Slightly less populated area?

[Packer]

I was up at Drumguish for the weekend and managed to arrange to get there on the GS.

Sunday morning I awoke early and snuck out for a little ride, down to Kingussie, along to Newtonmore then to Laggan and then the military road as far as possible towards Fort Augustus through the Corrieyairack pass.

Unfortunately I was barely onto the un-metalled road when I had to turn back. All of the top dressing had been washed away leaving mini-boulders around 6-8" across as the surface. Riding alone with no mobile signal I decided that cowardice was appropriate and turned around. Even that took 15 minutes of hard work as I was in a sunken section that was only a foot or two wider than the bike is long.

As I couldn't go on I spent a little time with the phone camera.

It's a new phone and if I'd realised how good the camera bit was I would have taken more images.

It's hard to believe that the UK is one of the most densely populated countries in the world........

 

[Grizzly]

Nice Pics Packer!

Looks interesting - thats another road I've always intended having a look at - but always seem to pass by heading somewhere else.
Now logged on the "things to do" list

Cheers.....................Grizzly

 

[SteveT]

Did exactly the same ride up the road last year on my 'ickle Transalp.

Those boulders dont half make it hard going. Got a bit further up into the glen when the little voice started saying "what if etc, etc . . . " so I turn about.

Still a great ride.

Steve T

 

[squid]

Not sure where this road is but I have ridden what I understand to be General Wades road.

I got on this about 5 miles down the road from Newtonmore - on the other side of the main road. - on my mountain bike.

I did think it would be very interesting to see how much of it would be possible on a GS as it was really good.

Also, are there any minor routes across the Cain Gorms?

I love to do a wild camp via bike.

 

[Packer]

Sorry Squid, no minor routes across the Cairngorms that I'm aware of.

I also did the entire route from Laggan to Fort Augustus on my mountain bike a few years ago. I had to carry the bike up most of the route and going down the other side on loose shale with no suspension was

If it wasn't for the fact that I had bar-ends fitted I'd never have been able to hold on to the bars, brakes were almost useless as they just made the wheels lock up.

It was much quicker than going up though.

 

[squid]

The MTB course at Laggin forrest is very good - some scary parts!

I think General Wades road ran or was intended to run from Fort William right across.

You see parts of it on O/S maps. i understand it was an idea never completed.

I am doing a route through Scotland in Sept.

Would have picked out some mild off road sections but the guy I am riding with has a F650 CS so cannot really.

Basic route I think is going to be Up the M6, then cross country to Greenoch, then Isle of Skye, Then up the west coast and along the top to the Orkney ferry, Shetland, Aberdeen and back.

 

[Phil Clarke]

Its doable on a pogo or trials bike but there are lots of washouts on the fort disgustus side and the bottom 1/2 mile is impassable to pretty much anything short of Dougie Lampkin.