May BAM, take 2

Don't you just love sunny weather in Scotland. Its a rare enough event for anything more than a few days at a time so after several weeks with really not much rain, you then get the even rarer combination of sun and dry trails. Except its been like this for the last three springs so maybe the above is mince.... Of course this is likely to equate to yet another damp summer but we can't complain really.


Anyway, given the weather, a bike trip and bivvy was essential. The Highland Trail 550 group start was about to kick off so the obvious plan was to hit my favourite area for biking - Ben Alder - and shout encouragement at a few HT riders whilst I was on. (note - my user name on Bearbones is HTrider. This relates to a motorcycle I own and was originally coined on the UK trials forum so I stuck with it for the BB forum  prior to any knowledge of the HT550. Hey ho...)


A drink induced late start put the kybosh on this and it wasn't until 5pm that I departed a very sunny Dalwhinnie. Pedalling down by loch Ericht is a fine way to warm up before the fun begins. There was a fair few bikes about - many loaded for either hill walking trips rather than bikepacking per se but always good to see.




I joined the HT route where the Ben Alder single track emerges by Loch Pattack. 2 riders were in view but I carried on as I suspected they wouldn't be interested in a random stranger cheering at them. In the event they shouted at me thinking I was doing the route and had gone off course. After a brief chat about the trails (dry), the weather (hot) I left them too it.

My route took my down by the Pattack then north towards Lochan na Earba. My plan was to ride until dark so I stopped here for tea sat by the loch shore.

It was warm, sunny and there were no midges, what more could you ask for. (OK a proper gourmet meal rather than a freeze dried effort....)


This is actually the old HT route and very fine it is. I climbed up through the forest past another micro hydro scheme, helping myself to a mostly used loo roll from their site toilet as I'd forgotten mine. Thereafter you climb up through Strath Ossian - one of those particularly special places to be on a bike as you are very much aware of the vastness of the landscape you are passing through.

Climbing up into Strath Ossian looking north east to Loch Lagan and Lochan na Earba.


The old HT route came through here via the Abhain Rath from Kinlochleven. The abhain rath section wasn't much fun but it did mean you had a continuous off-road section for nearly 50 miles without any hint of public road, possibly unique in the British isles.


As I passed the lodge and headed along loch Ossian, darkness was starting to fall and the air temps were dropping. I noted a figure in the distance pushing a bike. Hmm; odd, I thought. As I approached I noticed he was wearing a Bear bones bikepacking shirt. Recognition soon followed - Bob Wightman who I had shared many miles with on the previous years group start. His bike had a flat tire and he looked absolutely scunnered. Turns out he'd bashed a rim on a waterbar, split his only spare tube on a subsequent one and that was that. He'd exited the HT route via a short but gruesome glen linking the top of the bealach cumhahn to Loch Ossian, with the intention of getting a train from Ossian station. I gave him a tube so he could at least ride his bike the last few miles to the station and we chatted about the route, scratching and old age....



We parted at the YHA and I started the long but steady climb over the road to the isles southwards to Loch Rannoch. This used to be a famously boggy track but has now been upgraded to a fine gravel surface thanks to yet another hydro scheme.



Its a good one and a very useful benefit of such works as it opens up a fine off-road through route to a variety of bikes. In fact you can now get from Callander to Aviemore via this and other good tracks mostly off road with only back roads to link the trails up.

Looking west over Loch Ossian to Ben Nevis and the Mamores




Sunset at Corrour Old Lodge, looking over Rannoch Moor, Blackwater res and Glencoe


I'd thought of stopping at the ruined lodge (it was a hospice for TB sufferers) but it was quite breezy so I decided to keep on down into the valley bottom to find some shelter. A small island in the (low) river provided the perfect spot:

 

 Looking south over Strath Rannoch to the hills above Bridge of Orchy.


I had a reasonable sleep although it was still quite breezy so the flapping tarp kept me awake for a while. I woke to clear blue sky's, had breakfast, packed up and headed off. I re-joined the Highland Trail route at Bridge of Gaur and climbed up through the woods towards Loch Ericht.


Looking west to my bivvy spot with Glencoe ski centre and the Stobb Ghabhar group behind.


The famously boggy section to Ben Alder cottage wasn't and the north easterly breeze kept me cool. At the cottage I bumped into a mate who was mentoring a Duke of Edinburgh Award group so we chatted whilst they went the wrong way up Ben Alder and then I headed off over the fabulous singletrack that is Bealach Cumhahn and dubh. No more HT riders ('cept me!) although it transpired that the chap I spoke to at the bottom of the hill was trying to do an ITT but gave up later that day and went back via the lower loop. The descent was a hoot and the easy roll out by the Ericht was a fine way to finish another great ride.

 Mandatory Bealach Dubh shot looking south west to Loch Ossian.