Cast Nae a Cloot, 'till May is Oot!

Which roughly translated means keep your vest on throughout May as it could easily still get very cold. This went through my mind as I entered the snowline half way up Glen tilt on Friday evening. The ride hadn't started well with the forecasted light rain showers (dying out by 7) at Blair Atholl manifesting itself as slashing rain and a black sky. Undeterred I headed off up the long easy climb hoping that the rain would ease up later. It did once past around 375m turning first to sleet, then snow, then these strange star shaped ice crystals which floated gently down all around me. Shortly after I was riding on snow with solid black cloud and mist in front of me...



My camera makes this look a lot brighter than it was. It was 8.30pm at this point but being too early to camp I carried on. The climb up the upper Tilt is a beaut - steady with lots of nice rocky sections to challenge anybody. A thin covering of snow added to the adventure. By the time I emerged from the narrow defile the clouds had lifted with hints of the aforementioned clearing with only varying amounts of ice crystals (called graupel I believe) falling to add a nice wintery air to the scene.


Looking down to my eventual camping spot at 9.15. It was largely dark at this point.

There then followed a not very pleasant night. I scraped the snow off my pitch area and was soon snuggled in but after only a couple of hours I woke up feeling distinctly cold and damp. The inside of the tent was soaked with condensation as per my camp a fortnight previous. This time I had my newly acquired super light pertex sleeping bag cover with me so no problem right? Wrong - inside of said cover was also wet with condensation. Not a good combination with a down sleeping bag. I removed it and actually felt warmer so snuggled back in with thoughts of heading straight back the next morning. After a few more hours sleep I awoke to the equally unwelcome sight of thick mist all around me. So much for the sun drying the tent then. In the end I packed everything up after a leisurely breakfast (lemon and raisin scotch pancakes - fabulous) and 2 large mugs of lifesaving tea.


7am and ready to go. The bike was a block of ice with no brakes and a chain which needed a lot of persuasion to bend again. The next challenge was the infamous Geldie 'burn' crossing which can make the otherwise straightforward Tilt traverse a major challenge. The river had changed course yet again but split into 2 channels making it possible to get across without too much drama and dry feet. With the sun and blue sky breaking through the mist it was a fairly short hop to Braemar and breakfast in the cafe next to the outdoor shop. My destination was Aviemore and a night of luxury staying with friends so feeling much revived I was compelled to go for my original plan and head over to Glen Muik. I went by way of a single track I'd scoped on the map with no idea if it would go but as I needed the hike a bike practice I would do it anyway. In the end it was a gem apart from one overgrown bit and one boggy section - a hard techy climb which as usual I had done in the wrong direction. That said these days I seem to prefer going up stuff like this than down...



The start of the route over to Glen muik - this is an old Wades bridge just upstream of the A93 bridge. You head up through glorious pine woods on double track before the fun begins....

Proper nadgery



The final pull looking back to a very snowy Ben Avon. ICT rules this stuff.

The track over to Glen muick was rough but good with snow on the top mile or so. The descent is good as well - steep rough and rocky.

Thereafter it was an easy spin out to Ballater and then straight on up the A939 to Glen Gairn where I picked up the track to Loch Builg via Corndavon lodge. I blasted up this aided by a fine tailwind noting that the track was nigh on bone dry, unlike the saturated trails further south. The Loch Builg single track was similarly dry and I was soon looking down Glen Avon and nearly 10 miles of tailwind assisted descent.


The moment was made by a pair of eagles circling overhead.

Tomintoul provided much needed refreshment from the excellent old firestation cafe. My mate Rob suddenly appeared so a half hour stop became an hour but I knew I would feel the benefit! Fortunately his van was full and he had work stuff to attend to so no cop out lift back to his house. He was due back at 7 and it was now 4.30 so the race was on! So off via the usual Glen brown track, Dorback Lodge, Eigg mohr path, Ryvoan and Glen more. On the way I bumped into three guys doing the Cairngorms loop. It was the group start this weekend but the foul weather put most folk off so only a few did the full route and these guys were sensibly doing just the outer (a mere 125 miles instead of 186). Aviemore was reached at 7.15 just over 12 hours and 90 miles after my cold and misty start. Much food and beer followed....

 Sunday was simply a case of riding back to Blair Atholl via the Gaik but a large amount of rain being blasted into my face made this something to be endured rather than enjoyed! Got home to read that Phil Simcock did the full Cairngorms loop in 22hours 18 minutes beating Aiden Hardings previous record. That's 300k of hardcore biking in under 24 hours....

Don't do the Southern Upland Way

A suggestion from my Mum that I might like to pop down to see them as they were renting a holiday cottage on the Solway coast (and we know what parental 'suggestions' mean) saw me pitch up at Moffat on Friday eve with a vague plan to do the SUW to Dalry and then head south via various back roads and forest tracks to Portling and then back to Moffat via Mabie and Ae forest. Minimal web research and a quick map appraisal suggested it would be hilly but given the dry weather should be OK... OK?? er maybe not. In any case I needed a hard ride with a camp thrown in as part of my highland trail training. I got it....

I got the first intimation of doom within half a mile of hitting the first trail in the forest above Moffat - I had 2 hours of daylight to get to a suitable stopping point and this 2 hours took me all of 10 miles. The trail was a mess - odd bits of made up path, mostly overgrown, with regular sections where it had sunk into the swamp. Thereafter a brutal climb straight up a hillside with a lot of the track covered in windblow and a vague new line through tussocky, boggy grass beside it. After two hours darkness was falling and I was on the top of a substantial hill. There was no wind but it was chilly and I had doubts about how warm my sleeping bag would be. Further on the trail seemed to descend and climb and the terrain looked rough as. Oh well nowt for it but to camp where I was. I wore all of the clothes I had with me and snuggled into my bag, exhausted after the hard hike-a-bike climb.



The morning after a cold night at 500m.... 
I woke at first light shivering with frost on the inside of the tent. I dozed fitfully for a while longer and then decided that getting up and getting going was the only way to get warm. Tea and breakfast helped.

