Great Glen Way and HT Loop

After my last post, it's fair to say there have been some ups and downs. The major down was a return visit to the Consultant and the bombshell that it will be more like 12-18 months rather than 6-9 before I'm free of my current 'thing.' Some web research suggested this was well on the conservative side, but at least gave me some small comfort that what's been done to me isn't that uncommon and it will work...

But, I need to get on with life and make the best of things. Bike riding has taken place and after one particularly bad spell, things improved to see me heading towards a reasonable monthly total for June. In a fit of optimism I booked a couple of nights away, on the back of a desire to ride the new section of the Highland Trail route (i.e to bag 15k of what I hoped to do all of, before this palaver came along) in the hills west of Loch Ness. Drumnadrochit hostel had single en-suit rooms which should enable me to operate effectively for a couple of days without worrying about stuff.

The forecast was pretty rubbish after a sunny week, but the leisurely drive up the A9 was done largely in sunshine. I arrived early so took a wander up the Affric and Kintail Way route to Corrimony.

Very sunny. And a nice trail, albeit with a humongous climb as an opener. I backtracked but managed to scope out a couple of nice single track descents back to base. The 'room' in the hostel turned out to be a shipping container, albeit decked out quite nicely so ideal for my modest needs, i.e. a bed, a shower and a loo. 

Drumnadrochit is a strange place. It's dominated by the usual nessie nonsense (the greatest tourist scam in the history of the western world) and a few other touristy places. But it took a while to scope out that the only shop was a new Co-op half a mile along from the original village centre, and on the back of a large social housing scheme. Doubtless Highland Council Planners know what they are doing, but it seems a strange mix with all the tourist tat, and only a (busy) road to get people to the nearest source of work, i.e. Inverness.

Fortunately the pub opposite the digs had an outside seating area and catering van doing fish and chips. So I sat in the evening sun eating and drinking, before retiring to my tin hut for more drink and relaxation.

For the Tuesday I had three options - two loops which I could do one, the other or both; 30-60 miles. As forecasted, I woke to light rain and heavy overcast so I grabbed breakfast from the cafe next door and considered what to do. Writ large was the fact that I was here, my form seemed good and I'd not be back any time soon. So after much faffing and a call into the Co-op for enough food to propel me round the whole route I set off. Within half a mile I was into a massive climb, but lo and behold, the rain went off and the sun came out. Off with the water proofs (never to be worn again, in the event) and twiddle up the hill. Yes I was on the Ice Cream Truck with a nice low gear and extreme anticipation of the Loch Ma Stack shore line, last ridden on this bike in 2015 on a foreboding day two of the Highland Trail.

The Great Glen Way is indeed great. The Badger Divide uses it but it's worth seeking out in any event. It's well built and good fun in places, plus obviously well managed as a new section appeared to avoid a road section and a couple of forest tracks being used for felling access. My only criticism is similar to all these made trails, they tend to have a lot of unnecessary ups and downs, often ridiculously steep. Despite all my hard work in the early 2000's, route planners still tend to let a contractor find their own line and not set it out for them. A nice contouring trail would have been very easy! However, I set aside such concerns and dug in. There were a fair few oncoming walkers, many with light loads as a few firms offer baggage portage along the route; plus a couple of Badger Dividists. 

No sign of any monsters. And there is no need for such nonsense - just let it quietly die a death as their are plenty of other reasons to come here, this scenery being the main one.

I took the high level route, via a particularly steep thrutch and my one and only fail of the route. I am once again loving what I can get up on the fatty, after much singlespeeding in recent years, but a multiple slimy step up beat me. This then led to a steep and twisty descent - as noted above, it's all commercial F&LS land so why no easy contour? Hard work but good fun. It ended on a track end which took me to the HT route above Invermoriston. 

Looking down the glen I've just twiddled up (gears are great!) As I'd noted when I rode it on HT '23 it's a fab track, proper old school landrover style rather than a windfarm / hydro scheme / stalking access motorway. It winds its way up through the woods with only a couple of steeper bits, finally joining a rough track following a pipeline which is part of the local water supply infrastructure, doubling as a hydro electric scheme.

I actually took this pic after a nav error so a back track was needed and soon enough I did hit the windfarm motorways. But unlike last year on my futile HT ride, the wind was a breeze, and whilst the first shower of the day came through, it was short lived and followed by sun and the prospect of a long dry spell. Views of Kintail and even a glimpse of the distant Mamores made me smile. I was back amongst mountains.

