Cairngorms Loop 300 - September Group Start?

[ScotRoutes]

I've manged to get a place

If it stays like this you just "won" your second race

Huw Oliver and Jenny Graham are also intending to be there on 12th,

[sean_iow]

https://philsbikepacking.blogspot.com/2 ... ivers.html
Sorry its a bit of a pot boiler so to summarise, river crossings could end up being a major problem at any time of year....

Thanks for that, it's a good read, but I might have been better off not knowing

Huw Oliver and Jenny Graham are also intending to be there on 12th,

That drops me to 3rd at best then

[robbie]

Was going to put my name down for this, but just realized I'm in Italy (hopefully) that weekend

[fatbikephil]

No more procrastination, email sent.
I guess I'll give it a go SS just for the hell of it.....

[sean_iow]

I guess I'll give it a go SS just for the hell of it.....

Noooo, now I feel that I should bring mine

I plotted the locations of the 13 rivers at lunch, but I make it 14?

I contemplated river 9 and felt a now familiar sinking feeling. The river Brown is another smallish river where the route crosses

along a lesser burn (The builg) which gets crossed twice but only counts as one river (9) in my count as the lower crossing is easy

So unless I've got confused (entirely possible) that's two lots of river 9?

[fatbikephil]

I guess I'll give it a go SS just for the hell of it.....

Noooo, now I feel that I should bring mine

I plotted the locations of the 13 rivers at lunch, but I make it 14?

I contemplated river 9 and felt a now familiar sinking feeling. The river Brown is another smallish river where the route crosses

along a lesser burn (The builg) which gets crossed twice but only counts as one river (9) in my count as the lower crossing is easy

So unless I've got confused (entirely possible) that's two lots of river 9?

Correct, I didn't let the truth stand in the way of a good story and 13 sounds cooler than 14...... In fact you could argue this number all over the place. I also note that the latest GPX seems to indicate crossing the Feshie (twice) at the landslip rather than the fly walk.....

[sean_iow]

I assume that's deliberate. Is the track on the right no longer there/passable?

[ScotRoutes]

I also note that the latest GPX seems to indicate crossing the Feshie (twice) at the landslip rather than the fly walk.....

It shouldn't (although I reckon either route is fine).

Also - I may be updating the gpx file in the Feshie area anyway as the Allt Garbhlach crossing is becoming increasingly treacherous. The old line of the RoW is better.

[fatbikephil]

I also note that the latest GPX seems to indicate crossing the Feshie (twice) at the landslip rather than the fly walk.....

It shouldn't (although I reckon either route is fine).

Also - I may be updating the gpx file in the Feshie area anyway as the Allt Garbhlach crossing is becoming increasingly treacherous. The old line of the RoW is better.

While your on, I note the route still follows the line of the old ROW past Ballintean (Inner loop, first approach to Feshie) whereas on the ground it signs you on a slight dog leg. No big deal but just to stop someone riding through a back garden!

I'm figuring 10 rivers that could cause a major problem if very high. The Avon at the fords and the Geldie on the outer loop being the only ones that if you couldn't cross, would lead to a major epic to avoid.....

[whitestone]

No more procrastination, email sent.
I guess I'll give it a go SS just for the hell of it.....

SS Fat bike?

Ian B did most of it on a fat bike - https://ianbarrington.com/2014/05/07/no ... orms-loop/. I've now got that bike so maybe I should finish the job?

[ScotRoutes]

While your on, I note the route still follows the line of the old ROW past Ballintean (Inner loop, first approach to Feshie) whereas on the ground it signs you on a slight dog leg. No big deal but just to stop someone riding through a back garden!

There's the bit at the Edendon too. It's not necessary to cross that twice.

I'm awaiting a response from Glenfeshie Estate on the crossing of the Allt Garbhlach. When I have that, I'll put up a new gpx file with all of the changes.

[stevewaters]

I have been accepted for 12th September too !

