Okay - you've proved yourself!
You've done the Ryvoan Pass and An Sluggan. You've laboured, battled and waded in rivers
in Glen Einich. You've done Glen Avon and the Burma Road too, and frankly, your legs don't want to play anymore.
But you're on
holiday!!!!
You MUST make the most of it. Well, try this little gem of a ride. It's easy, and it's special and it
feels like a day off.
The first 8 miles are flat (well, Scottish flat). The first 9 miles are tarmac, yet you journey deep
into a remote glen. It's ideal for families, newcomers to biking, or as we discovered, Glen Tromie is an ideal "rest day".
You'll
need OS map 35 for this although the route falls off the bottom of the map so take along OS map 42 as well if you wish.
It's
a there and back ride so you can't get lost. Do it in August when the heather is at its best too, although it makes a good ride
any time of the year.
Drive from Aviemore to Feshiebridge, then Insh before passing by Drumguish. Park at the Insh Nature
Reserve car park, just south of Drumguish. Take time out to look at the RSPB hides below the carpark.
Bike 1 mile towards
Drumguish, crossing the river on the old bridge and then turn right into the glen. The first 2 or 3 miles of the glen are lovely
but it really gets going at the 4 mile mark as you pass Glentromie Lodge and head out into the wilds. The whole area is heather
with lots of new young conifers sensitively and naturally planted. It is a credit to whoever manages the estate and glen.
The views everywhere are magnificent, with a lovely river as a bonus. On our second visit here, we stopped for over 15
minutes to watch a big bird of prey hunting - take your binoculars!
When you eventually come to a green and wooden
house at about the 8 mile mark the road continues steeply up for a while. Carry on up and down the other side, passing the Tromie
Dam and a small copse of conifers.
This isn't on map 35 and we hadn't bought 42 at the time so it was a lovely surprise to see
the views and Loch An T-Seilich. Admire the views. The glen now continues on an off-road trail.
The first
time we biked here, we turned back at this point (the 10 mile mark - it was a day off after all), but the trail continues on an easy
track passing the loch and Gaick Lodge and then further on. It is well worth carrying on and doing a bit of single track.
The views beyond the loch and lodge are terrific.
Return via the same route. At the top of the hill after the loch, you
can virtually freewheel for 3 or 4 miles (with care), so don't worry if you get tired going into the glen - it is easy coming back
out.
