Updates
As readers share their experiences with others on the Facebook page or directly with us by email we'll collate any news about the condition of the routes and natural or man-made obstructions or deviations here.
Chapter 1
Day4, p24: the wood and windmill referred to to locate the right turn at grid reference ND 109 230 no longer exist. The wood has either been harvested or suffered severe wind damage. A better description would now read ". . . with Langwell house before you turn R 200 m after passing under the power lines and follow a track along a wall beside the remains of woodland."
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Day2, p54: we kept right at NG 774 628 where a weaker path not shown on OS maps path goes straight on. Also, the 1:25,000 OS map shows the RH path 50 to 100m E of its actual route. The 1:50,000 is more accurate.
The 4 km of path from the footbridge at Craig to the "Fishing Station" can be challenging when very wet, being both rocky and boggy.
Day 2 p55: the bus stop no longer exists. The track goes off by a small gravelly layby with a B&B sign. The Track off the A832 has become very overgrown towards the Slatterdale track. Just persist!
Day 2 p55: at Grid Ref NG 884 737 a new, much better path heads WNW beside the Allt na Doire (presumably towards Loch Doire na h-Airighen, no doubt a pretty diversion.)Don't take it! the route goes NNW through the gate in the forest fence.
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Day 3, p 132/3: as this SRWA notice warns there are some severe erosion problems on the path on the East bank of the Feshie (Special thanks to Simon Blakey for his images). If you choose to avoid them by staying on the West bank you will have to ford the Feshie three times and also the potentially large unnamed stream issuing from Slochd Beag.These crossings can be very dangerous when the rivers are in spate.
Should you choose to stay with the delightful singletrack, as the route describes, by crossing the bridge to East bank at NN 85046 96470, the first difficulty is exiting the ford of the Allt Garbhlach side stream. Whilst the descent to this crossing has been very nicely restored the exit is very loose and steep.
In just less than a further 1.5 km the whole track, shown on the map and in aerial photography as running beside the river, has been washed away for 2-300 m. Most is bypassed by reasonable single track but there is one point where a short bushwhacking diversion into the trees on the left is required. And here is a retrospective of the washed out section. Thanks to Guy Beachamp for this photo and that of the exit to the Allt Garbhlach.
Several people have reported that the higher path at around grid reference NN 862 901 is now very eroded. Simon's picture shows the crux issue with the path (see also his fb posting on @MountainBikingAdventures with many more pics)
The alternative is to ford the River Feshie twice. Pictures on p133 and p143 show these crossings on a day with very low water levels. It's unlikely that you will cross with dry feet on the best of occasions and very likely that you may choose to cut back up to the high path if the river is full.
Chapter 11
Day 1, p 143: the route through Glenfeshie is exactly the same as day three of Route 10. See comments above.
Updates Chapter 12 & 13
Both these routes descend from the Tilt/Tarf watershed to White Bridge over the Dee. They both cross the Geldie by a ford just North of Bynack Lodge. Because crossing the Geldie can be so serious if the water is high we thought it wise to clarify and expand on the description of the approach to it given in the book (Route 12, Day 3, p155). The area is shown slightly differently on the 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 maps. There is no bridge at Grid Ref NO 005 865.
For the avoidance of doubt, between the fifth line " . . . enjoying the descent to the ruined Bynack Lodge." and the seventh line "This can be a challenge and sometimes should not be attempted. . ." the text should read:
"200 m before the turn off to the Lodge the main track does a double ford of Allt an t-Seilich to the E bank and back. This can be avoided by continuing on the W bank for 100 m on less good track.
0.5km on from Bynack Lodge, the main track fords Allt an t-Seilich, again, close to its confluence with Bynack Burn, and then in a further 0.5 km fords the Bynack Burn. If you wish to avoid this double crossing you can ford the Bynack Burn near Bynack Lodge and take a less distinct path on its left, W bank. However, if crossing either of these two minor streams is giving you pause for thought, you should be thinking very seriously about attempting to cross the Geldie."
Here you can see the corresponding segment of 1:25,000 map
You can see all the detail on OS Maps by logging on at
https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/56.95685,-3.63822,18/pin
If you are running Safari on a Mac you may need to download another browser like Firefox or Chrome.
You can get a Free 7 day licence or an annual license for £25.
This fabulous service allows you to toggle between1:250,000, 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 maps and high quality arial images by clicking on the layers icon in the bottom right hand corner.
Chapter 13
As per Route 12, above, read the new description for crossing the Allt an t-Seilich and Bynack Burn and the caution about tackling the Geldie if either of these are concerning you.
