I do like a tour and try to do one every year. This one would take me from home up through Perthshire and Angus to the vast back road network of Aberdeenshire. Then I'd check out some Moray Coastline, drop by my friends place in lower Speyside and then tootle my way home via some suitable route and a fine shed I discovered a couple of years ago. I'd meant to start on Sunday but fear of lots of shops being shut on Monday thanks to Queenies appointment with boot hill lead me to delay until Monday. When touring I want to stop at as many eating and drinking establishments as possible!
The weather forecast was all over the place as usual with the Beeb showing white cloud and 12% chance of rain across most of Scotland - i.e they hadn't got a clue what the weather would do. So I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to sunshine. Rather a lot of faffing ensued so I didn't hit the road until after 11. Then I remembered I'd not put the OS mapping for the north of Scotland on the new gadget so had to turn back after a mile or so and faff with that. (Cue Reg rolling his eyes but if I'd carried paper maps I'd have added 2kg's to my load and would need another bag!)
By the banks of the Silvery Tay (again - I've been over and passed this mighty river many times this year) Straggler in touring mode.
There then followed a few hours of meandering northeast-ish along various minor roads. The GPS is a good thing for this as navigating by map would have taken ages - I wasn't in a rush but it was about 100 miles to my nights accommodation so I was for making steady but un-interrupted progress. Of course the weather soon departed from the forecast, quelle surprise, as vast rain clouds started to appear and interject themselves in my path. Amazingly I missed the lot, catching only a few sprinkles and often riding on roads that were awash from a recently departed deluge. This is probably setting me up for some horrible weather in the future (BB300?) but it may simply be the reward for dealing with so much horrible weather in years past...
Eventually I reached Fettercairn and actually got caught in some light but steady drizzle, typical given what was to come. Which was the (in)famous Cairn O'Mounth road from Fettercairn to Banchory. I'd last ridden this in 2011, actually on the day King mark 2 and his bird got married so quite fitting really. Having got up the Cairnwell in June on the Strag SS I had the bit between my teeth but it's actually steeper - 14% in places. But a much nicer climb being more of the twisty, turny variety, rather than a relentless grind up a straight road. And up it I got! I also noted much on road graffiti (keep going! No Pain No Gain! allez! etc) which seems to be a feature of such hills these days. This one is now advertised as being part of a series around Aberdeenshire - there are signs at the top and bottom with gradient etc. so I guess that's why. Cue more hand ringing by the anti cycling brigade.
Somewhat gloomy but the rain was now off and the cloud clearing
I bombed the descent and turned left off the road (77kph, 80 still alludes me), Char Bothy my destination. There was a car parked at the track end so I figured on at least one other occupant and hatched various plan B's given the drying weather and the possibility of the other occupant being a weirdo. But a stop at a burn for water revealed a cloud of mozzies! Bothy or bust then...
In the event it was unoccupied so a pleasant evening was spent reading and sipping some fine Speyside whisky.
Quite salubrious although no fire which is why I suspect it sees little overnight use. The visitor book showed lots of day visits but only a few over nighters, including the MBA who had been in a couple of nights previous.
The next morning dawned sunny so I packed up and high-tailed it to Banchory for a large fried breakfast (and the loo.) There then followed a lengthy ride through rural Aberdeenshire on pretty much all empty 'U' roads.
Mither Tap - these pointy ex volcanoes are littered across the land hereabouts. The rest is rich rolling farm land with oddly named hamlets at regular intervals - Echt, Monymusk, Durno, Inverythan (Ythan wells is nearby both on the River Ythan. I think there may be some welsh link to these names but it escapes me) being but a few. Mither Tap was in the middle of two blocks of forestry which I had plotted routes through. I missed the first as it was a bit convoluted and time was rolling on but the second was tackled as it cut a corner off. Of course the map-indicated double track turned out to be a two miles of rocky singletrack climbing at 10% or more. I'm sick of hearing all these twerps asking 'can you ride a gravel bike on this trail' Don't ask just try it and see what happens! Of course being singlespeed makes it much easier as you just get off an push
By the time I reached Turrif I was feeling somewhat weary. Despite the easy terrain, it was a constant series of ups and downs - all very low but the vertical profile looked like a cardiogram of me on the Cairn O'Mount last night! Turrif revealed itself as a small but slightly faded town with a fine bakers shop that provided a much needed late lunch. The oil industry in nearby Aberdeen has led to much wealth in this area but it's on it's uppers these days and it's starting to show. Goodness knows what it's future is given that the oil and gas industry, once seen as the saviour of the economy, is now seen as a pariah to the environment and so doomed... We'll see. I suspect pragmatism will of necessity creep back in so Aberdeen may have a couple more generations of industry.
