Glenfinglass Circuit.    Back to: Glenfinglass Circuit      Home

NOTE This cycle ride is in a remote and exposed location and climbs to about 2100 feet. The weather is frequently bad (it is not unknown for there to be deep snow on the top in May) and can change very quickly even in summer.
Although the circuit is not strictly cross country the 'track' is meant for rough terrain vehicles and is usually in poor condition and at the beginning of the spring you are likely to find parts of it have been washed away where streams have cut across it. There are many very fast downhill sections (or if you are coming from the opposite direction incredible uphill hikes!) - it doesn't matter whether you go clockwise or anticlockwise both are equally difficult - so it is essential that you wear a helmet and are prepared to have to slow/stop suddenly on the loose surface. Where streams have cut across the trail you often find a 2-3 foot deep gully only a couple of feet wide. Do take care and go equipped for a day in the mountains. This route is also popular with hill walkers.
OS SHEET No:- LandRanger Sheet 57
DISTANCE COVERED ON CIRCUIT:- 17 MILES
START:- Brig O'Turk (NN535066)
FACILITIES:- At Brig O'Turk there is a caf' and a very good restaurant (The Byre). The nearest accommodation is nearby at Tigh Mhor (a Holiday Property Bond Resort which is not open to the general public) and there are numerous B&B's as this is part of the scenic Trossachs area about 25 miles north of Glasgow (for those old enough to remember this is Dr Findlay's Casebook area). The nearest 'town' is Callander (Tannoch Brae in the above TV Series) which is located on one of the main through routes to the Highlands and has loads of pubs, hotels, B&B's, 2 campsites, a Forestry Commission campsite and lodges, 2 cycle shops (one of which - Wheels - has superb facilities and a bunkhouse. They are agents for Gary Fisher, GT and stock every imaginable spare part) and various shops. The whole area is popular with the walking, cycling, sailing and mountaineering groups. The only service it lacks is an operational railway link! (The old lines where ripped up in the 1930's and now form part of Route 7 of the SUSTRANS network so there are even gentle rides for those not into off trail routes). The whole area is riddled with Forestry Roads (about 150 kms of them). There is even a steamer service on nearby Loch Katrine - which is a reservoir for storing water for the north of Glasgow. This is great for kids as you can cycle almost right round the loch on metalled roads with no traffic on them, as they are privately owned by the local Water company. You can cycle half way round the loch then take the steamer back to your car! 

THE START: The circuit starts at the car park for the Glen Finglas dam (NN535073). On entering the village of Brig O'Turk look for the signs for the school and tearoom. Turn off the A821 onto a single track lane that provides access to the dam and the Water Board road. There is a sign that indicates the car park. Do not proceed any further as you cannot turn round and will have to reverse back to the car park! At the car park there is a sign that indicates to the dam and for the route to Balquhidder. you want the latter which starts off as a tarred track for the first mile or so and then becomes a 'LandRover'/ tractor track. The first 3/4mile is up a very steep (1 in 3 even with the hairpins) gradient but you can look forward to a great fast downhill at the end of your ride if you're doing the circuit.

AT THE TOP OF THE TARRED ROAD (OS NN532081). THE SUMMIT JUST RIGHT OF CENTRE IS MEALL CALA AND THE TRAIL GOES UP THE VALLEY TO IT'S RIGHT, ROUND THE BACK, THEN ACROSS THE SNOWY FACE TO THE LEFT OF CENTRE AND BACK DOWN THE VALLEY ON THE LEFT

THE CIRCUIT: The picture above is taken almost at the end of the tarred section. Beyond this point the only habitation is two modern cottages used in the summer by the local farmer for the shepherds. It is rare to meet other cyclists and I have only ever encountered 4 or 5 walkers whenever I have done this route. Just behind the spur on the right the route splits in OS posn NN524105 - there is a finger board labeled Footpath - Balquhidder 8 miles. It is not important which way round you do the circuit but if you prefer a long straight and steep downhill run on the way back then go round in an anti-clockwise direction - turn right at the sign post and follow the trail up the right side of Alt Gleann nam Meann (don't you just love those short snappy Gallic names!) This part of the circuit is shown on the OS map as a track and in Feb 2001 I found that considerable 'up grading'/repairs had been carried out since I had last done the route in summer 2000 when much of the track was washed away after particularly heavy rains. It still is pretty well only compacted soil and large stones though (nothing sissy like fly ash or chippings)