The Sunrise was the only good news of the day. First up was a boggy and tussocky trail with more climbing and a poor descent. There was a brief respite on a section of fire road and a (rare) nice bit of gravel trail and then it was into the crux of the day. Lowther hill at 725m is the high point of the whole Southern Upland Way. The climb up it was horrendous - 2 hours of maximum effort pushing and carrying up a horrible rollercoaster climb on a vague, bog and tussock infested death march. Just when you thought you were near the top, there was another dip and then a further gruesome hike-a-bike. Still, the sun was shining, the views were fab and it was excellent training. Or something.

This is the recently established Lowther Ski Club tow. As it happens I used this tow for several ski seasons in its previous location above Teasdale in the North Pennines when it was run by the now defunct Harwood Ski Club.




View down to Wanlockhead - the highest village in Scotland.

The descent was a dissapointment, a chunk of it being on the radar station access road and the rest being pretty wet.... Wanlockhead was just waking up as I cycled through and onto another easy section of track. The SUW dives over a moor here but it was (thankfully) closed and diverted further round the forest track. Not to worry as another horrible moor section followed with more pushing and a further rubbish descent though cattle poached fields with stiles every 100 yards.... Now feeling thoroughly fed up with this horrible trail, I missed out the next section and instead followed a quiet back road to Sanquar.

In the excellent Burnside Cafe in Sanquar (which made the whole day) I sussed out an alternative road and forest track route which re-joined the SUW at Polskeoch Bothy. Thereafter an hour of hard uphill swamp surfing got me to the top of Ben Brack and this ace sculpture...



The Ice Cream Truck was a life and humour saver over this stuff, enabling relatively easy riding over the wet ground. In fact, despite the horrible trails, the ability of it to take all in its stride impressed me mightily. This was the point I made the decision to ride this beast on the forthcoming Highland Trail.
 
The ensuing descent was the best bit of the whole route but once I hit the road I was done with the SUW and followed roads to Dalry rather than the two further boggy climbs. Thereafter it was back road into the vast Galloway Forest Park and then the Raiders road down to Loch Ken. The easy pedalling was a huge relief after the struggle of the first 50 miles but I was pleased to still be in good shape and (relatively) good humour. The fatbike rolled well on the forest tracks and the sun still shone. A few tracks and roads and I reached my folks' holiday cottage 12 1/2 hours and 90 miles after I'd set off early that frosty morning. Definitely a strong contender for the hardest bike ride I've ever done. 

Sunday saw more forest roads, albeit with 2 big climbs and a quick blast round mabie forest trail centre, a quick call in at the Scottish Enduro series round 1 at Ae and 60 miles.

I think the Southern Upland Way has had its day in its current form. Its a hell of a distance to walk and a lot of it west of Moffat is either featureless moors, forestry or both. Usage must be very low. The section of the route I did is getting zero maintenance and generally looks well past its sell by date. Its a pity as the basic concept is sound and the scenery is great in D&G. Since getting back I've been doing further map appraisal and I reckon you could string up a much better route using a variation of my return trip. The capital trail does a fair bit of the eastern section which is far nicer so there is a good route in there somewhere....

Spring Snow in the Southern Cairngorms

So the plan was to head up to Aviemore this weekend, see pals and pick up my Jumbo Jims from Bothy bikes. A last minute change of weather forecast dictated I got Friday off and headed up mainly under pedal power to get some miles in as part of my Highland Trail training programme (such as it is). The car was abandoned at Blair Atholl (again!) and I took a rash decision to tackle the Minigaig as it shouldn't be too snow covered right?




Early indications were good - sun and dry trails.

Of note was the first use of the Ice Cream Truck on a trail away from my local hills. As had been the case so far, the bikes capabilities instilled huge confidence in what I had to tackle.

As I climbed up Glen Bruar the full folly of my route choice was slowly revealed - lots of snow - old consolidated patches on leaward slopes but also rather a lot of fresh snow from Thursday. It all looked fairly high but a quick map check showed I would soon be in amongst it.

From the top of Glen Bruar the minigaig path leaps up a steep hillside and then crosses a vast area of high plateau with one small valley to cross. Half way up the initial climb the path disappeared under an enormous drift of snow filling a gulley - teetering across a 45 degree snow field with 45lbs of bike and bags is quite tricky.... higher up the gradient eased and reduction of tyre pressures allowed hard but steady riding. So began the fun....


The old snow was iron hard with only the top inch or so soft. Zero traction on steeper slopes but nice riding otherwise. The new stuff had formed occasional patches of windslab which made for harder going. The path was gone - only the odd cairn just poking above the snow showed its line. The one burn you have to cross had a huge snow bridge covering it so no worries about wet feet. After that you climb up a small side burn which was covered completely....


There's a stream under here! Blue sky and snow is a great combination

From the minigaig summit the best route is to turn south east and climb over two bumps to descend into Glen Feshie. Riding was easy - just link the snow fields. At times it seemed like I was in the middle of a vast arctic wilderness with no-one else to be seen, not even footprints. The reward for my efforts was this vast field of snow down which I let rip....

Thereafter an easy track descent with only occasional snow drifts took me down to the Feshie and a very pleasant ride through the upper speyside woods on dry trails in warm sunshine. Saturday involved a wee jaunt around the trails near Carrbridge and Boat of Garten. 

Sunday I chose the Gaik as an easier return to the car - there was still a few big dods of snow (and a rather scary cornice frowning over the singletrack section) - with only heavy snow and rain showers as well as 2.5kg of new tyres on my front harness providing the challenge. All in all a bonus weekend this early in the season!

The endless summer

I recall in September 2013 thinking what a great spring and summer we'd had, with a lot of fine weather running from the end of May until the end of September. Of course being laid up with a broken collar bone somewhat detracted from this. Inevitably, therefore I was fully expecting a bit of a damp one this year, particularly after all the wild weather we'd had over the winter.

But here we are in November, and once again it's been a belter. Not too warm, in fact perfect cycling weather. Which isn't to say we haven't had a few horrible days, starting with my second day trying to do the Highland Trail, plus a huge storm in August on the tail end of Hurricane Bertha.

The first inkling was after I'd extricated myself from the HT, only for the sun to blaze down. I did do a scoot round the Highlands on the motorbike to cash in on this, thinking it would be short lived but it kept going.

