southwest. </div>
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After paddling for a while we landed for lunch.</div>
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Then it was onward towards our destination. </div>
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Soon our landing spot came into view and we prepared to land and pack up the rafts for the short walk to Rannoch station.<br />
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When we arrived at the station we were pleased to see that the tearoom was open so we treated ourselves to a celebratory pot of tea and slice of carrot cake!<br />
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After that it just remained to wait for the train and make the short twenty minute ride back to Bridge of Orchy to collect Ramsay's car (and pick up mine from Rannoch Moor).<br />
Here's the video that I made of the trip. <br />
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<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-7870710155027672332015-10-05T14:13:00.000-07:002015-10-06T11:51:25.379-07:00Riding over babies heads, bikepacking the Glenkinglass circuit. About twenty years ago I rode a mountain bike circuit incorporating Taynuilt, Loch Etive, Glen Kinglass, Glen Orchy and back to Taynuilt with a couple of mates. One section involved riding over an ancient cobble surfaced track which we jokingly referred to as being like riding over babies heads and the ride as a whole was great. Afterwards we realised that the route would work better ridden in the other direction and we always intended to ride it again the other way round to try it. We managed one attempt but were beaten back by terrible weather conditions and gradually the idea faded to the back of our minds.<br />
When I started riding again last year it struck me that the route would be a nice one to do as a bikepacking trip incorporating an overnight camp and I started to do a little research. Reading the blog of a fellow fatbiker inspired me further and also introduced the concept of using the train to remove the tedious road sections of the route. I mentioned the idea to Ramsay and he was interested as well.<br />
We drove to Taynuilt railway station where we were able to leave Ramsay's car. We assembled our bikes with all the associated bikepacking gubbins and then waited for the train to arrive. I'd love to say that Scotrail were a model of bike friendly efficiency but unfortunately the reality was that we were made to feel that we were a major imposition on the normal running of the train service. Thankfully our journey only involved a short train ride and we were soon spat unceremoniously out onto Tyndrum Lower station's platform.<br />
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The first stage was to cross the busy A82 road and follow the West Highland Way towards Bridge of Orchy. I was expecting this section to be a bit of a dull slog (I'd ridden it before years ago but had virtually no recollection of it) but in fact it turned out to be great fun. Once again my Fatty amazed me with it's ability to ride over surfaces that would have been a challenge on my old full suspension mountain bike, even the addition of luggage didn't faze it and we had a blast negotiating the rocky and steep sections of the path. In good time we rolled out at Bridge of Orchy (pausing to field questions about the bikes from curious locals), crossed the A82 again and attacked the offroad climb up to Mam Carraigh. The weather was a little mixed at this point with some misty low cloud but that just added to the atmosphere as we took a breather at the top and enjoyed the views over Loch Tulla.<br />
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Once the view had been admired it was on with the fast and furious descent to Inveroran. I'd promised Rambo a pint if the hotel was open and as we rolled out onto the road at the foot of the descent we were presented with a sign directing us to the walkers bar, naturally a pint followed as promised.<br />
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We restrained ourselves and only had one pint before jumping back on the bikes and pedalling over Victoria Bridge and turning left off the road down Glen Shira. The initial Landrover track soon gave way to a winding single track following the edge of the Abhainn Shira. The weather had improved dramatically while we were in the pub and we rode west into the lowering sun and began to look for a decent place to spend the night. After crossing the river by way of some giant stepping stones we found what appeared to be the ideal spot next to a stand of scots pines. As we pitched our tents the breeze dropped and the midgies emerged in droves, we quickly covered up and donned midge nets to keep them at bay. Unfortunately the midgies continued to blight our evening meal only vanishing later as the temperature dropped.<br />
After a good nights sleep we emerged to a beautiful morning. We breakfasted and packed hastily as the dreaded midgies descended on us once more. The best way to get away from them was to start riding so we wasted no time in getting rolling. The riding was pleasant as we climbed up towards Loch Dochard and the watershed.<br />
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Once past Loch Dochard the trail turned downhill down Glen Kinglass over some fantastic slab sections, it was great fun finding a way through the tenuously linked rock slabs interlinked with rocky, challenging track.<br />
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Lower down we crossed the babies head section that I remembered from all those years ago before being immersed in dense woodland as the track followed the River Kinglass. Just before the river joined Loch Etive we turned south on an undulating estate track which overlooked the loch and presented us with some stiff climbs.<br />
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The estate track proved to be a stern test for our legs as it repeatedly climbed steeply before plummeting back down to sea level, the consolation was that we had lovely views of the loch. Eventually we popped out onto the road near to Inverawe Smokehouse and dropped down to a boggy field bordering the River Awe. Ironically our bikes had remained fairly clean up to this point but by the time we'd negotiated the few hundred metres across the field to access the suspension footbridge which crosses the Awe they were caked in mud!<br />
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Once across the bridge a short ride took us back to our starting point at Taynuilt station where we dismantled the bikes and washed the mud off before loading up and heading for home.<br />
I captured a lot of video of the ride, unfortunately the action footage is very bouncy due to my using my Gorillapod to mount the GoPro rather than a dedicated mount.<br />
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-81051277565723635852015-06-08T17:56:00.001-07:002015-06-09T02:45:51.148-07:00Lismore. Last year I felt that I missed out on canoe sailing trips to some extent. I used the canoe a fair bit for day sailing (at OCSG events and on holiday with Val) but only managed one multi-day expedition when Dave and I sailed to Mull last autumn. The main reasons for not managing more have carried over to this year as well with a necessity to do extra shifts at work due to staff shortages. Despite this Ramsay and I were determined to try to get a trip under our belts early this year and during the planning stage Ian came on board as well so became a group of three. The usual weather jitters during the preceding week saw us making contingencies for a foul weather plan B but the desired option was to attempt to circumnavigate the isle of Lismore. With a few days to go things started to look a bit more promising. The persistent bad weather and strong winds that have blighted the spring so far looked as though they might ease just enough to make the trip viable so we concentrated on studying Google Earth images and sea kayaking blogs to try to find potential campsites that would fit in with our schedule and the weather forecast.<br />
Friday morning saw the three of us meet up in a lay by on Loch Lomondside after which we drove in convoy towards Oban. After tolerating the inevitable frustrations of tourist traffic we arrived at our destination and were very fortunate to find an excellent launching spot whose owner was happy for us to use his facilities and leave our cars (a big vote of thanks to Poppies Garden Centre and Gary). After the usual faffing around and rigging up we set sail at about three in the afternoon. The weather looked a bit threatening and the wind was fairly strong and on our bows. We sailed out of the natural harbour of Dunstaffnage Bay and headed across towards Ardmucknish Bay on a long tack.<br />
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I was in the lead at this point and after a few tacks in quite lively conditions (with some wind over tide effects) we sailed into Camas Nathais bay where we could regroup and reassess. We'd also earmarked this as a potential camping spot during the trip (either at this point if we were running late or on our way back later in the trip). After a quick discussion we decided to push on to see whether we could see somewhere to camp in amongst the small islands off the south east shore of Lismore. </div>
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The sailing and scenery were fantastic but despite a hunch that we may be able to find an overnight campsite we failed to find anything that looked promising in the conditions. We pushed on over to Lismore itself in the hope of finding a better spot. </div>
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We looked at a couple of possible landing places but decided to continue in search of a bay that I'd read about while studying a sea kayaking blog while researching the area before our trip. </div>
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Soon we began to approach the lighthouse on Eilean Musdile and I became concerned that we wouldn't find the elusive haven. I began to wish that I'd payed more attention while reading the blog so I would have had a better idea where to find the spot instead of just a vague notion. We drew level with Eilean Musdile and decided we'd have to push on round to the other side of the island in search of another landing spot. This was a little worrying as it was already after seven but we had little choice. As we bore away on a close reach towards the lighthouse I was alerted by a shout from the guys and on looking back over my shoulder spotted the bay we'd been searching for. We sailed back and were rewarded by an easy landing and a lovely camping spot. </div>
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We wasted no time in settling in due to the late hour and soon had our camp set up then before darkness fell we gathered all the driftwood we could find for a camp fire. </div>
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Saturday morning was beautiful with a light southerly breeze and sunshine. We had a slow pack up before leaving our little refuge as the clouds started to build and the breeze freshened a little. We were anticipating an easy sail downwind on Lismore's west coast although rain was forecast for later in the day. We rounded the end of Eilean Musdile through a small tide race (which can be a lot more severe during spring tides) and Ian and I headed straight for Bernera island while Ramsay hugged the shoreline to take in the scenery. </div>
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The sailing was indeed easy and relaxing with the wind behind us as we progressed past Bernera (where we were reunited with Ramsay). </div>
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Just north of Bernera the ruins of Achadun Castle came into view (with some basking seals on the shore).</div>
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Ian and I began to look for somewhere to land for lunch and after a quick recce we found a very nice spot.</div>
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After lunch it was on up the coast. At times we could sail very close to the shore and really admire the scenery of Lismore from our watery perspective.</div>
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The next landmark of note was Castle Coeffin whose ruins dominate the view from the water. </div>
