The Secret Howff

[Borderer]

A wee visit to the Secret Howff in the Cairngorms.

https://www.weirdosonbikes.com/2019/03/ ... ret-howff/

[Lazarus]

nice write up and pics as usual

what tyres is he running they look both very skinny and not much tread

[Borderer]

I am away at work just now for a couple of days and I can't remember! They are semi-slicks I think- very shallow bit of tread in the middle and knobbly bits on the outside. He hates the resistance from knobbly tyres, so these are a bit of a compromise. Not great in the wet, but fine on dry trails like these.

[ianfitz]

Looks like a great trip

It’s also on my list of places to find and stay at. I’ve got some ideas about the location but no clear directions as yet.

Looking forwards to a wee search at some point.

[Borderer]

Looking forwards to a wee search at some point.

It's definitely nine tenths of the fun. Let's hope that the location of it will continue to be respected in future. Even in adulthood a secret hideaway in the wilds is something pretty special.

[fatbikephil]

Well done for finding it. I spent a (fruitless) hour searchin for it based on a hot tip from a hill walker I met in the bothy near Newtonmore but looking at your pic, I wasn't even close. Next time I'll know what to look for!

[mountainposture]

That looks immense fun. Don’t get that far up very often at all but it looks to be well worth a special effort.

[Borderer]

Well done for finding it. I spent a (fruitless) hour searchin for it based on a hot tip from a hill walker I met in the bothy near Newtonmore but looking at your pic, I wasn't even close. Next time I'll know what to look for!

Yeah it's really not somewhere you will find unless you are in the right place.

That looks immense fun. Don’t get that far up very often at all but it looks to be well worth a special effort.

We pretty much drove up there for it. A bit mad but as you say, worth it.

nice write up and pics as usual

what tyres is he running they look both very skinny and not much tread

They are Conti Travel Contacts 1.75. So now you know.

[ScotRoutes]

If there was a site that lots of folk logged their rides to, and then the owners of that site published a map showing what were the most popular tracks, it might give away the position of some out-of-the-way places.

[Borderer]

I don't use that! And I was very careful to strip the GPS data out of the photos. Google added it all of its own accord :(

[ScotRoutes]

I don't use that! And I was very careful to strip the GPS data out of the photos. Google added it all of its own accord :(

it's the fact that other folk already have!

[Borderer]

Shhhh....

[fatbikephil]

My mate does know exactly where it is but I've told him not to tell me!

[Richpips]

It is pretty easy to find via the internet as Colin said. Though tbh the whole pretend secret society of bothies irks me a lot anyway.

I'd rather meet an interesting group of people from another country as we did once, rather than the bitter tool who'd being going to the same bothy for years another time.

[Loki]

A brilliant blog, thanks for sharing, another I will have to power read through in my lunch breaks.

[Borderer]

A brilliant blog, thanks for sharing, another I will have to power read through in my lunch breaks.

Thanks Loki, it's great to hear that people are reading it

[Mart]

Took me 20 years to find it - it was the days before the internet, and word of mouth and who you know was important factors
Eventually got there with the aid of some detective work. it was great fun. Finding it was all the more special

Its not so long ago that it had a new roof, so Im pleased its being looked after

[Borderer]

Took me 20 years to find it - it was the days before the internet, and word of mouth and who you know was important factors
Eventually got there with the aid of some detective work. it was great fun. Finding it was all the more special

Its not so long ago that it had a new roof, so Im pleased its being looked after

Well done for persevering. Yes the new roof means that it is totally watertight now, which makes all the difference.