Why? Because I've done it for many years. And I love it. I love throwing some stuff on your bike, getting on it and pedaling off into the scenery, no care in the world and no travel stress that seems to be an accepted part of most peoples holidays. You might bivvy or camp, bothy, bunkhouse or hotel, its all travelling on your bike and seeing the world away from the mainstream of life and tourism.
July 2016. I had a week off work and a desire to head for the hills. It had been a funny old year. In March I'd properly done my back in which had scuppered my Highland Trail attempt for this year and dominated my life ever after. I'd managed the YD300, but only due to a previously unknown tolerance to pain. The weather was looking rubbish but I just needed to get away from work so road touring seemed to be the solution.
Fair to say the start wasn't good. I woke to low cloud and rain. I'd booked digs in Ballater so felt compelled to get on with it. As usual my plans had been fluid until the day before but east, as usual, seemed best so I aimed for Ballater on this basis, north east from home with a forecast south westerly wind. Except it was clearly an easterly. WTF? the weather forecasts had been particularly bad this year but getting the wind direction 180 degrees out was a first. Nothing for it but to get the waterproofs on and get going.
To Ballater from home is a good 95 miles but I had all day so made steady progress to Perth in the drizzle. The wind got lighter as I headed north so didn't hinder me much. From Perth its the A93. I missed a section by using a bit of back road before Blairgowrie and there is a section of the old road just after here which is still just about passable. But mostly I was on the A93 although it was pretty quiet thanks to the weather. Its quite a climb. Perth is at sea level and you climb steadily to Blairgowrie. After that its a series of shortish ups and the odd down but all the while you are gaining height over the 30k to the Spittal of Glenshee. From here its a steady pull up the glen finishing with the infamous Cairnwell road. I've been up this a few times over the years and felt that today, given my current fitness, it should be straightforward. Its not. The final climb is a steady grade which isn't super steep but goes on for a lot longer than it looks. Finally staggering into the cafe at the ski centre was a relief and I was happy to sit and drink tea and eat cake knowing it was downhill all the way to Ballater.
It was sort of dry but the dreich kept coming in. The wind had swung west finally so at least it was all behind me. There is a fine wee road into Braemar then it was a last few k of the A93 before turning off road at last through QE2's land at Balmoral. This is a smooth and easy track and very pleasant after all that road bashing. It joins the back road down Deeside at Balmoral itself but this road was empty. I finally got to Ballater at 6 some 8 hrs after starting. The bunkhouse was quiet but the useless warden had put us all in one room (presumably to save on cleaning) leading me to further mutterings about dorms. Still; I had a large feed, a few nice ales in the Alexandra hotel and a good nights sleep.
Day 2 started somewhat murky. It was just about dry as I headed east on the Deeside way but it was clear the rain was coming. My route, worked out the night before, took me north east out of Deeside at Muir of Dinet and along a network of back roads through Tarland and over into Donside. This was all new to me. The terrain is hugely different from Deeside and the Cairngorms - all pleasant rolling farmland, forestry and just the occasional higher bump to remind you that Britain's biggest mountain range is just behind you. Next up was a steady climb over to Cabrach, another new place, then a long descent on yet another empty A road. I picked up a fab singletracker at Bridgend which went on for many descending miles finally dumping me in Keith. If you are reading this and wish too follow - check out the OS. Its all fairly obvious and there are many other alternatives.
By this time the on and off again drizzle had settled to a steady rain leading to and extended cafe stop in Keith to warm up and dry off. Pre ride research indicated a bunkhouse in Cullen that got good reviews so I figured this was my best bet. More dormitories.... I got my head down and pedaled through the rain, arriving at about 5. After a bit of wandering around I found the bunkhouse and after a bit of fiddling found the owner and booked in. There was a group in cycling NCN 1 west to east to Aberdeen who were chatty and somewhat appalled by the distances I was doing compared to their more leisurely approach with lots of cafe stops and easy days. Still, its all touring.
Cullen Harbour
Tea was fish and chips but none of the pubs seemed to be that welcoming looking so I settled a for a few bottles from the co-op in the bunkhouse. This was indeed a good one with each bed in the open plan room curtained off for privacy - genius!
The weather had cleared up the previous evening but day 3 dawned grey and cool. I was heading west on NCN 1 which would be off road for a fair bit before following more back roads. I managed to avoid putting on waterproofs but it was quite damp at times and cold for a July day. I could feel my motivation ebbing by the minute and even after it finally dried up a bit my mood didn't lift as I now had a stiff headwind to cope with.
Fine old railway bridge over the Spey on NCN 1
I'd actually thought of trying to head up to the far north (again!) but this was likely to take a few big days up and back in what was looking like crap weather. It didn't help when I turned off NCN 1 to miss out Elgin only to find myself on quite a busy road. I got back onto NCN 1 eventually but a new plan was needed.
