If you like beautiful scenery, solitude and a white-knuckle gravel descent, then the Burma Road near Aviemore is for you.
Located behind Aviemore in the northern Cairngorms is a well-known route called the Burma Road. It’s a great walking route, but also a favourite amongst gravel and mountain bikers. Get the lowdown here, and check out Mountain Biking in Scotland for more content.
Burma Road overview: well-connected gravel close to Aviemore
This is actually one of the best-known Cairngorms MTB routes, with links to a wide range of other local trails (eg: the Speyside Way and those at High Burnside). This popular trail rides well as a loop in either direction, usually incorporating Aviemore and/or Carrbridge. For a Burma Road loop tailored to you and your abilities, check out my Aviemore Mountain Bike day.
So, what’s it like to ride?
This XC (cross-country) route should be well within the capabilities of most fit beginner MTB to intermediate MTB riders with good basic MTB skills. There are a few small streams which are easy enough to ford or cross via stepping stones. The river Dulnain has a reputation for big flood events, but most of the year it is safely crossable via several good bridges. The most technical trail sections just involve short bits of rutted doubletrack. To my mind, it is instead the elevation and remoteness that riders should be most aware of.
Firstly, the high elevation means you have a spinnable, but tough gravel ascent, followed by a long, fast gravel descent (I got up to 47km/h last time!). The surface is OK, but the track does have off-camber corners and loose rocks. Second is the remoteness. Having started in the middle of Aviemore, you quickly end up at the bottom of the Burma Road behind an 800m-plus mountain. In an emergency, you might be faced with a very long wait and/or walk.
⚠️ This route enters remote, mountainous terrain with little or no phone reception. Carry enough spares, food and drink and repair and emergency kit. Ride well within your abilities. See What to wear for mountain biking and Mountain biking kit list for advice.
Burma Road route description (starting from Aviemore)
This is a route description for the Burma Road, riding clockwise from Aviemore. Why clockwise? Well, you get the lung-busting gravel climb out of the way first, followed by 15-or-so kilometres of gentle downhill to the village of Carrbridge.
Start at the Co-op carpark at Dalfaber. Turn right out of the carpark onto Frank Spaven Drive, then immediately on your left take a minor path. Follow this a short distance to cross Grampian Road and follow Old Meall Road opposite. Just before the road leads under the A9, go left and find your way onto the Aviemore Orbital Path. Follow this for about 1km to the Macdonald Highland Resort. Then follow the road round to rejoin Grampian Road, just opposite Aviemore Railway Station. Ride out of Aviemore on the B9152 for about 3km. Then turn or walk right at the junction onto the A9. Thankfully it’s only brief, as you immediately come off left at Lynwilg. Follow this minor road uphill for just over 1km. Look for a junction on the right, giving gated access to the Burma Road hill track. Ensure you shut the gate behind you (this is also a convenient starting point).
Route summary ➤
Name: Burma Road, Region: Northern Cairngorms, Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate, Route features: fords, steep ascent (gravel), steep descent (gravel), doubletrack, forest singletrack, public road, fire road, Total distance: 40km, Cumulative ascent: 911m, Nearest town/village: Aviemore, Route notes: Shorter loop starting and finishing in Aviemore.
Aviemore Mountain Bike day
Aviemore has fantastic mountain biking trails: join me on some classic mtb routes with spectacular views! Local hire, with routes matched to your abilities.
Steep gravel and mellow trails
Having left Aviemore behind, this is the beginning of the Burma Road proper. In front of you is about 4km of climbing, with about 430m of ascent. The surface is good, but strongly cambered corners, tight bends and one or two even steeper sections add to the challenge. The highest part of the Burma Road is at 690m on the northeast shoulder of Gael-Charn Mor – definitely a respectable altitude (and actually higher than the Cairngorm ski carpark!). Enjoy the view, rehydrate, refuel and get ready for the descent. The descent is about 5km down to the bridge over the River Dulnain at Caggan. You drop over 300m and the gravel track is fast and loose in places. Enjoy it and don’t fall off! Although Gael-charn Mor was high, this is the remotest part of the ride.
Descending along the Dulnain
Savor wide open views as you cruise alongside the River Dulnain on a pleasant mix of double and singletrack. After about 6km you reach a stand of regenerating native Scots pine forest. At this picturesque spot on Kinveachy Estate look for a small stone memorial – the ‘Archer’s Stone’. Follow well-signposted vehicle tracks for nearly 2km and then about 5km of mellow tarmac into the friendly village of Carrbridge. Here there is a wee shop, public loos and a welcome drink or snack at the cosy Cairn Hotel. In fact, Carrbridge is another convenient start/finish for the Burma Road loop, instead of Aviemore.
The original ‘Burma Road’ was a strategically important mountain road linking Burma (Myanmar) and southwest China. It was 717 miles long and built between 1937-1938 by 200,000 Burmese and Chinese labourers. The Cairngorms one is thought to have been built by POWs during the 1940s. Its topography was good training for British soldiers awaiting deployment to the real Burma road in the fight againt Japanese forces. These soldiers included members of ‘Force K6’ (Muslim Indians fighting for the British Army), 9 of whom are buried in nearby Kingussie cemetery.
Burma Road to Aviemore
There are several ways to continue round to Aviemore from here. The simplest is probably just over 3km along the B9153 , before diving up right into the pine forest. If you want to stay off-road, you will need to follow your nose along one of many unmarked forest tracks until you are heading back in the direction of High Burnside and Aviemore. Alternatively, you could extend the route via Boat of Garten and the Speyside Way adding about another 12km. Once you’re back in the forest, you’ve got about 7km of forest roads until you’re back at the High Burnside entry point in Aviemore. Of course, there’s a wealth of great riding here, but any singletrack laps at this point will depend on your energy levels! Once you arrive back near Patterson Place, you are close to the Aviemore Orbital path and your original start point.
The Burma Road is a really rewarding route and the fact that it connects so easily with the villages of Aviemore and Carrbridge is a bonus. Whether you’re riding or walking, enjoy the solitude before or after the big climb – you will have earned it!
Leading and coaching near Aviemore and beyond
