The Two Inns Race

Saturday saw the first "Two Inns Fell Race", a fairly arduous 24km high level crossing between the Creagan Inn on the shores of Loch Creran, and Clachaig Inn, Glencoe. 37 hardy runners took on the challenge with finishing times varying between a little over 3 hours and 5 and a half hours.

 Originally suggested as a fund raising event for Oban & Glencoe Mountain Rescue Teams, the success of this years event looks set to lay the foundations for developing the run in the coming years. 

The race report can be read on the Scottish Hill Runners web site and there's a few photos from the event to be found on Facebook.

More biking news from Glencoe Mountain

Regular readers will have realised that, in line with other ski centres across the globe, Glencoe Mountain are looking to mountain biking as a summer/non-skiing activity.

 Glencoe Mountain Bike Trail Map

We'll leave you to read the latest update from Glencoe Mountain copied below (you can subscribe on their web site to receive these direct). But we'll just add that with the potential expansion of trails such as the Weasel Track, and new events such as the Macavalanche in the pipeline, there's every reason to get rather excited about these new developments.

This from Glencoe Mountain...

Downhill Biking

The downhill track is currently being upgraded with new jumps and features on the top section and some modifications to the bottom including a widening of the finish area to allow for overtaking in the finishing area.

Our KONA Stinky downhill bikes have at last arrived (only 3 months late). So if you don't have your own kit or don't want to bring it we have everything you need - goggles, gloves, full face helmets and body armour all for hire.

XC Biking

Some work on the Weasel track has been done so that those who prefer downhill XC biking can follow a rough 4km trail from the top of the chair down to the car park. This is a very rough trail which rides well in the dry but is still a little (or very) swampy when it's wet. Feed back on this trail has been mixed. From "brilliant old school XC mountain biking", "great fun" to "bl**** awful". The differences in view seem to be a combination of expectation and different weather conditions.

This is not a nicely manicured trail it is very rough and it is guaranteed you will get wet and muddy if you choose to ride it.

You may only have a few more months to try this trail in it's current state because we are currently applying for funding to get the track upgraded to a wide blue trail making it accessible to all standards of riders.

At the moment we would only suggest riding the track if you are comfortable riding red downhill trails. It can be ridden on a hard tail bike but it is more fun on a downhill bike.

We have a whole fleet of Kona Cindercone XC+ bikes for hire at the centre so if you want to bring a group up to try the weasel track or one of the more gentle, plateau or valley bottom trails then please phone Angela on 01855 851226 to check availability.

Downhill events

The next event at Glencoe is "Wild and Dialled" on the 4th and 5th of Sept. We are still accepting entries for this event so if you want to enter or just want more details just go to the link at the bottom of the page.

This will be an awesome spectator event so if you have nothing planned for the 4th and 5th of Sept come along and see some of the top riders in the country take on one of the toughest tracks in the UK. Spills and thrills are guaranteed.

See you at the centre soon.

Andy
P.S We are planning a ski/snowboard car boot sale at the centre on the 7th Nov. More details very soon.

You're Nicked!

Can you guess what it is yet?

To be honest  we don't get out much during the peak season, however, on a recent visit to the Claymore filling station we noticed something conspicuous by it's absence not to mention a new 'view'.

Can you tell what's missing from the pic above?.......locals & regular visitors to Glencoe will have spotted that the police station is no more. But a word of warning to any hoodlums out there contemplating a crime spree - a new one is being built and the foundations are already in place.

Now move along please, there's nothing to see here!

Don't forget to pack your t-shirt

It might be summer holiday time. How can we tell? Well, firstly the blog posts have dried up. And second, the entries for our t-shirt photo competition have picked up again. Presumably because folk are now returning from their trips to 'interesting locations'.

 R Emery on Palombaggia Beach, Corsica.

If you fancy £10 in beer vouchers to spend as your will at Clachaig, or perhaps another clachaig t-shirt to give to your loved one or simply add to your collection then all you have to do is send us a photo of your Clachaig t-shirt in an 'interesting location'. The judges are harsh (well, not really, but I'd like to think of myself as the Simon Cowell of t-shirt photos), but if we publish your photo in the rogues, er, sorry, winners gallery, then you're a winner!

So as you head off for your summer hols, don't forget to pack your t-shirt.

Best Country Pubs in the UK

Another nice bit of recognition for us here at Clachaig...

Put together by The Independent, Clachaig features at number 25 in the top 50 Best Country Pubs. Thanks guys!

Clachaig to the Holly Tree by bike

Any day now the bike tracks along the A82 from Glencoe to North Ballachulish will be complete. After months of work, which passers by can't help but have noticed, the new tarred paths alongside the busy road are all but finished.

 New signage to guide your on your way - Glencoe crossroads

The new bike paths provide both an important link between scattered rural communities and a valuable addition to the local tourist  infrastructure. Being able to travel safely by bike amidst such gorgeous scenery is a must, and so to prove a point we checked out the ride from Clachaig Inn in Glencoe to the Holly Tree Hotel at Kentallen Pier.