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As we neared the northern end of the island thoughts turned once more to finding a decent campsite (ideally with shelter from the strong winds and rain that were forecast). Once again we split up, Ramsay exploring inside Eilean Loch Oscair while Ian and I headed for Poll Brothais (which had looked very promising on Google Earth). As I sailed round the corner into Poll Brothais I was greeted by an excellent looking landing spot with what looked like room for our tents behind the beach. </div>
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I sailed cautiously into the bay wary of hidden rocks but closer in I could see that the bottom was sandy so landed to check it out while Ramsay and Ian followed me in. </div>
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No sooner had we pitched our tents and rigged the tarps than the rain started but despite the lack of a campfire we were cosy enough in our little shelter. </div>
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On Sunday morning the overnight rain eventually stopped but the wind was quite strong as we sailed out of our bay, past Port Ramsay and towards the northern tip of Lismore. </div>
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We enjoyed some nice surfing as we sailed on a reach around the end of Lismore after which we turned back into the wind as we rounded the corner to the northeastern aspect of the island. We sheeted in and headed across the Lynn of Lorn past Eilean Dubh. </div>
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There was some tidal action here and quite strong winds at times which led to very splashy sailing, I was very glad of the electric pump I had fitted in my canoe to bail out the cockpit as I sailed. </div>
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Before we rounded the point of Rubha Fionn-aird we all reefed our sails right down in anticipation of the downwind run into Camas Nathais (the bay where we had regrouped on day one). As we got further into the bay we benefited from more shelter and things calmed down a little. </div>
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We landed through some small surf onto a lovely sandy beach, a fitting spot for our final camp. </div>
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We set up the tents and tarps and foraged for firewood (of which there was plenty nearby) and enjoyed a leisurely late afternoon after our exciting but relatively short sail.</div>
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In the evening we sat around the fire and Ian dried his socks with the aid of a specially cut stick. </div>
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On Monday morning we left early as Ian had a long drive back to Cumbria, the wind was light but fair as we enjoyed an easy sail back to Dunstaffnage Bay. </div>
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What a fantastic trip, for some reason I had always disregarded Lismore as a bit of a cop out as a destination (possibly due to it's proximity to Oban). The reality is that it's an interesting and potentially challenging venue for a sailing canoe expedition and we were fortunate to make the most of a short weather window in an otherwise very unsettled period. </div>
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Below is some video of the trip.</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nILOyjWaYW0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nILOyjWaYW0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-15191073431267057692015-04-05T15:31:00.000-07:002015-04-10T07:01:39.947-07:00Better late than never (or how new innovations allow the fulfillment of old ambitions). I remember (twenty odd) years ago looking at the map and wondering whether it would be feasible to complete a mountain biking circuit from Ardgarten, over the Rest and be thankful pass, up Glen Kinglas and then riding and carrying the bike along the edge of Loch Sloy (where there's no path at all) before riding up Coiregrogain into Glen Loin and back to Ardgarten. I never quite plucked up the courage to try it due to the section along the banks of Loch Sloy as I knew it would be really rough going.<br />
Having recently treated myself to a packraft I started to look at this circuit again. Using this I would potentially be able to paddle Loch Sloy instead of braving the rough shoreline and although I hadn't yet attempted carrying my bike on the raft I knew from reading others accounts that it was definitely possible.With the Easter weekend at my disposal and a fair forecast I decided to give it a go incorporating an overnight camp part way round the circuit. In terms of mileage it wasn't too far at around 21 miles but I knew it'd be potentially tough going carrying the extra weight of camping gear and a packraft and with the amount of ascent the route involved. <br />
I set off from Ardgarten just after lunchtime on Easter Saturday accompanied on the first part of the ride by Rambo (who had to return that evening). There was no warm up, it was straight into a steep climb that I feared would have me off the bike and walking but I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to ride it.<br />
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I must have been complaining a lot though as Rambo evicted me from my bike and made me ride his unladen steed on the next section! We gradually ground our way up the Rest passing the picnic area where I camped while walking last year. </div>
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Sooner than I expected we popped out onto the road at the summit of the Rest where we headed down the far side towards Butterbridge. It was quite nice to have the tarmac buzzing away under my fat bike tyres but we were quickly at the junction with the track which leads up Glen Kinglas. I'd cycled up here years ago out of curiosity but had to do it as an out and back ride then, hopefully this time would be different. </div>
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It was a couple of miles steady riding along a good track before I spotted the landmarks that I'd memorised from the map indicating that it was time to strike off piste across the open hillside towards Loch Sloy. Instead of doing this straight away though I decided it was a good spot to camp for the night and after a quick cup of tea Rambo had to head for home as well leaving me all alone. </div>
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Once I had my camp set up I decided to scout the route ahead to Loch Sloy. I'd feared that this section would be unrideable but was pleasantly surprised to find that not only could my fat bike deal with the boggy terrain, it was actually really good fun picking a route through the bogs and tussocks. </div>
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In this picture you can just make out my tent on the edge of the forest. The route ahead dropped down past a series of waterfalls with some really fun riding but I had to keep reminding myself to take it easy as I was all alone in the middle of nowhere and couldn't afford a crash. Quite quickly I reached Loch Sloy and was surprised at how low the water level was, it looked somewhat forbidding with the low cloud hanging over it.<br />
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I met some walkers here who had negotiated the very shoreline that I'd contemplated biking all those years ago, they confirmed that it was hard enough just to walk never mind pushing and carrying a bike! Satisfied with my reconnaissance I rode and pushed back up the hill to my campsite. By the time I got back I was ready for some food so got the stove on and cooked up my noodle delight (which as always seemed to taste better eaten in the great outdoors). </div>
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There was nothing else to do but get in my tent and watch the murky clouds turn a little pink as the sun set. </div>
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During the night the low cloud reasserted itself and everything was soaked with heavy dew in the morning (including my sleeping bag in places where it'd touched the wet tent). I'd hoped to get away early but I decided to wait for the sun to get up in the hope of drying my sleeping bag before leaving (I was loathed to pack my expensive down bag away wet as I knew it could damage it). In the meantime I had breakfast in bed while waiting for the sun to come up over the hills. Once the sun did make an appearance it turned into a stunning morning with the mist lingering in the glens. </div>
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As I'd hoped the sun dried out my sleeping bag and I was able to set off just after nine. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to ride my laden bike on the sections I'd managed successfully the night before with no kit on it but in the event I managed to ride the vast majority of the way down to Loch Sloy.</div>
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Fatty tracks on the sand. </div>
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The loch looked a lot more inviting than it had the night before so I wasted no time in unloading the packraft and inflating it. I'd been a bit worried about lashing the bike on the front but in the event it proved very straightforward and before long I was ready to set off.</div>
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Once on the water the raft felt fine despite the extra weight relatively high up. I paddled unhurriedly down the loch, enjoying the sunshine, the views and the novelty of my situation. </div>
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Gradually the dam at the far end of the loch drew closer and I passed an artificial waterfall on the bank created by part of the hydro electric system where the water emerged miraculously from a hole in the hillside.</div>
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I searched for a decent spot to land in the shadow of the dam wall, it all looked steep and rocky but I had no choice but to go for it anyway. I pulled the raft up the stones and then bit by bit shuttled everything up to a level terrace above where I reassembled Fatty and deflated the raft. </div>
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The bank above looked a nightmare of jumbled boulders but I picked my way through it pushing and carrying the bike until I reached an access road for the dam. While I was there I decided to have a look around. </div>
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The route down from the dam involved riding through a tunnel, another first on my fat bike!</div>
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The access road down to the base of the dam was steep with a series of hairpins, great fun. </div>
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I was now onto familiar ground (albeit riding in the opposite direction to usual) as I climbed up Coiregrogain. The familiar mountains of Bein Ime, Ben Vane and A Chrois looked fantastic with sunshine glinting off the snow filled gullies. </div>
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I stopped for a breather at the little reservoir at the top of Coiregrogain, the water looked very inviting in the warm sunshine but I knew it'd be freezing cold.</div>
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Then it was the plunge down the forest road towards Glen Loin and Arrochar. </div>
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I pedalled along the forest road above Succoth and the old torpedo range before turning off towards Ardgarten. An unexpected bonus was that the final section was a new (to me) winding singletrack with some fun, steep switchbacks. </div>
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It seemed strange to be back amongst the bank holiday crowds as I rode back to the car park but it didn't matter to me as I had the satisfaction of having achieved a twenty odd year old ambition. </div>
