Mountain Biking In Glenshee

It is probably fair to say that the hay-day of Scottish ski-ing is over. Once upon a time, in the late 1980's, we would queue for up to an hour to get on a chairlift or tow that would take 10-15 minutes to get to the top and 5 minutes to get back down again. But alas these days are gone.....

However now, 20 years on, mountain biking has well and truly arrived in Scotland and one place you might not think of going on your bike is Glenshee. Yet on a Sunny day (ok the Glenshee yeti has more reported sightings than sightings of the sun in 2007, but on that wee glimpse of the sun as it shone on the Glen of the Fairies, the views were fantastic

Even if you are not into hard climbs and steep descents, then there are miles of "blue runs" further down in the valleys, but if you want somewhere a bit different then this might just float your boat.

In April 2007 a report in the Scotsman newspaper announced that Glenshee was planning to join the ranks of downhill mountain biking centres, such as Nevis range, in using their ski uplift system, with some adaptation to provide an uplift service for MTB, but there has been no news on this, and a recent excursion in late Aug 2007 showed no evidence of any work being done to this end

The Glenshee MTB circuit

date done - 23/08/07

time taken 1.5-2 hours

This route takes in the summits of Cairnwell and Carn Aosda. Navigation is pretty simple, but the terrain is rocky and steep

Route description

park at the car park (streetmap.co.uk external link- in new window) on the west side of the road - the side with the cafe on it. From the North end of the buildings take a steep landrover track that heads straight up the hill - this brings you to another cafe and the hub of tows that head up in various directions. Head up to your right - you keep the T-bar tow of Carn Aosda on your right and head up with Butcharts access tow on your left - a wide landrover track heads steeply up the hill. After a little bit of climbing to get you away from the cafe and tow starts the track forks. The right head straight up Carn Aosda and the left heads up Butchart's corrie. i would suggest you take the left turn and keep the other track for your final exhilarating descent.

Assuming you have taken the left turn this descends slightly and then heads right up the hill as you pass the start of Butchart's T bar on your right. The track becomes rocky - rocks have literally been thrown down to prevent erosion on the track and the going is very hard, if not impossible. After a short while the path does flatten out a little and the going gets easier in terms of terrain and incline. The path eventually meets up with the main track going between Carn Aosda and Carinwell. If you intend to do both I would suggest you do Cairnwell first - this gives you a much better last descent! take the left turn to Cairnwell

The path initially descends and then undulates - there is a loch on your right side - it then ascents to the top of the Cairnwell T Bar (this is not the tow that goes to the summit!), descends slightly and then ascends more steeply to the top of the Chairlift. In the summer you may well meet tourists here - easily distinguishable from the hill walkers by the lack of appropriate attire for the hills.

Pass the top of the chairlift and climb more steeply for a 100 yards or so up a steep rocky and loose path until you find the possibly the least picturesque of al the Munro summits - adorned in telecommunication.

From here back track - remember the steep section - it is possible to ride it, but its a bit hairy. Retrace your steps back along the main track - keeping to the left of the fence most of the way until the track changes to the other side of the fence.

Stay on this track now all the way as it skirts the top of Butchart's corrie and ascends to the summit of Carn Aosda.

From the summit you can cycle down to the car park in less than 5 minutes without pushing it. Initially its a bit loose and rocky, the once you rejoin the path its a good biking surface - challenging without being too difficult. Take the left turn after the snow fence and follow the track as it heads - as straight as a Roman road down the hill. After a while it does start to twist and turn and eventlually spits you out back at the upper cafe. go past this and a sign directs you down the final descent to the car park

I did the route the other way when I did both mountains and regretted it as the descent from Carirnwell, once you get off the ridge, is much less exciting.  (I did Carn Aosda on its own 2 days previously and the descent was awesome, if a little quick)

I did try and go up Carn a Gheiodh which lies to the west of theses two summits, but the track wasnt ideal for mountain biking - peaty, rocky and narrow - also it was full of walkers the day I went.

Other routes near here are

Glas Tulaichean

The Cateran Trail - a 64 mile circular route around the spittal of glenshee. its sold as a walking route, but is made up of landrover tracks with a firm rocky base and very quiet roads, so is perfectly suitable for those seeking more of a longer distance  but less of an adrenaline surge