|
The Downhill Race Track: As mentioned above the downhill section ends just a short distance from the car park. Being a novice at downhilling I decided to walk my bike back up the track. It was a dry day when I visited and I only had loose stones to deal with. If there has been any rain the downhill would very quickly become a fast flowing stream! There is no way that you can ride up the slope. Access to the top is to turn left out of the car park and follow the fire road uphill staying as close to the line of the cable car pylons as you can.
There are numerous hairpins on this trail and it is magic to come down at full belt as the surface is very loose (nearly as much fun as the downhill track itself!) You will find that there are places where the downhill track pops out from the trees and shrubs to cross the main trail - keep on the main trail and eventually you will get to the top of the downhill track. The track starts at the upper end of the access road but basically cuts off all the hairpins by going almost straight down the hill! Some
stretches are laid single track which join up very steep loose
sections
Take care going down (who wouldn't!) as I met a party of hill walkers walking up the track despite there being warning signs for walkers not to use the track. It is very disconcerting to hear voices over the edge of a drop off as you approach it at 20mph. Fortunately my bike was fitted with disc brakes so stopping was not a problem and I think that they got a bigger fright than me! There is a huge drop off at the bottom of the track and the landing is on a sheet of very hard rock so don't get too carried away with the speed near the bottom.
|
Other rides in the area: There are many other routes in the area and if like me you prefer 'circuits' then there is a beauty that is about 20 miles of gentle riding on a mixture of towpath along the Caledonian Canal , the lower section of the off road route detailed above and sections of quiet B roads. Start from the car park as above and follow the lower section ride until you get to the small forestry commission car park.
Follow the access road for this car park back to the A82 at Torlundy and then follow the way marks along the track to Tor Castle, turn left into the woods and follow the trail to Banavie and the Caledonian Canal at Neptune's Stair Case. Take the tow path all the way to Gairlochy then follow the signs for Spean Bridge. Along this part you will come to the National Memorial to the Commandos who trained in this area during World War 2.At Spean Bridge follow the A82 back towards Fort William for about 2 miles until you get back to the timber extraction road that makes up part of the lower forest trail.
Print
Text!
the
whole article in text only form.
|