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Here's the video footage from the trip.<br /><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u0ZDzIY3I_g/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/u0ZDzIY3I_g?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-52830955776085664992015-02-23T06:34:00.000-08:002015-02-23T06:34:59.312-08:00Some mountain biking kit reviews.Over the last few months I've been out riding my fat bike on a regular basis in a bid to get a little fitter and inevitably I've acquired various new bits of biking related kit so I thought I'd do a quick review of some of these.<br />
First off we've been doing a lot of night riding (mainly due to the short winter days) and consequently lighting has become a high priority. When I started riding again last year I bought a cheap Chinese LED light off ebay and this has been the mainstay of my set up. The lamp unit itself is quite reasonable and gives off a nice bright beam which is a little bit narrow to be perfect for use on it's own. The battery pack is made up of four lithium ion 18650 batteries in a 2x2 set up (two batteries in series wired parallel to the other two) and came with a basic UK plug charger. There are a few scare stories on the internet about these Chinese battery pack/charger combinations overheating and catching fire so I've been very careful while charging the pack (frequently checking for any heat build up and ensuring that I unplug the charger as soon as the batteries are charged) and charge the batteries in a substantial metal box just in case. So far though I've had no problems and run times have been decent, easily coping with the two to three hour rides we usually do.<br />
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I've supplemented this with another bar mounted light which is also a Chinese cheapy off ebay but of a different pattern. I mentioned above that the first light gave a narrow, spot type beam so I opted for a light with a focus ring to allow me to fine tune my set up with a broader flood beam. The battery pack and charger are identical to the original light. This light doesn't seem to be quite as bright as the original one (possibly because of the different lens as the LED chip is the same) but is still very good and the combination of the two works well in most situations.<br />
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These two lights mounted on the handlebars give enough light for fast off road riding but I'd also been carrying a headtorch in my backpack to use in case of a mechanical problem, puncture etc and this started making me wonder about having a helmet mounted light as well. I reasoned that a helmet light would be good in tight turns where the bar mounted lights tend to not shine right into the corner and light up the exit plus it would give me a head torch for dealing with the aforementioned bike related problems that inevitably occur from time to time. My first thought was to just buy another light like my original one and helmet mount it but while looking about I spotted another option that while being a bit more expensive would be a nice compact light for taking on bike packing trips as well. This more expensive light actually had a brand name (although it's still of Chinese origin and was bought from ebay). It's a Fluxient U2 Mini and has a proper UK importer and a warranty! The light came in a nice box with a bar mount, helmet mount, two decent 18650 batteries and a basic but decent USB charger. Claimed run time is three hours on full power (it also has a low power and strobe option), impressive for such a compact package. First impressions were that it was impressively powerful for it's size and initial testing both on helmet mount and mounted on the bars have been positive. It'll also be an excellent commuter light for use on my roadbike if I ever start riding to work again. I bought the light from a guy in Glasgow who (as well as an ebay shop) has an interesting website on which he compares lots of different lights in a pretty objective way. <a href="http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/" target="_blank">http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com</a><br />
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When I initially built up my fat bike I used as many parts from my existing bikes as possible to keep the cost down with the idea that I'd gradually change and upgrade some of the less desirable components as time went on. That process has been ongoing but one thing that I was keen to change right from the outset was the chainset/bottom bracket combination that were poor quality and heavy. I originally used an On One square taper 100mm bottom bracket which was rough running and very heavy and an old RPM/Truvativ chainset that was ugly and heavy. I considered many replacements (early favourites being various options from RaceFace) but in the end decided to opt for Middleburn RX8 Duo cranks with Shimano middle and inner rings and a Shimano Saint external bottom bracket. This wasn't a cheap option but hopefully it will be a good choice. Shimano bottom brackets are cheap, reasonably light and smooth running and last reasonably well. The Saint model I chose has longer threads on the drive side but is otherwise almost identical to the XT version (apart from being gold anodised, not a consideration at all, honestly!) The Shimano rings are cheap, light and reliable so a no brainer really. The Middleburn cranks were expensive but I felt that they were worth it for being so adaptable for different set ups (the spider is replaceable for running different chainring options, single, dual, triple etc). The fact that they run a 24mm spindle allowed me to use the cheap but good Shimano BB and they have a lovely retro chic look too. The weight saving over my original set up is significant (my Fatty now weighs 27lbs including pedals and mudguards). The difference while riding is also noticeable, not so much the weight saving but the smoother running bottom bracket definitely makes a difference. Another benefit is that the chainline is better and the chainsuck problems that I had with the RPM cranks have disappeared (even when I initially used the chainrings off the RPM chainset). <br />
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Finally some bits of riding gear; I was looking for some winter riding pants and happened upon some discounted Sombrio Roam pants on Chainreaction's site. These are made from fairly waterproof/beathable fabric, have "critically taped seams" and are also quite nice looking. They'll be too hot for summer riding but that's not what I bought them for. I was so pleased with these that I bought a second pair in a different colour that were even cheaper and I've worn nothing else for riding since.<br />
Back in the day I was an avid user of clipless SPD type pedals but latterly (before my break from mountain biking) I converted to riding with flat pedals and skate shoes. From the outset I intended to stick with this option on my fat bike but I've found skate shoes a bit lacking in grip on hike a bike sections in slippery winter conditions. I played with using my walking boots and trail shoes but these were both Goretex lined and I found water tended to run down my legs into them negating any advantages of having waterproof footwear, On a recent trip to Decathlon I took a punt on a pair of non-membrane mid height trail shoes which were reasonably cheap. I've been wearing these in combination with some Sealskinz waterproof socks and they've exceeded my expectations. They're comfy, supportive, have decent grippy treads for walking and surprisingly grip my DMR V12 pedals really well (at least as well as my skate shoes which surprised me). They also dry quite quickly which is a bonus as my skate shoes were almost perpetually soggy!<br />
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Finally Val gave me a pair of Hot Pogs (<a href="http://www.hotpog.co.uk/basic-hotpog-mountain-bike-pogies" target="_blank">http://www.hotpog.co.uk/basic-hotpog-mountain-bike-pogies</a> ) as a Christmas pressie and these have been absolutely fantastic. I always hated riding my mountainbike with thick gloves on and usually put up with freezing hands in winter rather than sacrifice the feel of using my minimalist summer riding gloves. The pogies may look ridiculous but they work superbly keeping my hands toasty even when my gloves are soaked (they don't keep the rain at bay for long) and surprisingly most of the time they don't feel awkward or clumsy (the only time I've found them inconvenient is when I've wanted to adjust my lights or riding glasses while on the move, it's still possible but requires a bit more care). A side benefit is that the reflective strips on them really show up well in car headlights, something I noticed while passing my riding buddy Rambo in the car while he was going in the other direction (he bought a pair as soon as he saw mine).<br />
I'll hopefully do some more kit updates in future and if the weather settles down again and my new tent arrives (which I'll also review) I'll try to actually get out bike packing soon. In the meantime here's a video of Rambo and I night riding in the snow recently (before I bought the Fluxient light)<br />
and a solo ride around the Menteith Hills that I did.<br />
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<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-27226822109191245082014-12-04T14:14:00.001-08:002014-12-04T14:14:37.831-08:00The oldest man in Scotland.I've been chipping away at my fitness since I got my Fat bike and really enjoying riding locally but my aim all along has been to use it further afield once my endurance had improved. I decided that my next step would be to do a bike packing trip just up the road near Arrochar.<br />
I parked the car near the top of the "Rest and be Thankful" pass around lunchtime on Wednesday and unloaded the bike.<br />
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Despite the forecast high pressure it was drizzling hard, backing up my theory that it can be nice weather five miles away and still raining on the "Rest". I hastily put my waterproof jacket on to save getting soaked and set off east on the forest road that leads to Ardgarten. Normally there are nice views here but not on this occasion!<br />
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Above Ardgarten the track forks and I took the higher route (Cat Craig loop) to save losing height unnecessarily. A little further on I passed a little waterfall<br />
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..........before crossing Prince Charlies' bridge and onto a new section of trail that's been built since I last rode here.<br />
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A gap in the trees gave me a view of Loch Long and Arrochar before I plunged once more into the gloom under the tree canopy.<br />
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From here on the track runs parallel but above Loch Long and thankfully the rain relented and I could remove my jacket. The clouds parted and the watery late afternoon sun made an appearance.<br />
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I gradually gained height until I came to a junction in the forest track that I hoped was the way to Mark Cottage bothy, my home for the night. It was a bitter pill losing my hard earned altitude as I dropped down steeply opposite Finnart oil terminal.<br />
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With gravity on my side it didn't take long to reach the bothy which was unoccupied. I parked the bike and set too searching for firewood before it went dark.<br />
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The views were varied, lovely looking south down Loch Long but not so nice eastwards across to Finnart and it's resident tanker!<br />
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The hunt for firewood was fruitful as I found a large broken branch suspended just above the ground and was able to get some nice dry logs. My return to the bothy was greeted by the moon rising over Finnart.<br />
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I settled in for the evening and lit the fire. I used my bike pump to fan the flames and soon had the place nice and cosy.<br />
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Mark Cottage was once the home of Scotland's oldest man James Grieve who was something of a tourist attraction as well to do Victorians flocked to have their photograph taken with him. The MBA have added some copies of period pictures to the walls of the bothy.<br />
