| Physical | Technical | Fun | Scenery | Singletrack | Rideability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ****** | ** | **** | ****** | *** | **** |
Total Distance 73km (45 miles) in 8-9 hours
So you want a mountain bike ride? So you want a BIG mountain bike ride? So perhaps you even want the biggest, baddest mountain bike ride of all time? Well, that might be an outlandish claim, but if anyone wants to suggest a longer, rideable, single-day route in the UK, I'd love to know; because I want to ride it!
The expanse of moor and mountain separating the west highland railway across Rannoch moor, and the west coast A82 trunk road, is one of the largest tracts of uninhabited and tarmac-free territory in the country. There are several obvious and ancient crossings; such as the Lairig Leacach from Corrour to Spean Bridge, the Water of Nevis from Corrour to Fort William, and alongside Loch Laidon from Rannoch station to Kingshouse. This route differs in that it is mostly rideable. Which was nice!
This route only just scrapes into the definition of a 'single day' ride, as the full circuit could well take 12 hours or more. For your information it contains 38.5 miles of uninterrupted off road riding. 38.5 miles without once even crossing any of the black stuff! Wow! Approximately 3 or 4 miles might be considered 'bike-n-hike'. The route is a little contrived as it actually takes an extended route in order to significantly improve the rideability / pushability ratio. For example, you could just as easily drop down into Kinlochleven to return safely to civilisation(?), rather than soldiering on to Fort Bill.
There is more than one way to complete this route: It is possible to ride the entire circuit in a day. I know because I have! 22 early morning road miles from Fort William to Loch Laggan, to give a grand total of a 70 mile MTB ride. However, this can hardly be considered fun.
The use of two cars, one parked at Moy Lodge, the other at Fort Bill results in 45 miles of almost pure off-road antics. Allow 9 or so hours for this option. Finally you could take the train to Corrour station and ride home to Fort William, or even utilise Corrour station, Loch Ossian hostel or Mamore Lodge as overnight stops.
The ride might be considered wild - crossing such a huge expanse of terrain, and make sure you have excellent navigational and survival skills. However if the worst comes to the worst it is a surprisingly hospitable area: there are three possibilities of comfortable accommodation and perfectly placed dinner and tea stops (both fully licensed)! Which is all quite a surprise in the middle of absolute nowhere.
45 miles from Moy Lodge to Fort William (1st 38.5 miles continuous offroad).
3 sections:
Park the car (or one of the cars) in the lay-by near Moy Lodge - just between Loch Laggan and the unnamed reservoir downstream from it. Cross the river and bear right into forest at Torgulbin. Follow the main track, currently (May 2001) signs indicate route to "construction site". At all junctions follow the smoothest, most obvious track and the route will eventually top-out at the forest edge; at a huge cattle grid and transmitter.
From here the track contours above Strath Ossian, and eventually to the head of Loch Ossian and Corrour shooting lodge. Tracks on either side of the Loch re-converge shortly before your destination of Corrour station, so don't fret about which you use. On my most recent visit the southern route was closed due to foot and mouth precautions, and the northern route badly dug up by forestry vehicles, but both of these situations could be different on your visit.
Loch Ossian is one of the most beautiful, and quite obviously remote Lochs in Scotland, and I cannot recommend highly enough a stay at the youth hostel. Most nights the warden calls down a small herd of deer and stags from the surrounding mountains. He feeds them from his hand while standing in the hostel porch. It is stunning to observe these majestic wild animals at such close quarters.
Just past the youth hostel you have to cross a desolate no-mans land of bog, happily safe upon a raised sandy track. The transformation of Corrour station came as a welcome shock for me. Upon all previous visits I had been greeted by a concrete 'shed' where you might have been able to buy a can of pop or a mars bar from the counter at the back window. Not only did I find the service to be different, but both the proprietors and building are also 100% new. An immaculate wood panelled restaurant now awaits, with a full menu, camping shop, take away snacks and even a wine list! A stove sits in the corner which will be a literal life saver in mid-winter, there is even a leather sofa for the saddle sore to quench their pained buttocks upon!
If you can drag yourself away from the delights of Corrour station house, and haven't decided to either exit via locomotive or stay the night, the crux of the route awaits. Cross the tracks then turn immediately right (helpful Scottish ROW signposts now help navigation). A thin, and regularly sunken singletrack leads marginally downhill northwards along the line. Just keep a sharp lookout for "mad jimmy Mountain bikers" (see photo for alternative helmet design used in these parts!)
