Video & Photo Story: Scotty Laughland Rides a 52km Route in Torridon, Scotland with Jaw-Dropping Views
I'm stoked to share episode 4 of my short film series aptly named, 'Scotty's Scotland Showcase!' In this episode we ride the ‘Classic’ Torridon loop, a 52km route with 1200m of climbing.
Torridon is located in the North West of Scotland and it’s where my love for adventure riding began. As a destination, there’s something special about it, the vast mountains and unscathed landscapes are jaw dropping.
This one's best done in the summer and you're going to want to allow yourself between 5 and 8 hours! Starting out, it’s a short road ride before veering off and riding alongside lochs and through Glens. It’s simply stunning and isn’t a ride you want to rush. I prefer to take my time, enjoy the journey and take it all in. The climbs are challenging, they’re technical and require sudden urges of power to get you up and over the rocky features - I’ve still to clean it, no dabs!
The top of the Annat descent is incredible. Stood there, you’re surrounded by towering grey mountains and views stretch for as far as you can see. The descent is a technical one and whilst I wouldn’t say it’s overly challenging you’ve got to work to make it flow. It finishes alongside a river, contrasting to the upper section we're now deep in the greenery.
Our next point of interest is the Fionnaraich bothy and it’s a good chance for a break. The single track leading up to it is challenging and requires a lot of on and off power surges. The bothy dates back to the 1800’s and is still used to this day by stalkers. It’s a place where riders can seek shelter from the ever-changing Scottish conditions. From the bothy to our next descent is a challenging path through lowland bogs before hitting a rugged hike a bike.
The descent to Annat is fairly undulating, rocky and is one of my personal favourites, you’re back in amongst those huge grey mountains and have a view over the Atlantic Ocean. There’s something humbling about being able to ride in such a location. The descent’s super fun, rewarding and it has so many different elements, fast single track, huge rock slabs and river crossings. It just puts a smile on your face!
Finishing right at the bay, there’s a chance to refuel at a traditional Inn which offers delicious locally sourced food and drink and accommodation - there’s no better location to finish a ride at!
It's a big day out, prep your bike thoroughly before heading, here I'm applying a last minute lick of lube.
The only downside of the North West of Scotland is the infamous midges, Midge Magic kinda helps.
It's not long before you're off the road and headed in to the big mountains.
The landscapes you pass through are just incredible, towering peaks, lochs and forests.
One of two bothy's you pass en-route to the summit of the Achneshellach descent.
Bothy's are a place where you can seek shelter in treacherous conditions or even stay the night in. These shelters allows for some big adventures to be had.
Always leave a note in the book, have a flick through and see where some of the visitors have come from.
There's one rule with a bothy and that's, there's always room for one more. This is the Tea House.
A conveniently placed waterfall right next to the bothy, on a warm day this is a delight and it's why you want to allow plenty of time for this route. You want to be able to take it all in and enjoy the truly epic experience
Heading out and into the wilderness.
True wilderness and endless singletrack.
Stop and take in the views.
Dropping in with one hell of a back drop.
The infamous Torridon rock slabs.
Another angle of the slabs just because.
True wilderness and endless singletrack.
The Torridon toilet bowl, get it right and it feels so good.
The key to getting it right is setting up nice and high.
The views just keep on going, it's a must ride if you're in to adventure riding and like a big day on the bike.
This episodes sustainability focus is around travel. To get to Torridon, we drove three hundred and twenty-five kilometres in a diesel van which emits one hundred and eighty-two grams of Carbon Dioxide per kilometre driven. Creating the series, we lift shared wherever possible and to offset our overall journey emissions, I’m planting native Scottish trees through Trees 4 life. Trees can absorb between twenty-two and thirty-four kilograms of Carbon Dioxide. To ensure neutrality, I’m planting one tree per one hundred kilometres driven and for this episode, I’ll be planting 16 trees.
The entire series is being created carbon neutral. All our journey emissions will be offset and the advertising revenue generated from you watching this series will be split across planting more native trees in Scotland and the local trail associations.
Produced by Scotty Laughland
Cinematography by Glen Thomson and Max Rendall
Photography by Jonny Cook
Author Info:
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Always start at Achnashellach train station, along the road, up the single track and head left after the bothy up the big hike-a-bike to get the full descent down to Torridon, then the pub/hotel for lunch.
If fit then do the Ben Alligin add on in stead of the road (its got a good hike a bike in it though), the descent down is also so good. Then you finish on the Achnashellach descent.
There is also a awesome slab set if you go up from the Hotel in Torridon and you can make it off-piste back to the last loch that descends down to Torridon again (would be amazing to film and photo on those slabs, they are enormous).
You can head from those slabs over the Corrie Lair descent which is the full Achnashellach descent.
The tourist loop in the video is probably the worst way to ride Torridon.
GR 905512
Drochaid Coire Roill.
They are just above the path a 2 minute hike a bike
The alternatives don't so far as I know.
I can't wait to get my fitness up again to do the bigger loops a few times next year.
We did once try a different route that was so terrible, the walkers path turned out to be a beat big, then we got warned off by a massive stag looking after his girls, that was scary.
I'd love to know what my carbon emissions would be doing 52km and 1200m climbing!!
No way could I offset that
Great series, look forward to the next…
Beautiful scenery