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I sat by the fire watching the flames for a couple of hours, cooking my dinner on the fire rather than using gas. It was really warm and I was able to dry all my damp clothing.<br />
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All too soon I found my self nodding off so decided to go to bed just after nine.<br />
Thursdays forecast was worse so I wasn't surprised to wake to a damp drizzly morning. I ate breakfast, tidied the bothy and packed my kit before starting the slog back up the hill to rejoin the top track at the junction I'd turned off yesterday. Here I turned left and continued climbing up to Corran Lochan.<br />
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By this stage it was raining quite hard making the lochan look bleak but from past experience I know it's a lovely spot on a nice day. I turned off the forest road and set off along the singletrack path known as the Dukes' Path which climbs over a bealach before dropping down to Lochgoil.<br />
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Smile or grimace? You decide!</div>
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The path was too steep to ride up in places but I was encouraged when the cloud started to break a little to the west.<br />
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Eventually the track started to drop down and breaks in the forest revealed tantalising glimpses of Loch Goil.<br />
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The descent was good fun with some really steep sections but I kept reminding myself to hold back as I didn't want to risk a crash while riding alone. The bike handled the terrain well but adding almost eight kilos of extra weight to it with the luggage meant that getting out of shape was quite easy. Caution was the name of the game.<br />
The path wound it's way above Loch Goil passing a nice little waterfall before the final descent into Lochgoilhead.<br />
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My plan was to stop in Lochgoilhead and buy lunch before starting the climb up Gleann Mhor back up to the Rest and be Thankful and I'd been looking forward to a nice sandwich from the village shop. Unfortunately the reality was that the shop left a lot to be desired and all I could get was a tin of Macaroni Cheese, a Twix and a bottle of Oasis. Not the end of the world as I had my stove to heat up the Mac/cheese. A picnic in the rain in the car park it was then (and enduring the curious glances of the passing locals).<br />
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Suitably refreshed I set off for what I knew was going to be a brutal climb, the first section was easy pedalling on the road but just to add to my discomfort the rain started again. At the foot of Gleann Mhor I turned off onto the forest road and got my head down and twirled away in my lowest gears. As some times is the case I got into a good rhythm and drifted off into my own little world. Sooner than I'd expected the hairpins that mark the top of the Lochgoilhead road came into view and I knew I was nearly there.<br />
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Crazed selfie!</div>
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A few more pedal strokes and I was back at my starting point, all that remained was to give the bike a quick wash and chuck it in the back of the car for the drive home.<br />
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Day one 15.9km, height gain 484m, height loss 742m.<br />
Day two 20.5km, height gain 896m, height loss 610m. <br />
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<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-16196383826991657452014-10-10T08:25:00.002-07:002014-10-10T08:33:39.410-07:00Bike packing micro adventures.I've been intrigued by the concept of bike packing for a while now. Despite having done a lot of cycling over the years I've never done any touring. The idea of having big panniers and all the associated extra weight has always put me off the idea but having built up a collection of lightweight camping gear over the last year (which I bought primarily for hiking) I began to contemplate using it on the bike as well. Bike packing is ultra light bike touring using a selection of bags that mount directly to the bike keeping weight down and preserving manageable handling. I've also recently built up a new mountain bike based around an On One Fatty frameset. This too is something that has been on my mind for a while after seeing my friend Mark's Fatty last year and hearing how much he's been enjoying riding it. Fat bikes have ultra-wide tyres and were originally conceived for riding on snow and sand, some more recent designs (like the Fatty) have a more trail orientated frame geometry making them decent all rounders (albeit with a weight penalty caused by the wide wheels and huge tyres).<br />
So Fatty was ready to ride and the bike packing luggage that I'd been waiting for had arrived but I didn't feel ready to head out into the middle of nowhere on an untried bike loaded up with kit without a trial run. I've enjoyed reading the exploits of Alistair Humphreys, a full time adventurer who wanted to continue having adventures while stuck at home in between big trips and so came up with the concept of "micro adventures", short overnight trips often done close to home to maximise time away whilst minimising cost and inconvenience, click this link to read more about his exploits <a href="http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures-2/" target="_blank">http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures-2/</a><br />
I decided to adopt his principle to test out bike packing with my fat bike and so set off from home at about nine in the evening on my first trip. Leaving so late meant that I'd already eaten dinner so had no need to worry about carrying lots of food (I did take some breakfast though). The bike felt pretty heavy despite the minimalist approach I'd adopted but as I wobbled tentatively off down the road from home it seemed to handle okay. I felt very eccentric pedalling through the streets of Helensburgh past people taking their dogs out for a last walk of the day and it was nice to get off road and onto some singletrack at the start of the trail that I'd decided to ride.<br />
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Getting off road was the start of the real fun and adventure and was also the last I'd see of any people for the next twelve hours. Fatty handled the trail with ease and was great fun to ride despite the extra weight. I'd had to hastily bodge a mounting for my lights (which normally clamp onto the handlebars) as the bar bag obscured them so I strapped my pump along the top of the bar bag then clamped them to that. It worked quite well but did mean they bounced around a bit on the bumpy trail. Thankfully I had a head torch mounted on my helmet as well and between the two I could see where I was going very well.<br />
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I gradually worked my way up onto a trail that I'd last ridden years ago which links Helensburgh with Glen Fruin. Back then it was really boggy but it's recently been revamped to form part of the Three Lochs Way long distance path. As I gained height I got great views of Helensburgh, the Clyde and Greenock beyond (unfortunately I didn't have a tripod with me so the picture is a bit shaky).<br />
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After some hard climbing the trail levelled off a bit and passed through a gate where I stopped for a breather and to revel in the solitude so close to home.<br />
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All the climbing meant that I was rewarded with a nice descent into Glen Fruin, it was laugh out loud fun in the dark with my crazy dancing lights going mad with the added bumpiness and speed. All too soon I rolled out onto the tarmac road and pedalled the short distance to my campsite where I rigged my tarp using my bike and it's front wheel to support my shelter.<br />
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I wasted no time in jumping into my sleeping bag as soon as my shelter was up as it was after eleven thirty.<br />
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Totally by coincidence I'd chosen a night with a full moon for my micro adventure and it was really bright. It did rain a little overnight but in between the showers it was really bright. A few times when I woke up I snapped pictures of the moon and my surroundings.<br />
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I slept well enough but as usual woke up fairly often (it always takes me a couple of nights to get used to sleeping outdoors). The moon was so bright that the transition to daylight was barely perceptible but when I woke at eight I could see my surroundings properly.<br />
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One of the bonuses of bivvying is that you can enjoy breakfast in bed so it was on with the stove to make porridge and tea.<br />
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After breakfast I took a few pictures of my camp set up before packing up.<br />
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Then before leaving I took a few posed pictures of Fatty all loaded up at the camping spot.<br />
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I'd originally thought that I'd return on the road and via a cycle path as a change and because the headset on Fatty was a little loose after bedding in (buying a stem with torx screws maybe wasn't the best idea as I don't have a torx bit on my multi tool). The lure of the single track combined with the chance of having a look at the views in daylight proved too strong though so I retraced my route of the night before and vowed to stay off the front brake to minimise the amount the headset was rattled about.<br />
Climbing back out of Glen Fruin. <br />
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Higher up the track I had a minor mechanical issue when I snapped the chain and wasted ages looking for the link that had come off. Once I'd given up the search and just rejoined the shortened chain I was up and riding again.<br />
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Before the descent back down to Helensburgh I stopped to take a photo at the same spot as the night before, it was a little misty but that just added to the atmosphere.<br />
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All that remained was the fun descent back into Helensburgh (where I held back and used only the rear brake honest!) <br />
So that was my first experience of riding Fatty off road and of bike packing, I can't wait to do both again. <br />
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<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-44566303077056970102014-09-23T13:23:00.000-07:002014-09-23T13:41:41.575-07:00Last men standing.September is nearly done already, summer has passed in a flash and the dark nights of autumn and winter are just around the corner and it struck me recently that I haven't done a single trip in my Shearwater this year. Yes I've day sailed at OCSG meets and with Val but multi day trips have been conspicuous by their absence. With this in mind I was keen to do something over a long weekend that I had free towards the end of September. The idea was mooted amongst the usual suspects but for various reasons the others dropped out or couldn't make it. Luckily Dave was keen to drive up to Scotland to join me and suggested we launch at the Puffin Diving Centre near Oban and sail out to Mull with a stop over on Kerrera on the way. As I'd not sailed in this area before I was delighted to go along with his plan.<br />
We met up at about three in the afternoon on Friday, later than we'd hoped but I'd been on night shift on Thursday night so time was short. Dave was waiting ready to go so once we'd assembled my boat and loaded up we wasted no further time in getting on the water. <br />
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We set off beating south down the Sound of Kerrera in light southerly winds, it was slow progress but lovely to be out on the water.<br />