A fine day in the high hills of the southern Cairngorms. A week later I was back to do a long loop round the outer periphery of these hills with barely a sprinkle and lots more sun and dry trails.

My TdF tour did subject me to a more usual mix (with blazing sunny weather either side of course!) but I only actually got rained on twice, the sun shone for a couple of days, plus crucially on the actual stage, so I can't complain.

Further sunny riding followed round a short loop in the west. Me and Rob were accompanying Iona who was determined to figure out her nav mistake on her Highland Trail ride (stile versus gate.) Rob then figured on a long loop into the hills. In the event his freewheel packed in so we spent an hour or so sunbathing whilst he faffed it into some sort of working order, followed by a return the way we'd come.

The infamous gate...

Then both my attempts at the Cairngorms 300 were in the sun, although Bertha's intervention between these rides certainly impacted my second go!

After all of that hard riding, the weather again came good for a fabulously relaxing few days in the Yorkshire Dales.

Who'd have thought it - more sun, more dry trails.

This was September of course, not unknown to be a sunny month and I figured this trip would be it and a shocker of an Autumn would follow. Nope, more sun and dry trails. I pounded the local hills, rode the beach, did a long loop out to and round Loch Katrine on the Fargo and a few adventurous 'commutes' via various hills and trails.

Sitting on the top of the Bishop watching this view on the way home from work one evening brought it home to me - we'd had another amazing summer, and I'd cashed in on it mightily. Notwithstanding my HT performance, it had all been 100% successful. Best of all, I seemed to be riding in the Cairngorms every other weekend - actually 5 times and often on the same trails, but I will never get tired of this place, likewise the Dales. Also worth a mention is my beloved Krampus - it's accompanied me on most of my rides this year and what a fab bike it is. I had a minor panic when all supplies of Surly Knards dried up, my current pair were worn smooth and their long awaited dirt wizard failed to materialise. I finally picked a new pair of knards up last month and other manu's are finally getting on the 29+ band wagon so hopefully some better efforts next year.

Then in November I did my first expedition into the hills around Ben Alder, expecting it to be damp and cold. In the event it was mild, sunny and the trails OK. Just a couple of big rivers to cross...

Roll on winter. When you've had a year like this, contemplating dark nights, cold and damp weather (or snow) seems much easier. Plus, it's fat bike season and I have a new bike!

Krampus in the Yorkshire Dales

A couple of weeks ago I had a few days mountain biking in the Yorkshire dales. Its been a regular destination over my whole life as my Parents used to visit my Dads Aunt and Uncle who lived there, then when me and my brother appeared we started renting a holiday cottage there every year. Finally we ended up with a static caravan at the site where the cottage was. Bikes quickly featured in my visits starting with a Raleigh Grifter, then a 10 speed racer, then in 1987 I bought a Raleigh maverick with 5 gears and suddenly a whole new world opened up - mountain biking. Since then I've ridden all of the bridleways (and a few footpaths) within a 30 or so mile radius of Upper Wensleydale. After leaving home I had a few years break but then as a regular at the Heriot Watt Uni cycling club I once mentioned that I had access to free digs down there and immediately it became an annual destination, usually at easter. Many an experienced Scottish cycling acquaintance has turned up assuming that as its England, the terrain will be easy, only to be appalled by the hills. Even on road they are brutal with plenty of 25% grades. Off road its worse and any route involving more than a few miles means climbing out of, into and back out of the countless valleys. As friends dispersed and moved around the country my visits became more sporadic, usually only staying as a stop off on the way to the Isle of Mann by motorcycle. More recently I visited a few times with an ex to do some touring and hill walking. Then I pretty much stopped going for a few years. Finally in 2013 I had a few days holiday to take and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to revisit my old haunts (and test out my recently healed collar bone). Better yet I was back on rigid steel, as per my first biking visits!

My 2013 trip was fairly short and I did the same rides as I'd done on so many previous occasions but the bike was spot on. I knew I'd be back 

Scroll forward to September 2014. By a miracle I'd booked a weeks holiday right in the middle of a fabulous heatwave and run of dry weather. It had been a year of ups and downs - I'd failed to ride the Highland Trail, done a couple of long rides, then finally done the Cairngorms loop in somewhat challenging conditions. So after all these long and arduous rides it was time to do some 'normal' mountainbiking i.e. on easy trails with regular opportunities for tea, cake and beer stops, all in blazing sunshine.

As per the previous year, I drove down early morning from Fife (its only 3 hours or less) and did a similar ride in the northern part of the Dales around an area of land bounded by the M6, the A66 and A685. This little used area of fells are criss-crossed by numerous bridleways and it forms a pleasant pre-cursor to the main dales, i.e. the hills aren't too bad and the going is easy. I started in Orton and my route followed a series of Bridleways zig-zagging across Great Asby Scar, a large area of limestone paving - a popular geographic feature hereabouts. I then did a section of cheeky footpath (actually a good track), looped back round to where I'd been previously then dropped down another smooth grassy descent to the start - distance 30 miles.

Looking north to Cross Fell.

Limestone paving - quite surreal if you've never encountered it before

I drove down to Hawes where my parents caravan is and settled in. Hawes is blessed with no fewer that four good pubs all selling good beer so of course I wandered into town to sample a few.


Day two I did what I would call my classic Yorkshire Dales circuit. One I first attempted in 1987 on that Raleigh Maverick (now sporting a triple chainset) which involved punctures, lifts with old ladies, free repairs from a garage, and a very nervous ride back. I finally rode it all  the following year and I've done it countless times since. Its an easy route to trace, you start in Hawes, ride up a long byway climb south west to join the Pennine Way then follow this pretty much all the way to Horton in Ribblesdale with a few minor detours to avoid footpaths (or not, who cares). 


This is on the climb up the West Cam Road from my 2013 trip. I got up this in 1988 on a rigid bike but failed today (I'm sure it was smoother then) As it happens I rode the lot today and then realised it had obviously been re-surfaced.

