Gravel Ride in Cairngorms near Braemar (Ed Shoote's Gravel Rides Scotland Route 18) - MTB Scotland

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A big day out in the magnificent moorland and forests of the Cairngorms on Deeside. The trail follows route 18 in Ed Shoote’s Gravel Rides Scotland guidebook: Invercauld and the River Gairn. It’s a wild and remote location served with a fantastic network of pathways, presenting no difficulty for gravel bikes and MTBs.
Although the ascent up the shoulder of Culardoch is a killer of a climb it’s rewarded with a swift, flowy downhill all the way back to the River Dee. Watch out for the drainage channels though - they took a bite out of my rear tyre!
Hopefully you’ll get to the end of the video where you’ll find a 25% discount code for the Gravel Rides Scotland book (bit.ly/GravelScotland), thanks to Sophie at Vertebrate Publishing.
I’ve also included some outtakes for your further entertainment!🤡
Strava link: / strava . If you do use the Strava link, it would be great if you considered exchanging this for coffee at: www.buymeacoffee.com/alanrmaclek. Thanks
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[@weeringjohnny]

A beautifully shot video. A wee map every so often to show us where you are and where you're going would make it even better.

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks - glad you enjoyed the vid. Will have a think about incorporating a periodic location update. Am putting together a video right now so may give it a try! 👍

[@weeringjohnny]

Yup, tubeless all the way. The technology has really come on in recent years and now is pretty dependable. Can't remember the last time I had a puncture involving removal of the tyre. There's a learning curve in understanding how the basics work and a few workarounds to grasp but it's well worth it, believe me.

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks - still persevering with the 'old' tyres though....there's still some life in them yet but will explore the tubeless options when it's time to change the tyres out.

[@ColinOlden1]

Tubeless, I just don't understand why you wouldn't. A no brainer in my book. 🙏

[@budycelyn]

been tubeless for a decade on my mtb and 5 years of gravel riding, only had 2 punctures in that whole time that wouldn't self seal but stuck a plug in and it sorted, i believe it's a must for offroad riding.

[@TwistyTrails]

Will defo be going tubeless when it’s time to swap out the tyres. 👍

[@andymelville7807]

Many thanks for sharing, given me the inspiration needed to do this route during this coming summer

[@TwistyTrails]

Nice one Andy, glad you enjoyed - it will be a beaut in the summer!

[@HulaBoy75]

Lovely video, brilliantly edited and presented!

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks for that - much appreciated and glad you enjoyed.

[@janicegalloway5636]

Another lovely video there. Looked like great gravel trails all the way too! ☺️

[@TwistyTrails]

Hi Janice, glad you enjoyed. The guidebook does cite the trails as being “sublime gravel riding” and I couldn’t agree more …. except for the uppy bits! 😀

[@domquigley7890]

You're getting as good with the drone as you already are with the 360, excellent video 👍

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks Dom - greatly appreciate your feedback. Yep, the drone does take the video to new heights! 😀

[@kevinclark9513]

Brilliant video. I’m getting the book for Xmas and we’re planning a holiday in the Cairngorms this summer so I look forward to doing this and the others. Thanks for posting this.

[@TwistyTrails]

Thank you - glad you enjoyed the video. You’ll have a blast in the Cairngorms and I hope all goes well with the planning. Many of my videos are based on Cairngorms routes so be sure to check these out. 👍

[@treebs1423]

First time watcher, great vid. I’ve been riding tubeless for 4 years. I rode across Belgium and Holland on the cobbles no punctures. I’ve been on them since and I think I’ve had 2 punctures that didn’t self repair twice in 4 years. I’d say do it

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks Mark - glad you enjoyed the vid. Yep, I’m sold on tubeless but gonna let the current tyres wear down first. 👍

[@tonypaddler]

Beautifully filmed video 👍

[@TwistyTrails]

Thank you Tony. The filming doubled the time I would normally have taken to complete such a ride, so glad the final output is appreciated which will inspire me to create more. 👍

[@grahamhaines9931]

Top ride!

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks Graham - it was a stonker! 😀

[@michaelfinn1317]

Thanks for posting this great film. At the beginning I wondered about the early start but as the film went on I realised how much time it must take to film all the crossings and such. I also now know who wrote the book so I’ll get online and order it up.

[@Stoob0y]

great video thanks for sharing

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks Stoob0y, glad you enjoyed 👍. There’s more epic days like that to come.

