There
are two Gairlochs in Scotland - one near Glasgow (okay, it's actually
Gareloch, but let's not be pedantic) and the other a long way further
up the West coast. In the middle of winter it might seem more sensible
to take a mountain biking weekend away in Gareloch, Strathclyde, less
than an hour from Glasgow. For spectacular rides, however, the other
one, on one of the highest and roughest edges of Scotland, and over
four hours drive from Edinburgh, is a far more appealing option. For
those who wouldn't even venture north of the Firth of Forth at any time
of year, don't believe the hype. It's not that grim up north.
Having
said all that, the rain was pelting down as we negotiated the final
50 miles of narrow, winding roads to Badachro, a tiny village five miles
from the relative metropolis, Gairloch (approx. 3 public houses). Convinced
every corner would be my last, I gently reminded the driver that I didnt
want to go off-road until daylight, and not at all in a car. And then
not so gently, bearing in mind the knowlege that, if you miss one of
these bends, you will probably never ever be found. Not ever. Never.
The tourist
info' states: "Gairloch is an area where one needs to return to hot
baths, an open fire, good drying facilities...".......This was perceptive
stuff, as we soon realised. But the pubs are warm, the people are friendly,
beer is cheap and the same rules apply for snooker and darts. With that
in mind the Fish Box Bar is worth a visit. |
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Ride 1
Map:OS
Gairloch and Ullapool (sheet 19)
Ref: start 858/721; finish 888/667
This ride is along a good track only about four miles from Gairloch
by road :
- Head
along the B8056
- Take
a right along the A832 in the direction of Loch Maree.
- Two
miles on, just past Loch Bad an Sgalaig, leave the road and follow
a well-established six mile track up into the hills leading to the
similarly unpronouncable Loch na h-Oidhche.
The track
to tackle is one of many climbing up into the hills. Apparently they
are used solely, though rarely, by rich people in four-wheel-drive vehicles
to fish secluded lochs miles away from the commoners. There are even
huts by several of the lochs, offering welcome shelter from wind and
rain. Of which there is, of course, plenty.
We
battled against a raging headwind all the way up, until we came across
a river roughly a mile from the loch and the path's end. On this occasion
the river was, surprise, a little deeper than usual and thus presented
a bit of an obstacle. Three of our party turned back (no names, ahem),
but the rest waded, jumped, swam or fell through the river and carried
on to the hut. Apparently it was worth it, with a stunning view to Torridon
from the top and an awesome descent back to the road.
Including
the road rides we were out for around two and a half hours, and
ready to sample some Gairloch nightlife.
For
Sunday we had a provisional, weather-permitting plan to tackle the
"Redpoint Route", an allegedly highly technical track along the
coast between Redpoint and Lower Diabaig. The only complication is that,
unless you fancy riding all the way back to Redpoint, you need transport
at the other end. It's a ride that comes highly recommended, but which
unfortunately proved logistically impossible on this particular weekend,
despite a bright rain-free day on Sunday.
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