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Routes
Mountain biking trails
United Kingdom
Scotland
Aberdeenshire
Ballater And Crathie

From the Spittal of Glen Muick to Loch Muick and Glas-Allt-Shiel bothy loop – Cairngorms National Park

Routes
Mountain biking trails
United Kingdom
Scotland
Aberdeenshire
Ballater And Crathie

From the Spittal of Glen Muick to Loch Muick and Glas-Allt-Shiel bothy loop – Cairngorms National Park

Moderate

5.0

(2)

31

riders

From the Spittal of Glen Muick to Loch Muick and Glas-Allt-Shiel bothy loop – Cairngorms National Park

01:41

16.2km

360m

Mountain biking

Embark on a moderate mountain biking adventure through the Cairngorms National Park with the From the Spittal of Glen Muick to Loch Muick and Glas-Allt-Shiel bothy loop. This 10.1-mile (16.2 km) route features diverse terrain, including gravel tracks, singletrack, and some rocky sections, especially as you follow the loch shore.…

Last updated: April 23, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Cairngorms National Park

Waypoints

A

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

1

3.85 km

Waterfall in Cairngorms National Park

Highlight • Waterfall

2

4.34 km

View of Loch Muick and the Balmoral Estate

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

From this high hillside track there are spectacular views of the Royal Balmoral Estate and Loch Muick on a clear day.

Tip by

3

7.76 km

Streak of Lightning Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Viewpoint

Incredible mountain bike single track, extremely challenging due to the narrow nature of the trail, exposure and technical aspects.

Tip by

4

9.98 km

View of Loch Muick

Highlight • Lake

Clear path around the far end of the Loch, not all rideable but easy to walk when unrideable.

Tip by

5

11.0 km

Glas-allt-Shiel Bothy

Highlight • Mountain Hut

To find the entrance to the bothy is a little tricky. It is located between the buildings. Follow the dark(er) alley at the east side of the main building to …

Tip by

B

16.2 km

End point

Parking

Loading

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

9.46 km

3.41 km

3.32 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

8.32 km

4.94 km

2.19 km

763 m

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Elevation

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (730 m)

Lowest point (400 m)

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Weather

Powered by Foreca

Sunday 31 May

13°C

7°C

91 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 15.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

This route was planned by komoot.

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Trail Reviews

Scotty Laughland
July 13, 2021, The Lightning Bolt — Aberdeenshire: Scotty's Scotland Showcase

The Lightning Bolt trail has fast become one of my favourite trails in the world. It’s a challenging track and that’s what I love about it. Dropping in, you flow through some loose gravelly turns but things quickly get a little more of out of control as the gradient steepens, the rocks get bigger, the trail becomes more technical and the consequences, higher. It drops you into the bowl of Glen Muick and you finish right at the loch, a simply stunning panorama that is part of the Queen's Balmoral Estate. No ride quite compares.

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