Skye & Torridon

Skye & Torridon

Our Scottish trip in spring has become a regular thing, so this year we decided to branch a little bit further north.

Torridon has a reputation on being a mountain biking hot spot, with lots of routes to choose from, so we agreed upon the towering sandstone hills as our destination.
With it being so far north from Yorkshire, we planned to set off on a Wednesday night to get some of the driving out of the way.
After the Tour du Mont Blanc the year before, Stuart and I were both eager for another hut based trip. This means keeping weight down by not carrying sleeping bags, stoves or food so we can concentrate and enjoy the descents that little bit more.
The youth hostel in Torridon, looked perfectly placed for an over night stop and with lots of tracks surrounding it we set about researching the maps, books and internet.
Thanks to Vertebrate's Scottish mountain biking books, The Wild Trails we plotted a route cutting and pasting two routes from volumes 1 and 2.
Starting from Coulags south of Torridon, the plan was to take the trail over the Bealach na Lice and drop down in to Annat, then head South West along the road to meet up with the Ben Damph circuit before heading to the hostel for our overnight stop. The next morning we would head east, picking up from where we left off and taking the Coulin pass back to our starting point. With a little bit of research on the internet, the Drochaid Coire Làir looked like a good alternative for descending down to Achnashellach.The hostel was booked for Friday night, meaning we had enough time for a ride on the way up.Stuart suggested heading to Skye and taking in Glen Sligachan, with a possible night at Camasunary, a bothy on the coast at the end of the glen. I was sold on the idea, having walked amongst the mighty Cuillin and heard much about the trail down the glen, I knew it wasn't going to disappoint.
The time soon came, so with a weather forecast suited to kite flying ducks, we headed north.

For Wednesday night we stopped over at the Strath Fillan wigwams. They are basic, heated, wooden shelters that were perfectly placed for us to throw our sleeping bags in. Rising early the next morning, we were back in the van for the remaining 4 hours to Skye.

Passing the Nevis Range, we felt rude not heading in to the Leanachan forest and sampling the world cup XC course. Offering up two short red loops, we chose on the Witches Trail first, followed by the 10 under Ben trail. The Witches Trail was the better of the two in both of our opinions, with the 10 under the Ben having more of an XC feel to it. Both of them however, offered up amazing views of the snow capped Ben Nevis.

Fueling up on Morrisons pasties back at the van, we were soon packed up and heading to Skye for our next overnight stop.

On the way up, the sun shone relentlessly, highlighting the majesty of the Highlands and filling us with optimism for the ride ahead.

In no time at all, the Cuillin were in sight and we found a parking spot near the Sligachan hotel.

We transferred our usual tools and spares in to larger packs to accommodate sleeping bags, a small meths stove and food and headed down the glen.

Our tyres rolled along a rocky trail, with only the occasional water bar in our path to cause us problems. After a couple of mile, the water bars started to dissipate but the rocks seemed to get bigger. Challenging up steps, drop offs and loose rocks kept us entertained for the 8 mile to the coast. Most of it was ride-able even with our extra burden and the views of the Cuillin pushed us on.

The bothy had a few groups in, including a work party who were helping to dig channels for the replacement shelter, but we managed to find a spot to lay our mats down for the night. The usual stories were exchanged and the odd nip of whisky passed around the fire, as we watched the sun set behind the hills before settling down for the resident mice to take over the night shift.

Rising early, we were packed up and on the bikes for 7am, leaving the other inhabitants still snoring in their comfy sleeping bags. Clouds were in the sky as Camasunary soon disappeared from view.

The way back seemed a lot easier with our packs now missing the food and drink we carried in. Now we could appreciate the trail more and give it the ride it deserves. Different obstacles arise around every corner, from short, steep, rocky chutes to flowing single-track.

Back at the van we changed for the drive to Torridon and listened out for the weather forecast on the radio. The news wasn't good, with wind speeds reaching 60mph for the following day. Along with heavy hail showers we decided to drive to the hostel, this meant clean dry clothes would be waiting for us no matter what route we did.