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Day 1, pp 179. The level crossing at NN 633 846 has been closed. The last part of last sentence should now read: " . . . . it leads in 8 km to the Dam, where go right between the dam and the railway then in a few hundred meters turn left under the latter. Turn R at the main road for the village and distillery."
Day 2, pp179. The dualling of the A9 means that our original Northwards route to Phones on the Wade's Road to Ruthven is now somewhat contrived. We offer the following alternative and wonder why we did not use this from the start! It adds only 232 m of ascent and no distance to an easy "no need to put a foot down" day. A map of the new section is given here. The description of this route should start:
Retrace your steps from the village along the A889. 100 m after the road you came in on from Loch Ericht, turn L and cross the R Truim by bridge. Continue on the good track, crossing a concrete lined aqueduct and continuing NNE beside it, passing under the A9 in just under 1 km. Continue for about 3.5 km, curving more easterly as you pull away from the A9. At a small dam across a pipeline and continue on the better track beside the Allt Cuaich for another 1.5 km. At the head of the loch keep left, crossing the overflow channel and the neck of the Loch Cuaich by bridge. A good track continues around the west bank of the Loch Cuaich. It continues, becoming more northerly, for about 2 km over a shallow pass and descends for a further 3 km to Phones. As the track curves left towards the big house, about 50 m before a bridge over the Allt Phoineis turn R.
You are now on the Wade's Road to Ruthven. The rest of your day is as the latter part of Route 7, Day 2, to Aviemore.
Day 4, pp184: the waymarked Cataran trail can be picked up at Enochdhu and followed to the turnoff at grid reference NO 083 574 saving about 3 km of tarmac on the "main" road.
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Day 2 p219
A delightful bridleway of tracks and grassy paths runs from the minor road between Askrig and Reeth above the R Ure and below Ellerkin, Blue and Ivy Scars to Castle Bolton. If you stay in Bainbridge or Askrig it can be accessed from the road at grid ref SD 954 922 or from Woodhall or Caperby on the minor road on the northern side of Wenslydale.
Day 3 pp 222 to 224
As hinted by Hugh at the top of page 222 the Smardale railway path would be the route of choice for the discerning and polite cyclist. You must make your own decision on the access issue.
If you choose this way, follow the original route until Winton. On exiting the village take the first R which brings you out onto the A865. Go L, S for 250 m until a sharp R takes you onto the B6259. In about 200 m take the bridleway on your L and follow it for 500 m to a minor road. Turn R and L to continue the line of the bridleway. Turn R and L at the next minor road and again upon entering the hamlet of Waitby. Keep R at the next junction and you will soon cross the old Railway. Turn L over it and after 150 m turn L again and find the railway path on your right. R. Follow it, under the Settle to Carlisle railroad and, if you are lucky, across the magnificent Smardale Gill viaduct. Carry on past magnificent industrial archaeological sites and exit at grid reference NY 723 062 and walk your bike SW along the footpath for 500 m meters to pick up the bridleway from Smardale Bridge. This continues SW to the minor road at Friars Bottom Farm. Continue SW to the A685. To avoid the traffic and a nasty right turn, cross the main road into Newbiggin on Lune where there is excellent refreshment to be had in the Garden Centre Café. Keep right through the village return to the main road 300 m on. Cross it again to take the leftmost road minor road which initially runs close to the main road. Follow this until the second L turn at Wath takes you under the main road and turn R for Bowderdale. Cross the beck and in 200 m as the tarmac rises turn L onto the Dales High Way.
If you are unlucky, the viaduct may still be closed for repairs, as it is at the time of writing. If it is, take the footpath signposted on the L immediately before the viaduct, but not marked as such on current OS maps. Walk your bike (you know you will!) along the reasonably well defined track beside the Beck until it joins the bridleway over Smardale Bridge and brings you back onto the above route.
The bridleway along Bowderdale described in the book bears L from the Dales High Way in about 1.5 km. You could, instead, elect to follow the Dales High Way along the spine of the hills, across West Fell and Hazelgill Fell to rejoin the original route just before The Calf, but you do not have the right to ride your bike on this section. It's hard work, and you may push, like me, out of necessity, as much as out of propriety. However, it's a delight to be amongst these glorious hills whose Silurian grit geology give them a lovely roundness compared to the volcanic peaks of the Lake district to the NW and the flat tops, edges and U-valleys of the Dale’s grit and limestone formations to the SE. Unless it is exceptionally dry, you will not loose much time compared to riding.
The descent is, as described, absolutely magnificent.
Chapter 19
Chapter 20