A lot of this route is on old Roman roads. The West Cam Road joins the Cam High Road which goes from Bainbridge to Ingleton. It used to be rutted to hell when it was open to vehicles but is now pretty smooth. In fact on one amusing occasion many years ago I came across a chap in a range rover who had bottomed it out on such a rut and got stuck. The local farmer (on an ancient BSA M20 outfit) was in attendance and had that look on his face of "yes you are indeed stuck, I don't really care but I could go and get my tractor and charge you a fortune to pull you out".... I gave them all a cheery wave and rode past, 1 Wheel drive is better than 4.

After tea and cake in the ace Pennygent cafe in Horton I climbed up on the 3 peaks cx route to Pen-y-Ghent but left this to follow a bridleway over to Foxup. This used to be a RUPP but is now shut to vehicles and has recovered to a nice grassy trail perfect for a rigid bike.


Hull Pot below Pen-y-Ghent, basically a collapsed cave with several holes leading to the underground.....

I passed a group of older folk on all sorts of bling bouncers here. They seemed to be really struggling so of course I made an effort to blaze past the lot of them on the Kramp. From Littondale there is a humongous climb up and over to Langstrothdale and then you do another big road climb followed by a further climb over a BOAT (still used by vehicles but fine as its a gravel road) to Semerwater. Yet more leg burning follows up a road then bridleway climb to rejoin the Cam high road on its long climb from Bainbridge. You follow this for a bit and then bomb down a great bridleway descent to Burtesett, thence back to Hawes. Its around 44 miles and makes for a good days ride.

Day 3 would be a mix of old and new - a few trails I'd done many years before and some new stuff along the Pennine Bridleway. This was developed a few years ago by a group made up of NGO's, the YDNP and various Councils. Its taken a lot of work and was only officially opened a couple of years ago. But I have to say its a bit of an oddity. Its created a lot of new trails, defined new rights of way, extinguished vehicular rights from many other ROW's but starts and finishes in the middle of nowhere. Don't get me wrong its made some great trails and upgraded many that had become impassable swamps down to excessive trail bike use but its not clear what the motivation to do it was, given that there was already a lot of bridleways around....

Who knows; you can do it as an ITT and register it on selfsupporteduk.net if that's your thing, but I get the feeling that not many ride it as a route in one go, self supported or otherwise. Anyway today my plan was to bag a few bits to the south of Wensleydale to see what was what.

First up was a few road miles west out of Hawes on the A684 to the turn off to Cotterdale, you then pick up a former Byway which used to be a vague / boggy trail but is now a made up path, albeit somewhat overgrown. That's the problem. The trail bikes kept stuff like this in regular use but ended up wrecking it in the process. Nowadays its clear that there aren't enough walkers and cyclists using it to beat back the vegetation. But its nice to not have to fight your way round bottomless muddy holes.... Anyway its a ('nother) big climb straight up the ridge and then a long traverse along the hillside above the Eden Valley. As you start the long descent you pass a funky sculpture (no photos, sorry) which is one of those frame type things that look at the view through.... the descent was smooth and fast, a far cry to my last trip along here (confession, this bit still has vehicular rights and I have ridden my DRZ along it). 

From the valley bottom there is a bit of road riding and then you pick up a bridleway that climbs up and around Wildboar fell. I'd done this many years previous and it had been an absolute mission. Today, whilst a big climb, it was easy going on a good trail. I'd climbed Wildboar Fell on a memorably fabulous day with parents and brother many, many years before and its a good walk. So I twiddled up the lengthy climb reminiscing on this and enjoying a similarly sunny day. 


The top looking west

Looking back to Mallerstang edge.

The descent is a long one but again on this smooth trail, so a bit dull. Oddly, where it ends is also the end of the PBW - i.e. in the middle of nowhere..... I traced a couple of wee roads and a fine, if little used bridleway, another dead end road and then a bridleway to link to a another nice route that skirts the Howgill fells below Caultley Spout. There are three BW options to pick up this trail and of course I chose the vaguest / boggiest one behind Wandale Hill...


Single track Yorkshire style (well it might actually be Cumbria as this is the eastern edge of the Howgills) Many of the bridle paths in the YDNP are actually double track so trails like this are a pleasant rarity. I followed this to just above Sedbergh and then linked a few roads and trails to another moor crossing into Dentdale. This also used to be a RUPP which pretty much only got used by trail bikes but is now another improved path with only non-motorised access permitted. A few full knob tyre marks indicated the general dissatisfaction with this state of affairs but for me it was an nice, long and sunny climb.

The top looking back to the Howgills.

After a smooth and fast descent into Dentdale I ground up the long road climb past Denthead Viaduct and onto the moor above Widdale. New mapping shows a section of PBW which roughly follows the line of an old public footpath but links up to the Cam road that I had passed the previous day. More made trail and a nice easy climb in a series of sweeping S bends. The top section is a pure grassy trail and just fab. Despite having hammered the Krampus on the full monty of rocky / techy / nadgery trails in the Scottish Highlands earlier this year, I have to say I love riding this sort of stuff and the Kramp is the tool for the job. I rode along the Cam High road and then turned off on the West Cam road that I'd climbed the previous day. This time I stuck to the Pennine Way which makes for more great riding and yet another grassy descent. Nigh on 50 miles today so my beers were well earned!

Day 4 was another old route favourite taking me into Swaledale. To get there involved road riding to Askrigg, up a truly horrendous road climb and then a mix of road and gravel into Swaledale. From here I climbed out of the north side of Swaledale up Gunnerside Gill on some nice techy bridleways. Then a steep climb to a big track through the desolation of Merry Field. Despite the name this is a wasteland of old lead mine workings dating back to the 18th century, proof that industrial devastation of the countryside is nothing new. 

In 2013 I'd also done this route but then had decided to bag a new trail to Low Row. The first bit was fine but your following an estate track and at a point, the bridleway leaves this and strikes across the moor. Much riding back and forth and peering at the map revealed that this trail was long gone. Given the volume of tourists in the Dales it still amazes me how many bridleways have faded into none existence due to lack of use. Eventually I'd given up on this and followed the estate track (actually shown as a public footpath!) until it hit another bridleway which got me back on track. I'm just too used to Scotland these days where you just go where you please and ROW status is irrelevant. I also decided that at long last I should get myself a GPS as it would make finding such obscure trails so much easier. 