We chose to push our bikes up to our planned descent from Annat to Bealach na Lice as the day was getting on and legs were tired from the day before.
From the size of the rocks and the gradient, it was clear the descent back down was going to be interesting. With waterproofs on we battered through the predicted showers until reaching the bealach. A brief snack stop behind a boulder and we prepared ourselves for the drop back down.

The drops and rocks seemed bigger going down than the walk up along the three and a half mile trail. A small climb in the middle gave our forearms a rest from the constant barrage. Exposed bedrock pops up here and there, like a whales back breaching the sea. But with large drop offs at the end, keeping your speed in order is a must for choosing the right line. For the 45 minute climb the 10 minute gravity fueled descent was well worth it. Once at the bottom we headed to the pub, purely for shelter from the driving rain of course. With a warm welcome from the staff, who were more than excepting of our muddy state, we sat at the bar and sampled a whisky or two before heading to the hostel to book in.
After showering and finding spots for our wet gear in the dry room, we gathered a weather forecast for the area. Nothing had changed, there was still heavy showers and strong winds were the order of the day. We left it till the next day to decide on our route.

After a good nights sleep on a proper bed, the sun woke us up streaming in to our room. Going on our forecast, gathered through the scientific means of looking out of the window, we planned on doing the loop around Ben Damph.
After breakfast we headed to the pub to park and set off up the road to Loch Damph, where our trail started. Along the way we rode straight in to a hail squall. This lasted about 10 minutes, but managed to soak us through.
Once on the trail, the going was good with the wind behind us. A landrover track took us South East, with views of the hills opening up behind us, the sun was even making brief appearances helping us dry out a little.
Around half way, the track turns to singletrack and although muddy, our tyres found enough grip to keep spinning.
After five mile the trail turned North East, climbing up towards the shoulder of Ben Damph. The climb was pretty easy going with only the odd bit of hike a bike.
Hail showers were the only problem, causing us to retreat in to the emergency shelter to keep dry as they past over head.

Two of us had loads of room under the shelter and with the hail battering down on us, kept us warm and dry. In an emergency situation, these pieces of kit are invaluable, even been able to change a puncture underneath if needs be.

Eventually reaching the top we could see Liathach towering over Loch Torridon, as it shimmered some far off sun light. Up in the cold and cloud, it seemed a long way off. Seats were dropped and suspension turned on as we set out on the descent.
The trail dropped gradually at first then began to steepen. Again rocks littered the path as we bounced over them, picking the best line to keep us going. Reaching about half way we crossed a stream and headed in to the woods. Three big drops offs greeted us, guarding the entrance to the forest like bouncers on a night club door. Once in the trees, the trail smoothed out and meandered its way down to the road. Although steep at times and with a few exposed roots, there is nothing to worry a biker. It turned out to be one of the best trails we have ever ridden and with the pub placed right at the finish, we headed indoors to dry off around the fire.
We planned on heading further south to lessen the driving on our last day. Calling at Fort William we grabbed a bite to eat and some supplies, then carried on. We made it to Victoria Bridge, just West of the Bridge of Orchy, where we pitched a tent for the night.
The next morning, the weather looked like more of the same, showers and wind. So we headed out for a quick blast up the West Highland Way to the Bridge of Orchy then back along the road. We set off early to avoid any collisions with walkers coming the opposite way and were glad for it. After a short sharp climb, the descent which took us down to the Bridge of Orchy was the cherry on the cake.
Once back at the van, we changed in to dry clothes and were back in Leeds for a Sunday dinner.

Tour du Mont Blanc.

Last year myself and a friend attempted the Tour du Mont Blanc.

For a short read about our ride and a description of the route, plus all the information on accommodation and planning, follow the link below.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Wheels-Tour-Mont-Blanc-ebook/dp/B00OAC9YNS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1431365735&sr=8-7&keywords=tour+du+mont+blanc

Riding le Tour du Mont Blanc: Prepartions

The Tour du Mont Blanc has long been on my list of walking routes to do, but when a chance came around to do it, I had just short of a week to complete it.
So instead of walking the 105 miles I decided on using the mountain bike.

Using the huts meant the packs could be kept relatively light, everything I needed fit into my Osprey Escapist 25, including 2 litres of water.