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As we sailed slowly south the wind became even lighter and then disappeared completely so it was out with the paddles. We were briefly entertained by a pod of porpoises hunting but as we drew closer they disappeared not to return. It soon became obvious that our intended destination on the northwestern end of Kerrera wouldn't be a realistic option due to limited day light and the prospect of paddling against the tide up the western side of island. Instead we began to search for an acceptable landing spot on the southern end of the island which was a little problematic as the beaches are predominantly rocky. We paddled in to the bay below Gylen Castle for a look and spotted a beach that looked possible.<br />
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As I paddled in I could see sand on the bottom but the beach appeared to be rocks and boulders which would make trolleying the canoes above the high water mark difficult. We landed for a look anyway and decided that if we joined forces to manhandle the canoes once empty of camping gear we should be able to manage.<br />
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This is our GPS track for Friday superimposed on a Google Earth image.<br />
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After emptying the boats and following a little judicious rock gardening we got the canoes up the beach and could relax and begin to enjoy our surroundings. We were right below the castle in a spectacular setting.<br />
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We quickly settled in, Dave pitching his tent while I faffed around rigging my tarp (with the settled weather forecast I'd decided to bivi instead of taking a tent). After dinner we sat up chatting until quite late feeding Dave's woodgas stove with bits of driftwood in lieu of having a proper fire and enjoying our surroundings.<br />
Overnight the wind strengthened markedly from the north. Despite the flapping of my tarp I slept reasonably well being exhausted after having effectively missed a nights sleep following my night shifts. Dave wasn't so fortunate being disturbed by his tent flapping in the wind and having to get up and add extra pegs and guylines during the night. When I woke I put on a brew and made some porridge which I was able to eat in bed (the joys of bivying!) Once Dave had risen and had something to eat our thoughts turned to plans for the day, we had intended to sail across to Mull but it was an open and exposed crossing of around five miles and we could see there were plenty of white horses out in channel between Kerrera and Mull as a result of the strong wind. We decided to explore the castle instead before having some lunch then sail across in the afternoon if the wind had moderated enough.<br />
Gylen Castle was built in 1582 by the Clan MacDougall. Gylen was only occupied for a relatively short period of time. The castle was besieged then burned by the Covenanters under General Leslie in 1647 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. In May 2006 a restoration of the castle was completed with a £300,000 grant by Historic Scotland and £200,000 raised by worldwide members of Clan MacDougall.<br />
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The castle offered a fine view of our campsite and canoes waiting below.<br />
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We wandered back down to camp and had a leisurely lunch then loaded up the canoes ready to see what the crossing had in store for us. We managed to convince ourselves that the wind had dropped a little but had a contingency plan to sail up the west coast of Kerrera if the sea state appeared too severe to cross to Mull. We manhandled the canoes back down to the water ready to set off.<br />
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The first section was sheltered and we enjoyed excellent fast sailing along the southern coast of Kerrera.<br />
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We soon reached the point where a decision was necessary regarding our route, Dave gave me a thumbs up sign which I returned and we set off towards Mull after reefing our sails down to account for the stronger winds we expected to encounter.<br />
Very quickly the wind freshened and the waves got bigger with gusts of F5 and wind against tide conditions. It made for exciting sailing and I was very aware that it was a long way to the safety of Mull.<br />
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As ever my photos were taken during more gentle spells when I could afford to take a hand off the controls to use the camera, still they give some idea of the conditions. It was fun sailing though once we relaxed into the conditions (although anymore wind would have made the crossing too dangerous). It took around two hours to get across and we paused briefly to discuss having a look in Loch Spelve but dismissed the idea as getting back out through the narrow entrance may have proved difficult once the tide had turned (the tide flows too quickly to sail against when in full flow). Instead we headed north for a campsite on a sandy beach that Dave has used many times before at Port Donain. We landed easily this time on a white sandy beach, greeted by a reception committee of highland cows.<br />
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This is Saturday's GPS track on Google Earth.<br />
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Once more we went through the camp making ritual, me with my minimalist approach.......<br />
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........and Dave with his more luxurious accommodation. <br />
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Dave was exhausted after the wild night before and decided to have a nap, I went for a stroll to explore our little bay and make use of the phone signal to ring Val and let her know I was okay.<br />
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As I wandered back I noticed a huge bird of prey flying nearby and when I got back to camp Dave (who'd arisen) confirmed that it was a Sea Eagle (he also spotted a Peregrine Falcon but I'd missed it).<br />
After dinner we collected all the driftwood that we could find on the beach, we had a fair pile and it was all very dry meaning we had a fantastic campfire to keep us warm.<br />
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Just as well as the sky assumed a wintry look as the sun began to set.<br />
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After a chilly night I woke to a beautiful sunrise, one of the benefits of not being enclosed in a tent.<br />
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We left Port Donain in reasonable time to cross back towards the northern end of Kerrera and from there on to Oban. The wind was much lighter and the sun was shining making for pleasant, warm, relaxing sailing.<br />
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We had another encounter with porpoises not long after leaving but as before by the time we'd got out our cameras they'd gone. The trip back was uneventful and took quite a while.<br />
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As we reached Kerrera the wind disappeared and we had to paddle for a while but then a light breeze returned allowing us to sail triumphantly into Oban Bay!<br />
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Past Oban and Kerrera Marina back down the Sound of Kerrera towards our starting point.<br />
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By the time we arrived back at the Puffin Diving Centre it was three in the afternoon, the light winds having delayed us by a couple of hours. We packed up and Dave left for his long drive south a little before me.<br />
Day three GPS and also the whole route on Google Earth.<br />
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What a fantastic weekend, varied sailing conditions, wildlife sightings and stunning late summer weather combined with covering modest distances and lots of relaxing in camp in great company made for a combination that will be hard to beat. <br />
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<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-76811815330530445962014-08-25T12:57:00.000-07:002014-08-26T02:18:50.851-07:00For all the cows.<br />
This last weekend I'd hoped to be paddling my sea kayak into Barrisdale in Knoydart to meet up with Rich (Shewie) and Pete who are walking the Cape Wrath Trail over the next few weeks and while I was there taking the opportunity of bagging a couple of Munros that I haven't done. Alas, work intervened again cutting my four days off down to two (which wouldn't have been enough time for that plan). Instead I decided to finally try to get to an island at the northern end of Loch Lomond that I've been intending to visit for ages. <br />
Island I Vow (or Ellan Vhow or Eilean a' Bhò as it's also known) is a small island that's not very obvious from the main A82 road but it has the remains of a castle on it that was once home of the clan MacFarlane. The MacFarlanes were known for cattle rustling and there is speculation that the abductees would often be hidden away on the island (one theory is that the islands name stems from a translation of "Island of the Cow" because of this). The castle was built by the MacFarlanes to replace their original stronghold on Inveruglas Isle which was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's army in 1654 (due to the clan's loyalty to the Stuart cause).<br />
The two day window of opportunity that I had would be plenty of time to launch at Tarbet and paddle sail north to Island I Vow, camp nearby and return the next day. It was also a great chance to try out a new smaller 25sq ft Solway Dory Expedition Rig that I've recently acquired in a bid to get back to basics with my plastic canoe.<br />
After faffing about on Saturday morning I finally set off to drive to Tarbet after lunchtime. I'd hoped to park at Tarbet pier but the car park was full so I carried on north a little way and was lucky to get a space in a lay by just opposite Tarbet Isle. I got on the water as quickly as I could but it was still almost three by the time I got going. I put the sail up straight away but the wind was light and variable so I ended up dropping it again and paddling across to the eastern shore to get away from the traffic noise.<br />
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Once across the loch the wind freshened from the north west and I was able to paddle sail again. The new rig performed just as I'd hoped it would, giving decent ability to windward while having less heeling effect than the taller bermudan rig. In pure sailing terms it lost out a little in terms of how high into the wind it would point but for sailing without a rudder it felt very benign and manageable and the paddle strokes used for steering made up a little for the slightly reduced performance. </div>
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As time went by the wind continued to freshen giving exciting, splashy sailing conditions that necessitated more athletic efforts to maintain an even keel.<br />
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The sailing was great fun but quite strenuous. The wind strength peaked as I drew level with Inversnaid and I felt that I needed to stop for a stretch of the legs and to reassess. I landed at Inversnaid boathouse where there is an informal campsite used by people walking the West Highland Way.<br />
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I had a drink and a rest and pondered my options. I could camp at Inversnaid and try to reach Island I Vow the next day or I could push on. The wind was quite strong now with squally spells of F4 and wind blown chop that had seen a few waves come over the side of the canoe and a few sketchy moments and it was already six o'clock in the evening. Against that, stopping would leave a lot to do the following day and may lead to a failure to reach my destination. I studied the map and realised that it was only another two miles to the island. That settled it, I decided to drop the sail and paddle the next section of the loch that ran past some steep rocks that swept straight down into the water leaving no place to land. It would be hard work but at least I wouldn't be risking a capsize and if it was too hard I could turn round and run back down wind back to Inversnaid. I dropped the rig (mast and all) which stowed easily in the canoe and set off paddling hard. I had to "switch," that is paddle a couple of strokes on one side of the canoe then a few on the other rather than paddling on one side as I normally do. This technique is more efficient but not as elegant but was necessary to make any headway into the wind. I gradually rounded the rocky section that I'd been worried about and the wind began to moderate a little so I landed briefly and put the sail back up, anything for a bit of help! Eventually the island came into view in the distance (visible in the pictures below). </div>