Today I avoided all of this (despite now having a GPS) by following the track out of Merry field to Hard Level Gill and down to the aptly named Surrender Bridge (mile 19 on the Swaledale Marathon). Thence another bit of Bridleway to Nova Scotia. A road ride to Reeth and food and then it was big climb number XX (lost count) out of Grinton. From here you pick up a track which contours and climbs above Swaledale before you climb up and over into Apedale. This whole area is former lead mine central with numerous old chimneys snaking up the hillside, large areas of spoil and the odd old building. Nowadays its a grouse moor so there are tracks everywhere, not all on the map. A blast down Apedale and then up and over again descending to Castle Bolton in Wensleydale. I then followed one of my favourite trails hereabouts - a mix of byways and bridleways that trace a route along the mid slopes of Wensleydale, eventually coming out at Askrigg again. 



All easy riding with fine views. The only downer was numerous rabbits I encountered with mixamatosis. This was introduced in the '70's as a form of chemical warfare against bunnies. Its a horrible thing and the poor rabbits suffer terribly when they get it. Eventually most rabbits became immune and the agent was banned but as usual the fucking land owners hoarded as much as they could and its clear that they are still using it. I tried to pluck up the courage to put one poor wee thing out of its misery but I just couldn't.

So the day finished with a leisurely cruise along the back road from Askrigg to Hawes. It was late afternoon and sunny so I couldn't resist a couple of pints in the sun, courtesy of the Fountain hotel.  

More beers that evening obviously but for day five I fancied a bit more trail bagging. First up was some road riding up and over to Widdale and then I picked up another former byway that goes up the side of the valley across from the road. Previously this used to be a real mess thanks to many trail bikes. It was then done up extensively but it took a few years before it was closed to motor vehicles and then got hammered by floods so several sections are seriously washed out. This has been a common occurrence in the Dales, thanks to the YDNP. They spent a fortune doing up many Byways and then closed them to vehicles but often, as for this one, cocked up their timings as they didn't it to vehicles until it got ripped up by 'duro bikes and then got bleutered by a storm....

Whatever, it makes for a technical climb and as the sun was blazing, it was all very pleasant. Near the top you join the PBW which follows a way that had dubious vehicular rights. This is now a mix of new gravel path and grassy trail up a big climb and then down an engaging (and fast) descent to the road out of Dentdale.

From here I went along a bridleway that heads roughly south to join the road at Gearstones. I followed this past Ribblehead and turned off under the viaduct to pick up another great trail that skirts Whernside and eventually dumps you in Ingleton via some great riding.

More limestone paving on the final fun descent to Ingleton.

I hit one of many great cafes in Ingleton and ate lots of food whilst sat in the sun. A brief road ride took me to Clapham and from here picked up another great bridleway. You actually go through two tunnels on this climb - there is no reason for them, the rich landowner simply wanted it that way so that the plebs using this ancient ROW wouldn't spoil his view.... The trail climbs steadily with views of Ingleborough and the steep gorge of Clapham beck to your left. The ground is hollow hereabouts and there are numerous potholing opportunities as well Ingleborough Cave - a show cave for those who wish to be guided underground rather than crawl there themselves. The highlight (lowlight?) is Gaping gill. This is basically a huge vertical shaft that leads into an even bigger space, capable of holding Durham Cathedral in it if you could move it there. The local caving club used to offer free lifts down into it but you had to pay to get hoisted back out... Personally the thought of crawling into a narrow (or wide for the matter of that) hole into the ground gives me the heebie jeebies but people flock here for the many caving opportunities the area presents.

Anyway my route took me above all of this until I topped out above the stunning expanse of Moughton Scar. This is a vast area of Limestone paving overlooked by crags and hills. I've been through here many times and its a fabulous place.



This is all on the PBW again. You descend to Selside but then there is another new section of trail on a former footpath. This descends to the river ribble whereupon I came across this beauty:-


No expense spared - Stress Laminated timber arch bridge over the river ribble, about 250 grands worth. Again the trail either side seemed a bit over-grown and under-used. You then climb up onto the dead end road out of Horton. From the end of this is a long, long climb back up to the Cam High Road (that I had descended three days ago) and up onto Cam High Pasture. Rather than drop back down the Pennine way I continued along the roman road and reprised the descent to Burtesett as per my day two ride. So that was another 45 miler. I had to get back so packed up and drove home, thoroughly pleased with having done 5 days great mountain biking in dry and sunny conditions.

I was also pleased to see all of the bunting and flags as well as the road graffiti from the Tour-de-France was still there. Also the attitude towards cyclists seems to have persisted from my TDF tour in July - many favourable comments and greetings from hill walkers and even car drivers! The krampus was the ideal bike for this place. Funny to think I started my biking here on a steel framed rigid bike with slack angles and wide bars, and here I am again 27 years later...

A tale of thirteen rivers

On the night of 10th of August 2014 the tale end of hurricane Bertha swept across Scotland leaving a trail of devastation. Not quite on the magnitude of what it had wrought in America but the damage it did seemed out of proportion to its magnitude. The problem was a rare dry summer which left the ground iron hard and impermeable. Several hours of torrential rain therefore went straight into the numerous rivers originating in the Cairngorms raising their levels in a few short hours to way above what even a winter storm could produce. Roads were washed away, bridges damaged, properties flooded. Within 24 hours rivers were back to normal and the clear up began.

This was in my mind as I approached the Fords of Avon deep in the heart of the Cairngorm Mountains. The sound of rushing water was loud in my ears. A group of walkers in front of me seemed oblivious and were more intent on enjoying the stunning scenery - maybe they weren't needing to cross. For me, this would be my biggest barrier, both physical and psychological, on this route I had undertaken. I knew if I could get across, nothing would stop me. If I couldn't it would be yet another failed attempt.....

