South glen shiel ridge

[mr_mrsH]

In the summer we are looking to do the south glen shiel ridge and am looking for some advice on the various ways of doing it,

Option 1, park at Cluanie cycle to lay-by at finish and do in reverse. Pros on doing it this way are that cycling will be mostly downhill, finish at Cluanie and drive to pick up bikes. Are there any negative about doing it in reverse.

Option 2, park in lay-by at finish and cycle back to Cluanie although mostly uphill so don't really fancy this option.

Option 3, park at Cluanie, climb from there and catch bus, cadge a lift back. Does anybody know the bus times or are they a bit erratic

Any help, opinions would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[gman]

I did option 1, no problems. I cycled uphill to the start of the Brothers before, you get impatient cars behind you and you're more tired at the start of the walk. Possible negatives: more ascent on the walk, good views are behind you (so turn around & take pics) and the path up to Bealach Duibh Leac might not be obvious.

[mrssanta]

if using the bus option I'd drive to the finish and get the bus to the start. That way you don't need to worry about getting back in time.
The bus is expensive though, make sure you take enough money. it was £7.50 each when we tried it and we only had a tenner so we had to get off and find a plan b

[Giant Stoneater]

Am going to throw a wee spanner in the works about the way I came off the ridge.From the top of Creag nan Damh I went over the edge in a NW direction although steep I took my time and it was easy enough with a 65Ltr pack on.I then followed the river Am Fas Allt till it meets a path at a junction of 3 streams and follow this out to the Eas-nan-Arm bridge,where the Battle of Glenshiel took place.It cuts out quite a few Kms.

There is a couple of pics from this report which gives a idea of the terrain

http://www.scottishhills.com/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=18519

[Jaxter]

Did this on Saturday with the 2 car trick. Before I realised there were like-minded people around that were good fun to walk with, I had been planning to cycle it... I'll warn you....it's a very long way....10 minute drive in the car and plenty of hills Could always try posting in the meets section to see if anyone else would be up for doing it and sharing transport?

[Fairweather Softie]

Hi,

Did option 1 last year, locked bike up on bridge, and then mostly downhill to lay-by. I say mostly as you do have a couple of climbs early in cycle. I seem to recall my gps picking up impressive speeds recorded due to downhills

I had done the brothers the day before so was feeling it on legs, if you have long drive home remember and get a good stretch before setting off, took me 20 mins to get out of the car when I got home, legs kept cramping.

[rockhopper]

A variant of option 2 for me but does involve an uphill cycle - I wanted the option of adding Sgurr na Sgine and The Saddle by going over (the then but now demoted corbett, Sgurr a'Bhac Chaolais) so left a bike in the trees beside the road at Malagan Bridge (over the Allt Mhalagain). Then started at Cluanie and went east to west which has the advantage of looking to the west, Knoydart etc. This meant I could add the other hills or not depending on how it went but still come back to the road near the bike - in the end I did add the other hills but it did mean an uphill cycle back to the car. Link below if it's of any help - cheers
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=24393

[prog99]

Option 4 - Taxi (who seemed to quite happily drive a reasonable way up the path behind Cluanie).

[Challum]

I have found it fairly easy to thumb a lift and I have given lifts to folk in that area. Failing that, I would take the bus from the finish to Cluanie as suggested earlier.