A shed-load of soggy riding!
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Forget free-flowing trails – there’s a different type of mountain biking that’s more about the mountains than the biking. We knew progress would be slow on our two-day adventure into the unknown, and an average speed of less than 4mph recorded on my GPS unit on day two certainly confirmed that.
It didn’t matter. We were drawn to this route by the difficulty it presented and by the opportunity to explore a new part of the Highlands – for me, at least. I’d cycled down Strathconon from Marybank to Scardroy before and wondered what the two rights of way through to Achnashellach and Achnasheen might be like.
I thought one day I might walk them and find out but this weekend, suggested by Jim Sutherland who runs nineonesix-guiding from his home in Shieldaig, took in both these routes from Scardroy on two wheels.
We met after work on a Friday evening at Craig, parking in the Achnashellach forest car park where we got our bikes and gear sorted for the next couple of days. The plan was to stay at a wooden bothy at Glenuaig for the night then do most of the route the next day.
The bothy – little more than a wooden garden shed – has a set of ropey old bunk beds in it, a rickety table and a few bricks, possibly to help hold it down along with the two sturdy straps across its roof.
We weren’t carrying a tent so plan B was a night out in the open.
Cycling up the steep hill through works for a new hydro scheme we made our way into Gleann Fhiodhaig, lifting our bikes over a high gate before the gradient eased somewhat. The six miles from the road at Craig to the bothy was enough for a fine evening but as we opened the bothy door we realised somebody had beaten us to it.
A bearded gentleman taking part in the TGO Challenge – a two-week backpack across Scotland – had already claimed the bottom bunk, so we had to settle for one on the top and one on the floor. At least we weren’t outside.
Overnight the promising weather changed and we heard the rain battering the roof. What was already going to be a testing ride could be even tougher in wet conditions, but we were definitely up for this one.
Waterproofs on, we set off down the glen. It was a slow start but soon we were able to ride good sections, and I picked up a few hints and tips from Jim. The right of way follows the River Meig all the way to Loch Beannacharain at Scardroy, the vague path occasionally offering a solid surface to get some traction on while at other times all but disappearing into the tussocky grass.
We were on and off the bikes but we enjoyed our sense of place, deep in the heart of the mountains. There were fords to cross – some quite big – as we passed below the Munro of Maoile Lunndaidh, wondering when the way might improve to a rideable track. Eventually, a brief conversation with a walker coming the other way told us we were getting close and soon enough we hit a 4x4 track which led us down beside a tumbling burn and over a superb plank bridge at Corrievuic.
As we rode gently through the lodge grounds at Scardroy we stopped to take a look at a monument standing on top of a steep hill overlooking the loch. Continuing past the lodge we paused for lunch at the junction with our second right of way of the weekend, which would take us back to Glen Carron just south of Achnasheen.
This one would be shorter and, we believed, easier to ride, though we were expecting the track to fade to nothing beyond the top of the hill, which climbs from 150m here to around 400m. Our assumptions weren’t far off.
The rise through the forest is tough going but at least we could stay on the bikes all the way. As we got out onto the open hillside Jim was determined to “nail it” so we kept battling on to the exposed summit. This was real hill territory but we knew all that was left now was the potentially tricky descent to the road and an easy ride back on tarmac.
I found myself riding on remains of paths that in the past I would have said weren’t rideable – but with Jim’s guidance and some serious concentration I was able to ride a surprising amount. What was left of the route was very wet and slippery and our brakes were wearing down to practically nothing in the soggy weather.
At one point I took a wrong line and my front wheel got stuck in the mud. I felt myself going over the handlebars – almost in slow motion – so I managed to land softly and throw the bike to the side. Determined to carry on I got back on and enjoyed some steep, wet descending until we reached a deer fence.
We could now see the road, and all that was left was to cross the railway line, pass the house at Inver and ride the narrow boardwalks over Loch Gowan – the scariest bit of the ride for both of us!
Exhilarated, we carried our bikes up the steps to the lay-by having completed a real mountain biking adventure through the wilds of the Highlands.
After an easy seven or eight miles along the A890 Glen Carron road we were still on a high. This kind of riding has opened up more possibilities to explore the hills by bike and have some real fun in the process.
Now I just need to clean off the bike – and get some new brakes.
