Braemar to Blair Atholl

Route: Braemar to Blair Atholl via Linn of Dee, White Bridge and Glen Tilt
Distance: 30m / 45km
Profile: View
Grade: Moderate
Fitness: High
Time: 4.5 - 6 Hours
OS MAP: 43
Route Data: GPX KML
Riders: Dave Banks, Brian Gray
Date: 19/05/2013


Summary

A mixture of tarmac, landrover track, single track, bog and river crossings, with a little bike and hike, make this a rewarding mountain bike trek through remote and interesting scenery. The route is best run from Braemar as it is mainly downhill.

This route requires good levels of fitness and relies on transport dropping you off in Braemar and picking you up again in Blair Atholl.


Details

Starting off at the public toilets car park in Braemar, just before the village centre, a 7 mile tarmac section takes you out to the Linn of Dee. Having crossed the River Dee, the road turns sharp right to follow the river downstream again. At this point, turn left onto the landrover track and head out through the small wooded area into open moorland and towards White Bridge.

Crossing White Bridge, continue along the side of the river on the landrover track until you come to the first of 3 river crossings. There are no bridges at these crossings, so it means stripping off and wading across. Spare footwear is advised for the crossings. The first crossing (Geldie Burn) is the trickiest one, the river can be high and fast flowing after rain, so care has to be taken. Depending on the time of year, it can also be quite cold. The second crossing is in much slacker water, but every bit as deep, and is much easier to cross. The third crossing can be cycled across, but the river bed is made up of rounded stones that can be slippery. Some may find it easier just to walk across, since you are already wet.

A short distance on you arrive at a junction and a track up to the right takes you the short distance to the ruined Bynack Lodge. This is a good place to take a break and admire the remains of the old lodge. Use the fallen tree nearby as a seat to dry off and change into dry clothes/footwear. It is also where we stopped for lunch. Returning down the track from the lodge back to the river, turn right and after negotiating some boggy ground, continue on the landrover track alongside the river.

After a short distance the stony landrover track climbs away from the river. When we did it, the track was like a shallow burn due to snow melt and rain the previous day. Eventually the landrover track turns into single track, and this can be quite boggy in places. The terrain varies from bog, to firm track, to rocky outcrops and burn crossings, so some pushing of the bike will be involved. The single track continues to rise and dries out and cycling becomes a lot easier. The only obstacle are the numerous drainage channels across the track which can be ridden over if your mountain biking skills are good enough, otherwise you will have to get off your bike to cross them.

The track then descends back to the valley floor where more boggy conditions are encountered. The track becomes indistinct, just a line through the grass at this stage, but the route is reasonably obvious as it follows the side of the river once again. The track becomes more obvious again as it follows the course of the river. It varies from hardcore, to grass with the occasional boggy patch, but is easily managed. Another shallow, but wide, burn crossing is encountered, but careful use of small boulders as stepping stones allows you to keep your feet dry. The track continues over occasional boggy grass to the start of the best part of the run, the head of Glen Tilt.

Here the single track starts its descent all the way to Blair Atholl. It cuts through the steep hillside and its mixed surface demands concentration to make sure you don't go over the edge and down the steep heathery slope towards the river. This is the remotest part of the route, and very isolated. Occasional rocky sections and burn crossings will require you to get off your bike to get over them.

The track comes down from the hillside and becomes more rock strewn. Most of it is manageable with reasonable mountain biking skills, but some may feel safer getting off their bike as this is no place to get injured. The Falls of Tarf soon appear, the grassy riverbank is a good spot on to have a well earned break, admire the falls and appreciate the route just cycled.

The track continues to follow the river and again rocky sections and burn crossings will require you to get off your bike to get over them. After a short distance, the landrover track that will take you all the way to Blair Atholl appears. This is easy cycling with the track gently undulating as it follows alongside the river. The surface improves into a proper dirt track as you head down the glen and closer to civilisation. Occasional waterfalls and rapids make interesting viewing as you descend the glen.

The track goes through a wooded area as you approach Forest Lodge, the first sign of civilisation for miles. You now start to feel you are getting close to your destination. The wooded area soon disappears and the track continues though open grassy hillside. You have to look out for grazing sheep which seem to try and throw themselves under the front wheel of your bike as you descent the glen and take advantage of the undulating terrain to gather some speed.

Marble Lodge soon appears before the track heads back into woodland. One final climb then the track goes downhill and gets steeper as it heads down to the car park at Old Bridge of Tilt. We cut through the grounds of Blair Castle and down the driveway to the main entrance to meet the waiting car at the car park of the Atholl Arms Hotel. A well deserved pint from the local micro brewery at Moulin finishes the day of nicely.


Photo Gallery

Road to Linn of Dee		Linn of Dee		Linn of Dee turn off		Warning sign
Landrover track to White Bridge		White Bridge		White Bridge to Geldie Burn		Approaching Geldie Burn
Geldie Burn		Crossing the Geldie Burn		Second river crossing		Third river crossing
Track to Bynack Lodge		Bynack Lodge area		View from Bynack Lodge		View from Bynack Lodge
Bynack Lodge		Boggy area after Bynack Lodge		Joining back onto landrover track		Track climbing away from river
Back to single track		Rocky outcrop crossing burn		Drainage channels		Boggy patch on grass track
Track becomes indistinct		Obvious line through the grass		Boggy single track		Burn crossing with stepping stones
Approaching the head of Glen Tilt		Glen Tilt single track		Track cuts through steep hillside		View looking back up Glen Tilt
Rocky obstacles		One of the harder obstacles		View looking back up Glen Tilt single track		Another view looking back up Glen Tilt single track
Firmer track surface with some rocky obstacles		Track a bit rougher, but still manageable		Bridge at Falls of Tarf		Rocky outcrop after crossing burn
View looking back up Glen Tilt		Single track ends		More pronounced landrover track		View looking back up Glen Tilt
Near Forest Lodge		Waterfall		Entering woodland, Forest Lodge		View looking back up Glen Tilt
Undulating terrain		Marble Lodge		Track heads back into woodland		Grounds of Blair Castle
Blair Castle		Blair Castle main entrance driveway