Its then a case of fighting your way up the bank on any likely looking line. Yet another blog about someones biking adventures. The approach to the Bothy, Ben Alder Cottage involved a 14km cycle ride, from the lonely Loch Rannoch, then a few KMs hiking across a bog. So that's about it. This was my first time south to north of the Bealach dubh trail. As usual the last mile to Ben Alder Cottage was the hardest as we struggled through the black quagmire with bikes over the shoulder. Another section of vague path / bog lead to my third bothy of the day at Duinish. Stage 16, Tuesday 25 May 2010: Rannoch to Ben Alder Cottage, 12 miles (10 on route) My long-time walking partner Dave Travers journeyed up to Rannoch … At one point the argo track crosses the marked line up a steep bank. Marina, Loch Rannoch Hotel Boat Hire, white rafting and canoeing. Corrievarkie Lodge Bridge of Gaur Rannoch The track rolls out to the road and then you turn left and head east to the start of the track described in the previous section. Lochan Earba is to the right of the small hill just off centre. Today it was pretty easy. More luxury accommodation - Duinish bothy. The last time I tried it was sunny but a late fall of snow would have made it a schlep. At this point I'd not much idea what I'd be in for other than what a mate had said i.e. Hear pronunciation Press to hear pronunciation Carn Dearg is a remote peak between Rannoch Moor and the Ben Alder range, above Loch Ossian. Alighting at Rannoch, we will navigate a network of trails and paths through the estates of Corrour and Ben Alder to reach another train station at Dalwhinnie, on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park. The views are fab and there is plenty of scope for bivvies. There is a wee patch of woodland alongside the second of the lochs which is a good stopping point. The descent to Culra Bothy seemed to go on for ever. Of course I'm talking from the perspective of a rider of rigid bikes. This view was in fact one of my motivations for choosing Ben Alder on this summer’s day. After a short while I passed through wet snow then deeper and dryer snow overlaying some seriously wet ground. The top after about 3/4rs of an hour of steady climbing - its a great piece of landscape here with the path going through a double pass, Ben Alder on the right. Looking north east along Loch Ericht, Ben Alder with its head in the clouds. I'd trudged along there when you rescued me near Corrour.The only one you haven't mentioned is the one to the NW of Loch Pattack, might be the only option if the dodgy bridge goes and the river is high.What's the track like on the south shore of Loch Ericht? Steep rock slabs, big steps and two annoying kissing gates are the challenge. In about three hours time you'll be at the notch at the top of this glen looking back down to your present location. Head up on the Loch Pattack track and look for a left turn (signed to Loch Ericht) about 100 metres past the lodge. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. It will also help me remember where I've been over the years! And why would you go that way when the main trail is such a joy. If you are up for it its well worth it as you then pick up another nice trail to Ben Alder Cottage and get to ride the best trail in the area - see below..... Of course if you are into bike rafting then this would make this route much easier. If the above looks a bit drastic but you want to explore the area, then just ride up the various bits of double track and back again. Ossian Youth hostel - a very lonely place but accessible by train so quite popular. We've done most of those tracks and circuits, just the Loch Ericht shoreline and the Allt Cam tracks to get the full set. Covering some 68000 acres stretching from Loch Rannoch to Dalwhinnie. In 2014 most people thought we had a mild and snow free winter. the trail was a good one. This is the first iffy bit. I had to cash in on the unseasonably good weather so decided to head for my latest playground - the Ben Alder area. Technically its harder this way but all good stuff and there are no significant challenges. As above there is a through route option if you are willing to risk a rather drastic hike-a-bike section. Dry and narrow with only the odd burn crossing to interupt progress and provide a wee technical challenge. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. It took me about six and a half hours of steady going to do this. Newtonmore Riding Centre Riding, trekking and instruction available. So its now an easy surface which (yes) you. In August it was very damp and I've done it since when its been nigh on bone dry. Best of all, waterbars (those lines of rocks across the trail to divert surface water) are few and far between, a sure sign of a designer who knew their shit. the reverse of the first route described in this post) and then down along the lochs to their end. and should be on anyone's Scottish mountain biking to do list. Below 500m we did. Basically you carry straight up the hillside behind the cottage (there is a path marked but no single clear line on the ground) until you top out on the Bealach Breabag at 840m. Above was the most snow recorded in a generation but only a skier or mountaineer would have realised this. If its been very