Nethy Bridge Loop

Route: Nethy Bridge Loop via Loch Mallachie and Ryvoan Bothy
Distance: 26m / 41km
Profile: View
Grade: Moderate
Fitness: Good
Time: 4 - 5 Hours
OS MAP: 36
Route Data: GPX KML
Riders: Dave Banks, Brian Gray
Date: 22/09/2013


Summary

A mixture of tarmac road, landrover track and single track make this a rewarding mountain bike trek through interesting scenery.

This route is best run in a clockwise direction as the final descent from Ryvoan Bothy back to the car makes the last 4 miles easy going.


Details

Starting at the road side parking at the Reindeer Centre, cycle about 50 yards back towards Coylumbridge and turn right and head up behind the Visitor Centre to join the Old Logging Way. This way is a bit convoluted, so an easier way is to keep to the main road and cycle a few hundred yards more and turn right at the Glenmore Shop to join the Old Logging Way.

Once on the Old Logging Way, cycle along the length of Loch Morlich, which can be seen through the trees, until you come to a forest road. Turn right here and head uphill where you meet a turn off on the left and the Old Logging Way continues towards Coylumbridge. Don't turn left, but continue on the forest track as it heads towards Sluggan. The track meets the access road for the Badaguish Outdoor Centre, head straight across and continue along the forest track. The track climbs steeply at one point before leveling off. There is a Y-junction, take the right fork and head down and through a gate and then continue downhill towards Milton on a narrow, tree lined track which is a bit rocky in places due to water erosion. Once through another gate at Milton, the track turns back to a landrover track where it meets the B970 and Cycle Route 7. Turn right and follow Cycle Route 7 to the turn off for Loch Garten/Nethy Bridge on the C class road.

After a few hundred yards, there is a forest track on the right marked with a simple wooden gate to prevent vehicle access, which takes you through the trees to Loch Mallachie. Head down this track and when you meet a fork in the track, turn left. Continue down this track until you come to another junction. Again turn left to what looks at first is a dead end, but on closer inspection is in fact a faint track through the grass. After a short distance, a proper single track appears which takes you to Loch Mallachie. This track is firm, but has occasional soft, peaty patches and tree roots, but is good fun and quickly gets you to Loch Mallachie. As you travel along the shores of Loch Mallachie, there is a Y-junction, take the right fork and continue round the loch to a small headland overlooking an island of Scots Pines. This is a good spot to have some lunch and admire the view. Continue on this track as it turns sharp left and continues along the shore of Loch Mallachie for a short distance before leaving the loch behind. Loch Garten is soon visible as the track works its way through the trees back to a car park and back onto the C class road.

When you reach the road, turn right, but not shown on the map, is a single track that runs alongside the road, the access point is directly opposite the car park junction. The hardcore track twists and turns through the trees down to the car park at the Loch Garten Osprey Centre. From there, turn right and head out of the car park and then turn left onto the C class road. Continue along this road as it climbs away from Loch Garten and after a few miles, you reach Nethy Bridge.

Once at Nethy Bridge, turn right to head down to the village centre. Before crossing Thomas Telford's Bridge, turn right at the shops and follow the course of the river as the road heads out of Nethy Bridge. The road leaves the trees into open countryside and then turns into a landrover track as it gradually climbs through trees again and towards Ryvoan Bothy.

Continue on this track until a T-junction is reached. This is the access road to Forest Lodge, so beware of traffic on it. Turn left here and after a short distance, there is a turn off on the right, keep to the access road and a short distance later, there is a second turn off to the right with a gate. Take this track and continue to climb up through the trees, ignoring the turn off to the left. Eventually the trees give way to open countryside and Rynettin is reached. This track is good, but has some rough patches due to water erosion in places.

There are nice views of the Cairngorms from this high point. Once through the gate, the landrover track turns to a grassy track and heads downhill to join onto another landrover track from Forest Lodge. Turn right here and follow the track over the open moorland as it climbs up to a memorial cairn. The track is good, but in places where it has suffered from water erosion, it can be quite rough. After the memorial cairn the track starts to head downhill and Ryvoan Bothy is soon reached.

This is an ideal place for a quick break. The section of track down from Ryvoan Bothy resembles a dried up river bed. It is quite steep and you have to choose your line carefully, but anybody with reasonable mountain biking skills will manage it OK. The track improves dramatically when it joins onto the Lairig an Laoigh path. Apart from occasional tree roots, this track is in good condition all the way back to Glenmore Lodge.

Soon after joining onto this track, An Lochan Uaine or The Green Loch can be seen through the trees with its vivid green water. It is worth stopping off at the viewing platform at the head of the loch to admire the view. The track continues to head downhill with just the occasional small climb all the way to Glenmore Lodge. Ignore any turn offs to the left, the only detour is at the lodge itself where a gate with signs redirects walkers and cyclists to the right and onto a dedicated path that runs parallel to the access road to the lodge. The dedicated path joins onto the access road just before it reaches the main road from the ski centre to Coylumbridge. Turn right onto the access road, then a few yards later at the junction, left and the roadside parking is just 50 yards down the road.


Photo Gallery

Unloading the car		Looking back to Coylumbridge		Turn of to the Visitor Centre		Start of Old Logging Way
Glenmore store		Old Logging Way		Old Logging Way meets forest road		Old Logging Way continues on the left
Badaguish access road		An Sluggin trail heads uphill		Keep to the right		Gate easily by-passed
Rocky track to Milton		Milton around the corner		Milton		Heading towards B970
B970 and Cycle Route 7		River Spey		Turn right to Loch Garten		C Class road to Loch Garten
Turn tight onto forest track		Turn Left here		Turn Left again		Track heads through the grass
Onto proper single track		Tree roots in places		Loch Mallachie		Island of Scots Pines
Track turns sharp left		Track heads away from Loch Mallachie		Track through trees to car park		Car park
Turn right to Loch Garten		Take the single track instead		Single track runs parallel to road		Loch Garten from single track
Loch Garten car park		Turn left onto Nethy Bridge road		Uphill towards Nethy Bridge		Nethy Bridge
Turn right to village centre		Turn right at shops		Heading out of Nethy Bridge		Start of landrover track
Track heads through trees		Turn left onto Forest Lodge access road		Ignore this right turn		Turn right here
Ignore left turn		Climbing up through trees		Final approach to Rynettin		Rynettin
Rynettin		Start of grassy track		Cairngorms from Rynettin		Track heads downhill
Cairngorms from Rynettin		Track heads downhill		Turn right to join landrover track		Landrover track to Ryvoan Bothy
Landrover track to Ryvoan Bothy		Memorial Cairn		Track to Ryvoan Bothy rough in places		lochan near Ryvoan Bothy
Ryvoan Bothy		Ryvoan Bothy		Ryvoan Bothy		Inside Ryvoan Bothy
Inside Ryvoan Bothy		Track from Ryvoan Bothy resembles river bed		Joining Lairig an Laoigh path		Occasional tree roots
Green Loch		Green Loch from viewpoint		Track to Glenmore Lodge		Track to Glenmore Lodge
Glenmore Lodge - walkers/cycle path on the right		Joining Glenmore access road