Glen Tilt, Cairngorms, Scotland

Distance 53km (33 miles) Climbing 1,380m Time 4hrs to 6hrs

Start/ inish Old Bridge of Tilt, East Lodge car park, near Blair Atholl (grid ref NN 874/663, postcode PH18 5TP) Route summary An epic but mostly non-technical ride into the southern Cairngorms, to escape from the crowds

1 Go back over the bridge and turn left at the T-junction (‘Glenfender & Monzie’), uphill. Keep right at the fork (‘Monzie’). Follow this road, which becomes a track, to a fork, just past the loch and trees. Bear right here, up a gentle climb. Cross a wide but shallow ford, heading towards the uninhabited farm at Shinagag, but don’t descend to this (and the bridge over the river). Instead, stay on the track to the left, marked by a cairn.

2 When the track bears left towards the hills, leave it, keeping ahead on a faint path through the grass. Ford the water, then push uphill until you reach a good singletrack trail. Follow this left, later meeting a 4x4 track. Go downhill to the old bothy at Ruigh-chuilein.

Note: Turning left just along from here provides a good out-and-back detour to Loch Loch and the site of an RAF Hercules crash. 3 Keep ahead on an undulating track down to Daldhu, a remote house. Turn left by this, up Glen Fernate. Follow this track all the way up to Fealar Lodge. Go left through a gate before the house, into the fields and onto a singletrack trail towards Glen Tilt.

4 Follow this rough and grassy trail, which is prone to getting boggy, until it drops steeply to cross the River Tilt. Join some good singletrack on the other side, which runs alongside the water. Cross the Bedford Bridge at the Falls of Tarf and follow the 4x4 track alongside the river, mostly downhill.

5

Cross Gaw’s Bridge, and later Cumhann-leum Bridge, to stay following the river and main track, ignoring all turnings o . This will eventually bring you back to the car park.