My BB Avatar on here is me wading a burn on a diy Cairngorm loop we devised 10 years ago - my first real bikepacking adventure. - Really looking forward to this route

[whitestone]

Oh bugger!

[ScotRoutes]

Oh bugger!

Yeah- thought I'd best add you before you changed your mind!

[fatbikephil]

No more procrastination, email sent.
I guess I'll give it a go SS just for the hell of it.....

SS Fat bike?

Ian B did most of it on a fat bike - https://ianbarrington.com/2014/05/07/no ... orms-loop/. I've now got that bike so maybe I should finish the job?

I did my ITT in '14 on the mukluk for a fat bike first completion and record (or something)... Actually quite a suitable tool for the job given the nadge-core that is the Bynack More to Glen Derry section and the bog trotting across the Feshie / Geldie traverse. So mebbes give the Ice Cream Truck a whirl in September depending on the weather but it shall remain geared

[woodsmith]

Are there any diffferences between this current GPX tack and the route on Bikepacking.com/RidewithGPS?

[ScotRoutes]

IIRC the bikepacking.com version does not include Fealar Lodge, the singletrack detour before the bothy in Feshie or the new detour around Achlean Farm. Not sure about the ridewithgps version, I'll take a look.

Edit: there are over a dozen versions on RWGPS. I haven't opened them all to see how up to date they are but the first one I opened is definitely wrong in the Feshie area and, again, doesn't include Fealar.

[woodsmith]

OK thanks. I'll see if i can spot the differences between the various versions. I'm hoping to be in the area around that time so I might see some riders on trail. I'll be starting and finishing in Aviemore and won't be trying to break any records.

[ScotRoutes]

TBH if you're not intent on doing the actual ITT and getting a "recognised" time, all of the options are equally valid. The Fealar Lodge diversion is important in the context of the ITT though.

[AlasdairMc]

I'm in two minds for this. I'm woefully unfit so couldn't do the route much justice, but then having a route to ride would focus my training. It's also tempting to just solo the route so I'm not pressured into riding at a race pace (not that I could tbh) and blow up.

[ScotRoutes]

First (known) ITT in 2020 has been recorded. Jim Higgins from Inverness did a fabulous 27h 48m. Trails were a bit wet but river levels OK. Must have been a chilly night through as there was frost in some glens.

Oh - drop bars and Lauf forks...


Looks like we're up to 14 starters (just waiting for a couple of emails). That's a few more than recent starts but about half of what we think the maximum number should be.

[sean_iow]

I'm in two minds for this.

You should go, or at least be in the area, I like to have a plan B in case I scratch

I don't think my pace will be 'race' pace as I've not done nearly the amount of riding as I have in the past few years.

[In Reverse]

Just to add to the river crossings discussion - 3 of us did the Sept start in 2018 and all the crossings were barely a trickle. Don't remember anything being deep enough to properly get your socks wet.

Fords of Avon:


Geldie Burn:


I'll be a possible for Sept, would like to ride it again but won't know until much closer to the time.

Sean - you're more than welcome to stop at mine if you want to break the journey up in either direction. as you know endless drive back south on the motorway is a tough old slog.

[AlasdairMc]

I'm in two minds for this.

You should go, or at least be in the area, I like to have a plan B in case I scratch

Sadly my van has gone to heaven. I do know many of the bailout spots on the Cairngorms Loop, and the best return routes to Blair Atholl. In many cases you’re quicker finishing most of the route (head down Glen Tilt), or just riding out to Kingussie.

[bigtalljohn]

While your on, I note the route still follows the line of the old ROW past Ballintean (Inner loop, first approach to Feshie) whereas on the ground it signs you on a slight dog leg. No big deal but just to stop someone riding through a back garden!

There's the bit at the Edendon too. It's not necessary to cross that twice.

I'm awaiting a response from Glenfeshie Estate on the crossing of the Allt Garbhlach. When I have that, I'll put up a new gpx file with all of the changes.

Just had a rather large gin and tonic and wondering what are the routes around feshie as I don't have a clue and always just followed the gps