ACTIVE OUTDOORS: Seasons shifting on Great Glen Way getaway from Inverness

Autumn is truly in the air now. The change seems to come suddenly when it happens – one minute the sky is warm as summer begins to fade, the next the chill sets in as the tilt of the Earth starts to dictate the season ahead.

As the temperature dropped, I headed off for an early evening mountain bike ride, an escape from the relentless pace and demands of our clock-governed lives.

As I passed the farm at Ness-side, four roe deer sheltered among the grass, while further on the leaves on the trees were starting to show the beautiful golden browns of this most wonderful season.

To top it off, away from the city in the depths of the forest, the penetrating roar of the stags echoed through the trees. It was quite an intimidating sound, especially as I was all alone here with no antlers to offer any resistance in a rut!

A few weeks ago, I could have done this ride without thinking about lights, but this evening I knew it would be dark by the time I got back, so I was prepared with new batteries in the back light and my powerful front light for helping to see the trails as the light faded.

I certainly needed them on my way down the Vomit brae that leads off Craig Dunain, that hill to the west of the city topped by the communication masts.

But what goes down must have got up there in the first place, and this route certainly begins with a hefty climb or two to reach these heights. After passing the new Torvean park and through the golf course, I made my way up the Great Glen Way route, taking on the Nurses climb before the steep pull up to the reservoir.

The views over the old Craig Dunain hospital and to the hills beyond were illuminated in the evening sunshine a great distraction from the effort needed to spin the wheels all the way up here.

Once at the gate below the masts, however, I knew the vast majority of the climbing was over for the evening, and I enjoyed an easier ride along the old drove road towards Blackfold. My target was the drove stance where two ancient horse chestnut trees are like a treasure-trove for conker collectors at this time of year.

The spot also marks a nice return route that follows some lovely singletrack through the trees to reach a forest track which provides a nice loop back – and one which is good for a long run as well as a bike ride.

As I paused here to collect a handful of chestnuts for the children, the stags were in full voice. It couldn’t have felt further from the city streets.

Bounty taken, I took the left turn onto the path to enjoy this easy singletrack section and soon reach the forest track. There are tracks of varying quality all over the hillsides here, but I knew the best one for a straightforward cycle went left here to reach the top of Vomit.

It was a speedy return and there was still just enough daylight left to power on without lighting up, for now. This was a fun stretch and in the empty forest I was happily singing out loud at full volume as I pedalled along, a song stuck on repeat in my head! (Disco Down by Shed Seven, if you must ask…)

At the top of Vomit, I decided it was time to put the lights on, and I was glad I did as it lit up the heavily rutted track where recent heavy rain has clearly washed much of the loose surface away. I was also regretting having pumped my tyres up that morning, set to road riding pressure instead of softer for this type of surface.

The steep descent took some serious concentration, and it was a relief to be down on the flatter section to reach the cottages at Balnacraig. From here the track drops further, narrowing towards the bottom, to reach the A82 just outside Inverness. The bright light emerging from the forest must have come as a bit of a surprise to passing motorists!

I weighed up my options for the return home, deciding to take a right turn to follow the A82 for 100 metres or so then go left onto the minor road for the cattery and Loch Ness Country House Hotel. This leads downhill beside fields to the end of the road where the cattery is situated. A path to the right leads in front of the house to join the towpath along the Caledonian Canal for a mile of so back to the new swing bridge close to Torvean park.

Now it was an easy ride over the West Link, past the colourfully lit Hydro Ness scheme below the bridge, to head for home.

Route details

Blackfold drove road

Distance 12 miles / 20km

Terrain Off-road mountain bike route with singletrack, forest tracks and other paths

Start/finish Inverness

Map OS Landranger 26

Embracing autumn with a mountain bike ride from the Highland capital