Gaick Pass

Route: Kingussie to Blair Atholl via Gaick Pass
Distance: 34m / 55km
Profile: View
Grade: Moderate
Fitness: High
Time: 6 - 7 Hours
OS MAP: 32, 35 & 42
Route Data: GPX KML
Riders: Dave Banks, Brian Gray
Date: 14/09/2013


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 from Kingussie to Blair Atholl, as this avoids a steep ascent at the start of the Gaick Pass at the A9 turn off. To make the logistics easier, leave the car at Blair Atholl and take the bikes by train to Kingussie. This requires you to book bike space on the train in advance with Scot-Rail.

High levels of fitness are required only due to the distance involved.


Details

Starting at the car park at the Atholl Arms Hotel, cycle the hundred yards to the railway station just behind the hotel. A 45 minute train journey, via Dalwhinnie and Newtonmore, which roughly follows the route of the A9, allows you to relax and admire the scenery before the start of the trek.

At Kingussie, head towards the monument in the station car park then turn right onto the B970 (Ruthven Rd). This road takes you under the A9 and past Ruthven Barracks into open countryside before heading down to the bridge over the River Tromie. The road turns sharp left and heads uphill here, but take the landrover track on the right up through the trees. The track gradually climbs and alternates from landrover track to tarmac and changes from woodland to open countryside as it heads long the valley floor, sometimes following the course of the River Tromie.

Several large buildings and the Tromie Dam at Poll Dubh are passed as you head along the valley floor towards the pass. The track follows the shores of Loch an t-seilich before you pass the last sign of civilisation, Gaick Lodge. The first river crossing of the day is reached just after the lodge. Due to the low water levels, crossing the river was an easy affair using stepping stones to keep our feet dry, but expect to get wet feet at other times of year, as the fording point doesn't look rideable and the stepping stones don't look big enough to cope with higher water levels.

The landrover track continues uphill towards Loch Bhrodainn where it deteriorates in places and resembles a dried up river bed at times, but nothing that will require you to get off, except for another water crossing and that will depend on water levels. The landrover track ends at Loch an Duin where another river crossing takes you onto the start of the single track. Stepping stones allows you to keep your feet dry, but if water levels are higher, then you will probably have to wade across.

The track on the other side is very indistinct to start off with, but soon becomes more visible as it cuts through the grass. Before long the track is obvious. An undulating, narrow stony line cutting along the steep, heather clad hillside. Occasional rocky outcrops require you to get off, but with reasonable mountain biking skills, the single track is easily managed. As the track leaves the loch, there are some boggy patches that are easily negotiated, before the track heads downhill towards the Edendon Water and the landrover track back to the A9.

When you reach the Edendon Water, and see the landrover track on the other side, this is where the OS map becomes mis-leading. There is a faint track to the left that follows the line of the river bank that isn't shown on the map. That is the route to take. Don't do as the map suggests you have to, and cross the Edendon Water to join the landrover track as it only lasts a few hundred yards before it crosses back again. The crossing point has been washed away, but convenient boulders make ideal stepping stones to get you back across again. Looking upstream, you see the path you should have taken cutting through the heather as it comes down the hillside to join the landrover track.

The track passes the abandoned Sronphadruig Lodge, and crosses the Edendon Water by means of a concrete culvert. The track continues along the valley floor before leaving the river and climbing past a lone cottage and then a lone cairn, a few yards from the roadside. The pylons in the distance signify the line of the A9 and you realise you are nearing civilisation. A gentle climb up to Dalnacardoch Wood, then the track heads steeply downhill to quickly meet the A9.

Crossing the A9, follow the sign for Bike Route 7 to Blair Atholl along the old A9 and then onto the B847 at Calvine. This road cuts under the A9 and brings you out at House of Bruar. Turn left onto the B8079 and continue along Bike Route 7 to Blair Atholl.

The last few miles are relatively easy, as the road is quite level, and Blair Atholl and the parked car are soon reached. The Atholl Arms hotel is a short walk from the parked car, where a well deserved pint from the local micro brewery at Moulin awaits. They also do excellent food, so an evening meal there is highly recommended to finish the day off.


Photo Gallery

Car parked at Atholl Arms Hotel		Route to Railway Station from hotel		Blair Atholl Railway Station		Blair Atholl Railway Station
Our train arrives		Bikes on train		Kingussie Railway Station		Exit to Station car park
B970 to Ruthven Barracks		Heading under A9		Ruthven Barracks		Open countryside
River Tromie		Tromie Bridge		Landrover track from Tromie Bridge		Typical landrover track
View up Glen Tromie		Tarmac section		Glentromie Lodge		River Tromie
Tarmac section along valley floor		Looking further in Glen Tromie		Estate workers building		Road washed away by erosion
Entering Gaick		Gaick Pass in the distance		Military vehicle		Tarmac road continues
Tromie Dam in the distance		Tromie Dam		Poll Dubh		Loch an t-seilich
Head of Loch an t-seilich		Approaching Gaick Lodge		Gaick Lodge		Track deteriorates
Head straight on for river crossing		Fording point		Easier crossing point further upstream		Looking back towards Gaick Lodge
Route to re-join the landrover track		Looking back towards Gaick Lodge		Track climbs away from fording point		Looking back towards Loch an t-seilich
Loch Bhrodainn		Looking back along Loch Bhrodainn		Landrover track continues		Looking back towards Loch Bhrodainn
Track resembles dried up river bed		Looking back towards Loch Bhrodainn		Another river crossing point		Sign for Domingos Road
Track heads towards Loch an Duin		Loch an Duin and the crossing point below		Crossing the outflow from Loch an Duin		Indistinct track from water crossing
Indistinct track to Loch an Duin		Loch an Duin		Single track along Loch an Duin		Single track along Loch an Duin
Single track along Loch an Duin		Single track along Loch an Duin		Single track along Loch an Duin		Looking back along Loch an Duin
Single track along Loch an Duin		View across Loch an Duin		Single track leaves Loch an Duin		Boggy section
Track to Edendon Water		Looking back up boggy downhill section		Actual route should be on the left somewhere		Edendon Water
Preparing to cross the Edendon Water		Crossing the Edendon Water		Landrover track		Looking for the route ahead
Re-crossing the Edendon Water		Re-joining the landrover track		Single track joins landrover track		Looking back towards Gaick Pass
Approaching Sronphadruig Lodge		Sronphadruig Lodge		Looking down valley floor		Concrete culvert
Crossing Edendon Water		Looking down valley floor		Isolated cottage at Badnambiast		Cairn
Track heading to Dalnacardoch Wood		Heading through Dalnacardoch Wood		Pylons signify the A9 is near		Approaching A9
Sign post for Gaick Pass		A9 crossing		Heading onto old A9		Sign for Bike Route 7
Keep left along Bike Route 7		Old A9		Old A9		Calvine
Heading under the A9		Turn left for Blair Atholl		House of Bruar		Bruar Water