Per calendar, we have Glen Clova in the diary. This starts from Glen
Doll car park:

http://streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?
x=328320&y=776130&z=3&sv=328320,776130&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&sear
chp=newsearch.srf

Then heads up Glen Clova on an increasingly rough landrover track
until we cross the river and push/ carry up the steep hillside and
join a main track by a stable/ shelter thing. From there we drop
down into Loch Muick by the singletrack option (streak'o'pants path)
or landrover track (streak of lightning path). Both quite techy,
especially streak'o'pants. Return is via Capel Mounth path which
fires you into a superb descent back into Glen Clova. It's not a
long ride - maybe 30km max, but has two sizeable climbs so will take
4 or 5 hours, maybe. Possibility of extending it by doing a loop of
Loch Muick and the Dubh Loch track (NW corner of Loch Muick) as an
out-and-back.

Suggest we meet at 10 at ready to rock.

Please please please let me know if you're coming - it's a good
weather only ride, and it's too early to tell if it's going to be OK
weather or not.

Stuart





Report from 9 Aug 2004 - last time I think ERC have done this
classic, though as part of a Braemar weekend we started from Loch
Muick end.

Saturday, we headed for Loch Muick near Ballater and met up with
Ange's friend Jim and my friends George(ina) and Andy and their MTB
dog, Max. The route we did climbs up from the loch and across the
high ground between Loch Muick and Glen Clova. The ascent was
unrelenting but was on a good track and we were across the plateau
in no time. We then descended on a superb grassy track with a
smattering of technical interest into Glen Clova. From there it was
an increasingly rough and stony track up the glen (where Laurence
put on a fine display of stubborn ascending, powering up loose rock
and step-ups) until we climbed up some steep zigzags out the glen,
bikes being manhandled or carried up the steep hillside. The reward
was a choice of descents – one landrover track being called "streak
of ligtning" as that's what it looked like, zig-zagging down the
hillside. Most people took this way down but Craig, Lozza, Andy and
I did the "streak yer pants" path which cut diagonally down a steep
hillside. Surprisingly well named… All made it back in one piece to
the carpark.