View South East from OS NN525095 toward the dam in the centre background 

The route up Alt Gleann nam Meann goes through OS Positions 527107, to 525124, 519140 where the trail splits - taking the right single track path goes over Bealach a' Chonnaidh to Glen Buckie, Loch Voil and Balquhidder. This is also a nice ride but you really need to have a car parked at both ends to able to do this ride without getting knackered doing a there and back in one day ( it is only a 20 mile round trip hard work).

Alt Gleann nam Meann from OS Posn 525107, looking north. The track follows the right side of the gully then crosses over to the left in the centre background. The summit in the centre is Lag a' Phuill. The lump on the left of the picture is Meall Cala. 

To stay on our circuit you follow the track round to the left and start another steep climb up Lag a Phuill (1500ft OS NN513148) from here the track levels out somewhat as you transit the pass (Moine nan Each) between Meall Cala and Cnoc Odar. It is best not to stray off the track across here even though it looks inviting to go cross-country. The ground is very wet underfoot even after a prolonged dry spell and your wheels will just sink into thick peaty mud. The track is challenging enough for most of us! A nice spot to stop for refreshment is in OS Posn 497140 where there are spectacular views both to the NE to the Highlands but also to the S back over the reservoir. You are now at the highest point of the circuit and from here for the next 4 miles is steep down hill with numerous streams to ford and if it has been a very wet in the winter the Finglas Water will have dragged lots of big rocks from it's normal bed across the trail so take it easy and be prepared for rough going and sudden surprises in sections of very loose surface. If you are completing the circuit in the spring be prepared to find the Finglass Water in full spate and you may find that in OS Posn 491117 you have quite a deep torrent to ford! The next mile from here is frequently inundated in the winter and the track surface is more like riding over a scree than a trail. The trail now becomes less exciting as it wanders along the valley and to the head of the reservoir. There are still some pretty steep gradients both up and down hill though and if it has recently been raining the trail can be very sticky with mud.

Looking across the reservoir and up Finglass Water from OS Posn 514106

In the view above the track looks in pretty good condition but this picture was taken late in the afternoon in February 2001. Two weeks before coming up here we had 11" of snow lower down where I live - which is about at 130 m above sea level - this is about 400 m above sea level. The surface is quite 'loose' and muddy in places. The trail follows the valley round to the right and then climbs up to Creagan nan Sgiath. This picture does not do the gradient any justice - it is about 1 in 5 here and to the left of the view there is a 'long cut' for Land Rovers and tractors so they can avoid it!

The track is to the left of this view and skirts the head of the loch to follow the tree lined valley on the left of the centre. The trail then climbs up the escarpment in a series of hairpin bends and disappears up the valley on the right of the centre - this picture was taken about 3.00 pm in February and I didn't go any further as the sun was starting to disappear behind the hills - at this point you are about 5 miles from the start.

Looking back to the east. The mountain with the little bit of snow on the summit is Ben Ledi (980m). A fortnight before this picture was taken (Feb 2001) this entire area was under a meter and more of snow. The track shown in this view is a good section.

The peak on the left is Stuc Odhar - this view is looking SE along the Glen Finglass Reservoir. I met 6 other people in my afternoon cycle along here. When doing the complete circuit I have often not met anybody else in a whole day out in midsummer, and this is only 25 miles north of Glasgow. If you are going out alone up here tell someone before you leave - we don't get any mobile phone reception in these valleys so you cannot get outside help if you have a problem. For those with GPS (I don't 'cos that is cheating and anyway I have to use it daily for my job so like to have a break) reception is OK.