Dun Caan, Raasay
Distance: 11.1m / 17.9km
Profile: View
Grade: Hard
Fitness: High
Time: 7-8 Hours (including ferry trip)
OS MAP: 24 & 32
Route Data: GPX KML
Riders: Dave Banks, Brian Gray
Date: 01/10/2016
Summary
A mixture of tarmac road, single track, rocky sections and some very boggy sections make this a hard, but rewarding mountain bike trek through interesting scenery.
High levels of fitness and decent skills are required, only due to the technical nature of the route. Be prepared to get wet and muddy and for a lot of bike and hike.
Raasay once had an iron ore mine, railway and kilns, the remains of which can be seen on this route.
Raasay Iron Ore Mine - 1912 - 1942
In May 1911 William Baird and Co Ltd, ironmasters of Coatbridge bought the Isle of Raasay Estate to mine for iron ore. In 1914 the First World War broke out, just as the mine was ready to go into full production.
Iron ore mined in Raasay was sent by boat to Ravenscraig for smelting and use in the British war effort. Men from Raasay worked at the mine, alongside 260 German prisoners of war who were sent to help.
After the end of the war, twelve of the former prisoners died of pneumonia in 1919 as a result of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic.
Some 250,000 tons of iron ore were mined before the mine was closed in 1942.
Below are some photographs of the iron ore mine when in production taken from British Geological Survey website, where additional old photos of Raasay can be found.
Note the armed soldier in photo six guarding the German prisoners.
Raasay Iron Ore Mine Photo Gallery
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Details
Starting at the CalMac Ferry Terminal car park at Sconser, take the ferry to Raasay.
Once on board, enjoy the 25 minute trip to Clachan on the MV Hallaig the world's first hybrid ferry. From the ferry you can see the disused pier at Braemore which is the first point of call. When leaving the ferry terminal, take the road on the right up to Inverarish and at the farm with its impressive derelict clock tower, follow the road to the right. Continue on this road as it follows the coastline to the disused pier and ironworks at Braemore.
This was the original ferry terminal until the new ferry terminal at Churchton Bay was opened in 2010. The pier was also used to load iron ore onto ships from the now disused iron ore mine, the remnants of which can still be seen.
From the remnants of the kilns, take the path to Dun Caan which follows the line of the old railway to Glen Lodge over the moor. The path is rough and boggy in places, but as you climb, you get nice views of Raasay and Skye. At the end of the railway, there is the remains of an old winding engine house. As the open moor ends, you come across a deep gorge. The remains of the railway bridge over the gorge can be seen. There is no other option, you have to carry your bike down the steep slope and up the other side using the stone steps. There is a shallow water crossing at the bottom of the gorge which is easily managed.
From Glen Lodge, follow the grassy track until you reach Hallaig Road, continue across the road and onto the forest road past remnants of more mining buildings until you reach Inverarish Burn. Follow the burn via the path up through the trees and after about 100 metres you are back into open moor again. As you get higher, that grass gives way to heather. The path can be very boggy in places but as you climb, you get nice views of Skye. There is very little riding to be had, you are mostly pushing your bike for the next 2.5m/4km. The section approaching Loch na Mna is very boggy and the shore of Loch na Mna is particularly awkward, as the narrow path though the heather gives way to large boulders which you have no choice but to carry your bike over.
The path reappears after the loch, but it is just a line in the grass. Dun Caan can be seen looming over you on your right as you push your bike up the grassy slope. The grassy path eventually joins onto the main dirt path for the summit of Dun Cann. This path is rough, deeply rutted due to water erosion, and rocky. At this point we abandoned the bikes and made the final ascent of Dun Cann by foot. The summit provides nice views of Raasay and Skye.
Descending Dun Cann, we picked up the bikes and headed towards the beach at the head of Loch na Meillich. You can ride this section, but it isn't easy. There is one final section of pushing, up the steep rocky path from the beach to the top of the cliff.
Now comes the best part of the trip, the 1.5m/2.5km descent to the main road. The track, in places, is quite rough, rutted, rocky and very boggy, but with reasonable mountain biking skills, it is manageable and good fun. Just keep an eye on your speed so you don't get caught out as the descent is steeper than it looks in the video. On reaching Castle Road, turn left and follow this undulating road as it descends back to the ferry terminal at Clachan.
Photo Gallery
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View over to Raasay from Sconser |
MV Hallaig at Sconser |
Departing Sconser |
Departing Sconser |
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Disused Iron Works, Raasay |
Narrows of Raasay and Skye |
Narrows of Raasay and Skye |
Approaching Clachan pier |
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Skye from Raasay |
Raasay House |
Follow the road to the right here |
Looking back to the ferry terminal |
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Disused clock tower |
Disused pier at Braemore |
Follow this track to Dun Caan |
Disused iron works at Braemore |
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Disused iron works at Braemore |
Disused iron works at Braemore |
Disused iron works at Braemore |
Disused iron works at Braemore |
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Disused iron works at Braemore |
Disused iron works at Braemore |
Disused iron works at Braemore |
Disused iron works at Braemore |
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Looking up the disused railway to Dun Caan |
Looking down the disused railway to Braemore |
Derelict winding engine house |
Sconser ferry terminal |
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Skye from the disused railway |
Derelict winding engine house |
Looking down the disused railway |
Derelict winding engine house |
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Track from winding engine house towards Glen Lodge |
Gorge and railway bridge remnants |
Gorge and railway bridge remnants |
Water crossing at bottom of gorge |
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Steep climb on stone staircase |
The track ahead towards Glen Lodge |
Looking back across the gorge |
Start of forest road |
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Inverarish Burn |
Looking back as Inverarish Burn enters forest |
Open moorland ahead |
The view back showing how boggy it is |
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Inverarish Burn |
The view back along the path |
Route ahead through the heather |
More boggy sections |
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Dun Caan ahead |
Fence crossing |
The effects of peat errosion |
Dun Caan ahead |
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Unusual rock formation |
Boggy path to Dun Caan |
Narrow path along Loch na Mna |
Path disappears |
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Path line in grass from Loch na Mna |
Looking back to Loch na Mna |
Loch na Meilich |
Looking back to Loch na Mna |
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Loch na Meilich and Skye |
Path up Dun Caan |
Path up Dun Caan |
Dun Caan summit |
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Dun Caan summit |
View from summit |
View from summit |
Dun Caan summit |
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Final bit up pushing |
Dun Caan |
Lochan at start of descent |
Path up Dun Caan |
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Castle Rd heading towards Clachan |
Looking back Castle Rd |
Mermaid at ferry terminal |
Mermaid overlooking ferry terminal |
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Churchton Bay |
HV Hallaig approaching |
Departing Raasay |
Video