wet, don't bother as the levels will be too high. I was heading through this area on the way back to where I'd left my car from Aviemore. You could use the bridge if the burn was up and then walk down stream to pick up this track (which follows the line of the path shown on 1:25k maps) with dry feet. I'd intended to do a ride around Ben Alder but the weather looked foul so instead kept going to Loch Lagan and the car park at Feagour. This is a top view point and should be enjoyed! After a leisurely drive to Loch Rannoch I abandoned the car and headed north through the woods near the head of the loch towards Loch Ericht, Top of the climb out of Loch Rannoch looking West towards Blackwater res and the arse end of the Aonach Eagach. This is one of several that the estate did up in about 1999, entirely at their own expense. For that reason I'm not going to try to post up maps or detailed route finding notes. Also remember to smirk at all the suckers driving on the A9..... At Dalnaspidal lodge turn right down a double track to Loch Garry. Nice one Phil! Ben Alder Weather (Days 0-3): The weather forecast for Ben Alder is: A light covering of new snow mostly falling on Wed afternoonFreeze-thaw conditions (max 2°C on Wed afternoon, min -6°C on Tue morning)Wind will be generally light. Cairn 15m E at NN 49633 71847 may be as high Away from winter (which runs from October to May!) Blair Trekking Centre Set in the grounds of Atholl Castle. I'm not about to bang on about safety or navigation or kit choice as per normal guides because as far as I'm concerned its up to you to sort this out. There are a few that have bigger gaps but my view is that as we are in the mountains, get over it and get that front (and back) wheel airborne. The following morning the rain had gone and the sun was looking like making an appearance. Despite the rain the previous evening (and a generally wet summer) it was dry and stony. I had a wee diversion at the lodge to the loch shore via another fine piece of singletrack and then back tracked to follow the easy track to Dalwhinnie. I'm not sure who did the work across the Ben Alder estate but clearly they got a different brief from what the NTS provide. Above 500m seems to be the point that you go from wet slushy crappy snow to full on mountain winter conditions. Top tip - keep to the right until a short plank bridge, its dryer and smoother. As well as great scenery there are some fabulous trails offering the full range of riding experiences. If I'm going to carry my bike up to 840m I want to have a view off the top. It was actually drier than when I passed through here in August and presented no problems for the ICT. Looking north east through the strath carrying Lochan Earba. The magnificent Ben Alder Estate is located in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. With stunning views behind you towards the Glencoe hills and mountains as well as the views ahead past Rannoch station on towards Ben Alder you are left breathless! OS maps show the end of the double track here but it continues to 494655. Camusericht Lodge is situated in an elevated and private position off the main road, with southerly views over Loch Rannoch and beyond to Glen Lyon. "Ordnance Survey Explorer Map #385: Rannoch Moor and Ben Alder" covers that portion of the Scottish Highlands inbetween the scenic but civilized environs of Perth and the towns along the A9, and Glen Coe and the dramatic scenery of the West Highlands. All the trails are on Open Street maps too. Follow this to the Loch end but bear right when the track starts to descend in earnest. It’s a remote bothy by the standards of the Central Highlands, concealed beneath the bulk of Ben Alder on the shores of Loch Ericht. And looking back the way you've just come. After the deer fence on the left stops is the boggiest bit. That said incorporating it into a circuit is tricky. The trail then improves and you descend down to loch Beithe where the trail improves again, finally descending back down to culra on another fab built path. If your familiar with the principals of Upland path management you'll know these terms and what they mean. They also get annual maintenance! From here take the track on the east side of Loch Ossian. If you are determined to push through then be warned the next two hundred metres are tricky. This was one of those fat bike 'moments' as a normal bike would have been hopelessly bogged down through this stuff whereas the fatty rolled through the lot. This is the Old Road to the Isles and part of an ancient right of way from central Scotland to Fort William and beyond. The route starts out easy - down Loch Ericht over and across to Culra, over the Bealach Dubh / Cumhain to Ben Alder Cottage. The plan had been to ride over Bealach Leamhain to Loch Pattack, then out to Dalwhinnie, thence to Newtonmore by NCN 7. Rannoch Moor and Ben Alder (OS Explorer Map Series): Loch Rannoch by Ordnance Surve A1 edition (2007) Don't quite reach the road but turn left back on yourself on the smooth motorway standard track which takes you into the forest. The Autumn colours were in full bloom - stunning. 