Description
Kinlochleven and the Ciaran Path Mountain Bike Trails
Kinlochleven sits at the foot of Glen Coe in the Highland council area, and the hills above it hold some of Scotland's best natural, ungraded mountain biking. Five documented routes head into the surrounding glens, from a rocky 21km descent to a 44km high-mountain traverse, all hard, remote and rewarding. The signature ride is the Ciaran Path, a technical singletrack descent from the Blackwater Dam into the village, but riders also take on the Devil's Staircase, Gleann Iolairean, and a pair of enduro-style stages known locally as the Dudes of Hazzard routes.
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The Trails
- The Ciaran Path β around 21km with 559m of ascent, a rocky, technical singletrack descent from the Blackwater Dam into Kinlochleven. Rough, loose cobbles and long stretches of steep bedrock make this one of Scotland's best-known natural descents.
- Devil's Staircase and Ciaran Path β around 26km with 906m of ascent, combining the Devil's Staircase section of the West Highland Way with the Ciaran Path descent.
- Gleann Iolairean β the longest of the documented loops at around 44km with 751m of ascent, a full day out into the hills above Kinlochleven.
- Dudes of Hazzard Enduro and Stages 2 and 3 β a pair of shorter, steeper enduro-style routes (around 23km and 18km) for riders after technical descending without the full-day mileage.
None of these routes are waymarked or graded, so download a route or use GPS navigation before you set off. Some sections along the old pipeline track can get boggy after rain, so check conditions and keep your environmental impact low.
Gravel Riding
The Old Military Road climbs out of Kinlochleven towards Fort William on a gravel and compacted-stone surface, gaining height steadily with views over towards Ben Nevis before it meets tarmac further along. It makes a genuine gravel-bike alternative to the singletrack routes and can be linked into a longer loop around Loch Leven.
Route Resources
- MTB Trails Info has a full trail table for Kinlochleven covering Gleann Iolairean, the Ciaran Path, the Devil's Staircase and the two Dudes of Hazzard enduro stages, with distances, ascent and user ratings.
- AllTrails has a GPX track for the Ciaran Path descent.
- Glencoe Scotland describes the full Blackwater and Ciaran Path circuit via Mamore Lodge, including the climb past Rob Roy View and Loch Eilde Mor, and the old German POW camp on the way back into the village.
Getting Here
Park at the Grey Mare's Car Park on Wades Road, Kinlochleven (PH50 4AB), next to St Paul's Church, signed from the village for the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall. It's a paid car park within walking distance of the village centre. Free parking for larger vehicles and motorhomes is also available on Foyers Road. There are public toilets and a couple of cafes in the village, including the Bothy Bar at the MacDonald Hotel and the Wildcat CafΓ©, to refuel before or after a ride.
Share
- If you have ridden the mountain bike trails in and around Kinlochleven and the Ciaran Path then please share your experiences and post your reviews, pictures and videos to the listing.