Alongside the usual riding tools, spares and backcountry gear was a set of riding clothes and clothes for the huts. All weighing in at under 11kgs, including a DSLR camera.

The plan is to drive through the night. Between two of us the driving could be shared, making Chamonix for Monday morning.
A short ride is planned for Monday, taking the cable car at Le Tour and descending down to Trient where we have booked a hotel.
The only other hotel is booked in Courmayeur for Wednesday night, where we are sampling some of the famous Italian hospitality. This means we will be phoning the huts ahead for bed places, depending on the distance we travel.
If all goes to plan, we should be in Chamonix on Friday, leaving us a short ride back to Le Tour Saturday morning.

West Highlands (Part 2)

I headed up to Glencoe once again but this time with a few friends.
There was less snow on the tops from my last visit a month ago, but one thing hadn`t changed.... the weather.
Glorious clear skies greeted us as well as some of the locals, as we parked the van in the ski centre car park.

Our packs contained everything for two days worth of riding, including sleeping bags and cooking equipment for an overnight bothy stop. We tried to keep things as light as possible to maximise the riding fun, but we still managed to squeeze a few little treats in there to help pass the night.

To warm us up and get ourselves and bikes used to the extra load, we set off along the West Highland Way. Views don`t get much better with Stob Dearg overlooking the Kingshouse hotel as we headed down the Glen.

The West Highland way does not head down Glencoe, but cuts over the Devils Staircase down into Kinlochleven. This trail is steep and requires pushing/carrying all the way from the A82 to the summit cairn.

All our hard work was worth it just for the views alone, but to a bikers eye the trail laid out in front is the dominant feature.
There are steep technical sections from the top, dropping height fast before another short climb gains more height. This is mostly rideable and soon has you descending again.
Flowy patches are interrupted by the odd steep, rocky technical patch and in no time at all spits you out on the forest road.
The road drops quickly down into Kinlochleven, where we filled up in the Ice Factor cafe, watching the ice climbers on the indoor ice wall.

Once fuelled up we headed away from civilisation, peeling off the West Highland Way and climbing on the steep tracks up to Mamore Lodge.
After a relentless climb of 450m, we stopped at the view point over looking Loch Leven and the Pap of Glencoe.

From the view point there are a number of trails leading back down to Kinlochleven. These are fast becoming very popular with mountain bikers and the now annual Dudes of Hazzard Enduro uses these trails to separate the men from the boys.
Feeling pretty fresh, we decided on tackling the Grey Mares Trail. We dumped our sleeping bags and cooking equipment behind a rock, dropped our saddles and opened up the deer gate.
It turned out to be extremely challenging all the way down and seemed to get steeper and steeper the more we dropped. Loose rocks at the top, lead to rock slabs further on down the trail.
You are soon back in Kinlochleven with the prospect of the 450m climb to do again.
Half way up we began questioning the reasoning for loosing our height, with Simon and Stuart pointing the blame on me. Looking back it was certainly worth the challenge.
Back at our gear cache we loaded back up and headed towards Luibelt along the shores of the Loch Elides.

With heads down we soon powered our way along, untill our overnight accommodation came into view.
All that stood in our way was the Abhainn Rath, but with the recent dry weather, it looked possible to cross without getting wet feet, well almost....

Once in the bothy, we found a bed spot on the floor for the night and after a quick brew headed out in search for wood. Or as we say in Yorkshire, "Thas off art chumping".
We managed to find some dry dead wood, even in the sparse location and once lit back in Meannanachs fire place, settled
down for the night.
The treats we carried were worth the weight, as we passed around the port and cheese sharing stories with the other occupants.

The next morning again the sun shone down and filled us with optimism for the ride ahead.
Our packs were feeling that little bit lighter missing the food and drink, so we set off with spirits high.
There was alot of pushing as the path picked its way over peat bog and after a fair few miles started to take its toll on morale. Once at Loch Trieg we hit a landrover track where we tried to catch up on time.