2014 had been dry all the way through Autumn so this day it was fine. Note that its not a hugely popular walking route as most munro baggers go up the direct route to Ben Alder. It should still be possible, but so far has defeated me! Another good there and back again ride is the trail alongside Loch Ericht beyond Ben Alder Lodge. Ben Alder is one of the great remote mountains of Scotland, set in the very heart of the Central Highlands. Before this you have to cross a small burn which this day was more iffy than the Allt Cam:-. Camusericht Lodge is situated in an elevated and private position off the main road, with southerly views over Loch Rannoch and beyond to Glen Lyon. Culra Bothy is technically closed after the MBA discovered asbestos in the roof space but I've stayed in it twice since then and the main room seems (to me) to be fine. One of my favourite bits is in the north eastern corner centred around Ben Alder, an 1148m hill with a few fellow munroes around it. The main path keeps climbing until it passes below a crag at its high point of just over 750m. If you look at an OS 1:50k map of the area you'll figure it all out easy enough. And then there’s Ben Alder Cottage, the haunted one. This may seem a bit of an embuggerance but actually it follows a great bit of single track. Around Ben Alder. Its all rideable until the last bit of the climb where the gradient will likely defeat you unless your running a 20/50 granny gear. The next section is on NCN 7 - a smooth cycleway alongside the A9T. The view northeast showed just how far I had travelled: The view southwest looked out across Rannoch to the distant hills beyond. Track at the end of Lochan Earba under water. On the climb into Strath Ossian, looking east. If packrafting you could do the shoreline path, that one then the track up and over to Coire Bachdaidh Lodge and then paddle back across the loch.Bob. From here the gradient eases although its rough going. Then comes the exciting bit. The bridge is a significant technical challenge but the Author feels that if you can't manage this, you shouldn't be here. Typical trail shot looking back towards Culra. This was originally an estate lodge but then became a hospital for TB sufferers on the basis that they needed isolation and lots of fresh air. Be warned, you need all your food with you. Its about 2 miles off route. Cheers BobThe path along the south shore is very boggy apparently - a mate has taken a D of E group along here and won't do it again. Confession time, I've not actually done this despite several attempts all foiled by rubbish weather. My first close encounter with these hills was in 2003 when me and two pals rode from Fort William to Newtonmore in one (for those days) long day. From here its fairly good going down to the start of the onward route. The total length of this single track (Ben Alder Cottage to the double track above Pattack) is 16k, if you want more you have to go to Fisherfield..... One of the appeals of this area is the scope for short circuits, easy ride in / ride out trips (a perfect break from the drudgery of the A9 if you are heading north) but there are also a couple of classic big day rides. The last 2k as shown on the map is a lot rougher and not really worth it unless you want to push right through the missing bit to link up with a track that takes you round to the Lochan Earba track. Keep on until you join the main river Pattack track and head south up by the river. Walking here is not like walking on a city road. Just before the pass summit I decided to turn left on a path shown on the map. This one is 78 miles and when I did it in a oner in 2016 took me 9 hours. Watch your nav through the missing bit, I followed my nose from the end of the marked path and this seems to be where most people are going as when you join a wee side burn there is a path of sorts. If you've read (and ridden) this far you've already done all but one of the trails in this route. There is a new cafe in the closed hotel which provided toasties, scone and coffee (sat outside in the sun!) I'll not bother describing them as the above covers all of the bits and a GPX of the HT550 is freely available. Water is, however, in plentiful supply. It was being signed as a Diversion during the Pattack hydro scheme works but no-one was using it. Look to your right (i.e west) and you should see the West Highland rail line crossing the desolation of Rannoch moor. Nav is simple - start at Dalwhinnie, head down Loch Ericht, Over to Loch Pattack, down the river and cut round west to Lochan Earba (i.e. Follow the double track north west until you leave the forestry and climb up to nigh on 450m. It can be climbed either from either Corrour or Rannoch stations on the West Highland line. If you do decide to push through, its around 4k of difficult going. The beach looked tempting but I had a quicksand incident here previously so stayed clear..... From Ben Alder Cottage you start on 10 miles of divine single track. I've not actually got many pics of this route, simply because I'm usually enjoying myself too much to take photos! This is one of the biggest areas of wilderness in the British Isles and only loses out to the Cairngorms due to it being bisected by the West Highland Rail line and a few remote lodges. 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You do decide to push through, its around 4k of difficult going do!
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