Forres provided a much needed cafe - one of those old fashioned ones where none of the clientele are under 70 but its cheap. I sat drinking tea and eating cake whilst thinking and looking at the map. North was definitely not happening, I wanted an easy time. In the end I settled on Tomintoul as a destination via my route of the previous year.
Turning south meant a tailwind, clearing weather and much lifted spirits. Suddenly I was back into that state of total relaxation that cycle touring brings on. Easy pedaling, benign weather and no need for thinking, just look at the ever changing scenery with brain in neutral..... Given the rain that had fallen I missed the Speyside way out and was soon on the steady climb up to Tomintoul. The hostel was nearly empty so I settled in for a pleasantly quiet evening with a few beers at the pub to help me sleep. The best plans are those that can be changed on a whim.
Next morning was actually quite pleasant so after breakfast in the Firestation cafe I traced the usual Glen Brown / Dorback route to the road, then missed the Egg path to go to Nethy Bridge the easy way, being on the Fargo. That said I figured that Ryvoan pass was in scope so headed over to Glen more, the fargo easily tackling this great through route. Glen More cafe provided beers as usual, then for a change added a few more miles doing the Sluggan pass to Boat of Garten and the NCN south into Aviemore. More socialising in Aviemore with R&I followed. Tomorrow would be south in earnest.
Fargo's turn to get photographed in Glen Brown. Drying socks due to an incorrect river crossing...
The top of Ryvoan. Now quite smooth mostly so ideal for the fargo.
I had a leisurely cruise down the NCN, done today in the face of yet another weather deterioration. This time I turned west on the wee road to Lagan, a quick buzz down the A86 then off road past Ardverickie and the Loch Lagan track, the sun out again. I'd contemplated the East Highland Way but given how wet its been felt this would be a bit of a mission on the fargo so hit the road at Fersit and bombed down the hill to Roybridge.
Loch Lagan in some rare sunshine
Despite being an old hand at Scottish Weather, the speed at which rain clouds can jump on you still catches me out. One minute blue sky, next minute black sky, next minute deluge. I jumped into my waterproofs sharpish but even in the brief run to Spean Bridge and the cafe, my gloves and over trousers failed.... Still I was in no rush so languished in the cafe until the rain passed and I'd dried off. The A82 is gruesome to Fort Bill so I hoofed it up the footway to the Commando memorial, down the back road to Gairlochy and onto the Canal towpath instead.
At the Commando memorial looking South to the hills above Loch Eil.
Annoyingly I'd just missed the wee ferry to Camusnagaul so had to do the A82 after all, and on my least favourite bit, regardless of mode of transport. It was also as much a rush hour as you get in the Highlands so busier than expected with the usual twits who entirely fail to pass a cyclist either safely, or in the case of one person, at all. Thankfully at the Corran Ferry there is now a cycleway of sorts to Ballachullish. Its basically the footway with some widened bits but still infinitely better than the road. At Ballachlish I did think about continuing down NCN 78 but I was running out of time and without a couple of big days I'd be tight to get home for a weekend commitment.
So I continued east to Glencoe, grabbed supplies in the shop and headed for the red squirrel campsite.
Anyone who knows this rather scuzzy site will know its death by midges. In the vain hope of avoiding them I pitched right by the river just out of the trees where there did seem to be a bit of a breeze. Others were wandering around in head nets so I knew this was optimism in its most extreme form.
Finally pitched the tent!
And (wait for it) no midges. The neighbours were getting eaten alive, just under the trees. I had a gentle but constant breeze which did indeed keep them away allowing a pleasant evening eating food, drinking beers (no Clachaig this trip!) and relaxing after a 94 mile day.
So the plan was to ride all the way home. There are various trails you can follow up Glencoe but they are a bit rough for the fargo so the plan was to get up sharp and get over Rannoch Moor to Loch tulla before the traffic kicked off. 7.30am saw me leave the campsite sharpish as the breeze was gone and the biting menaces were there. Sure enough the road was quiet until I was heading down past the ski centre. In hindsight I should have done the West Highland Way but instead at Loch tulla I turned off on a track which follows the north shore of the loch. I then followed the WHW from Bridge of Orchy to Tyndrum excepting one wee bit to miss out the hike a bike under the railway line. After the usual cake stop in Tyndrum I bashed on along the main road for 10 miles. This was a bit crap to be honest but the WHW is horrible over this section.
I finally ditched the A82 a few miles before Lix Toll to pick up a back road to Killin. Thereafter it was the usual route home - NCN 7 to Callander and then more back roads and the odd bit of cycleway. Home for 4.30, 107 miles done. In total I'd done just shy of 500 miles in 6 days of pedaling. Not bad all in all but a bit of a thrash given I was meant to be relaxing. Iffy weather tends to make me push on a lot more than if it was sunny. One day I'll do a dry cycle tour!
