Right, I'm back from my recon of Dunkeld some good - some very bad.
the Good - There is very little mud - it is all still very frozen up there....
I tried to find the route around past the caves, but failed epicly
I did find a nice single track climb that would make a fantastic decent but it is pretty hairy with a sheer drop on one side. This was rideable but traction was poor (pine needle surface on frozen ground) so I did walk a fair bit.
I did enjoy this section but 15 of us riding it might make a long thin line with many bottlenecks. It might be better in the summer.
The Bad - alot of it wasn't fun...
The route we normally take up to the mill pond is thick sheet ice with water on top, all the way from the car park up to the end of the pond.
I came down this way and it took me almost an hour to do what would normally be a 10-15 minute ride. It is unrideable in either direction because of the ice, most would say unwalkable.
I was told by walkers that upwards from the mill pond is better and the ice is simply patchy there - (I'm guessing like normal)
Apparently it is better on the other side of the pond (our usual decent) but it does rule out that particular short cut back to the car park - I was hardly able to cycle any of it and I fell over twice whilst walking, and dropped the bike as it slid away on the ice more than once. Icetyres would be advised.
Comments on a postcard please - if we get a warm week there could be enough of a thaw to make it fun - it seems all the problems lie in the north facing slopes as usual. I can post pics later of the routes I found - once I find my camera's USB cable.