[@stuarthenderson7354]

Great Video, Thank you. Tubeless for me on all my bikes very rare to have any problems.

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks Stuart - glad you enjoyed. Will be converting when current tyres need changing out. 👍

[@rob3rt891]

Are they WTB Byways? I think they're tubeless compatible?

[@peterleffler2062]

Happy Birthday! Great video. Much higher quality editing and commentary than many I've seen. In the unlikely event I get to the area I'll be hoping to do that ride. It looks fab.

[@TwistyTrails]

Thank you Peter - your glowing feedback is greatly appreciated ……and thanks for acknowledging my birthday, which means you watched to the end! Did you also catch the outtakes - it’s not that well polished after all! 😀 Hope you do get to the area at some point - it’s awesome!

[@peterleffler2062]

@@TwistyTrails well the end result is polished and even the pros have out-takes/bloopers so I don't think you need be too hard on yourself.

[@IsaacS1]

This ride is very definitely on my radar, nice upload 🤝

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks Isaac - glad you enjoyed. There’s certainly plenty of epic trails to choose from in the area.

[@IsaacS1]

@@TwistyTrails Yes I've rode Ed's route 16 & 17, this is where I really fell in love with gravel riding! And btw - go tubleless, there is absolutely to comparison against tubes, that comes from 9 years experience running tubeless and only ever 2 flats as a MTBer.

[@TwistyTrails]

@@IsaacS1 - sold!!

[@withdrone.]

Hello, nice scenery and video. I will subscribe to your channel from Japan. Thank you.

[@TwistyTrails]

Hi - I’m glad you enjoyed the video and Scotland’s scenery. Thank you for your support. 👍

[@randallmiller3842]

Tubeless, just need a good pump to get them set up, but after that they have been great.

[@iansmith3234]

Went tubeless after pinch flatting too many times on very rooty sections, also added gravel liners ( at the rear first ) to protect rims and to hopefully avoid sudden loss of air and control on descents as witnessed to a pal who ended up in a ditch with a collar bone injury ( now I put one on the front) so feel much happier with them in.👍 Some discussion in cycling media on this after Paris Roubaix as many were losing tyres from rims without liners causing a few pile ups, was a good read and supported my decision. Cool video will definitely be riding some of these trails soon. 👍

[@TwistyTrails]

Nice one Ian. Yep Paris Roubaix is a brutal one for the wheels/tyres……auto in/deflate methinks?! 😀

[@RustyRidesGravel]

Nice one! Consider me motivated! 👍

[@TwistyTrails]

Cheers Rusty - I think you’re motivated enough however, churning out the quality vids every week.😀

[@SwampyDuckRidesAgain3636]

Just loving the look of this route despite the climb. As for Tubeless I wouldn’t be without mine, doesn’t mean you’ll never get a flat as you can still nip the beads but so far on 650b 47’s I’ve hit some hell of a rocks etc and all has been fine and I’m reckoning having upgraded to a heavier carcass I’ll have even less worries. When you’ve got a damaged hand and your puncture seals or even if it need a plug there’s nothing so satisfying as such a quick repair. Just keep your sealant topped up every 6 months and your fine.

[@TwistyTrails]

@@SwampyDuckRidesAgain3636 Thanks - yes, the route is an absolute stunner: it’s remoteness and (one) challenging climb make it an epic undertaking. Plus, it can be linked up with numerous other big trails in the area. As for tubeless, yeh, it’s a no brainer, so will take the plunge soon…..although I think I promised that in my Glen Affric video too! 😊

[@peterthe46er]

Tubeless!!!

[@ianezzi9212]

I'm on the fence about tubeless. I run in now as I'm sort of committed, but frankly it's still entirely possible to pinch flat a tubeless tyre if you get carried away, so now I'm running tubeless inserts which add weight and change how the tyre feels (seems to corner worse at the same or even slightly lower pressure). Part of me thinks I should just go back to latex tubes, pump the tyres up a wee bit harder and deal with the occasional puncture. At least tubes are easier and cleaner to swap if you do puncture!

[@TwistyTrails]

I'm still not wholly convinced about tubeless. I think the flat in this video was the last puncture I've had, so it's not something that I'm plagued with. Still mulling it over though and need to decide before I next change out my gravel tyres.....

