The Great British Mountain Bike Trail Guide

FACILITIES

Car park and charges: Yes; charges apply

Cafe: No

Toilets: No

Showers: No

Bike wash: No

Nearest bike shop: Various retailers in Inverness

Bike hire on site: None on site

Accommodation: B&Bs, hotels, self-catering accommodation and camping in and around the area. Bonar Bridge has most amenities.

Other trails on site: Blue.

Ordnance Survey map: Explorer 441.

ENJOYMENT FOR SKILL LEVEL

Beginner: 3/10

Intermediate: 5/10

Advanced: 8/10

Getting there: The trailhead is located on the north side of the A836 near the village of Bonar Bridge. Continue north-east on the main road beyond the village of Bonar Bridge for approximately 2km. You will see the forest entrance on your right-hand side.

Grid ref: NH 60375 93025

Sat nav: Bonar Bridge

More info: www.forestry.gov.uk

TRAIL 1

On-site grade: Black

Clive’s grade: Black

Distance: 8km

Technicality: 9/10

Ascent: 353m

ENJOYMENT FOR SKILL LEVEL

Beginner: 4/10

Intermediate: 6/10

Advanced: 8/10

From the car park, continue up the tarmac road around the forest gate. After a short while turn right and climb up on a forest road. The opening section of trail is shared with the Blue. It is relatively wide and drops up and down as it cuts through the trees.

At the end of the section turn right on a forest road and climb for a short distance before turning left onto another forest road. When the forest road splits keep left and continue climbing. You will crest the hill and come out into the open. After a few metres, a single track on your right climbs up for a short distance.

You are now into the thick of the trail. The following kilometres consist of technical bedrock sections interspersed with narrow single track. There are numerous boardwalks to negotiate as well. On the rocks you will see painted arrows giving you the easiest option through the bedrock. This is a fantastic section in the trail and you can experiment with various ride lines as you roll over large open sections of bedrock.

Be careful, though, as some line choices may lead you astray and off away from the main trail. Partway through the section there is a short loop that you can add in – keep right for the main trail. At the end of this long section you will come on to a forest road/track turning right. Once again there is a shortcut option. The main Black trail continues round to the right climbing uphill.

This section is built from large pieces of rock and the gradient gets steeper as the trail narrows down and you head up towards the next forest-road-link section. When you exit the rock slab climb, take a left turn on the forest road and traverse around the hillside.

Continue to follow the main forest road past the turning circle and climb up towards the radio mast. The trail turns right before the mast and the last few metres of climbing leads you up onto the hilltop. The next section is another mix of open bedrock and boardwalk. Partway down the descent you’ll find a split-line option on the boardwalk. Keep to the right and continue to descend over bedrock and boardwalk.

A forest road link climbs back up the hill and ends in a section of single track that climbs up to your left. The climb is quite steep, the surface loose, and it makes a good technical climb. You start descending once more and open bedrock sections are linked with single track. Once again the surface can get quite loose so stay on your guard throughout this section.

At the bottom you will join a forest road and traverse the hillside with some spectacular views out to your right. At a clump of trees on your right you will enter one of the final sections of single track. This single track has some very tight corners and some quite severe rock drops. At the bottom of the single track, join a forest road linking you back to a section of shared trail. You are in the last stages of the descent back to the forest road where you started the loop. Simply retrace your steps back to the car park or head out and do it all again.

BALBLAIR – KYLE OF SUTHERLAND