This seems to be another ITT that hasn't had much interest but its seriously worth doing. I've just spent 5 days riding it in sections based in Ballater. I appreciate that such a admission could get me thrown off this forum but for once I decided that as I was on holiday it was going to be a proper holiday - luxury accomodation (Vango cyclone 200+) Fine food (courtesy of Co-op and my full sized trangia), fine ales (courtesy of the Alexandra Hotel) and (gasp) amazing sunny weather. Anyway I'll not bang on too much as it wasn't a bikepacking trip but if you want to ride some mentally techy single track you really need to do this route.
In no particular order here's a wee tasty:-
Well posh bothy courtesy of HM QE2. Full pine cladding, a water tap and a loo. Gelder Shiel for all you bothy spotters
Top of descent from near Gelder Shiel to Lizzies Scottish back garden - steep, rocky and rooty.
Approach to Ben Avon and the climb over to Glen Gairn. No photos of Glen gairn but its a lovely trail - some seriously nadgery bits but with lots of nice riding too.
Looking up towards the Devils Point and the Lairig Ghru. This was a rare easy bit but F****ing hell this was some trail - bits have been 'improved' by the effin NTS but much is natural and its an absolute nadge-core tech fest. Most trails (like the Glen gairn trail) comprise shortish sections of rocky bits with nice bits of easier riding. Not this one - it just goes from one section to another with little or no breaks (section as in trials). I hate to boast but I rode 90% of this and I was thoroughly chuffed with myself.
Corour bothy (Another posh one avec a WC). The climb out is more head f*ck stuff but the following descent justifies it.
The descent into Glen Luibeg. Yeeharr this was bloody amazing. Most guide books suggest you do this circuit the other way round (ie anticlockwise from Linn of Dee) but this is bollocks as the trail down the Dee to whitebridge is no more rideable downhill than up and doing it clockwise leaves this descent as a finisher
. Note there are some gargantuan open cross drains on this route but to be honest these are the least of your problems. There are also a few of the ones with a central rock. The trick is to hop your back wheel on the central rock and then hop again onto the far bank. My one attempt at this nearly ended in disaster....
Another gem of a trail but I'm not telling you where this one is
The lower section of the route (i.e. the bit from Banchory to above Ballater and the last 50 miles) is more straightforward going but with plenty of climbs and some really nice trails (including the Tarland Jump park
). Doing it in a oner as an ITT is defo on my radar for next spring as the bracken was a bit brutal in places.
