Passport of the Routes


On 15 Jan, 2005, at 21:55, findlay w wrote:

The following notes have been transcribed (with a few alterations) from the
late Andrew Manwell's "Passport of the Routes". At present, these routes
are simply circuitous rides. They are not linked in any way to AUK. If
there is enough interest, I would like to resurect them as Permanents, but
it is felt by some that under the current (stricter) guidelines for
Permanents, some may not be manageable in their current state.

There are no specific distances noted for the circuits, so if anyone with
Autoroute (or similar) is daft enough (sorry keen enough) to work them out,
I would be both interested and grateful.

Note that in ride 4 (Glendaruel and Tighnabruach), reference is made to
Ardgarten YH. I believe this establishment has now closed.

Anyway, if you are in that area, have a go. Personally, I have only ridden
the Loch Tay circuit (in November; mostly in the rain and the dark).
However, some of the routes described form part of routes of other main
calendar events which are, or have been run recently.

Good luck and enjoy!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hilly Highland Hundreds

Circuit-type Randonnees

A 'Gathering' of Permanent Randonnees in Highland locations giving a good
test of climbing abilities ranging from 100km to a challenging 180km, to
offer either Grimpeur or Super Grimpeur Status.

Locations.

1. Applecross

2. Loch Ness

3. Loch Tay

4. Glendaruel and Tighnabruach

5. Braes of Mar

6. Cairn O' Mount

7. Moidart

8. Far-North-West


Note that all routes may be done in the reverse direction, or better still -
both.


Routes compiled originally by Andrew Manwell (1990).



1. Applecross Grimpeur Ecossais (AGE) (OS Map 24)

Super Grimpeur

Start at Kishorn Bridge. Head up the Bealach na Ba and down to Applecross.
Back up the Bealach and down to Kishorn Bridge. Turn north to Shieldaig,
then west round the coast to Applecross, down and back to Toscaig and up to
the finish at the top of the Bealach.


Grimpeur

Start at Torridon YH head around Applecross and back to Torridon.

2. Loch Ness (OS Maps 26, 34, 35)

Start in Inverness and follow the A82 towards Loch Ness for 5km. Turn off
right to minor roads and follow to Glen Urquhart and back to Drumnadrochit.
(Alternatively, travel from Inverness on the road heading west to turn off
to minor roads). Continue south to Fort Augustus, turning east to climb over
to Whitebridge to drop down to Foyers. Turn off north to Inverfairigaig,
west to the shore of Loch Ness and then up the zigzags to continue down
General Wade's Roads to Inverness

3. Loch Tay (OS Maps 42, 43, 51, 52)

Start at Killin YH. Head east to Ben Lawers Road and over to Glen Lyon. Head
down to Fortinghall, turn North to Kinloch Rannoch, then north to Trinafour
and down Glen Errochty and follow the minor roads to Blair Atholl. Pass by
the Soldiers Leap through the Pass of Killiecrankie and down to Pitlochry,
then again on the back road (avoid the A9 at every opportunity) to
Grandtully and Aberfeldy, south to Amulree. Turn north over the big climb to
Kenmore and along the south shore of Loch Tay to back to Killin.

Alternatives.

i. Start Pitlochry YH

ii. After the climb over from Fortinghall, drop down to Loch Tummel and
follow the road along the south of the Loch to Loch Faskally and continue on
the short section of A9 to Pitlochry.

4. Glendaruel and Tighnabruach (OS Maps 55, 56, 62, 63)

Start at Ardgarten YH and climb up and over the Rest and be Thankful to
continue down the east shore of Loch Fyne to Leanach and over to Glendaruel.
Turn west and climb over to Otter Ferry, then turn south and continue around
the peninsula via Kilfinan, Ardlamont, Kames, Tighnabruach and then east to
Clachaig and Benmore. Head around the Holy Loch and north to Ardentinny,
then through Glen Finart to Strachur. Turn north for the last detour through
Hell's Glen and up the other climb of the Rest and be Thankful and so down
to Ardgarten.


5. Braes of Mar (OS maps 37, 38)

Start in Banchory and head west to turn off north, just at the edge of town
onto minor roads leading to Torphins. Turn right in the centre of the
village to tackle the long climb of the Learney. Turn right at the
crossroads to descend into Midmar and turn sharp left after a mile to go
down to the hamlet of Comers. Turn right to climb up to left turn and on
past the school and the village hall, then head south-east past Midmar
church, turn off to Marionburgh, over to the Linton crossroads, turn west to
drop down past Corsindae and continue west to climb Bankhead. Turn north to
Millbank, then west on the Alford road to turn north again on the Kemnay
road for a mile or so. Turn left onto a winding road over to Pitfichie and
then over the River Don and west through Lord's Throat. Turn north again
over to Auchleven, then west to the next turn. Left, to climb the Suie hill
and come over the Bridge of Alford, crossing the river and turning
south-west to Muir of Fowlis. Turn west to climb to a splendid view of
Strathdon before turning south to the scattered hamlet of Leochel Cushnie
and enjoy a distant view of Lochnagar, before joining the Tarland road, to
turn east, taking the next fork right over to Lumphanan. Turn left and then
next right to climb over to Kincardine O'Neil, where from inside the
village, there is a spectacular climb back over to Torphins. There you
retrace your earlier route back to the finish in Banchory.

6. Cairn O'Mount (OS Maps 44, 45)

Start in Banchory to cross the river Dee and then soon turn left to cross
the narrow bridge over the Falls of Feugh. Immediately turn right onto
narrow roads to lead up the Nine Stanes Hill and over to join the A957 at
Blairdryne. Continue up the Slug Road to the next turn off after a long
descent at Rickarton onto minor roads to Drumlithie, Glen Bervie to
Auchenblae, then north-west through Strath Finella to the Clatterin Brig. Up
and over the Cairn O'Mount turning left to Feughside, Finzean, over the
Corsedarder Hill to Ballogie and Potarch, turning right before the bridge,
onto the South Deeside road over to Feughside, then left to Strachan and so
back to Banchory.

7. Moidart (OS Maps 40, 41)

Start at Strontian and continue along the shore of Loch Salen, heading north
to Acharacle, Shiel Bridge, around the shore of Loch Moidart and on round to
Loch Ailort. At Kinlochailort, head east to Glenfinnan where there is a
choice of route.

i. Continue on the tarmac road around by the south shore of Loch Eil and the
western shore of Loch Linnhe back to the Corran Ferry and return to
Strontian.

ii. Leave Glenfinnan and take the forest road down the eastern side of Loch
Shiel to Polloch and the spectacular climb back over to Strontian.

iii. This gives the third possible arrangement to continue round to Corran
Ferry (from Strontian) and on by Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil to complete the
route at Glenfinnan.

8. Far North West (OS Maps 15, 16 20)

Start at Ullapool YH to head north on the A835, turning west after 15km onto
minor roads around the Inverpolly Nature Reserve. Head north after passing
Stac Pollaidh to Lochinver and continue on the coast road by Stoer,
Clashnessie, Drumbeg and Nedd and on to meet the main road near Unapool.
Head South for Inchnadamph, Elphin and back to Ullapool.


Posted: Mon - January 17, 2005 at 04:25 PM          

©