The track was brief as we turned south down Gleann Iolairean, where once again we pushed over bog this time climbing towards Blackwater Reservoir.
Heads began to hang trudging up the so called path and not many words were spoken between us.
Once crossing the bealach a rideable trail did appear, which offered interest in keeping momentum over the rocky sections.
We lunched at the bothy on Loch Charain where we filled up on water and snacks.
The trail over to the Blackwater Reservoir was more of the same, mainly rideable but with the odd patch to catch you out.

After toiling through the peat bogs, time was getting late so we weighed up our options. It was either carry on as planned, getting back to the van late, cut over the dam and retrace our tracks over the Devils Staircase or ride the Ciaran path back into Kinlochleven and try and hitch a ride to where we parked.

With tired bodies and the promise of three pints waiting for us at the Clachaig Inn, we opted for the Ciaran path.
The path did not disappoint as it dropped 7km with only the odd uphill to spoil the flow.
It is however very steep and rocky in places but more forgiving than the Grey Mares trail we rode the previous day. As we were all tired we rode what we could and regrouped for safety every 500 metres or so.


Once back down in Kinlochleven, we phoned the local taxi and volunteered Stuart for van collection, as he was the cleanest.
Bikes were soon packed in the van and in no time at all, we were showered with tent pitched on the Red Squirrel campsite.
Three pints were indeed waiting for us in the Clachaig Inn, bought for us by Simon and Adrea who shared our cheese and port in the bothy. All that was left to do was soak up the Gaelic craic and sample some of the local whiskeys.

West Highlands (part 1)

Glencoe has long been famous for its mountaineering heritage. And it`s easy to see why, as the peaks loam up on either side on the drive through.

The sun surprisingly greeted me on a fine Easter weekend.
As I set off from the campsite down the Oban cycle track from Ballachulish there wasn't a cloud in sight. The morning sun glistened over the sea loch as seals bobbed up and down, keeping me company along the 16km of tarmac. The mountains around me had an alpine feel to them as the snow capped peaks were illuminated by the morning sun.

Once at the caravan park at Achadh nan Darach, I headed east into Apping forest and up Glen Duror.
The forest roads gain height quickly as they rise steeply from sea level to over 300 metres.
Fallen down trees blocked the trail at the highest point and with the prospect of a long diversion I opted to enter the thick pines. Carving a route while dragging a bike through thick vegetarian was not the highlight of the day, but it did add a bit of adventure to what had been a steady morning.

After 7km of forest road climbing, a gem of a trail appeared on my left.
With no sign post it could have been easy to miss as the forest road descended steeply back down. I checked the map hoping it was the trail I wanted to take me back to Ballachuish.
Thankfully it was, so I headed into the trees.
It wasn't long before the track exited the forest, dipping in and out of a few burns along the way.

The climb up to the summit cairn was technical with some flowy sections inbetween, making the riding interesting in lots of ways.
After crossing the burns coming from the slopes of Sgorr Dhearg the track started to drop steadily down Gleann an Fhiodh and back to Ballachulish, where I retraced my tyre tracks back to camp.

The following day I headed to the woodland on the shoulder of the Pap of Glencoe.
In the woods are a number of walking trails, which were littered with features for mountain bikers.
Both of the signposted walks were only about 4km in length but provided plenty of gradient with drops, roots and rocks.
Eyes must be peeled as I found plenty of hidden trails heading into the dark pines and judging by the tyre tracks, I wasn`t the only one using these for mountain biking pleasure.

As these are popular with walkers and disabled users, visiting during peak times isn`t recommended. At 5pm I had the woods to myself.

With such good weather and some amazing riding, I am looking forward to another trip to the area at the end of May.
A group of friends and myself have a two day, overnight route planned. Starting from the Devils Staircase and taking in some iconic technical trails.

Schwalbe Dirty Dan Tyre Review

Its winter time, the hard tail is out and some new mud tyre`s put on.
Been a big fan of Schwalbe Nobby Nics I decided on some Dirty Dans. The Nobby Nics perform great in a lot of conditions, including mud, but with my local trails beginning to get a bit sticky and riding a lot more, I went for a change.

Riding mainly XC and using a lot of roads to link up the trails, I went for the 2.0" width to reduce drag and also to cut through the mud for more grip. They also come in 2.35", which did seem a little too wide for general XC use.

