Linn of Dee to Hutchison Memorial Hut
Distance: 17m / 27km
Profile: View
Grade: Hard
Fitness: Moderate
Time: 4 - 6 Hours
OS MAP: 36
Route Data: GPX KML
Riders: Dave Banks, Brian Gray
Date: 16/11/2014
Summary
A mixture of bike and hike, landrover track, single track and water crossings make this a rewarding mountain bike trek through remote and interesting scenery.
This route requires good levels of fitness and depending on ability, also requires a fair amount of bike and hike.
Details
Starting off at the cattle grid just beyond the NTS Car Park, cross the bridge over the Lui Water and a few hundred yards later turn right onto the landrover track that heads to Derry Lodge. The track surface varies from loose stones to hard dirt with water erosion noticeable in places. Progress is good, and Derry Lodge is reached in 30 minutes.
Heading down to the Mountain Rescue hut, cross the burn via the stepping stones, but don't cross the bridge, or what now remains of it, as it was washed away in the floods. Instead turn right and follow the grassy track as it follows the course of the river before turning into single track as it climbs away from the river. The single track is nice and firm, progress is only slowed by the numerous drainage channels that cut across the path, some of which are too awkward to cycle over. These channels can be as close as every 15 yards, so progress can be slow at times and a bit infuriating as you can't make the most of the singletrack. The only advantage of having to slow down or stop at these drainage channels is it gives you time to appreciate the scenery. Due to the floods, the track has been severely eroded in places and what used to be easy water crossings are now major obstacles which require care to be negotiated.
You will eventually come to a wider water crossing, but there are convenient stepping stones to prevent you getting your feet wet. The track steepens here from the gentle gradient, and another drainage channel, requiring you to get off your bike, spoils your run at it. It was easier just to walk rather than get back on the bike. This section isn't long and soon heads downhill where the track meets the valley floor and the river again. More drainage channels mean you can't take full advantage of the track, but some can be easily cycled over, while others require you to get off your bike.
The track heads along the valley floor, and here the drainage channels have areas to the side where bikes can bypass them. This makes progress a lot easier. The single track gives way to a grassy landrover track and a small burn crossing is easily managed using the stepping stones to keep your feet dry. The track varies from indistinct grassy patches, to firm dirt, to firm stony track and loose stony sections that may require you to get off at the more awkward bits. Another burn crossing is easily managed using the large boulders to pick a route over without getting your feet wet.
The track now starts its ascent to the col, as it reaches the Y junction, the left branch takes you to the Hutchison Memorial hut and Loch Etchachan, straight ahead will take you to the Fords of Avon.
The track to the hut has some rocky and steep sections, so being wary of the time, we decided to leave the bikes just after the bridge crossing and walk the last half mile up to the memorial hut for a late lunch. We retraced our steps back down the hillside to pick up the bikes, and joined back onto the main track again.
This is where all the fun starts, with care it was possible to cycle down most of the track, just the larger boulders and the drainage channels slowing progress down. The distance is quickly covered, and good speeds can be attained, but the numerous drainage channels spoil the fun and you need to keep your speed down to make sure you can stop in time for the larger ones that can't be cycled over.
Derry Lodge is soon reached and another 20 minutes gets you back to the car.
Photo Gallery
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Cattle grid area |
Bridge over Lui Water |
Lui Water |
Lui Water |
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Lui Water |
Looking towards Glen Derry |
Lui Water |
Looking towards Glen Derry |
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Approaching Derry Lodge |
Derry Lodge |
Mountain Rescue Post |
Stepping Stones |
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Stepping Stones |
Rights of Way sign |
Remains of Derry Bridge |
Remains of Derry Bridge |
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Looking upstream |
Scots Pines in the mist |
Warning sign |
Track to Glen Derry |
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Drainage channel |
Track damaged by water erosion |
Looking up Glen Derry |
Track damaged by water erosion |
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Drainage channel |
Looking up Glen Derry |
Good quality single track |
More water erosion |
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Easily by-passed |
Severe water erosion |
First bike over |
Second bike over |
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Track climbs steeply |
Track drops down to valley floor |
Another track to Derry Lodge |
Valley floor |
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One of many drainage channels |
Wet conditions |
Looking up Glen Derry |
Landslide |
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Another small water crossing |
Grassy track |
Slightly bigger water crossing |
Track turns softer |
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Track becomes rougher |
Another burn crossing |
Looking up Glen Derry |
A more difficult crossing |
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Getting the first bike over |
Getting the second bike over |
Track starts to climb |
Water erosion makes going hard |
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Take left fork |
More drainage channels |
More drainage channels |
More drainage channels |
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Bridge |
Bridge |
Bridge is narrow |
Track climbs up to hut |
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Dumping the bikes |
Track continues to climb |
First glimpse of hut |
Mist closes in |
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Final climb before hut |
Hutchison Memorial Hut |
Hutchison Memorial Hut |
Inside Hutchison Memorial Hut |
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Inside Hutchison Memorial Hut |
Hutchison Memorial Hut |
Hutchison Memorial Hut |
View from window |
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Looking up to Loch Etchanachan |
Looking down valley |
More drainage channels |
Looking down towards bridge |
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Last view of hut |
Heading back to the bikes |
Looking down towards bikes |
Looking down towards bridge |
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Looking down towards bridge |
Bridge |
Looking down Glen Derry at crossing point |
Looking down Glen Derry |
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Looking down Glen Derry |
Track climbs away from valley floor |
Nice downhill section |
Severe water erosion |
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Nearing Derry Lodge |
Small ford |
Track damaged by water erosion |
Lui Water |
Video
With the video starting from just below the Hutchison Memorial Hut, where we pick up the bikes, to Linn of Dee, showing the damage caused by November 2014's floods.
The ground was extremely boggy in places and grip was a real problem at times. The water erosion also made the surface extremely loose in places, again making life difficult. What isn't really apparent in the video is the drainage ditches, some can be easily ridden over, others were too slippery and some were quite deep with too big a transition between the two sides, as Brian found out the hard way when he went over the bars.
As there is no mobile phone signal, this is no place to be brave, as help would be over a couple of hours away. So we erred on the side of caution, and played it safe, getting off the bikes when in dry conditions, we could have ridden over the obstacle.
Key points in the video are:
10:12 First water crossing, made more difficult by the high water level
30:55 Landslide caused by recent heavy rain blocking track
39:55 Track washed away by recent floods
45:55 Another section of track washed away in the recent floods
53:05 Yet another section of track washed away
56:00 Remains of the Derry Bridge, washed away by the recent floods