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.

Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Cowlyd, Snowdonia October 2013

With a free weekend to play with, our eyes were on the weather reports. It was decided we would be riding wherever the weather was best.
It turned out the weather wasn't good anywhere in the UK and with a flight to southern Spain out of the question we opted for Wales.
As the forecast was for heavy showers, a campsite near a pub was in order to offer us some respite from the torrential weather and to maybe participate in a few of the local brews.

 

Even though showers were the order of the day, we kept to our plan and headed away from the trail centres into the Snowdonian hills.

The route we devised conveniently started from the campsite in between Betws y Coed and Capel Curig, but with a car rally taking up most of the forest some deviations were made in the forests around the area.

The first leg took us on the road to Capel Curig where we took a bridleway north up to Llyn Crafnant.

The trail climbed up over rocky, technical terrain to the high point of 330m where a short gnarly descent awaited us.

 

 

The saddles were dropped and we started down the steep rocky slope. It wasn't long before the

gradient eased and the rocks turned to grass.
This didn't mean it got any easier, after the rain and the continued showers the grass conjured up a few skids to keep us occupied on the tight switch backs.

Once at Llyn Crafnant, we took the northern track to lead us to the road. The tarmac descent soon took us to Trefriw where a café allowed us to fuel up for the tarmac climb up to Llyn Cowlyd.

The climb isn't for the faint hearted, 500m over 5km all on the material mountain bikers fear, the dreaded black stuff. But it does get the job done, you soon find yourself staring up the reservoir.
It is best to take the trail before the water pipe that leads to the dam at the reservoirs head, the follow the trail on the north side of the water.

The trail is rocky with some spots of pushing unless your trail skills are up to scratch, with a carry out at the head of the valley.
As we reached the high point of the ride, the clouds came in and squalls crept in around us.
We found shelter amongst a small crag and hunkered down. After a little rest and a few snacks we donned the waterproofs and headed out for the final descent in heavy rain.
The trail splits, both head down to the A5. We took the trail heading south as it took us closer to our finish spot.

Even with the muddy, boggy parts, the descent was all rideable down to the road. The boggy puddles even offered up some interesting riding and a couple of over the bar moments.
The road soon had us back to the campsite where we cleaned up and had a few well deserved pints in the onsite pub.

Stainburn Trail Guide

The guys at moredirt.com asked me to write a trail guide to the routes in Stainburn.
Seen as though its my local stomping ground, I was happy to oblige.


Stainburn forest has long been a Mecca for the mountain bikers of Yorkshire for quite sometime. But even with its location, nestled between the suburbs of Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate the trails never seem busy.

Location -

From the South. Take the B6451 out of Otley, past the reservoirs at Lindley. After 2 miles the car park is sign posted on your left.
From the North. Take the A59 from Harrogate towards Skipton. Take a left before Blubberhouse, on the B6451. After about 5 miles the car park is on your right.
There is no specified post code for the car park but LS21 2RA will get you near.

Facilities -

If you are planning on making a day of it, be sure to bring a packed lunch and be prepared to visit the bushes for any convenience stops as there is nothing regards facilities.
By taking a left from the car park, The Sun Inn is a couple of miles up the road, which caters for the many motor and road bikers that converge on the area. Serving quality pub grub and real ales.

Trails -

There are three manmade trails all starting from the car park and lots of natural trails in the woods on the other side of the road. Plus a small pump track, which was one of the UK's first.

The routes from the car park consist of two short red loops and the black Warren Boulder trail (possibly Britains hardest black route?).
Its a good idea to start out on the 'lil' ole red loop, which is only 2km in length but packs in everything and more expected from its red grade, in its modest distance.

Follow the red arrows straight onto the singletrack, it leads round to the right where there is a steep, rooty section that could bite riders new to mountain biking. The trail leads towards the woods, with some technical rock features that are designed to be ridden but can be bypassed. Once at the top of the climb the 'Descent Line' comes in to view on the left. To continue on the loop, follow it round right where it drops away steadily but gathers speed through the trees. If hitting it hard the corners are fun taken at speed, but watch out for the table top that seems to be getting bigger with every visit.

 

On exciting the trees there are some skinnies to test your balance, before some more rock features and a couple of drops, (again all can be avoided) that lead back to the woods for the climb. At the top either repeat or head left for the 1.5km Descent Line.

 

 

As the name suggests the Descent Line drops to the lowest point in Stainburn. However this is not a DH run and can quite easily be ridden on the lightest of XC machines. But with plenty of jump and drop options, plus the infamous 4ft Boulder Drop half way down, a DH bike and gear doesn't look out of place. If riding hard, a full-suss AM bike would be perfect. At the bottom there is either a push up path or if you have the legs, a trail winds its way up parallel back to the car park, that can be ridden.

Once you've sessioned what the red routes have to offer and have built up some confidence, then its time to head for the Warren Boulder trail . Graded double diamond black and in contention for the toughest, most technical route in the UK, the route demands respect. With steep, rooty, rocky sections to descend and climb as well 6ft high north shore and other wooden features, including a seesaw, it is advisable to walk some of the sections first.

Once familiar with this foreboding trail, riding some of the many features is highly rewarding and will lure you again and again.

There are trails to be discovered in the woods on the other side of the road at "Norwood Edge" Building is banned by the Forestry Commission, but they have opened it up for exploration by mountain bikers. It is worth a trip over on a dry day and following your nose/pushing up whatever trails you happen to spot.

Who's it Good For -

The trail builders never stop, the trails are constantly repaired and improved and is a credit to the volunteers at SingletrAction. The guys and gals have created trails that can be ridden in loops, for stamina training or sessioned to improve on skills. Making Stainburn ideal for all abilities and riding styles.

