Touring up North
Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:19 pm
As usual my week off work promised to be the worst for a while with thunderstorms forecast for most of the country. The exception was the far north so I guess that's where we are going then. A fairly lengthy car journey followed thanks to mega tourist traffic and the sodding NC500..... Leaving Lairg at 6 lead to much relaxation on the road ride east. I'd had various ideas for a tour but focused on a couple of trails that would hopefully go. I'd done minimal research, just a map appraisal and a squint at aerial photos to determine that the path did actually exist.
Heading for the hills. My chosen area for the first part of the ride was Ben Armine Forest. First up a length gravel road to the lodge itself.
Looking north - this looks a bit gloomy but it was nice and dry, warm and breezy.
The lodge - a somewhat remote spot to live. Beyond here the track quickly deteriorated to a grassy trail that clearly saw little use. The good news was that everything was bone dry. After a bit of this I figured that 9pm was late enough and stopped to bivvy by the river.
Nigh on perfect - level, grassy and breezy enough to keep the midges at bay. I had a good night but woke at dawn to light rain and low cloud. I zonked out again in the hope it would lift later. 7 am seemed enough of a lie in so I made breakfast and got going. The rain was off but the cloud still down until I set out and suddenly it lifted away from me and a few breaks were revealed.
Mandatory trail shot. As far as I can figure, what would have been a typical stalkers path built in the victorian era had been upgraded to an argo cat width around twenty years ago. This has now grown over heavily. I did see another bike track but after a few k the argo and quad tracks all turned off on another such track and it was just me and the tussocks thereafter. Fortunately I was on the destroyer of tussocks so all was well.
The view (especially for Reg) After a hint of the cloud lifting it didn't and I climbed up into it. Bugger, the views should have been amazing.
My route would take me out of this glen (actually called the Strath na seilge) on another trail. This was a lot vaguer and even more overgrown. As I approached the summit the rain inevitably came on - a cold blatter that had me into full waterproofs. However, as I started on the decent, the cloud suddenly lifted, the rain went off and a view was revealed.... Then it all went pete tong. First up was a locked gate (why, why oh why!) but fortunately I accidentally smashed the ancient and totally siezed padlock with a large rock. Then I came across this.....
Going back wasn't an option so I ploughed on through. It wasn't very long but ended at another locked gate! This does my nut in. Annoyingly the padlock was rock proof but siezed to a point that it would never unlock again. I think I need some carbon fiber handled bolt cutters.... After heaving my bike over this I joined a well used track out to the loch.
The beach! Its been yonks since I hit the sand. Various argo cat tracks stuck to the shore to avoid the first of two foot bridges. The burn crossing looked a bit dubious so I figured the bridge would be a better bet.
Blimey this was very dodgy. All the planks were well rotted with several missing. I stepped very lightly across, aware of the depth of the river below me....
The next bridge was avoided as the river was shallow at the mouth into the loch. It's a shame as they are two fine structures which the estate will very likely have no interest in fixing. I wish our useless government would stop fannying about with road improvements and throw some dosh at getting such things fixed and maintained, for us the great unwashed.
Finally I hit a fine stony track on the north shore of the loch. This is on a lengthy route from the Crask Inn on the A833 to the B871 at Banaloch lodge. The Great North Trail actually shows this as an option but you really wouldn't want to take a gravel bike along here. I got up the climb clean (gears!!) and finally got some views.
The descent was a nice singletrack but the roll out to the road was a lengthy traverse of another argo cat / stalking path that under normal (wet) circumstances would be a schlep. Today it was totally and utterly dry. I've passed the Crask Inn loads of times by motorcycle but never stopped. I was hungry after all of that lot so waited 5 minutes for it to open and dived in for cheap but cheerful food. Of course I also had to have a pint of Orkney Gold. More people arrived as I finished up, including two pairs of cycle tourists. It seems to be a popular spot for them being on NCN 1 and various bikepacking routes.
As I headed north the sky was clearing. There was even a hint of sun!
Clouds boiling over Ben Klibreck
One of several new windfarm schemes going up. Anyone who thinks this is 'green' energy needs to see the environmental destruction these things cause and the gear needed to build them. It's not as if they generate much electricity either!
Fully half a dozen cars passed me on the run up to Altnaharra. I've always wanted to cycle these roads and in the strengthening sun it was most pleasant. The landscape is much less dramatic than the west but the wide open views are glorious. At Altnaharra I turned left on the Ben Hope road. I was now in full sunshine but with a stiff following breeze.
As I approached the turn off to Loch Merkland I could actually see the Highland Trail route. I reflected on the contrast between todays weather and the weather in May....