That morning and thirteen days after Hurricane Bertha had done her damage I was getting my gear together in Blair Atholl ready to start a final assault on the Cairngorms Loop ITT. The number 13 was auspicious as this is the number of significant river or burn crossings on route. A previous attempt on a bone dry July weekend failed due to a combination of factors and a lack of motivation. Today my motivation was at its peak. I'd failed to do the Highland Trail earlier in the year and I was determined to do it in 2015. Route planner Alan Goldsmith was now requiring people wanting to do the group start to do one of several ITT routes to prove their worth. With daylight hours reducing daily time was running out. If I didn't do this route this weekend then I wouldn't have another chance and there would be no more Highland Trail. Friends added to the pressure with threats of much slagging off if I failed again.

I knew I could do it. I had the legs and the gear, I just needed to get my head in order, set aside weather and trail conditions and, in the words of my mate Rob, "Get your waterproof man suit on!" So at 7.30am I set off into a bright but fresh morning heading north. 

Riding up the glen by the Edendon Water a large grey cloud rolled in and produced a dense fine drizzle. Not what was fore casted which put me in a grumpy mood. In fact the forecast for the weekend was good with a return to the weather that persisted for most of the summer and made everything so dry before Bertha struck. The drizzle soon blew through as I approached Sronphradruig Lodge and river crossing number 1. 

This was the point where I got an inkling of what I would be facing. The route makes you cross this river twice in quick succession. On a visit here a couple of months previously this had involved stepping over a narrow channel for one crossing and riding though a shallow gravel bed for the next. Today the river was flowing swiftly though a deep but narrow channel at least thigh deep. Further up it looked worse. There is a way up the steep bank to avoid this but in the end I decided to keep to the route as near as possible by picking my way along the river edge and climbing up where the Gaik pass path starts. I put this to the back of my mind and also tried not to think of the many other rivers the route crosses. The trail through the Gaik was pretty damp but the sun was shining so my good spirits were back.

I'd kind of guessed the trails would be pretty wet and this had determined my bike choice. Not the Krampus this time but my beloved Salsa Mukluk which I knew would ride over everything in its path and hopefully wouldn't be too much of a drag on the easy sections. River number 2 is just before the Gaik lodge and usually no more than a shallow gravel bed. Once gain at the crossing point it was a deeply eroded channel in full flow but fortunately I was able to cross feet dry 50 meters further upstream

As I rolled out of Glen Tromie it was sunny but clouds lurked over the hills where I was headed. I knew all of the route having done it at various other times but I was feeling somewhat apprehensive about the passage through the main Cairngorm Massif and the infamous Fords of Avon. Riding alongside the Feshie revealed more devastation with a large section of the bank (and trail) gone since my attempt in July. The pleasant trails of upper Speyside and Glen More kept spirits high but everywhere I looked was flood damage. River number 3, the Druihd is crossed via the Cairngorms club footbridge. The trail after had clearly been underwater during the flood and was still wet. More rain came in as I reached the Glen More cafe so I sat inside and ate whilst it beat against the windows. 

Climbing up to Ryvoan at 2pm seemed slightly bizarre as my first ride along the next section had started here at 7.30 am several years ago. Having done it the previous month I knew what was coming however so I cracked on up the long Climb up Bynack More. Descending into the long strath up to the fords of Avon was harder work than previously. The trail was saturated with peat under the gravel surface so wet even a 4" tyre was sinking in. This made for more pushing but I guess my pace was similar to previous when it had been bone dry, given the terrain. The sky was grey as I made may way up to the fords but no rain was falling. I waved at the group of walkers but made an effort not to chat as I was fully focused on the river ahead. River 4, the Avon is a significant watercourse draining a vast area of peaks above 1000m. Its a geographers heaven around here. In fact the wee burn the route crosses after descending off Bynack more, which is only a few K from the Fords of Avon, flows in the other direction and doesn't join the Avon until near Tomintoul, some 30k downriver and over 120k further along the route!

With my heart pounding I surveyed the river in front of me. The stepping stones I had picked my way across several Weeks ago were covered by at least a foot of water. "Don't think, do" I thought. Boots and socks off, socks into shirt, boots back on, bike on shoulder, go. Balancing on a series of round rocks with fast flowing water calf deep and 40lbs of bike and gear on your shoulder is not for the faint hearted. The front wheel dipped into the water and nearly had me over. I faced upstream and side stepped across. Getting out on the other side was a massive relief, I was on my way. 

The next section of trail is hardcore as previously noted in my tale of my failed attempt. That time I was on a mission to ride everything I could. Today I was taking it easy and was happy to push knowing this would give contact points a rest and stretch aching muscles. Topping out on the Lairig an Laoigh was a good moment as I now faced a long descent and some easy pedaling.

I should have known. The trail was wet and much more washed out than previously. Then came the next problem. The side burns. This aren't counted in my 13 rivers total but they were major obstacles. Not because of their depth - now no more than splashing wee burns but due to the massive scoured out channels they now ran in. One in particular took a deal of time to get through. It was a 6 foot drop down, across the burn and then a 6 foot scramble back up. With the bike this was hard work and seemed to take ages. Further down a vast area of mud and rock had slid down the hillside. There were footprints across it but my feet sank ominously as I tiptoed across, terrified of disappearing into a gooey mass, never to be seen again. The huge dips in the track down to Derry Lodge were a pain but at least I was making progress again.

At the Linn of Dee I stopped to eat food, use the loo and contemplate the next section. It would be hard and wet but I was on a fat bike. The muk had swallowed everything in its path so far and I knew it would take the infamous moor crossing from the Geldie to the Feshie in its stride. As I headed down from Linn of Dee the sun was shining and the sky largely cloud free. An NTS ranger in a truck seemed bemused by my bike - "I've never seen one of those before and we get all sorts up here!" I laugh and smile and talk about the weather. Several footbridges had gone and many miles of path. No idea where the cash was coming from to sort them. Hmmm that's the problem trying to build things in these places, nature just laughs at your efforts and destroys them at a whim. I had a quick glance at the Geldie (River number 11) to check out the level and it looked OK. Good I wouldn't be riding over the Cairnwell the next day then!