Lunch on the shores of Loch Ma Stack. This was thoroughly enjoyable, taking my time and admiring the view and a few waterborn birdies. I did once ride it the other way outside of an HT group ride, but 6 other times I was on a mission and for three of those the weather was a shocker. This time was just good fun and the Ice Cream Truck ate it for breakfast. I dabbed twice! In 2015, the water level was much higher so the last couple of hundred metres had to be walked. I more or less managed it in '23 and '25 but a granny gear and 5" tyres are the tool for the job for this.

I had a nosy at the haunted house but the ghosts are gone. Someone is doing a major refurb - new roof, doors and windows. It's all firmly locked so not looking like it will be a bothy. But this did make me think what it will be used for. The track up to it is rough as, and boggy. Making this car accessible will cost a bomb and require at least one major structure. As an 'off grid' residence it would certainly fit the bill... Time will tell. Whoever is doing it has been on the go for over 3 years now so they don't appear to be in any rush. Maybe the next time the track in will be super smooth.

I called into the Corrimony Bothy for a nosy, but the end room is now in danger of collapse. I guess no estate wants to encourage bothy dwelling these days but I hope the MBA take it on. On the descent I diverted to check out 'Mony's cave and a fine waterfall (no pic, I walked down and left the phone in the bike bag!) then whizzed down the track to Corrimony. Fair to say I was smiling all the way, happy I had done this route away from the pressure of the HT, in the dry (more or less) and on the fat bike. Now what?

The weather still looked OK, despite my fear it would close in over the moor, I was feeling super strong, pain free and motivated. Let's go!

I retraced the previous days route to Balnain then after a bit of road commenced a mighty climb up onto Eskadale Moor. Once again, I was on a fine landrover track. I can see the windfarm companies eyeing this area up though so god knows how long this will survive. The next stretch north on the HT route, the infamous track of a thousand puddles, is now doomed. HC Planners seem happy to allow every hill in the area to be covered in turbines - views all around show turbines in all directions. Why Loch Ness isn't part of a National Park beggars all sense and smacks of politics and large landowner influence. 

So make the most of it! Which I did, trundling up the first climb and following a charming path round various small gnolls, views all around. 

3 shorter climbs follow then a long descent to Boblainy Forest. The route narrows down here, pretty much to a single track. It clearly sees a lot of bike use, I guess being on the Schnecky gravel bike circuit. Into the woods was a bit over grown at first before an access road to a sub station was joined and a dilemma. My route took me further into the woods to Kiltarlity, but I would be too late for the cake shop, so why bother when I could do a short cut. It boiled down to why not? More nav faffing in the event after a long descent. My GPX was from Alan Goldsmith's original planning track and led me to a blank wall of forest where the map showed a double track. After a bit of rumination I back tracked as it was too late in the day for either a death march or any other route faff. So I ground back up the climb and down to a brief run on the A833 then back road up to my route. 

Just the GGW back to Drumnadrochit - around 12k - but the climb up the ridge overlooking Loch Ness revealed legs that were starting to feel the miles. However the track through the woods above the loch was mighty fine and led to a fab descent down to the A82. 

Ahead of joining this it looped behind a private house (another steep climb) and passed through about 6 totally unnecessary gates (fenced path, no livestock) all of which I left open. I get how difficult negotiating access is but that doesn't preclude common sense. No livestock, no gate.

Anyway, the last mile was on the A82 footway as the days only significant rain came and went. I finished up back in the pub seating area as the rain became torrential! A large brolly kept me dry as I ate burger and chips, with a pint, whilst contemplating a fabulous days ride. Total distance was 100k, despite my short cut but thanks to the two nav faffs. Climbing total was 2250m thanks to the ups and downs of the GGW - into YD200 territory! 

My final day was a depart from a sunny Loch Ness and a meet up with my mate Rob at Findhorn for some beach riding fun. The tide was coming in but we managed to keep to the sand all the way to Burghead for lunch. The return was via the fun sandy single track. 

One shower came in from which we sheltered under a tree but once again we stayed dry inspite of a rather damp forecast. Rain did stop a BBQ but we had it inside instead.

So a good trip and whilst no bivvying was involved, revived me immensely. It's now July and the summer is in full swing!