Gobernuisgach Lodge. A certain well know 24 hour racer bivved in the hut next to the oil tanks on HT 2015. It was full of dead deer carcasses apparently.....
I occurred to me to do the Horn route given the weather and dry trails. I had also thought of doing the direct route west to Lone. I could see it climbing steeply up the glen so had a dose of CBA. Instead I twiddled up the track finally being here when it wasn't early morning or raining or both.
The pass to Loch Merkland.
Riding down the road I noted the climb over to Glen Cassley, my next destination. It looked huge!
From the top. I took it slowly so actually got up in good order, despite the hugeness of my tyres. I hammered the descent then took stock. Next up was another big climb and another tough trail over the southern flanks of Ben More Assynt which also looked like it would go (its actually on google streetview - part of the Central Sutherland Crater Walk). Given the dryness of everything and the weather I should really crack on but I'd been going for 9 hours at this point and I was on holiday. I've three times passed the Dam at the top of Glen Cassley and noted the near perfect bivvy spot just below it. It was sunny, breezy and I'd done enough. So I pitched up, went for a wander and generally lazed around.
Hydro electric dam and gear. Far less environmental impact than stupid wind turbines and lots of power.
Oh well, you can't have everything. As I started to make tea the wind dropped and the midges appeared. Not the horrendous storm I'd faced a year ago but bad enough to have me scampering about the place. I dived into the tent and relaxed with whisky as the little bleeders battered fruitlessly at the mesh. The wind got up later allowing further wanderings. But when I woke in the early hours to go to the loo it was still again. I was in and out sharpish but a while later I became aware of numerous itchy bits (!) switching on my headtorch revealed your worst nightmare (well not really but you know what I mean) - a cloud of the swines above me, inside the tent!! Arrrgghhhh how did that happen. The door was firmly shut so they must have sneaked in with me. I spent twenty minutes swatting every one of them before finally crashing out again.
The morning brought much wind and more low cloud. As I'd predicted I had a further failure of motivation to tackle a high level trail as I wanted the views. I figured on a return when the weather was better and instead had a lazy cruise down the glen. I checked out a few good bivvy spots, another dodgy bridge and Achness Waterfalls.
Thereafter a steady climb and descent back to Lairg.
Most of this route was actually on road. The fatbike was ace however rolling through all in its path without any fuss. I didn't even bother pumping the tyres up for the road sections but the rolling resistance was of no issue and it was super comfy.
There then followed a tale of full campsites, full hotels, more NC500 cursing, gorges, Glaswegian Neds, the beach, barbies and tussocks; finishing with a fast drive down the A939 / A93 with no other traffic on the roads.
Heading for the hills. My chosen area for the first part of the ride was Ben Armine Forest. First up a length gravel road to the lodge itself.
Looking north - this looks a bit gloomy but it was nice and dry, warm and breezy.
The lodge - a somewhat remote spot to live. Beyond here the track quickly deteriorated to a grassy trail that clearly saw little use. The good news was that everything was bone dry. After a bit of this I figured that 9pm was late enough and stopped to bivvy by the river.
Nigh on perfect - level, grassy and breezy enough to keep the midges at bay. I had a good night but woke at dawn to light rain and low cloud. I zonked out again in the hope it would lift later. 7 am seemed enough of a lie in so I made breakfast and got going. The rain was off but the cloud still down until I set out and suddenly it lifted away from me and a few breaks were revealed.
Mandatory trail shot. As far as I can figure, what would have been a typical stalkers path built in the victorian era had been upgraded to an argo cat width around twenty years ago. This has now grown over heavily. I did see another bike track but after a few k the argo and quad tracks all turned off on another such track and it was just me and the tussocks thereafter. Fortunately I was on the destroyer of tussocks so all was well.
The view (especially for Reg) After a hint of the cloud lifting it didn't and I climbed up into it. Bugger, the views should have been amazing.
My route would take me out of this glen (actually called the Strath na seilge) on another trail. This was a lot vaguer and even more overgrown. As I approached the summit the rain inevitably came on - a cold blatter that had me into full waterproofs. However, as I started on the decent, the cloud suddenly lifted, the rain went off and a view was revealed.... Then it all went pete tong. First up was a locked gate (why, why oh why!) but fortunately I accidentally smashed the ancient and totally siezed padlock with a large rock. Then I came across this.....
Going back wasn't an option so I ploughed on through. It wasn't very long but ended at another locked gate! This does my nut in. Annoyingly the padlock was rock proof but siezed to a point that it would never unlock again. I think I need some carbon fiber handled bolt cutters.... After heaving my bike over this I joined a well used track out to the loch.