As I pedalled up towards Bynack lodge I was alone in the vast wilderness. I remember doing this in 2006. We had a map and no real idea of what was to come. In that event it was fine, a fair bit of path work had been done recently and the route was reasonably straightforward. Time and weather have taken their toll but even with the wet ground I made good progress again this fine evening. The fat bike justified itself purely on this section. Bogs were pedaled across with ease and the few rocks ridden effortlessly. The Feshie glinted in the evening sunshine down below me and a gentle North Westerly breeze kept me cool. Despite its grim reputation as a bog fest this is one of the wildest traverses in the British isles you can do on a bike. The landscape with its wide river valleys and huge rolling hills seems vast. I've been through here a few times now and ridden other routes in the area many times but it never fails to impress.

River number 5 is the Eidart and crossed with a seriously rickety looking bridge. Given its precarious location it would not be good news if it failed underneath you. I'd not done this route in this direction since our ride in 06. Its a great descent. An argocat track has appeared in recent years but this should be avoided as its very wet. The line of the path is mainly gravel or rock with only a few wet bits and great fun. When you eventually hit the double track you'd be forgiven for thinking the worst was over but the best is yet to come.....

Oddly even recent editions of the OS map show this double track all the way to the now washed away bridge near to Glen Feshie Lodge. In reality its a tiny goat path of a trail with some rather hairy sections. The first bit is the worst - a narrow flywalk of a trail across a scree filled chute with several large rocks perched precariously above you and the roaring Feshie below. Its possible to miss this out if you can cross the Feshie but this evening there was no chance - waist deep and fast by the looks... Thereafter its a mix of fabulous single track, random bits of double track and the ever present river beside you. The Feshie is a monster and regularly changes its course during the frequent storms the area sees. The trail had been undercut in a few places and washed out in one but thankfully Bertha had forced the Feshie mostly in the other direction. 

At Ruigh Aiteachain Bothy a new path has been built right along to the road. The GPX track follows the original route but a quick check showed that this had gone into the river... The new path was a peach with a smooth surface and only a few steps here and there. Oh and river number 6. This shouldn't be on the list as its only a side burn really but I got a shock when I approached. The new path had been trashed and the 'burn' was a wide flow with loose rocks, tree trunks and other debris littering its once smooth and narrow bed. The worst bit was fighting may way up the bank on the other side. Numerous small sitka spruce trees seemed determined to grab hold of the bike and refuse to let it pass. I finally swore my way up and back onto the path and pedaled off relieved that this time I really had got out of this lengthy section.

A couple of k later and I hit the tarmac. The route stays on road to Aviemore which might seem a little unimaginative given that it could follow the outward route or several variations thereof, all off road, however after a long day, finishing the inner loop with some easy pedaling on a deserted road was spot on. It was 8pm and I was riding with a huge grin on my face. Mileage was coming up to 100 and I was in fine fettle. The worst of the trails were done, rivers ahead were of a much smaller scale and I would reach Aviemore in time to get the chippy.

Rolling into town at about 8.30 I noticed rather a lot of large Harley Davidsons and their larger riders all strutting around the place. It was Thunder in the Glens - one of the biggest Harley Owners Group events of the year. I was on a mission to eat so ignored them all as I dived into the Happy Haggis Chippy on the edge of town and not far off route. As I ate a truly amazing fish supper I noted with amusement the reaction to the fat bike. It still amazes me that people seem to be, well amazed by the 4" tyres, especially as this is old hat now with 5" being the new fat. Oh well I guess these guys related to them given the size of the things adorning the back of some of the bikes parked up. 

Heading back to the route I looked into the Bridge Inn thinking I might have a pint to celebrate my first successful day. As it happened my pal Iona was having dinner with a few friends and they had ridden the next section to Dorback that day so it  was good to catch up and get the low down on the trails (and rivers) ahead. All seemed to be good so I left them to their puddings and rode of into the now warm and dry evening well pleased with myself. It was now nearly 10 so a stop was in order. I had my tent with me so I was fairly flexible as to where I could get my head down. A few miles later I passed by Loch Pityoulish. A wee path entrance at the side of the road caused a screech of brakes - this would be perfect. And it was - a couple of hundred meters along, out of site of the road, was a nice level grassy area next to the loch. Up went the tent and I snuggled in for a nice long kip after my days efforts - 106 miles in 14 1/2 hours.

It was not to be. No sooner had I settled down when there was a loud bang from the direction of Aviemore. Not a 220 x 16 tyre letting go but the first of many fireworks. Worse, after they had finished all I could hear was the strains of various '80's heavy metal tracks wafting through the air from the Rally site which I'd assumed I was well away from but was actually only a k away on the other side of the Spey. Oh well ear plugs and the days efforts meant it didn't disturb me for long.

When I woke up it was to that feeling you get when you know you've slept in. Actually 6.30 am, around 2 hours after I'd hoped but the ear plugs meant I missed the alarm. Oh well too late now and I was in no mood to rush. A leisurely breakfast and a brew set me up perfectly. It actually rained for about 5 minutes as I was packing up but as I headed into Abernethy it was a fine clear morning with the promise of sun ahead. A special mention should go to the first bit of road into Abernethy. This is now unadopted so not maintained. Evidence of this was the enormous flooded section just after the turning of the main road. Bloody hell it was too deep to ride so I had to pick my way along the verge determined not to get wet feet right at the start of the day. I suspected that this wouldn't be the first obstacle the day would offer. Boy was I right....

Abernethy Forest is as fine a place as you could ever hope to ride a bike through on a sunny August morning. Its all Scots Pine and various other evergreen breeds excepting the serried ranks of Sitka which seem to make up so much UK forestry. Red Squirrels abound as well as Capercaillie which a cyclist will often see due to our quieter passage over the ground. A portaloo next to some forestry works provided a welcome pause and then it was up towards the Egg path, a particularly favourite trail of mine. River 7, the Crom Allt, was first but for a change a breeze as this too can be a bit wild. The egg path is a narrow defile between Eag (egg) Mhor and Carn a Loinne with views to the eastern 'gorms and the route ahead. It was a bit boggy still but the sun was starting to burn. It occurred to me that within 24 hours this route could be so much drier. Hey ho, them's the breaks. 

