MEDIUM ROUTE
AVIEMORE, CAIRNGORMS
DISTANCE 32.1KM (20 MILES) CLIMBING 500M (1,640FT) TIME 1HR 30MINS TO 2HRS
Route summary: A lovely ride out into remote hills, with stream crossings and great views, to provide a great adventure and escape. Nothing very technical, but you can add some of that by exploring the forests, which have some brilliant singletrack
Start/finish: Aviemore station (postcode PH22 1PD, grid ref NH 896/123)
1
Turn left out of the station, on the B9152, then left on the cycle path opposite the Happy Haggis chippy. Head under the railway line and go right on the road, past the pub, and left on the cycle route, over a bridge. Follow the cycle path to Inverdruie and keep ahead to Coylumbridge, turning right at the campsite.
2
Follow this track, signed to Braemar, along the Lairig Ghru trail, but keep right (leaving the Lairig trail) at signs to Glen Einich. Pass through some gates to a track crossing and keep straight ahead, past another gate. Carry on through the forest to a fork by a ford and keep left.
3
Follow alongside the river, with some interesting water crossings along the way (it may be best to just walk through the ford). Some more climbing brings great views of the loch and a good descent to the shore. After a rest/ dip and a look around, turn and head back the way you came. It’s mostly downhill now (and likely wind-assisted).
4
Back at the track crossing, turn left to Loch an Eilein on a track you haven’t been along yet. Bear to the right-hand side of this. Just past the end of the loch, by a car park, go right. Follow this tarmac until a white house, then go right, just before the bridge.
5
Follow this track into the woods, past a loch on your right, then bear left and follow the trail, keeping left. Go through a gate to the road and left then right at the junction, back to Inverdruie. Head left on the cycle path to retrace your steps back to the station to finish.
THE LOCATION
Aviemore is a perfect base for exploring the Cairngorms National Park, with lots of facilities, big, epic, remote rides along picturesque glens, and some great forests to mess about in.
GETING THERE
The railway station at Aviemore is on the ScotRail line and is a stop of the Caledonian Sleeper train, which can be caught from London (www.sleeper.scot).
FACILITIES
Rothiemurchas campsite at Coylumbridge is good (01479 812800) or try Aviemore Bunkhouse (01479 811181). See www.visit aviemore.com for lots more choices.
There are various refreshment options in Aviemore. The Bridge Inn is decent and near the start/end, and there’s a cafe in Inverdruie, as well as the Bothy Bikes shop, which offers bike hire (01479 810111).
MAPS & BOOKS
Ordnance Survey Landranger 36: Grantown, Aviemore & Cairngorm Mountains.
HARD ROUTE
HOPE, PEAK DISTRICT
STATS: 36.2KM (22.5 MILES) CLIMBING 1,200M (3,937FT) TIME 2HRS 30MINS TO 3HRS 30MINS
Route summary: There’s technical, rocky riding throughout this route, taking in some classic Dark Peak descents, tough climbs and wonderful views along the way
Start/finish: Hope station (postcode S33 6RU, grid red SK 181/833)
1
Keep ahead/right to a main road junction. Go right then right again, signed to Aston. Gradually climb for 0.9km, then turn left on a steep track with bins, keeping left at the top/house, off-road, for a tough ascent across moorland.
2At the top, keep ahead at a track crossing. Follow the treeline and join the Roman Road. Keep right on this, past Hope Cross, to a track crossing, and continue ahead (right is another technical descent, The Beast).
3
Continue along the hilltop onto a long rocky descent, ending at a quiet road. Turn right, descend then climb to cross the A57, and continue uphill, past Rowlee Farm. Go up the wide track to the top and keep ahead/left. Pass the outdoor centre, head through a gate and ascend.
4
Fork ahead/left for a rocky descent. Go right on the road, following the reservoir. Descend to a roundabout by Fairholmes Visitor Centre and go left on the tarmac, past the dam. Follow this up to a junction and keep ahead.
5
Go left through another gate, to climb the steep flagstone path. Follow this past some farm buildings, ascend onto the moorland and keep right after another gate, leading to Winstone Tor. Keep ahead/left at the track crossing, onto a wider track littered with rocks.
6
Follow the trail left, then keep right. Go across the water and keep left through more gates, down a rocky track. Keep right just before the bottom (or ahead to the pub). Climb, descend to a gate and bear left, down to the A57.
7
Turn right, cross the reservoir and go right on the road, towards the Visitor Centre. After 2km, after a cattle grid, turn left and climb steeply. Go right, through a gate, ride to another and bear left to descend steeply on a rocky track.