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My thoughts turned to setting up camp, I'd thought that I'd camp on the shore just north east of the island where I knew there was a beach and flattish meadow but I couldn't resist landing on the island first for a look.<br />
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What greeted me was a perfectly level campsite in the interior of the island just a little way from the castle and I had the island to myself. Furthermore I could see some speed boats beached at the meadow that I'd intended using so I decided to camp on the island. Setting up camp took second place to exploring the castle remains though.<br />
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I'd read about the dungeon and the entrance was immediately apparent, I couldn't resist a look. It was surprisingly dry inside despite the dilapidated state of the castle remains above and I could see why it had been home to a hermit in the nineteenth century. <br />
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Curiosity satisfied I went back to set up camp and make something to eat before it went dark.<br />
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After eating dinner I fed my little woodgas stove with odds and ends of twigs that were lying around (in lieu of a proper fire) before going to bed.<br />
Having studied the forecast I knew that my best chance of favourable winds on Sunday would be to leave in good time so I rose just after seven. The loch was like a mill pond so I ate breakfast and packed up resigned to the fact that I was in for more paddling.<br />
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I left Island I Vow just before nine in lovely conditions (just not lovely conditions for sailing) but it was impossible to be disappointed on such a beautiful morning as I paddled south.<br />
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I had the sail up more in hope than expectation but was surprised to note that even in such calm conditions I could still feel a tiny bit of assistance from it. I'd decided to follow the western bank on the way back for a change and were it not for the traffic noise from the busy A82 it would have been a perfect paddle following a series of nice shingle beaches interspersed with pretty little bays. Soon I reached Inveruglas and it's hideous hydro electric power station (and people say windfarms are ugly!)<br />
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As I was passing I decided to visit the MacFarlanes other castle on Inveruglas Isle for a few minutes.<br />
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As I left the bay at Inveruglas the first hint of a proper breeze appeared on the water so I sailed over to the beach at Cailness for lunch.<br />
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That only left me a short hop back across to the west shore again to my parked car after a leisurely lunch.<br />
The weekend gave me a good chance to try out my new sailing rig (which passed the test with flying colours in very varied conditions) and fulfil a long standing ambition to explore some of the less frequented northern end of Loch Lomond which is well worth a look and is very different in character to the more popular southern end.<br />
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<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-58513832987337307052014-04-18T17:36:00.001-07:002014-04-18T17:36:53.684-07:00Mountain snobbery and humble pie. I've lived in Scotland for over 30 years and have been hillwalking on and off for all of that time. I've always dismissed the hills around Luss as small and insignificant and not really worthy of my attention however recently I've read some accounts of walking the Luss hills and this has sparked my curiosity about them, could it be I've been wrong to be so dismissive? I'd been looking for a trip to continue my drive to get back into hillwalking and so last week I made a plan with my occasional walking partner Pat to do a walk and overnight camp starting and finishing in Glen Luss. As our chosen day approached I anxiously watched the forecasts, keen to do the trip even if it meant a little hardship but not if it looked too marginal or dangerous. Ironically the two days we were committed to going were predicted to be quite poor straddled on either side by spells of settled dry sunny weather with light winds, oh well!<br />
I picked up Pat and his friend Dougie and we made the twenty minute journey to Glen Luss. We managed to find a parking spot fairly high up the glen so avoiding a long road walk and the extortionate parking charges that starting in Luss village would have entailed. Boots were donned and rucksacks shouldered and we set off up the first hill (Beinn Eich) just after lunchtime.<br />
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We quickly left the road and farm track behind and took to the open hillside which was unrelentingly steep.<br />
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The view that began to open up behind us was some compensation and gave us an unfamiliar perspective of the familiar vista of the Luss islands on Loch Lomond. </div>
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Ahead the ridge of Beinn Eich revealed some interesting geological features. </div>
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These provided us with a welcome place for a rest while sheltering from the wind which was becoming stronger the higher we got.</div>
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Behind the view continued to open up but we knew these would be our final glimpses of the loch as we could see the clouds growing increasingly closer as we climbed higher up the ridge.</div>
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The upper section of Beinn Eich became a nice, well defined ridge and the angle started to ease a little leading to really enjoyable walking. </div>
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As we reached the small summit cairn we finally became immersed in cloud and any views of the surrounding hills became brief. We didn't bother stopping at the top, preferring to push on down the other side to the broad peat hag covered bealach between Beinn Eich and Beinn Lochain. </div>
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Once we'd descended we dropped briefly out of the cloud again and caught glimpses north to Glen Douglas</div>
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and back up Beinn Eich.</div>
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As we climbed up over Beinn Lochain we were once more enveloped in cloud and the visibility dropped to around 20 metres. Eventually we reached the summit of Doune Hill, our most northerly summit and after a few quick summit pictures sought shelter to have a quick bite to eat. </div>
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Time was getting on, it was already after 5pm and with the thick cloud the light wasn't great. Pat was feeling pretty tired as this was his first walk for over a year so we reluctantly decided to abandon our plan to climb a final summit of Cruach an t-Sidhean and instead skirted around it's flank before dropping down to a lower bealach to search for a campsite for the night.</div>
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We knew that the wind was due to rise later and rain was due as well and I tried in vain to get a phone signal to check the latest forecast. With no further information we picked a spot based on what we knew at the time and found a small terrace that was reasonably flat, well drained but with a small burn adjacent for drinking water and set too pitching our tents.</div>
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I cooked dinner on my homemade "Shewbox Evo" stove while Pat and Dougie did likewise using more conventional means.</div>
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The inevitable downpour started as we were eating so we all beat a hasty retreat to our individual tents for the evening despite the fact that it was still light. I always love being warm and dry in my little haven as the rain beats on the flysheet, my MP3 player provided entertainment for the evening and despite the lack of a phone signal I was able to get decent FM radio reception. </div>
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Every so often a stronger gust would blow through but they were relatively few and far between but as evening turned into night they became more frequent and much stronger until in the early hours we were being battered with almost continuous 45 mph gusts. I learned the next morning that Dougie had to get up and peg out extra guy lines to strengthen his tent but my little Hex coped quite well despite flexing alarmingly at times. It was difficult to sleep with the constant flapping of the tent, I had ear plugs but was reluctant to put them in as I hoped I'd be able to get a little audible warning if tent collapse was imminent! I recorded this video clip during one of the squalls. </div>
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<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_HN8HY-5TVj208ZAo1sgeae48S4Dp16fa3Mf2eWnxFzzRCewr_LZaq4DJQ4nkaSEutU4WI2_up7WSY8PHFQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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As dawn broke I wondered whether to get up and start packing up and making breakfast but decided to sit tight in my sleeping bag until I heard the others moving (reasoning that I'd get cold waiting around if they slept late). Soon enough I heard Dougie making breakfast so got up and made a start on the morning routine. The wind was showing no sign of moderating and it was obvious that our plan to continue a high level traverse of a ridge (incorporating more summits) back to Glen Luss wouldn't be safe in the conditions. Over breakfast we amended the plan to walk out down Gleann na Caorainn. It was still a decent walk and after a fairly sleepless night and with tired legs we were happy to do this. After breakfast and striking camp we geared up and said cheerio to our little terrace.</div>
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Our route out lay down the glen behind me in this photo with the ridge of Beinn Eich on the left and the ridge we originally planned to take on day two on the right. </div>
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As we lost height the clouds lifted and we got a great view back up to Cruach an t-Sidhean which towered over our campsite.</div>
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Lower down the glen we picked up a track which made for easier walking than the tufty clumps of grass and boggy ground we'd negotiated previously and would lead us back towards our starting point of the previous day.</div>
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We passed Edentaggart farm and rejoined the farm track. Beinn Eich,
Beinn Lochainn
and
Doune Hill revealed themselves teasingly in contrast to being cloaked in cloud the previous day. </div>
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After crossing the old bridge we were soon back at the car as the sun came out!</div>
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This had been a trip of surprises for me, surprise at the steepness and presence of the hills of Luss and surprise at the deterioration in the weather that forced us to change our plans but in no way was it a disappointment. Anyone used to bypassing Luss and heading for the better known mountains to the north as I have done in the past would do well to stop and have a look I think. </div>
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Here's our GPS track superimposed on a Google Earth image.</div>
