- Trail:
- Ciaran Path (Kinlochleven)
- Status:
- Minor Issue / Yellow
-
Issue status:
- Condition:
- Variable - some wet spots, or some dusty spots but overall good conditions
- Reporter Primary Activity:
- Mountain Bike
Description:
So, overall a pretty long, challenging tough but gorgeous ride through proper wild hills.
Breaking it down:
Uphill Access Track:
The uphill leg from Kinlochleven to Loch Eilde Mor is all pretty straightforward hill track/fire road, that winds it's way up & up & up out of the village, but all rideable & not too loose. Gorgeous scenery.
Pipeline Traverse:
Although on paper the Pipeline Traverse pretty much just follows the contour, muscling the bike over the narrow, twisty rough hill track ended up being a pretty serious work-out. The trail was also pretty frequently seriously wet/boggy (15%), meaning hopping on & off the bike loads. Quite a few sections were easier to ride along the top of the giant pipeline than on the path..
The dam at the top is gorgeous and a great place for a swim.
Ciaran Path Downhill:
At almost 5 miles of continuous downhill, with perhaps 70-80% of that entire distance actually black graded, this trail is no joke.
There's mile after mile of sketchy, steep, loose, bouldery decent (60-70%), a fair bit of bog thrown in for good measure, perhaps 10% steep exposed rock slabs, and perhaps 10% of actually flowy trail...
Be warned, don't go anywhere near this if your thing is smooth, manicured flowy trail centre trails...
However, if you like being right up in the hills, and relish a proper technical, physically challenging epic hill ride you're in for a treat!
Breaking it down:
Uphill Access Track:
The uphill leg from Kinlochleven to Loch Eilde Mor is all pretty straightforward hill track/fire road, that winds it's way up & up & up out of the village, but all rideable & not too loose. Gorgeous scenery.
Pipeline Traverse:
Although on paper the Pipeline Traverse pretty much just follows the contour, muscling the bike over the narrow, twisty rough hill track ended up being a pretty serious work-out. The trail was also pretty frequently seriously wet/boggy (15%), meaning hopping on & off the bike loads. Quite a few sections were easier to ride along the top of the giant pipeline than on the path..
The dam at the top is gorgeous and a great place for a swim.
Ciaran Path Downhill:
At almost 5 miles of continuous downhill, with perhaps 70-80% of that entire distance actually black graded, this trail is no joke.
There's mile after mile of sketchy, steep, loose, bouldery decent (60-70%), a fair bit of bog thrown in for good measure, perhaps 10% steep exposed rock slabs, and perhaps 10% of actually flowy trail...
Be warned, don't go anywhere near this if your thing is smooth, manicured flowy trail centre trails...
However, if you like being right up in the hills, and relish a proper technical, physically challenging epic hill ride you're in for a treat!