8
Continue on the tarmac. Go over the A57, cross a bridge and turn left. Climb and then go left through a gate when the track bears sharply right. Descend to a track and go right on it, then turn sharply right and ascend.
9
Follow this track uphill, turn sharply left, left again at Hope Cross and keep ahead/right. Descend to tarmac and follow it downhill. Bear right by a farm and left at a road. Cross the bridge and keep ahead into Hope. The station is left at the crossroads in the village.
THE LOCATION
The Dark Peak, or High Peak, area has millstone grit covering the underlying limestone, which gets saturated in the wet. Its steep, rocky terrain provides lots of technical riding and amazing scenery, but is hard on both body and bike.
GETING THERE
Hope is located between Manchester and Sheffield, on the Northern Railway service (www.northernrailway.co.uk).
FACILITIES
There’s a YHA on the way to Castleton (01433 621767). Cafe Adventure and The Courtyard Cafe in Hope are both very good for refreshments before and after the ride, and Fairholmes Visitor Centre’s cafe and Ladybower Inn by the A57 road are decent. 18 Bikes in Hope is great (01433 621111). There’s bike hire at Fairholmes Visitor Centre.
MAPS & BOOKS
Ordnance Survey Landranger 110: Sheffield and Huddersfield.
MEDIUM ROUTE
ISLE OF WIGHT PORT-TO-PORT
DISTANCE 57KM (35.4 MILES) CLIMBING 1,180M (3,871FT) TIME 3HRS TO 5HRS
The route: A fun adventure across the island, using a variety of trails. It’s not very technical, but is rough in places, and the Isle of Wight Mountain Bike Centre offers some challenging tracks if you wish. Best ridden when dry, it could be done in either direction
Start: Ryde Pier (postcode: PO33 2HE, grid ref: SZ 594/930)
1
From Ryde head east along the coast road to the canoe lake, then go south, following West Hill Road past St John’s Park. Join the Nunwell Trail at Oakfield, which becomes a bridleway and leaves the town. Follow this twisting and turning track to Brading Down, then peel away to start heading westwards, joining parts of the Bembridge Trail.
2
After crossing the A3056 and climbing, leave the Bembridge Trail to cross the valley bottom and climb up to the outskirts of Rookley village. Continue westwards along quiet lanes and tracks, then climb to the top of Chillerton Down, past the TV mast. Descend to cross the B3323 just north of Shorwell.
Note: North of here is the excellent Isle of Wight Mountain Bike Centre, which is home to some great trails and is well worth a visit.
3
Now following the Worsley Trail along the ridgetop, past Limerstone Down and Brighstone Down, descend and cross a road. Continue off-road, along the trail that climbs onto Mottistone Down, before descending again steeply to cross the B3399.
4
Now follow the Tennyson Trail, which climbs very steeply onto Compton Down, offering great views down to the western point of the island. Follow this fast, wide-open track downhill, past the golf course. Briefly join the A3055 down to Freshwater Bay. Keep ahead/left and, just after the Piano Cafe on the right, turn left (it’s easy to miss).
5
Follow the lane left and up the side of Tennyson Down, where the bridleway soon delivers you back to the road. Go left and follow this to the very end of the island, where you can enjoy views of The Needles.
6
Retrace your steps to Weston Lane, by Stoats Farm campsite and the Highdown Inn, and go left on it to Totland. Turn right here and follow a bridleway into Freshwater. After a brief stint on the A3055, turn left onto a cycle path.
7
This route takes you alongside the River Yar and into Ya rmouth. Keep left here to make your way to the ferry port for your return journey.
THE LOCATION
The Isle of Wight is England’s largest island. Hillier than many people expect, it’s home to a wide network of bridleways, with some lovely riding and scenery.
GETING THERE
South Western Railway run trains to Portsmouth and Lymington (www.southwestern railway.com), and Wightlink Ferries do crossings from Portsmouth to Ryde and Yarmouth to Lymington (www.wightlink.co.uk)
FACILITIES
There are lots of places to stay, eat, see and explore on the island. For a comprehensive list and useful information see www.visitisle ofwight.co.uk. The Isle of Wight MTB Centre is well worth a visit (www.isle ofwightmountainbikecentre.com), and if you need the help of a bike shop, TaV Cycles in Ryde should be able to sort you out (01983 812989).
MAPS & BOOKS
Ordnance Survey Landranger 196: The Solent & Isle of Wight.