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<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-85243288660618212452014-04-08T07:17:00.000-07:002014-04-09T03:02:50.147-07:00A tour of Ben Donich and the Brack. Hillwalking was my first love in the outdoors world, I was indoctrinated at an early age by my parents (I believe Loughrigg Fell in the Lake District was my first ascent aged three). I've always particularly enjoyed multiday trips, there's something immensely satisfying to me about carrying all the gear I need to survive on my back while being in remote places. In the past I was a keen Munro bagger here in Scotland and also did some alpine mountaineering. Unfortunately carrying heavy loads on steep terrain took it's toll on my joints and a seriously painful left knee pretty much stopped me hillwalking in the early nineties. Since then I've sporadically returned to the hills, usually just for day walks and have been able to cope with that but I've always hankered for a return to my passion for combining wild camping with exploring remote hills. Years of cycling and walking at work combined with taking glucosamine supplements seem to have improved my knee injury so this winter inspired by internet accounts of backpacking with modern lightweight gear I began accumulating equipment with a view to making a return to the hills. I've always preferred winter hillwalking, the snow covered mountains just seem more majestic and challenging than they do in summer but being realistic winter walking requires more gear and weight so may be a challenge too far for my knee (whose durability remains to be seen).<br />
Last weekend (following a weather curtailed plan for a canoe sailing trip) I decided to get out and test my new kit (as well as my fitness and body!) The forecast was poor, low cloud, rain and drizzle meant that going high would give no chance of seeing anything so after a bit of map browsing I decided to try walking a relatively low level circuit around Ben Donich and the Brack, incorporating an overnight camp somewhere on the route.<br />
I left the car at Ardgarten car park at lunchtime on Saturday and set off along the tarmac minor road which leads to Coilessan house and Loch Long. The rain was heavy and persistent as I set off necessitating waterproofs and as the road climbed up towards the forest track I began to seriously over heat. Soon after leaving the tarmac I turned right up Coilessan Glen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1t-8OldbLuMGxv3keyGdwR-fGndfVGt7Uf0FDFdVvNBLQGoQ9X7AUxofBQ8o4k6xLcMHSB4dAxUrqaYQPNjOefKzuE_SY0eTXDfm6D4UzXPbFnMiPvLss34efUPhXJPJMp8vq8Ajrp3s/s1600/P4050001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1t-8OldbLuMGxv3keyGdwR-fGndfVGt7Uf0FDFdVvNBLQGoQ9X7AUxofBQ8o4k6xLcMHSB4dAxUrqaYQPNjOefKzuE_SY0eTXDfm6D4UzXPbFnMiPvLss34efUPhXJPJMp8vq8Ajrp3s/s1600/P4050001.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
The cloud and mist hung heavily on the hills as I climbed and I knew I'd soon lose visibility. Higher up the glen I stopped briefly for a sandwich and to shed some clothing before leaving the forest road and taking to the hill track which kicked up steeply towards the hills above.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wc6rwRXokeR5ZiFdPCJ16qqwDGw6bMs1rdlQlYmw7IHeQjEHrB1drjWVyMr9bUFlr2AAL4lmgSgWhEUBgD3yWR9yLQqLcelHLZuLyp-uyrWSBrjQ9pN3XnrCvFpQzdG9JrKfoKwa9G4d/s1600/P4050006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wc6rwRXokeR5ZiFdPCJ16qqwDGw6bMs1rdlQlYmw7IHeQjEHrB1drjWVyMr9bUFlr2AAL4lmgSgWhEUBgD3yWR9yLQqLcelHLZuLyp-uyrWSBrjQ9pN3XnrCvFpQzdG9JrKfoKwa9G4d/s1600/P4050006.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
Soon I reached the stile which accessed the open hillside and the bealach between Coilessan Glen and the Lochgoilhead side of the peninsula. I'd been here a few times before so despite the poor viz I was able to navigate easily enough until I picked up the wooden marker poles which indicate the route.<br />
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As I dropped down the far side a dark line in the mist indicated the start of the forestry above Lochgoilhead and before long I crossed another stile as the path dropped down steeply towards Donich Water. <br />
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Once down the initial steep section, the path took on a charming character and even with the mist restricted views it provided an enjoyable stroll down to a bridge and series of waterfalls.<br />
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Next I joined the Ben Donich hill track for a while which climbed up steeply before turning off and taking a forest road which traversed round above Lochgoilhead towards the Rest and be thankful.<br />
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A long, gently descending track lead me to the foot of Glean Mor the valley that runs up from Lochgoilhead to the "Rest". I passed a couple of likely looking campsites on this section but I felt it was a little too early to stop so pushed on, a decision I was to rue later.<br />
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Next I started the long climb up Glean Mor on a forest road that I hoped would provide me with a spot for a decent overnight halt.<br />
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Unfortunately the track had been resurfaced and so all the lay byes that I'd imagined would provide a grassy, level site for my tent were covered in road stone. There was nothing for it but to continue on in the fading light in the hope of finding a decent spot. Eventually the zig zags that signify the top of the tarmac road up Glean Mor came into sight and I still hadn't found anywhere to stop.<br />
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As the last of light faded I turned downhill from the top of the "Rest" and set off down Glen Croe. At this point I had walked way past the halfway point that I'd intended stopping at so I began to contemplate completing the circuit and driving home that night. Fortunately at the last minute I came across a picnic area at the side of the track with just enough space to pitch my tent on the edge of a precipice. I was really tired so was delighted to stop, pitch the tent and make some food. My GPS told me that I'd walked 13.8 miles by the time I stopped.<br />
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After a hasty meal I got into my sleeping bag just in time as the heavens opened. It was a damp night with heavy rain at times and a lot of condensation in the tent.<br />
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Sunday morning dawned wet as well. I ate breakfast and struck camp during any slight lulls I detected in the downpour.<br />
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Then it was simply a matter of walking the remaining two and a half miles back to the car.<br />
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Here's my GPS track superimposed on a Google Earth image.<br />
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<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-53017952237864460682014-02-17T07:10:00.002-08:002014-02-18T07:21:00.876-08:00New toys, old territory. It's been so long since I've been out for an overnight trip that I was beginning to get a little desperate. The weather forecast for last weekend started out looking good but as the weekend approached it started to slip once more. This time though I wasn't to be denied so despite the forecast of winds gusting to F8 on Saturday afternoon and overnight I set off just after lunchtime with some interesting new kit to try out.<br />
I launched from Aldochlay lay by (which was surprisingly empty, probably the weather putting people off) and sailed south as I exited the bay. <br />
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The water to the north was a mass of white caps and looked very hostile but it looked more manageable the way I was heading. A couple of strong gusts found their way through as I ran downwind leading to a surge in speed and a strong pull on the mainsheet. The loch was empty aside from a floating gin palace taking rich golfers for a trip round the islands from the exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club. <br />
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Soon I was amongst the islands and looking for a place to camp. The wind was forecast to be coming from the northwest until the early hours when it was to swing southwest and moderate, so my search was influenced by the need to find a sheltered pitch for the predicted blow. I landed on Inchmoan and had a look around the old ruin who's walls provided great shelter from the northwest but would be more exposed after the wind swung.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVdR29L_4I7XLNtFd4KHSu7nReDquT5vHEAsLbOVyw8W5NbqGIGyoDskYvRDZVcu9rFECxGuX7voeRgs2XvHrc6Jrqch4xFcqHhZlegJmveiDOtykd40Q88bpEbvSA2MOuHMmKwnFs9pn/s1600/P2150004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVdR29L_4I7XLNtFd4KHSu7nReDquT5vHEAsLbOVyw8W5NbqGIGyoDskYvRDZVcu9rFECxGuX7voeRgs2XvHrc6Jrqch4xFcqHhZlegJmveiDOtykd40Q88bpEbvSA2MOuHMmKwnFs9pn/s1600/P2150004.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
I decided to move on and have a look at our usual spot on Inchconnachan. This was nicely sheltered but I wasn't sure how well my tent pegs would hold in the gravelly ground if the wind did hit my tent. The next place was on Inchtavannach and seemed ideal, I could hear the wind roaring through the trees on nearby Inchconnachan and see spectacular waves smashing against it's shore while I remained really well sheltered. I did have a quick look on Inchconnachan adjacent to the narrows as well but after chatting to a lone kayaker who stopped for a breather I headed back to the little sanctuary I'd found previously.<br />
I mentioned earlier that I had some new kit to try out and the first item to be tested was a pair of Typhoon Rock boots that I'd managed to get at a discounted price. Previously I've worn Lomo sailing boots with my dry suit and although they've served me well I fancied a change. The Typhoons are a favourite of OCSG friend Andy and I hoped they'd offer a bit more ankle support than my Lomo boots. First impressions were good, they were easy to put on, warm and flexible enough to allow comfortable kneeling while paddling the canoe.<br />
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The next new toy to be unveiled was a new tent. I've been looking for a new lightweight, one man tent for a while (to complement my heavy but sturdy geodesic tent that I'll continue to use in some circumstances). After much deliberation I settled on a Luxe Outdoors Sil Hex Peak. After buying the tent, I'd seen a few comments online about it being awkward to pitch (it's a brand new model) so I was a little concerned about this but in the event it was pretty straightforward (especially if you were brought up pitching canvas bell tents). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByhCOgSvZJD4WMWYeJzrNGxGfEjWyfXE4viHGMiZWDMcGfz9j2O0zs5RMnJFyMFwRmE1A27-kvcKKySy9x4DMuAO_KMFNqjpUU7qkcThnxjTR54UwCmI5pPX5aRQKg7ewVJ1hyxLqJxtH/s1600/P2150007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByhCOgSvZJD4WMWYeJzrNGxGfEjWyfXE4viHGMiZWDMcGfz9j2O0zs5RMnJFyMFwRmE1A27-kvcKKySy9x4DMuAO_KMFNqjpUU7qkcThnxjTR54UwCmI5pPX5aRQKg7ewVJ1hyxLqJxtH/s1600/P2150007.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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A little rain was forecast so I decided to put my tarp up as well (not strictly necessary but it gave me a large shelter just in case).<br />
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Once I had my refuge in case of a sudden shower I went for a little stroll, a solitary swan was my only companion as he fed near my canoe.<br />
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The light was fading fast as I sauntered along the shore.<br />
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I headed back to camp and made some food as the wind roared through the trees on Inchconnachan just across the water from me. The sky to the east was bright as the moon rose.<br />
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I turned in early and listened to the wind roaring through the nearby trees but my tent remained nicely sheltered and provided an excellent little haven.<br />
I awoke just before eight to relative calm and to discover that the wind had indeed moderated and swung as predicted. I wasted no time in getting the stove on to make my breakfast.<br />
