BRIAN ON LINE
 
 
Our first attempt to complete this loop back in April ended disappointingly when we took a wrong turning. It was therefore always on the cards that we would want to return to correct the wrong at the first available opportunity. With co-pilot, Dave Banks once again available to ride shotgun it was a case of strapping the bikes onto the roof of the Qashqai and heading north on our journey of discovery. We started from the same point, parking by the side of the main road and we then re-traced our wheel tracks for 8 miles or so until we came to the Allt Cam .We noticed a fairly indistinct cairn by the side of the track,which turns out was the marker for the point at which to cross the burn and pick up the easily missed footpath on the other side. Before paddling across the burn we added a few stones to the pile and re-built the cairn so that it was now more obvious for any other people following the same route. Once we had crossed the water we picked up the path and began the long slog pushing the bike up the hill for 90 minutes before reaching the high point where we enjoyed some great views of the surrounding hills and the lochan below. We crossed through the snow line and witnessed the aftermath of a small avalanche as we carefully passed below the snow lying above. After a few minutes rest it was back onto the bikes for a quick, brake squealing descent to the shores of Lochan Na H Earba from where we picked up a familiar track and completed the loop back to the car without any bother. Glad to have discovered where we went wrong initially we were both content with our days endeavours which were rewarded with a welcome pint in the Atholl Arms in Blair Atholl on the way home. For a more technical review of the trip, additional photographs and detailed GPS route files visit .....www.davebanks.scot/route_17.htm http://www.davebanks.scot/route_17.htmshapeimage_2_link_0
Ardverikie estate & Loch Pattack Take 2 - second time lucky - may 2014
 
The route
The profile of the route
This time around we covered 23 miles with a height gain of around 2000ft