Is Loch Ericht West shore good? Thinking South to North. Looks ok on viewranger satellite images.

I'd have advised against the bit between Ben Alder cottage and "the big hoose" but I've seen reports that it's passable (with a bit of patience). I was hoping to check it out sometime soon as it would make a loop over the Bealach Dubh from Dalwhinnie feasible.

What about up Bealach Cumhann from Ben Alder cottage and along Bealach Dubh?

Thoroughly recommended. The Bealach Dubh descent is a delight.

PS that's the HT550 route

PPS there's a garage/lunch hut affair at the South end of Loch Ericht with a balcony overlooking the Loch. It would make a good bivvy spot.

Thanks Scotroutes and for the bivi spot advice.

Ray, hope this helps...

https://www.trailscotland.co.uk/ben-ald ... lach-dubh/

That's a great find Alan, thanks. Mmmmm, decisions, decisions. Wonder how long the bike hike section is?

In one of the bothy books, (not "The Bothy Bible", the other one), the author went along the west shore of Loch Ericht and didn't recommend the experience. She was on foot and it was at night (if I remember correctly) so she might not have been on the track if it exists.

Heading south - north there's about one or maybe two kilometres of boggy ground to get to Ben Alder Cottage. The Wild Trails MTB guidebook has a loop around Ben Alder but it goes the opposite way over Bealach Dubh and heads back over Bealach Breabag. From Alan's link it sounds like the latter isn't to that author's tastes

A mates done it sans bike. Just round the corner from Ben Alder cottage is a short section of 30 degree slabs / scree which makes for interesting (!) going, even without a bike. thereafter its easier but not surfaced. In the spirit of exploration, go for it. But the bealach dubh path is such a gem of a trail, its kind of hard to beat. Or as a plan C, hoof it straight up the hillside from Ben Alder Cottage and do the single track back down to culra. I've actually not done this yet but its supposed to be a good 'un....

htrider wrote:Or as a plan C, hoof it straight up the hillside from Ben Alder Cottage and do the single track back down to culra. I've actually not done this yet but its supposed to be a good 'un....

Superb bit that. Really, really fun to ride.
2016:


The whole area is well worth exploring actually.

The west shore of Loch Ericht is fine riding (although the one time I road it my freehub gave uo the ghost and progress was tricky), HOWEVER, that last km to the BAC from Prince Charlie's cave is along a tricky, banked rocky path that is quite tricky to push a loaded bike (or any bike!) through. However, the path is the least of your problems because it ends with a narrow deer gate which may see you removing bags and even wheels to get through. So yes, in its majority it is totally rideable but rather ruined by natural and unnatural obstacles at the very final stretch.

Even more choices now. For the route I have planned I think i'll follow the HT550 up Bealach Cumhann and down Bealach Dubh then explore the other bits at another time. Thanks for all the great advice.