From Turrif I followed NCN 1 north to Banff on the Moray Coast. I lingered on the prom for a bit watching the sea and on a whim decided to abandon my route through more rolling countryside to Fochabers and instead follow the coast west to some suitable point for a kip
On NCN 1 looking back to Cullen. NCN1 is actually a great route along here - it follows a mix of off road cycleways along the seafront, longish sections of old railway line and mainly empty back roads. Riding along the coast was extremely pleasant. A lot of the route follows the old railway line - one bit after Cullen is getting a wee bit rough but but mostly its great fun and easy going. After miles of rich farmland, the Highlands re-established themselves with views north to the Caithness hills revealed - one day I'll keep on North through here. Buckie provided chips and supplies for the rest of the evening and then it was more back roads to this rather fine old railway bridge over the river Spey:
This would have made a good bivvy spot (by the river not on the bridge!) but it was still a bit early. NCN1 is mainly well signed but some of the distances indicated were a lot longer than what my failing memory had thought. I could have headed up the Speyside way from here to within a shout of my pals place but decided to keep on east, Culbin forest my thought for a bivvy. But a sign to Elgin at 14 miles and Forres 28 knocked that idea back. I was becoming aware that I'd been on the go for a fair old time so plan B was needed. Roseisle forest, not far out of Elgin was the answer and should be good for a dry and sheltered spot.
Darkness fell on the approach to Elgin and a pleasant surprise was the new cycleway that traced a line along the north side of the town, instead of a convoluted route through it that my old OS mapping was showing. There were actually a fair few nocturnal dog walkers along here but someone had installed illuminated road studs at intervals along the route. As I approached they came to life and the peds knew I was coming and scattered (joke.) Finally, after a few more miles of back road I hit the woods and nosed around for a spot. I wanted to keep away from the car park and loo but I was feeling pretty weary by now so didn't want to go too far but having been through here on the fatty a few times I knew the lie of the land. My biggest worry was storm Arwen destruction but there was surprisingly little - odd given its exposed location. I headed for the shore line and found a perfect sheltered hollow. Better yet the sound of waves coming in 50 meters away would be most relaxing. It was now 9.30pm and I'd done 120 miles. The tarp went up in lightening fast time as I feared the winged menaces would be present, but apart from a few moths and other unidentified flying things there was nothing of the biting kind. I sipped some whisky, reflected on a fine day and then bang! Out like a light.
The next morning - sunny again. Typically it had clagged in the previous evening and I'd been in fear of a wet bivvy. In the event I'd got set up dry. A heavy shower had come through later on and the wind did indeed get up at first light, disturbing my repose. I had also been shocked out of a doze by a bright light shining around (at 5am!) I feared night time nutters or poachers but it looked like someone with a head torch going along the nearby coastal path - probably an army type commuting to the nearby Kinloss base.
If I'd waited half an hour I could have had breakfast at the burger bar that is a permanent feature in the car park. Instead I pedaled off into the breeze thinking I'd get to Forres before breakfast. Much fried food fueled me for an easy run over the hill to Knockando on the Spey and a trundle up the railway path / Speyside way to Blacksboat.
A pleasant afternoon and evening followed with friends. It was somewhat wet the next morning but it cleared by the time I was ready for the off. No drama today, just a leisurely run along to Grantown and Nethy bridge for more food, then over Ryvoan to Glenmore
Coffee and more food at the Glenmore Cafe then the entertaining blast down the logging road to Coylumbridge. I'd meant to pick up the speyside way from here but forgot... Oh well, the back road to Insh was quiet and I did the last bit on the 'way to Kingussie. More delays here as I called into Bothy bikes for a catch up with Dave who seems to be enjoying his new locus. A fair few paying customers came and went so it's good to see things are still going well after the pandemic rush for bikes. Yet more food from the Newtonmore co-op preceded further easy pedaling down the A9 cycle route. I caught the tail end of a few showers down here and looking back north revealed many just missed black clouds - I've never had such luck with the weather. Sorry fellow BB200/300 riders, it's going to be a shocker....
I reached the turn off to Trinafore as dusk was falling, hoofed it up the climb with ease, my digs not too far away. It's a good spot being not too far off the road and fairly easy to get to. Unlike my last visit all was clear around so I could have tarped it in the woods but I was after an easy time. More food, and 'Goose Island' IPA ended a fine days ride.
Compact but comfy and quite warm.
Location on application!
'Twas quite misty at first which enabled a stealthy escape but the fog was lifting all around as I passed through Tummel Bridge and up another lengthy climb over to the Tay valley. The cafe at the top of the hill provided Carrot cake and coffee for breakfast - they don't serve anything savoury so needs must. I grabbed a few more snacks then set off into the strengthening sun. Next up was the famously huge climb out of Kenmore. I've not been over this for....30 years?? not far off. I was pleased to get up most of it with only the double arrow section pushed... Near the top a rider was coming the other way. I looked up at him between gasps and realised I recognised him - actually one of four of us that crammed into the breeze block hut next to the Pennine Bridleway above Widdale Head on the 2016 YD300. I even recalled his name (David) - one of the Highland crew who did the route that year. Not bad given my memory these days and very odd really as he shot past so I only had a brief glance and he was gone before I could hail him.
Last view of the hills.
My only bit of (empty) A road bashing took me to the Sma Glen and then home via more wee roads and yet another passage over the Dunning road climb!
Total distance was just over 400 miles. The bike was flawless and I'm really into single speed touring now - it can be hard work on the hills but it makes for very easy riding on the flat and much freewheeling on the many descents. BB300 next!
