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AROUND
ROTHIEMURCHUS
 Rushing
rivers, native pine forests, a variety of mountain biking
- you can see why this area is popular. For the adventurous
the trip to Loch Einich will provide a technical challenge,
and a view of the remote loch long remembered.
For families the trails around Loch an Eilein and south
of Loch Morlich will provide good days in beautiful scenery,
the dramatic backdrop of the Cairngorms never far away.
Loch an Eilein to Loch Morlich
(5 miles)
The description assumes starting from Loch an Eilein but
access is also possible from Inverdruie or Loch Morlich.
There is a visitor centre at Loch an Eilein giving general
information about the Cairngorms, plus toilets and a car
park. Loch an Eilein means loch of the island in Gaelic.
The castle on the island dates from the 12th century.
Leave the visitor centre, cross the river then bear right
following the loch shore. After a mile take a left turn
to leave the loch. The other path goes right round, however
Rothiemurchus Estate asks that you do not bike round.
It is possible to gain access to Glen Feshie via forest
paths to the south of Loch an Eilein. If you want to do
this walk the short section after the turn-off, as far
as Loch Gamhna.
The first problem is a locked gate. People hiring mountain
bikes at Inverdruie Mountain Bikes get the key. Those
using their own bikes can get a key for a £5 deposit,
however you can usually get your bike round or over the
gate. If this is too difficult wait a little, someone
with a key may be along shortly. After the gate continue
east along a sandy trail to the first junction: Lochan
Deo. Turn right here (south) to go to Glen Einich, or
keep straight on to for Loch Morlich. Left (north) takes
you to Coylumbridge.
The journey to Loch Morlich is not entirely smooth as
the track gets rough in places. You have to carry your
bike over the Cairngorm Club Footbridge. Shortly after
the bridge there is another junction in the path anachronistically
named Picadilly. The right turn here leads up to the Lairig
Ghru, the most famous mountain pass in Scotland. This
pass takes you from Speyside to Braemar, a distance of
over twenty miles. It rises to 835m. Walter Poucher writing
in 1947 said that a bicycle was a disadvantage, and this
is still true despite improvements in bicycle technology.
Blizzards can occur there even in summer.
Continuing to Loch Morlich though there's another locked
gate, a more serious one this time with a deer fence.
If you haven't got the key, getting over the stile is
possible, but it helps if there is more than one of you.
Turn left at a forest road leading to Rothiemurchus Lodge.
A mile after this you reach Loch Morlich. Turn right just
before the public road to gain access to the Loch Morlich
trails (see map). There is a shop and tea room by the
camp site at Glenmore village.
Lochan Deo to Glen Einich (6 miles)
Unlike the Lairig Ghru the path up Glen Einich is bikeable.
The trip to Loch Einich is quite long, and requires you
to wade across a river carrying your bike. Keep to the
path in the deerstalking season (Sept/Oct). Get to Lochan
Deo as described in the previous section and turn south.
The track at first is a steady climb through natural Scots
pine forest; eventually this thins out though, giving
good views up the glen. Near the edge of the forest the
path divides into two. The estate have had to create a
higher route as the lower track has slid into the river.
The lower track is quicker providing you can negotiate
the landslides. Further up there is a narrow single plank
footbridge which needs care. Further on still, a river
has to be waded over. Due to a combination of depth, width,
and boulders in the river bed, biking across is impossible.
Your reward for this is the view over the remote loch
with its high cliffs, plunging from the summit of Sgoran
Dubh Mhor to the surface of the loch 600m below. Distances:
Loch An Eilein to Loch Einich & return 15 miles; Loch
An Eilein to Loch Morlich 5 miles; Inverdruie to Coylumbridge
via Loch an Eilein 5 miles.
Some
useful phone numbers:
Loch Morlich Youth Hostel: 01479-861238.
Aviemore Youth hostel: 01479-810345.
Inverdruie Mountain Bikes: 01479-810787.
Aviemore Tourist Information: 01479-810363.
Glenmore Camp Site: 01479-861271.
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