Highland Perthshire Off Road, Mountain Biking & Road Cycling

Highland Perthshire Enduro

An amazing day around Dunkeld and Birnam!

A short circuit including a loop in Craigvinean Forest

A varied route, which also includes the Hermitage - very popular with family walkers so a little care required here!
This trip was mapped by Progression Bikes, based in Dunkeld. Bike hire, guided trips, uplifts and more!

Edradynate Loop, by Farragon Hill

This route initially follows the Core Path/Rob Roy Way south out of Pitlochry through Cluniemore (on the Mast Route-see EveryTrail) and over to Strathtay. Lock out your suspension, turn right along the main road and head west on the north side of the Tay for almost two miles. Cross the Edradynate Burn and then turn right at the next cottage on your right to head up the tarmac road. You'll be climbing for some time but the views are worth it. Generally, bear left at main junctions, You leave the leafy farmland behind and then, eventually, burst out of the forest and onto the moor. Now the real climbing starts! To gain the ridge, the best views of the southern Cairngorms in Perthshire and the second major downhill of the day, you have to climb a series of sections that vary from very steep to sadistic. It's all rideable. Pace yourself and catch your breath/eat Haribos at the top of each one. Switching on your rear suspension may give you more traction. The earthworkings that you puff past are associated with the early days of the Barytes mine development nearby. Probably best not to drink or swim in the blue pools. After invoking your Mother, Googling the nearest defibrillator site and sucking your Camelback reservoir into an object infinitely small and now with the same physical properties as a black hole, you will find that you have done it and that view with that downhill lie in front of you. Savour the location, you're over 2000' up and the panorama is reckoned to be the best in Highland Perthshire. Now check brakes, close zips, tighten straps, check that your forks and shock are at full travel and let gravity take you the three and a half miles down to Loch Tummel! Steep, loose, fast, occasional ruts, the odd puddle, patches of bedrock and sharp corners: then you are spat out at the site of the former house at Netherton opposite Ailean House on Loch Tummel. You'll have that grin and those near miss stories to provide enough adrenaline for powering you back to Pitlochry past Clunie Dam (unhelpfully, no access across) along the Foss road (turn right and head east when you hit the road at Loch Tummel). A singletrack return to Pitlochry is available from the Coronation Bridge over the River Tummel through NTS Linn of Tummel via the River Garry and Loch Faskally. Otherwise, stay on the south bank, cycle past that bridge, down the beautiful River Tummel, passing Clunie Power Station, look across to Faskally House and cross Loch Faskally on the metal bridge upstream of the A9 bridge. Turn right to the Boating Station and head up to the main street in Pitlochry. You'll still have a grin on your face!
Tips:
OS Explorer 386 Pitlochry & Loch Tummel shows the whole route.
It can be started on the Pitlochry side or the Strathtay side. Do it clockwise.
Food shops in Pitlochry and Strathtay.
The banter-rich and service-high Escape Route in Pitlochry's main street, across from the Tourist info building, is the local bike shop/coffee stop. http://www.escape-route.co.uk/index.html
At any time of the year: take plenty of nourishment, water and appropriate clothing for Scottish mountains.
There's a good O2 mobile signal virtually all the way round.

Loch Oiseanneach by Loch Ordie

Start from the Cally Car Park (signposted off the Blairgowrie/Loch of the Lowes road just outside of Dunkeld). Take the main fire road uphill, you achieve height quickly and easily. Continue up past Mill Dam and another two lochs, head through a gate and kept dogs on a leash as there are ducks and wildfowl, at Loch Ordie continue straight keeping the loch on your right. As you pass Loch Ordie continue on the main fire road as it bends left, right then bears left again. Either return by the same way or continue round the head of the loch taking second left then right to bring you round in a bigger loop back to Loch Ordie, this path may be boggy in places.
Tips:
OS Landranger (1:50 000) 52 Pitlochry and Crieff
Less than 30 minutes north of Perth.
Facilities in Dunkeld, five minutes from car park.

Bruar Loop

Start at the car park at the House of Bruar adjacent to the A9. Turn right up the old A9 to Calvine. After the defunct petrol station (check out those prices, I wish!) you will see a a green Scotways sign for the Minigaig Pass to Speyside. Head up this track. After the last house on your left before the A9, turn left and immediately right, passing through a little car park and you'll come to the short tunnel under the A9. This is a safer crossing than the one offered by turning right at the house. Now the climbing starts, steady and exposed. Fortunately, it's amongst a panorama formed by Ben Vrackie, Farragon, Schiehallion, the Drumochter hills and Beinn Dearg. It's also a good place to see black grouse and other upland and woodland-edge birds.
Soon you'll start the downhill (can be sketchy) to the former home of the laughing (read drunk) man of Cuilltemhuc (locked), found very pleased with himself in his bath, apparently. Head down towards the fords of the Bruar Water. These are generally low because of hydro extraction upstream. Many have been tempted to ride them and it can be done. Just look out for Pete Dogg's rock in the middle of the second (main) ford, it's a wheel stopper. Peter was (almost) uninjured but his expensive bike light needed intensive care! Anyway get across the fords as dry as you can and head up past Ruichlachrie (derelict with limited shelter) to the junction with the Banvie trails. Turn right and head down through the deer gate passing through woodland. Turn right at all junctions.
To attain the wonderful (and not a little risky) singletrack ending, turn right up the brutally steep but short path to the upper bridge over the Bruar Water. Head down the path along the top of the gorge (look out for walkers). If you feel the need to bail out then make sure it's to the right! Actually, it's great fun and you should stop frequently to appreciate the gorgeous (pun fully intended) scenery of the Bruar Falls. Too soon, you'll go under the railway and come out next to the retail phenomenon that is the House of Bruar.
Tips:
It's not suitable for beginners or young children. The gorge is largely unfenced. There are many other routes in this area.
OS Landranger (1:50 000) 43 Braemar and Blair Atholl
All of this starts a stone's throw from the A9 at Bruar, about 50 minutes north of Perth.
Do the route clockwise.
It's fantastic in a low sun, it really causes the trees to glow red. Best done early morning, evening or at night with good lights.
Avoid Bank Holidays: House of Bruar measures its visitors in millions http://www.houseofbruar.com/ .
It's all rideable. At the steep wooden steps in the gorge, keep right and you can take the chute next to them, there's space for most handlebars, you may have to shoogle a bit!
Nearest and best bike shop is the rather fab Escape Route in Pitlochry 20 minutes away back down the A9; http://www.escape-route.co.uk/. This offers all facilities, services, banter and sympathy.
Great camping, food and beer in Blair Atholl less than ten minutes away.