Description
Lairig Ghru
The Lairig Ghru is one of Scotland's most famous mountain passes, running from Rothiemurchus Forest near Aviemore up through the heart of the Cairngorms. As a ride it's wild, natural and entirely unwaymarked: a rocky, flowing singletrack descent through the forest, a genuinely tough peaty traverse across the high pass, and further technical singletrack linking Loch an Eilein, Loch Ghamhna, Feshiebridge and Inshriach Forest. Expect a proper day out for confident, well-prepared riders, plus a network of easier waymarked forest tracks from the same car park if you want a gentler ride.
This is a shared access route and very popular with walkers, so ride considerately and give way where the path narrows.
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The Trail
- The lower sections run through Rothiemurchus Forest and are wild in character, with plenty of good singletrack. The descent is rocky with flowing sections; the higher, wetter ground is a different story.
- It's not a huge distance in height gained, but much of the pass is a genuine hike-a-bike: go prepared to push and carry, not just pedal.
- The high traverse across the top of the pass is peaty and boggy. Only ride it as part of a circuit in the driest conditions: in the wet it turns to deep, ground-churning mud that's best avoided.
- Further singletrack worth riding runs from Loch an Eilein, past Loch Ghamhna, towards Feshiebridge and into Inshriach Forest. Storms in recent years caused significant woodland damage around Feshiebridge and lower Glen Feshie, so check current path conditions locally before riding that far.
- The route is unwaymarked throughout, so download a route or use GPS navigation before you set off.
Gravel Riding
Away from the technical singletrack, Rothiemurchus Estate's own waymarked forest tracks give excellent, more relaxed riding from the same car park: the Three Lochs Trail (10.8km, taking in Loch an Eilein and Lochan Deo), the Ancient Forest Trail (19.8km), and the Old Logging Way out to An Lochan Uaine (12km each way). These run on well-maintained estate tracks and forest roads, a good warm-up or family-friendly alternative to the Lairig Ghru itself.
Getting Here
- Park at Rothiemurchus Centre Car Park, Rothiemurchus, By Aviemore, PH22 1QH, opposite the Rothiemurchus Centre. This is the main trailhead for both the Lairig Ghru singletrack and the estate's waymarked forest tracks. From Aviemore, follow the B970 south, cross the bridge into Rothiemurchus, and continue past the fishery to the centre.
- The Whitewell car park, further into the forest at the end of the public road past Blackpark and Tullochgrue, is used by some riders as a more direct start for the high pass.
- Loch an Eilein car park is the starting point if you'd rather ride straight to the loch before continuing towards Feshiebridge.
- Aviemore railway station, on the Inverness to Edinburgh and Glasgow line, is about a mile away and the nearest public transport link.
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