The first couple of miles are on quiet single track roads, and there's a nice bit of downhill gradient to get you into the swing of things. Nearer the village, the first sections of the Glencoe Orbital Track will take you off the road as far as the Hospital Drive. In time, it is hoped that there'll be a path all the way along the old village road as far as Clachaig, where it will then meet up with a return down the glen, past An Torr and Signal Rock and then back to the village by the National Trust for Scotland Visitor Centre.

If you haven't got your bikes with you, then try hiring from Davy at Crank It Up Gear. Leave your car in the Glencoe Village car park and start the journey from here.

From Glencoe Village, the route uses the old section of road past Craft & Things (save your coffee and cake stop for the return!) and along TighPhuirt. Sections of new tar then take you along past Ballachulish Village and towards the impressive setting of St John's Church. Built in 1842, the present church is now in need of repair and restoration and attempts are being made to raise the estimated £1m required.

It's definitely worth stopping to take in a bit of history, and to also marvel at the panoramic views across Loch Leven from the church.

 St John's Church, Ballachulish

Stunning panorama across Loch Leven to the Pap of Glencoe from St John's

More smooth tar will take you to Ballachulish roundabout next. If you're heading for North Ballachulish, continue on over the bridge, but we took a left turn along the old Ballachulish railway line, which continues through Glenachulish and is currently rideable all the way to Kentallen Pier.

 Left turn for Glenachulish, Kentallen and Oban!

But a little more exploring and a much needed coffee break was required, so once in Glenachulish we took a right turn off the Sustrans track and headed down past Ballachulish House to the Dragon's Tooth Golf Course.

 Passing the walled garden at Ballachulish House

Simply exploring this hidden corner of the area is a good enough reason to head down to The Gathering Place, but equally, the prospect of coffee, cakes and a more extensive bar menu might tempt you!

Parked up at The Gathering Place. Cakes, coffee, golf... Take your pick!

Back on the bed of the old railway line, the views open out, and on a day such as the one we chose, it's just amazing. The views across Loch Linnhe to the Ardgour and Morvern Hills are the best you could wish for. There's a few little shingle beaches and coves where you can get off and search for crabs, watch the cormorants, or simply take a snooze.

Carved stones and impressive ironmongery add to the atmosphere of the route.

The Sustrans route will hopefully continue beyond the Holly Tree Hotel, all the way to Oban and beyond. When it does it will be a superb journey. For now, you need to join the road again as far as the bad corner at Lettershuna, where you can join another section of track past Castle Stalker and the Strath of Appin. Further on, there's also a complete section from Creagan Bridge to the Sea Life Centre. 

 I just want to jump in!

Time to head back again

In the meantime, take a while to enjoy the view (and a beer!) at the Holly Tree before jumping back on your bike and doing it all over again in reverse!

Bikes and bows

 Glencoe Mountain Resort very kindly invited as many of us as could make it to come and see what's on offer during the summer months. And it would be rude to decline such an invitation so we played around with the diary a little and set off up the glen .

Can you spot Kingshouse?

The centre has been through difficult times of late. But under new ownership, a new lease of life has been brought to the longest established ski centre in Scotland, and there's already evidence that the centre will soon become a year round activity centre, with something on offer for everyone. The snow conditions for years this past winter have certainly helped and the momentum gained is now clearly continuing through the summer months.

I never knew that uphill on a mountain bike could so easy!

Sitting in the log cabin cafe with large picutre windows looking straight at Buachaille Etive Mor was an activity within itself. Coffee and cake was far more appealing than the Downhill Mountain Bike Course which was looming on the hillside just above us. However, Dangerous Will was up for it. He still had use of all of his limbs at the end but did mention something about going to the bike shop to replace some broken parts.

'Dangerous Will' looking confident

For the lesser mortals amongst us, we opted for a nice gentle ride up the chairlift with our bikes. We made a quick exploration of the plateau before opting for taking the weasel track down. Overgrown and washed out, this track dates back to some of the early days of gaining access to the hill, but is earmarked for development into a more formal biking track. In fact, speaking to Andy and the team, and listening to their ideas is both enlightening and refreshing.

Keep on through the snow fence to find the weasel track.

The weasel track has bags of potential and even in its current state was a good bit of fun. There's a few wash outs and bottomless swampy bits, but there's also long sections of good cruising and a few more challenging sections, including a couple of rock slabs. Great fun! And the view..!

Blasting the return to the centre, with the access road and Kingshouse clearly visible.

The tracks onto Rannoch Moor are begging to be explored by bike, and with a fleet of new Kona mountain bikes available for hire, Glencoe Mountain Resort is the ideal base from which to start.

Out of the black, into the red, nothing in this game for 2 in a bed. Smashing, super, lovely...

Back at the centre, we tried our hand at archery, a new activity for this summer.Strangely addictive, especially when your arrows end up around the centre but not in it. Just one more go! I can see a Clachaig staff tournament coming on. In fact, I've just had a brilliant idea for Octoberfest!