Cycling/Camping Cairngorms/Grampians : Cairngorm Mountain – Tomintoul was the third day of a five day cycling trip around the Cairngorm and Grampian mountains.
The trip took place between Mon. 4 Sep. 2023 and Fri. 13 Sep. 2023.
I cycled this route on Wed. 6 Sep. 2023.
In all my previous cycling tours in Scotland, prior to the camping tour I did in Skye in June 2023, I had used hotels and B & B’s as a place to stay at night time.
However, I enjoyed the camping tour in Skye so I decided to continue with the camping for this tour.
Therefore I had planned the route to cycle from campsite to campsite around the Cairngorm and Grampian mountains..
Cycling/Camping Cairngorms/Grampians : Cairngorm Mountain - Tomintoul
- Route Map
Cycling/Camping Cairngorms/Grampians : Cairngorm Mountain - Tomintoul
- My Timings & Distances
Left Gartmore campsite 10.30 / Nethy Bridge 11.55 (14.24) / Cafe 12.00 – 12.45 / Left Nethy Bridge 1.00 / Tomintoul village 2.50 – 3.05 / Glenlivet Estate Office 3.10 / Wild campsite 3.15 (27.97) / Pitched tent 3.25 – 3.40 / Tea & choc bar 3.55 – 4.20 / Inflated ground mat & pillow, unpacked sleeping bag & organised bags to 4.55 / Cycled back down to village 5.05 – 5.10 / Meal at hotel 5.30 – 6.50 / Back at tent 7.05 (29.04).
Cycling/Camping Cairngorms/Grampians : Cairngorm Mountain - Tomintoul
- Log
I took my time getting ready this morning as my e-bike battery, my iPhone & my power bank for the phone were all at reception getting charged. The reception didn’t open until 9.00 a.m.and I wanted to allow an hour for charging as they all needed it. Also, I had planned to be wild camping at Tomintoul tonight so there will be no charging facilities there.
I therefore got up a bit later and had a shower. I then took my time with breakfast and with dismantling the tent & packing my bags, etc. Consequently I didn’t leave the campsite until 10.30 a.m.
Cairngorm Mountain - Nethy Bridge
When I started cycling I didn’t feel too bad after a good night’s sleep and a shower this morning. I was still a bit tired, but not nearly as bad as I was yesterday.
The route was a bit hilly but not too bad at first, although there was a 13% hill at one point.
I continued cycling until I reached the village of Nethy Bridge.
At Nethy Bridge I went into the cafe just over the bridge for lunch, which was good.
Nethy Bridge - Tomintoul
After lunch there was a stiff climb from the back road from Nethy Bridge to the A939 road.
I continued cycling along and eventually crossed over into the local council area of Moray.
Further on, just past Bridge of Brown, there was a 20% climb. This led to a long series of hills and some hairpin bends.
I used the first and second levels of assistance from the electric motor on my e-bike at first to get me up the hills. Then I had to use the third level of assistance quite often.
I continued following the A939 road until I reached the village of Tomintoul.
Cycling/Camping Cairngorms/Grampians : Cairngorm Mountain - Tomintoul
- Tomintoul
Tomintoul is quite a busy tourist village with shops, hotels and restaurants around the village square and along the main road.
There were tables shaded by umbrellas on the grassy village square outside one of the restaurants.
I had arrived at Tomintoul nice and early at 2.50 p.m., as planned.
I went to the Village Store for some supplies and then went to another shop for sun cream, as I had run out of both.
Glenlivet Estate
Afterwards I cycled along to the end of the Main Street to the Glenlivet Estate Office, where I had planned to wild camp tonight.
When planning the trip I hadn’t found any official campsites nearby Tomintoul, but I discovered that the Glenlivet Estate had several designated wild camp spots throughout the estate, a couple of which were at the estate office in Tomintoul.
A map outlining the wild camping spots in the Glenlivet Estate can be accessed here.
I went into the estate office and spoke to the warden. It turned out that camping on the level grassy area right next to the estate office is no longer allowed due to complaints from neighbours.
Instead, the warden took me a few hundred yards up the road to woods where there were two designated camping spots.
The two spots were adjacent to a public path going through the woods. The second spot was further up and it was on an uneven slope with rough ground so wasn’t at all suitable for camping. The warden admitted that further work needed to be done on it.
I therefore went back to the first spot which was fairly level and flat, although it was underneath trees and got no sunlight, but it was okay. I had to clear cones that had fallen from the trees off the grass before I pitched my tent.
Camp Spot
Once I had pitched my tent and organised my bags, etc. it wasn’t too bad.
As it was still early in the afternoon, after I pitched my tent I had tea and a choc bar and sat and read a book on my iPhone for a while.
Then I inflated my mattress & pillow, unpacked my sleeping bag and organised my bags.
Later on I cycled back down to the village and cycled around looking at eating places. I eventually settled on the Square Hotel where I had a nice meal of mushroom soup and grilled salmon.
On the road back up to the woods I stopped at the estate office and filled up my water bottles. The warden had advised me that I could do this.
When I got back to the camp spot it was very dark due to the trees and it was a bit cold, but it was okay.