The route to Tomintoul is a classic with generally easy trails and great views. River 8, the Dorback Burn, after the Egg path was much easier than I had feared. After a climb and a descent I contemplated river 9 and felt a now familiar sinking feeling. The river Brown is another smallish river where the route crosses it but it (and the route) follow a steep sided glen for about a mile in which its written its path with many variations over the years. An old double track is largely gone and the best way though is to follow a narrow winding trail which crosses the river once and then hugs the eastern bank. Hmm. The river had obviously multiply burst its banks and carved new channels everywhere. Deep pools and holes and countless loose boulders littered the valley floor. The GPX track just follows the old track but I headed towards what I knew from previous visits was the best way through. No longer. I found the path eventually after picking my way through the debris and a tip-toed crossing of the river. At first all was well but the last 200 meters were gone and I had to fight may way though a narrow strip of land between the river and the fence which was covered in Sitka spruce trees that once again seemed determined to prevent my passage. Finally I got out of it and picked my way round more scoured out channels and holes before climbing out of the glen.

Phew, it was a relief to get out of that. Now at this point in the route, scratching isn't to be thought of as the best way out is through. But it never entered my head in any case. Something had changed in me. I was now treating these obstacles as challenges to be overcome, not threats to success. I guess a bit of desperation played a part as its not like I could have back tracked at this point. Not so long ago that last challenge would have had me shouting and swearing but now I was just taking it all in my stride. Having a bike that would go over (or through) anything was also a big help....

Tomintoul is a key town on the Cairngorms Loop. Its a strange place - 2 dead straight main streets running up a ridge of land with only a few short side streets. Its elevation is about 340m in the middle and it fights for the claim of Scotland's highest village. A wild and bleak place in the winter but friendly in the Summer with many tourists and cyclists enjoying its facilities - a few good pubs and shop and the fire station cafe which supplied me with a fine second breakfast and lunch rolled into one.

Suitably fortified I started the long grind up Glen Avon. The Avon is huge here, even during normal levels. Damage from its flood was everywhere. The public road becomes private but its surfaced for several miles. A couple of sections had obviously been washed but these had already been repaired - this is a rich estate. The good news was the wind, fresh but firmly behind me all the way up this long, long climb. Past the lodge it gets steeper and rougher but I was feeling good and made good progress. The Avon defile had turned off heading up to the fords but the route keeps on south along a lesser burn (The builg) which gets crossed twice but only counts as one river (9) in my count as the lower crossing is easy, oddly enough. The dry weather was having an effect here too as the burn was low and my feet dry. 

The loch Builg singletrack is nice and was finally showing evidence of drying in the sun. I turned into the wind thereafter but it was a cooling breeze not an impediment to progress. The river Gairn is number 10 but has a fine bridge across it. I knew what was coming - a big climb out of Glen Gairn and over to Invercauld. In the event it was fine and I got up it in good order and blasted down the other side knowing that I was getting to a point where nothing would stop me. 

On the descent I made my one nav error of the route missing a lesser track turning off a wide gravel motorway. No choice but to backtrack up a hill. One last descent and then the only section of A road on the route. But the A93 was pretty quiet for an August Sunday and passed quickly. Braemar provided a final food stop and then I was off back to Linn of Dee some 20 hours after I'd been there yesterday - the price of a lie-in.

River number 11 is the Geldie. This also has a bad reputation for stalling walkers and cyclists in their tracks thanks to its huge catchment and fickle course. At the crossing point it flows through two engineered channels, one of which is typically dry. I've been riding through here for nigh on 20 years and the crossing had changed little over that period. Not now - both channels were heavily scoured and the river had trashed most of the grassed and rocky berm between them. A couple of walkers were busy dropping stones in the river to create stepping stones. They looked at me as if expecting me to help. No chance - I didn't like to say but they were wasting their time as it would all be gone that winter. (2017 edit - in Winter 2015 another storm wiped out more of the channels and left a mess of rock and mud through which the river flowed in several courses. In 2016 Storm Frank annihilated this and left the river in a wide and shallow bed) I got though dry again (more tip toes) and headed down a strong contender for my favourite trail in Scotland, Glen Tilt. 

This is a cracker with some really nice riding down a narrow trail clinging onto the side of a ravine containing river number 12. In a just world the route would roll out of Glen Tilt back to Blair Atholl but its not to be. Near to the bottom of the single track it takes you across river 12 (The Tilt) and up a gruesomely steep trail out of the other side of the glen and over a boggy moor to Fealar Lodge. I passed a guy out on a day ride coming the other way (sensible) he made a comment about the suitability of my bike on this bog fest and I refrained from telling him what I was doing. Funny really some people feel the need to boast of such things but I tend to feel quite self conscious about it as people tend to think your mad for doing such a big route for no other reason than its there....
 
Whatever, the final climbs were coming. In terms of big steep climbs, the CL is actually blessedly free of them. This may seem odd when you eye up the Cairngorms on a map but in the main the route follows the bottom of long glaciated glens which make altitude slowly over many miles. The climb over Bynack More and out of Glen Gairn are the only real monsters but the two climbs after Fealer are pretty hard, given there appearance right at the end of this route. I was starting to feel the distance and there was a deal of huffing and puffing out of both Fealar and Glen Loch. The last is always the worst.....

The descent saw a further comical nav error as my tired brain failed to equate the purple line on the GPS to anything on the ground. In the end I just rode in the general direction of the route over whatever was in my way. River 13 is the Allt Coire Lagain - actually an un-regarded blue line on the map but today provided a final opportunity to get wet feet which I took with enthusiasm. I just couldn't be bothered trying to pick my way across feet dry I guess and so stumbled across any old how. The last track dragged interminably but finally I hit the road, a final track and then rolled out onto Blair Atholl Main Street, 34 hours and 54 minutes after I had departed the previous day. I took the mandatory photo at the station clock, threw the bike in the back of the car and drove home with an incredible sense of achievement (and relief) that I had done this route at long last.

In some ways I was glad of the challenging conditions. I had definitely turned a corner both in terms of the physical ability to ride for long hours but also being able to deal with obstacles in my path (and in my head) in good order. I knew that this would set me up perfectly for next years Highland Trail.

Phil Clarke August 2014