The beach! Its been yonks since I hit the sand. Various argo cat tracks stuck to the shore to avoid the first of two foot bridges. The burn crossing looked a bit dubious so I figured the bridge would be a better bet.
Blimey this was very dodgy. All the planks were well rotted with several missing. I stepped very lightly across, aware of the depth of the river below me....
The next bridge was avoided as the river was shallow at the mouth into the loch. It's a shame as they are two fine structures which the estate will very likely have no interest in fixing. I wish our useless government would stop fannying about with road improvements and throw some dosh at getting such things fixed and maintained, for us the great unwashed.
Finally I hit a fine stony track on the north shore of the loch. This is on a lengthy route from the Crask Inn on the A833 to the B871 at Banaloch lodge. The Great North Trail actually shows this as an option but you really wouldn't want to take a gravel bike along here. I got up the climb clean (gears!!) and finally got some views.
The descent was a nice singletrack but the roll out to the road was a lengthy traverse of another argo cat / stalking path that under normal (wet) circumstances would be a schlep. Today it was totally and utterly dry. I've passed the Crask Inn loads of times by motorcycle but never stopped. I was hungry after all of that lot so waited 5 minutes for it to open and dived in for cheap but cheerful food. Of course I also had to have a pint of Orkney Gold. More people arrived as I finished up, including two pairs of cycle tourists. It seems to be a popular spot for them being on NCN 1 and various bikepacking routes.
As I headed north the sky was clearing. There was even a hint of sun!
Clouds boiling over Ben Klibreck
One of several new windfarm schemes going up. Anyone who thinks this is 'green' energy needs to see the environmental destruction these things cause and the gear needed to build them. It's not as if they generate much electricity either!
Fully half a dozen cars passed me on the run up to Altnaharra. I've always wanted to cycle these roads and in the strengthening sun it was most pleasant. The landscape is much less dramatic than the west but the wide open views are glorious. At Altnaharra I turned left on the Ben Hope road. I was now in full sunshine but with a stiff following breeze.
As I approached the turn off to Loch Merkland I could actually see the Highland Trail route. I reflected on the contrast between todays weather and the weather in May....
Gobernuisgach Lodge. A certain well know 24 hour racer bivved in the hut next to the oil tanks on HT 2015. It was full of dead deer carcasses apparently.....
I occurred to me to do the Horn route given the weather and dry trails. I had also thought of doing the direct route west to Lone. I could see it climbing steeply up the glen so had a dose of CBA. Instead I twiddled up the track finally being here when it wasn't early morning or raining or both.
The pass to Loch Merkland.
Riding down the road I noted the climb over to Glen Cassley, my next destination. It looked huge!
From the top. I took it slowly so actually got up in good order, despite the hugeness of my tyres. I hammered the descent then took stock. Next up was another big climb and another tough trail over the southern flanks of Ben More Assynt which also looked like it would go (its actually on google streetview - part of the Central Sutherland Crater Walk). Given the dryness of everything and the weather I should really crack on but I'd been going for 9 hours at this point and I was on holiday. I've three times passed the Dam at the top of Glen Cassley and noted the near perfect bivvy spot just below it. It was sunny, breezy and I'd done enough. So I pitched up, went for a wander and generally lazed around.
Hydro electric dam and gear. Far less environmental impact than stupid wind turbines and lots of power.
Oh well, you can't have everything. As I started to make tea the wind dropped and the midges appeared. Not the horrendous storm I'd faced a year ago but bad enough to have me scampering about the place. I dived into the tent and relaxed with whisky as the little bleeders battered fruitlessly at the mesh. The wind got up later allowing further wanderings. But when I woke in the early hours to go to the loo it was still again. I was in and out sharpish but a while later I became aware of numerous itchy bits (!) switching on my headtorch revealed your worst nightmare (well not really but you know what I mean) - a cloud of the swines above me, inside the tent!! Arrrgghhhh how did that happen. The door was firmly shut so they must have sneaked in with me. I spent twenty minutes swatting every one of them before finally crashing out again.
The morning brought much wind and more low cloud. As I'd predicted I had a further failure of motivation to tackle a high level trail as I wanted the views. I figured on a return when the weather was better and instead had a lazy cruise down the glen. I checked out a few good bivvy spots, another dodgy bridge and Achness Waterfalls.
Thereafter a steady climb and descent back to Lairg.
Most of this route was actually on road. The fatbike was ace however rolling through all in its path without any fuss. I didn't even bother pumping the tyres up for the road sections but the rolling resistance was of no issue and it was super comfy.
There then followed a tale of full campsites, full hotels, more NC500 cursing, gorges, Glaswegian Neds, the beach, barbies and tussocks; finishing with a fast drive down the A939 / A93 with no other traffic on the roads.
.
.