A donation is always welcome and they are very welcoming to anyone interested in helping out on a dig day.

Make a Weekend of It -

If travelling from further afield, it is possible to make a great weekend full of mountain biking. Either by heading to the natural rocky trails of the Yorkshire Dales, the singletrack of the North Yorkshire Moors or the excellent trail centres at Gisburn and Dalby.
There is plenty of accommodation nearby in Otley, Harrogate and Pateley Bridge from campsites to B&B's and hotels.

Useful Links -

www.singletraction.co.uk
www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/EnglandNorthYorkshireNoForestStainburnForest
www.thesun-inn.com/

Solo Sutherland (August 2013)

With only 13,000 people living in an area covering 2,300 square miles, Sutherland is one of the remotest places in Europe, and with a further 6 hour drive from Glasgow and Edinburgh it isn't on everyone's list as a mountain bike destination.
However the area is littered with ancient trails amongst the mountains and moors making this little piece of Scotland ideal for some real wilderness riding.

The family and I booked a cottage in the small village of Tongue and in between watching the wildlife and sand castle building on the fabulous beaches I planned a couple of rides.
With Ben Tongue overlooking the cottage and a landrover track all the way to the top, I set out for the 302m hill on the first evening. It was worth the climb just for the views. The sun was setting and the shadows of Ben Hope and Ben Loyal were lurking over the vast moorland, they looked like two sentinels guarding what seemed to be the entrance to the unknown. With the light fading I headed back down on the ten minute, rocky, technical descent back to the cottage.

The next morning I was up early and headed out towards the two giants.
Following the road along the Kyle of Tongue towards Kinloch Lodge at the head of the Kyle. I took a track south climbing into the hills surrounding Ben Hope with fantastic views of Ben Loyal and back down the Kyle, the hard packed trail soon turned to singletrack and wound its way up to about 400m. From here the trail became less defined, so I turned around and headed back down the way I came, making it back to the cottage in time for breakfast.

After the little taster of what Sutherland had to off, I pondered the maps, planning a circular route around the famous hills of Arkle and Foinaven.
As I was alone and riding in some of the remotest mountains in Britain, I made sure I had food and supplies to be self sufficient in case of an emergency, packing a bivy bag alongside my usual riding tools and equipment for a bit more security.
The forecast was good for the next few days, so leaving a detailed description of my route as well as an expected return time behind, I set off for the short drive down the shore of Loch Hope.
There wasn't a car seen down the singletrack road, emphasising the remoteness of the area once again.

After parking up at the head of the trail and one more final check over the bike and equipment I set off towards Glen Golly.
It was only a few kilometres to the small farm at Gobernuisgach lodge on a fast landrover track through a thick pine forest. After the lodge, I turned north west up Glen Golly itself, the track quality remained far after the farm and good progress was made up the glen. The remoteness started to creep in, when the track became less maintained and the hills loomed up around me.

I climbed up the ridge line of Creag Dubh with little pushing. The size of the views deserved more time to soak them up and the rest would do anyone good after 450m of ascent.
The trail dropped down slowly on some nice singletrack, speed had to be restrained as the peat hags created big drops.
Crossing a small stream at the bottom I joined a good stalkers track leading up from Loch Dionard which took me on another steep climb to the top of Bealach Horn.
Arkle was in fine form showing its shattered, quartzite curving ridge.

The descent down to Loch Stack was fast and quite technical in places, I covered the 6km drop in what seemed like seconds, with the dramatic Ben Stack drawing nearer every time I took my eye from the trail ahead.
The drainage curbs along the trail, added optional jumps but caution had to be taken with the remote location. A mechanical would mean a long return walk.

It was now just a question of heading back to the van, all that stood in the way was another 450m climb. Again the track was good and all of it climbable, if you are fit enough that is.


I didn't waste anytime and headed straight for the high point, especially with the prospect of the descent on the other side. From the top, singletrack threaded its way down the glen and into the tree line a good few kilometres in the distance. This turned out to be the descent of the day, steep rock features at the top lead to sweeping singletrack once in the trees. The brakes were off and hardly a pedal was turned. Back down at Gobernuisgach the farmer was the only face I saw in a full day of riding and judging by the lack of tyre tracks, I was probably the first mountain biker he`d seen in a while.
Back at the van the clouds slowly rolled in while packing away. On the drive back on the winding roads, I reflected on what had been one of the best routes and day out in the mountains I`ve ever had.

Going solo on a route as remote as this, requires a bit more planning than the usual trail centre jaunt and with no café at the end, plenty of food is needed to stay fuelled. It is always a good idea to let someone know your exact route plus possible escape plans as well as an estimated return time. If you haven't anyone to leave this information with, then the local mountain rescue or police station will keep a record of your details. Just be sure to ring them when the route is finished, the volunteer rescue team wont take too kindly to been called out in the middle of the night for a missing biker, only for him to be found tucked up in bed with a Horlicks.
Map, compass and the knowledge to use them is essential, as well as basic trail side repairs should you need to adjust gears or fix a puncture. A bivy/survival bag or emergency shelter are valuable pieces of kit in the event of an emergency, plus an extra layer and waterproof. And of course a mobile phone, even if you have no reception it is worth giving the emergency numbers a try, as they use any of the mobile providers masts. Its worth noting that a text message requires much less data and reception coverage, but to send a text direct to the emergency services, the phone been used needs to be registered. This takes seconds to do and could turn out to be literally a life saver. More details can be found at http://emergencysms.org.uk/.
Also ride within your capabilities, breaking your bike or body could mean a long walk or worse. Its a lot easier to prevent and accident than it is to deal with one.
Riding with friends is obviously safer and more fun, but with a bit of planning and preparation going solo can be very rewarding.