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After breakfast Rambo arrived in his kayak.</div>
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After we'd had a catch up Rambo made his breakfast while I packed up my kit then we headed out onto the loch for the day. The sun was shining and the hills were snow capped, it was a glorious day to be out.</div>
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Soon it was time for a lunch break on Inchmoan.<br />
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After lunch we paddled and sailed back through the narrows and round to the cars at Aldochlay. </div>
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It was great to spend a night out again, I can't really explain why I enjoy doing this so much but I've definitely missed it over the last couple of months. </div>
Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-102473080092655632014-01-14T10:08:00.000-08:002014-02-10T14:52:55.995-08:00The off season.I've been quiet recently, a situation that's been due to a few factors. Christmas was spent with family in Yorkshire. I had intended taking my bike and doing some cycling but the forecast was for terrible weather so I didn't bother (in the event there were some lovely days so it was an opportunity missed). I've already mentioned the weather but that has been a big factor in itself, it's been awful! Finally work has got in the way a bit. I'm very lucky in that my job usually doesn't intrude on my free time but there have been a few issues recently leading to me working some extra shifts.<br />
Last week I finally broke my 2014 duck and got out for a short paddle in my canoe on Loch Lomond. The water levels were really high from the recent downpours
as I left Aldochlay
.<br />
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I've recently acquired a new bent shaft paddle (thanks Rambo) to use with my open canoe and this was my first time using it, first impressions were positive as I headed over towards Inchtavannach island. I also had a new kneeling saddle to try out. I've been contemplating changing my paddling position in the Pal for a while and had wondered about fitting a kneeling thwart or an angled kneeling seat as alternatives but in the end a removable saddle seemed like the most versatile option which would still allow me a good seating option for sailing as well (with the saddle removed). Anyway first impressions were once again good, the saddle providing an nice stable, powerful and comfortable paddling position.<br />
As I paddled through the narrows the high water level was once more apparent, the end of the promontory that usually extends from Inchtavannach to form one bank had become an island!<br />
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I paddled on around the corner past more flooded ground towards our usual camp spot on Inchconnachan.<br />
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On landing for lunch it became obvious that it was just as well I wasn't planning to camp, most of our camping ground was submerged and there was barely enough dry land to fit a tent!<br />
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While eating lunch I took a couple of photos of the new bits. First the paddle (a Bending Branches Sun Shadow 14, very pretty!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgFqdbdebtU2LSvyDE4PhwonUzgZPKgmNRMKgvDmVmJIgyrkwqrIfkB5Z26DqaPg2DOPbFyC0DcCvVN3uWIexSODN4ztADpXUOvpUIfKBxx5u5xTZ4kSBSqER9k2aiR820Ku4lVGxOIw7/s1600/P1090021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgFqdbdebtU2LSvyDE4PhwonUzgZPKgmNRMKgvDmVmJIgyrkwqrIfkB5Z26DqaPg2DOPbFyC0DcCvVN3uWIexSODN4ztADpXUOvpUIfKBxx5u5xTZ4kSBSqER9k2aiR820Ku4lVGxOIw7/s320/P1090021.JPG" width="221" /></a></div>
......and the Aiguille Stingray kneeling saddle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaaiDKY-s3A5kXm6NI7D6qDWSQv5Wt2rx-fLdgC31zCJtbFO2wYl1v8GOuJa8YSmq719NOEd1ZwiQIQXArU4bmh9KkR8y0Fd12mZbP_kkeuATWocNTXR6u0ItvIM6rcvgkm9P595FtOb2/s1600/P1090019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaaiDKY-s3A5kXm6NI7D6qDWSQv5Wt2rx-fLdgC31zCJtbFO2wYl1v8GOuJa8YSmq719NOEd1ZwiQIQXArU4bmh9KkR8y0Fd12mZbP_kkeuATWocNTXR6u0ItvIM6rcvgkm9P595FtOb2/s320/P1090019.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
After lunch I decided to try sailing. The wind was light and variable but it's been a while so I was keen to give it a go. I decided to sail round the southern end of Inchmoan in the hope of picking up a steadier breeze. <br />
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In the event it wasn't much different but I enjoyed a nice gentle reach towards the Geggles.<br />
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The usually shallow water in the Geggles had turned into a wide channel as I turned north along the edge of Inchcruin and paddle sailed back across past Inchconnachan and Inchtavannach to Aldochlay and my waiting van. It was nice to get out in the canoe and try out the new toys, more soon with any luck.<br />
Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-35410631816394854942013-11-28T12:14:00.001-08:002014-02-10T14:52:56.010-08:00Loch Awe and the Lower Orchy. A few weeks ago when Sean and I joined Graeme to paddle on Loch Ba (<a href="http://jurassic-chris.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/loch-ba.html" target="_blank">http://jurassic-chris.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/loch-ba.html</a> ) I watched Graeme tackle a few sections of moving water in his canoe and it sparked my curiosity to have a try myself. Fast forward a week and Graeme and I met up at the car park for Kilchurn castle on Loch Awe. We quickly transferred my canoe to Graeme's car then (leaving my car at the castle) drove up to Dalmally. We offloaded the boats, got geared up and ready to get on the water.<br />
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The lower Orchy from Dalmally down has no serious rapids on it (in contrast to higher up the river) but has a few riffles that would provide me with a taste of moving water and the current would give us a nice helping hand down the river. <br />
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Despite the relatively easy state of the river it was more than enough to let me know that I have much to learn about paddling on moving water. The canoe seemed to assume a life of it's own at times and it felt similar to trying to control it while paddling in windy conditions. Still it was great fun and we fairly speeded downriver through beautiful surroundings.<br />
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Lower down the river widened and the flow reduced, a sure sign we were approaching Loch Awe. The views of the mountains which were dusted with snow were absolutely fantastic.<br />
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I stopped off briefly at the car park as we passed and collected my sailing rig just in case the wind picked up (although it wasn't forecast) then we paddled on to Loch Awe.<br />
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Once on the loch we could turn round and admire Kilchurn castle in all it's wintry glory.<br />
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Then it was on towards the distant islands that we planned to visit.<br />
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First stop was at Fraoch Eilean for a bite to eat and a look at the castle remains.<br />
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Next it was a short paddle across to the Black Isles and Inishail.<br />
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We'd been looking forward to landing on Inishail to see the ancient chapel remains and graveyard which has some really old gravestones and is the final resting place of some of the Dukes of Argyll. </div>
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The day was wearing on so we pushed on towards the south eastern shore to paddle back that way and look at a couple of crannogs that were marked on the map. The late afternoon light and gathering mist made for an atmospheric return journey.<br />
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Eventually Kilchurn castle came back into view, good news as we were both feeling tired and the daylight was fading fast.<br />
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We paddled up the river the short distance to the car park where we used my car to recover Graeme's from Dalmally before loading up and heading for home.<br />
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1701880155995391671.post-65586194375362393412013-11-17T13:03:00.000-08:002014-02-10T14:52:56.074-08:00Loch Ba. For years I've looked at Loch Ba as I've driven across Rannoch Moor on the way north and wondered what it would be like to explore. Today Graeme, Sean and I found out. We met at the newly completed road bridge over the river Ba and carried (and dragged) the canoes down to the water's edge.<br />
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It was a short scrape down the end of the river to the start of Loch Ba.<br />
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The weather was a little more overcast than we'd hoped it'd be but that did lend a bit extra moodiness to the already atmospheric scenery.<br />
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Loch Ba is quite shallow and there are many small rocky outcrops sticking out of the water as well as some small islands. We decided to land on the largest of these islands on our way back after we'd explored the northern and eastern extremities of the loch.<br />
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It's very easy to become disorientated as the loch meanders, narrows and widens but soon we noticed the water flowing indicating that we were approaching the start of the Abhainn Ba (the river that flows out of Loch Ba eastwards and into Loch Laidon). Graeme and I had walked to this point back in January when we explored Loch Laidon (<a href="http://jurassic-chris.blogspot.co.uk/2013_01_01_archive.html" target="_blank">http://jurassic-chris.blogspot.co.uk/2013_01_01_archive.html</a> ). We beached the canoes and had a quick bite to eat while Graeme decided whether or not to attempt running the river.<br />
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Graeme decided to run the first part of the river on the basis that he'd have to drag his canoe back up across the moor which would be time consuming if he went too far. Sean and I followed him down the bank watching and taking photos. </div>
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Once he'd reached a wider pool at the bottom of the first section of the river Graeme turned round and paddled and hauled his boat back up. </div>
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Once back at the outflow we set off back against the current towards the main loch. Sean dragged my canoe up some of the bits that were too shallow to paddle tandem (as he had his drysuit on). </div>
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Once we'd negotiated the shallows it was back in the boat and head back towards the largest island, Eilean Molach.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_qSksRoyix5RPihryRR-oQJPIhA-9a3_TPQ5F2JPb0y7LhXlcdrIIxEEccUfjKIQf4nP8ze_vcDqR-Jm2mIn2poTQhMqjpz_lA3Lw06JhVd9VL7zwXEAqbCo4dxOK2EtsIwPjYT0P0T1/s1600/PB150042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_qSksRoyix5RPihryRR-oQJPIhA-9a3_TPQ5F2JPb0y7LhXlcdrIIxEEccUfjKIQf4nP8ze_vcDqR-Jm2mIn2poTQhMqjpz_lA3Lw06JhVd9VL7zwXEAqbCo4dxOK2EtsIwPjYT0P0T1/s320/PB150042.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8y66YEHG44lQMJjSRgZIRvCzbYTznyft-Ahcpc4lYwnk2DuBIWRhovLtVonZXC2tc0fqfe6kzMiJ_vqz3nN8Oz-sbBLd32PU-iMKkb2-xb3nK0QnZ20nyllUR-TMAvRgq0A-OsCRlAsj/s1600/IMG_2105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8y66YEHG44lQMJjSRgZIRvCzbYTznyft-Ahcpc4lYwnk2DuBIWRhovLtVonZXC2tc0fqfe6kzMiJ_vqz3nN8Oz-sbBLd32PU-iMKkb2-xb3nK0QnZ20nyllUR-TMAvRgq0A-OsCRlAsj/s320/IMG_2105.JPG" width="320" /></a>Photo courtesy of Graeme.</div>
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We landed on Eilean Molach on a nice sandy beach and had a wander round the lovely wooded isle. </div>
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Once back on the water we followed the southern shore back towards our put in at the bridge. </div>
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699712940469600657noreply@blogger.com0