On first impressions the blocks look well spaced apart to allow mud to be cleared from the tread and fairly deep to cut through the gloop. They did take some fitting to run tubeless on my mavic 721 rims, but once on they haven't been a problem.

With the soft compound I was expecting them to drag a little on tarmac, but on the first ride I was pleasantly surprised with the speed of them.
On wet rocks and roots the lugs grip really well, but the tyres excel in the stuff they have been designed for, the mud.
I felt the difference more on the climbs. On the short, steep, ascents of my local trails they perform really well, offering me grip where other tyres haven't before. Allowing me to even get out of the saddle, instead of anchoring my bum on the seat for traction.
With the spacing of the blocks there is no problems with mud clogging up the tyre, they appear to be cleared as soon as the tyre leaves the ground, giving a mud free tyre to dig into the mud again.
I just wish I`d have changed to a winter tyre sooner.

Twitter: @AndyCole_AMR

Peak District 2 day mtb route

Knowing I would have little time to get out on my bike over the Christmas holidays, I planned a two day route close to home the weekend before the break. With just a 40 minute drive from Leeds to Langsett, the Peak district is pretty much on the doorstep.
After ringing a few Hostels and bunkhouses we finally found one that was open and had space for the four of us.

With the descents we had to complete on route we kept our packs as light as possible. Along side our usual riding gear was a spare set of clothes, a sleeping bag and two days worth of snacks.
The van was parked up in the lay-by near Langsett and we headed into the woods towards Mickleden Edge. Climbing from the reservoir is steep to begin with, but the gradient does subside as you gain height. The wind was blowing down the valley, right in our faces making riding difficult at times. Without this hindrance the climb is rideable to the summit cairn marking Cut Gate.
Once at the top the big cairn offered us some protection from the strengthening wind, where we snacked and prepped for the descent.
Rucksacks tightened and saddles dropped we headed for the descent into Derwent Valley.
From the summit cairn it drops on rock slabs, leading to a grassy, boggy patch before a piece of singletrack contours above Bull Clough.
The easy riding was short lived, as the drop down to Howden Reservoir is steep. Big rock steps drop down to the slippery stones. There is an easy alternative by taking the left hand trail at the sign post.

Once at the bottom of the valley, we chose the west side of the reservoir as our trail taking us up and over to Hope Cross was about half way down and with the café closed for the Christmas break there was no chance of a quick brew.

After the confides of the tarmac reservoir road, the climb back out of the valley was a bit of a shock. Dropping down towards the A57, we chose to go straight on where the bridleways cross. The drop down, is rocky, but with the natural berms in the trail, has a feeling of a trail centre descent.
Crossing the road we pushed up towards Hope Cross, the climb is steep and rocky which did mean so was our descent the following day. So our eyes were peeled for our return line. It was clear why this short descent was known as the beast, with rocks as big as small cars I was glad I had decided on bringing the full suspension.

The sun was dropping down behind Mam Tor and illuminated our trail ahead, leading us down to our final stop at Edale. The trail drops down steadily, with one short climb interrupting the flow.
Once hitting the road, we headed into the village to find our bunkhouse for the night.
When we were showered and our sleeping bags were on our beds we headed to the pub for some well deserved food and beers.

Next morning the bunkhouse was filled with the distictive smell of frying bacon. The other occupants of the bunkhouse had come prepared and in cars. With our limited space, muesli and porridge were all we could manage.
After our inferior breakfast we got out our bikes which were stored with the farmers tractor and headed back the way we came. The weather held up all weekend and with the wind now behind us we expected to make good progress. The descents this way round were even better than the previous day. The beast dropping down from Hope Cross is very technical, but rewarding when rode without dabbing. But the highlight of the ride has to be the descent back down to the reservoirs in the Derwent valley. This is long and fast with a few rocks thrown in to keep your concentration up.


The steep long climb back upto Cut Gate was made easier with yesterdays wind now offering us a little push. At the top it was a short blast back down to the van, that ended way too quickly for all of us.
Once the muddy gear was off and the bikes packed in the van, we could reflect on what had turned out to be a great ride to end the year.


 *excuse the pictures, they were taken from my camera phone.