Where the singletrack is not waterlogged it makes stunning riding in stunning surroundings. Make sure you have a go at the "one plank bridge", because shortly afterwards the path becomes track just when you were beginning to enjoy it. The track, which becomes ever steeper as it drops towards Loch Treig is no walk in the park either. It is pretty darned rocky, with a rattly downhill, followed by a brain-shaking trip around the Loch head. Don't attempt the first large bridge you reach - it is a few planks short of safety. However the second, really high bridge at Creaguaineach Lodge is safe to cross, an despite the ROW sign before the bridge, you are far better off on the north bank of the Abhainn Rath.
Incredibly Loch Treig supplies the head of water for the Fort William aluminium smelter. Those pipes that emerge from the side of the Ben are supplied not by a small lochan high in the hills, but by the vastness of Loch Treig. A horizontal tunnel bored through the highest mountain range in Britain connects the two.
Also the disused tramway that forms the terrace route in Leanachan forest was the supply route for the building of the dam. For many years the old tramway was 'explored' as a MTB route from Fort William to Tulloch, avoiding the A82 for many many miles. The landowner response was to erect fences and remove bridge to prevents its use. Almost a decade later sections are indeed used as a cycleway. If the entire route had been preserved intact, with just the sleepers lifted, it would have made one of the finest cycleways ever built in the UK. But forward vision is a rare commodity.
Now the Abhainn Rath really is "The Gap". The only section with pushing & carrying involved. It might only be three miles from Creaguaineach to Luibeilt but allow around an hour and a half. Split the route mentally into three portions - to Staoineag bothy, then to the open plain section, and finally to Luibeilt bothy. The most important lesson is that when you first reach the plain and spy Luibeilt, it is still 30 frustrating minutes away. The river meanders, the grass and tussocks prevent any riding, and the river needs to be forded. To add insult to injury there can be horse flies in the long grass. As long as you remember that seeing Luibeilt and reaching Luibeilt are very different things, you'll not go too crazy.
After that warning, I must say that the lower two-thirds of the Abhainn is one of my favourite places anywhere. How such a lush river valley exists in such a harsh landscape I can never understand. If it wasn't for the profile of Ben Nevis on the distant horizon, you would be convinced that these were well-tended fields in rural England, only inches from a tourist honey-pot.
My advice to bikers here is to follow the meanders of the river, and ride the undulations alongside the overhanging banks. Cutting the corner will expose you to long grass, tussocks and bog. Secondly, when the valley narrows just before Staoineag bothy, keep high. There is a defined singletrack high on the valley wall here, if you are too low you'll end up clinging to a sheep track and crossing greasy rock steps.
Once up past the last waterfall and onto the open plain, head for Luibeilt bothy (in the trees). There is probably no good way through this mile of frustration - just take it on the chin. It would be possible to continue straight ahead here alongside the Water of Nevis to Glen Nevis. It might save a little time but cannot be recommended. If you didn't enjoy the last mile, then you won't enjoy another 5 just like it!
Instead take the track from Luibeilt past the Elide Lochs to Mamore Lodge. A slightly rough track, but it should be bliss to be making forward progress once again. Some superb views along the fjord of Loch Leven, and a rough descent leads you to a second almost miraculous nosh stop.
Carefully avoid the broken tarmac of the lodge access road (remember, continuous offroad), and stick your head into the bizarre, dark interior. It may look imposing but they're mighty friendly despite the Victorian colonial trophies littering the walls like the set of some cheap horror movie. Sit on the swing bench outside and enjoy the view of the Aonach Eagach ridge.
Easy peasy. Nice smooth track. The only downer being the near 30 miles of punishment already burning in your arms and legs. The Lairig Mor is an old military road and the last day-stage of the West Highland Way, the gradients are easy and the surface reasonable. However if you've just ridden the whole day on rigid forks (like who'd be stupid enough to try that, ahem!), it'll be agony anyway.
The descent of the Lairig drags itself out for as long as possible, with endless counter-climbs, and a final undulating section through the forest. If 38 miles of offroad isn't enough for you the WHW climbs once again on singletrack into the Glen Nevis forest, whereas any sane MTBer will finish off on the road. I've never ridden the WHW footpath into Glen Nevis, so I'd really welcome some information about its rideability, fun and annoyed-rambler factors.
The road home is far from easy either. A final brutally steep climb leads you to an incredible vista across Loch Linnhie, and a 400 foot downhill through the suburbs of Fort William. A great finale to one of the best (and longest) day's biking on this island.
Kevin Hodgson
June 2001
Last Updated 24-06-2007
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