[@ClanGunnPhotography]

I don’t often comment on videos but the camera/drone work you have put into this video is brilliant. You’ve taken your time and thought out your shots with some excellent scenes. I’m assuming you’ve used a external mic and synced up your audio as well? With the slight difference in colours from camera to camera Its tricky to do it does not detract from a overall great video

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks CGP, your acknowledgment is greatly appreciated. The ride did take considerably longer than I planned, but around every corner a new, dramatic scene emerged that had to be captured! Ha, I feel I've been rumbled on the audio! I actually just re-used the audio picked up by the GoPro (with wind-slayer) for the drone shots. I have considered a separate mic, but I'm already carrying more kit than is comfortable for a big day in the saddle. Yeh, I'll keep tweaking the colours from each camera system to attain some consistency and glad you feel it didn't detract from the whole. Cheers 👍

[@ClanGunnPhotography]

@@TwistyTrails gave me some motivation to take more care and planning of my own videos (mostly shot off the cuff with no 2nd chances) I’ve only really done one video with any sort of planning need to knuckle down and plan more. The follow me must be a handy feature to have I’ve got a dji mini 2 which is a nice wee bit of kit. I’ve subbed to your channel and when I get time I’m going to sit and view more of your videos well done again bud 👍

[@rebeccabuckley2517]

Excellent motivation to ride that area. It would be helpful to add commentary or text to locate the sections of the route, e.g. name of the bothy, houses, etc.

[@TwistyTrails]

Hi Rebecca - thank you and fair point about missing out the detail. However, in this instance I was mindful of the sensitivities of 'exploiting' Ed's route as all the detail you need is in his book. For example, I would normally link my Strava route in the description, but out of courtesy, decided against this. 👍

[@davidholdman5518]

Good video; really enjoyed it, even recognised a couple of spots :) thanks! Good to see another 360 user... and getting good results with it. What editing software did you use and what drone were you using?

[@TwistyTrails]

Hi David - I'm really glad you enjoyed it, thanks. The 360 One X2 had been my only weapon of choice since starting on KZbin but, just like bikes, you can never have enough!!😀 In the past 6 months, I've added a DJI Mavic Mini Pro 3 drone and GoPro Hero11. I use Davinci Resolve for editing but that and the large data files are now really clogging up computer.👍

[@davidholdman5518]

@@TwistyTrails I'am glad we're both suffering with the same problem of never having enough of the correct equipment :D The mavic is on my list but to see and hear that's the one you went for. Thanks for the quick reply and all the info, looking forward to more of your adventures. ATB

[@VE7QRZ]

As requested, my thoughts on tubeless. Works very well until it doesn't. On a new tyre install I will go with tubeless first. The hassle of having to clean up a tire & rim in order to reinstall the sealant is a bit much for me. I will just stick with the tube until I need a new tire. I do like running tubeless. When and if I get to Scotland I definitively will be referring to "Gravel Rides Scotland" to plan my ride. 👍

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks Peter. Yes, I’ll hang fire on converting until it’s time to change out the tyres. The book will be a good starting point for planning out your ride if you do get to Scotland.

[@br5380]

I’ve done the 2nd half of that loop during the Cairngorm Loop, it’s a serious climb & cracking descent. I first went tubeless on my MTB in about 2007, and then when I got into gravel in 2019 automatically tubeless’d it. Why wouldn’t you run tubeless? Hint, don’t try and tubeless used tyres, you’ll probably fail and it’ll put you off. Also recommend hi-flow valves (look at 76 Projects).

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks B R. Top tip on tubeless and ‘used’ tyres - gonna let the current tyres run their course then will dabble with tubeless. 👍

[@guidojt]

Great video and music! What bike and kit are you using?

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks guidojt- glad you enjoyed. I’m on a Ribble Gravel Ti. Kit: Mini 3 pro drone, GoPro 11 and Insta 360 oneX2. Thanks for the sub. 👍

[@kevinselkirk8420]

Enjoyed that. Do you use Komoot? If so, fancy sharing the file???

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks Kevin, glad you liked it. Plenty more coming, so be sure to subscribe. I don’t use Komoot, but I usually link my Strava route here. However, as I’m using the route from Ed’s book where the route is detailed and which provides a link to all of the gpx files of his routes, I thought it courteous to omit my usual link. However, my Strava account is linked in my other vids. 😉

[@davidcowan5650]

Lovely route but definitely worth the faff of setting your tyres up tubeless

[@TwistyTrails]

Thanks David. Yes, gonna bite the bullet when current tyres are worn.