free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Been for quite a few low level walks on really good tracks lately which lend themselves more to mountain biking rather than walking and finally decided to get a mountain bike again to enjoy some of them.
So duly set out from the car park next to the Brig O'Turk Tea Room on said bike.
I wanted to see the dam, so detoured up to the left to check it out. A run off with steps
It's equally as impressive from the top
A view up the Glen from the dam top
Heavy engineering sight seeing over; back down and onto the road out to the loop. It's very easy going to start with on a tarmac road, although there is a steep climb up to just above the level of the loch.
Picturesque if undramatic view looking back to the dam
The road undulates along the loch side.
The view up to the head of the loch showing the home road round the west side of Meall Cala
The view up Gleann nam Meann which is where the track leads
Looking back at the bobble hillside of Meall Reamhar
It's a reasonably steep climb in places and being a bit unfit and overweight at the moment I got off and pushed the bike up the steep bits.
Still there were some really nice stretches of cruising along
Wasn't long before I met some of the locals, the rest of the herd were just along the track
The track really starts to climb upwards now towards the pass, more pushing
Got to the crest of this rise and scarred off some deer, there were plenty, but they moved quick every time I got within sight and they always saw me or smelt me first.
Did manage to get this zoom from afar
Heading west now up to the top of the pass, it had started to rain; showery rain, but pretty heavy.
A pity, views or the surrounding hills would have been appreciated
Five minutes later and it is full on sleet
it's more or less June
It isn't on for long thankfully, although it would come and go more or less all the way from now on.
The track steepens again although now the sleet has abated the views are quite interesting. I can see where Loch Finglas gets all its water, or at least the two main rivers which feed it; it is peat hag mountain from what I can see, so will be saturated for most of the year.
Looking North
Finally made it to the cairn which marks the top of the pass.
If you are missing a tammy with a red bobble this would be a good place to start your search
Nice view back from the cairn, I'm sure the more proficient will be able to accurately identify the peaks
From now on enjoy the ride, it is a nice long feather the brakes (unless you are mad, very brave, very talented, or a combination) downhill.
Stopped at the first hairpin as the herd of deer made their get away and took a photo across to what can only be Ben Venue, note the next shower blowing in.
Some interesting rocky outcrops on the walls at the top of the Glen as the track head down; sometimes quite steeply
The view of Loch Finglas opens up
as the gully snakes its way round and down 'through the rain' to the bridge across Finglas Water
Sped on along the track and surprised another herd of deer, guess they weren't expecting humans to close on them so quietly at 35kph
anyway they soon cottoned on and bounded off across the track about 10m in front of me, quite close
Sorry no picks, if I do it again I'll get a helmet with a gopro.
Back along the loch side road in the rainy gloom; haven't modern mountain bike designers heard of mud guards
Anyway it's still pretty easy going despite the spray.
A view with a moon
A couple of geese were giving it very vocal, so I stopped to take a photo
and found myself next to the stone compass with thought for the day
Heading back a few sheep were stuck between two gates, perhaps the farmer has singled them out for some macabre ritual
Guess if they were goats I'd be a bit more concerned, but made a great photo, so couldn't resist
A last look back before zooming down the very well surfaced tarmac road to the Tea Room and car
I guess this would be a pleasant walk, but doing it on a mountain bike definitely added a lot more fun
