Don't you just love sunny weather in Scotland. Its a rare enough event for anything more than a few days at a time so after several weeks with really not much rain, you then get the even rarer combination of sun and dry trails. Except its been like this for the last three springs so maybe the above is mince.... Of course this is likely to equate to yet another damp summer but we can't complain really.
Anyway, given the weather, a bike trip and bivvy was essential. The Highland Trail 550 group start was about to kick off so the obvious plan was to hit my favourite area for biking - Ben Alder - and shout encouragement at a few HT riders whilst I was on. (note - my user name on Bearbones is HTrider. This relates to a motorcycle I own and was originally coined on the UK trials forum so I stuck with it for the BB forum prior to any knowledge of the HT550. Hey ho...)
A drink induced late start put the kybosh on this and it wasn't until 5pm that I departed a very sunny Dalwhinnie. Pedalling down by loch Ericht is a fine way to warm up before the fun begins. There was a fair few bikes about - many loaded for either hill walking trips rather than bikepacking per se but always good to see.
I joined the HT route where the Ben Alder single track emerges by Loch Pattack. 2 riders were in view but I carried on as I suspected they wouldn't be interested in a random stranger cheering at them. In the event they shouted at me thinking I was doing the route and had gone off course. After a brief chat about the trails (dry), the weather (hot) I left them too it.
My route took my down by the Pattack then north towards Lochan na Earba. My plan was to ride until dark so I stopped here for tea sat by the loch shore.
It was warm, sunny and there were no midges, what more could you ask for. (OK a proper gourmet meal rather than a freeze dried effort....)
This is actually the old HT route and very fine it is. I climbed up through the forest past another micro hydro scheme, helping myself to a mostly used loo roll from their site toilet as I'd forgotten mine. Thereafter you climb up through Strath Ossian - one of those particularly special places to be on a bike as you are very much aware of the vastness of the landscape you are passing through.
Climbing up into Strath Ossian looking north east to Loch Lagan and Lochan na Earba.
The old HT route came through here via the Abhain Rath from Kinlochleven. The abhain rath section wasn't much fun but it did mean you had a continuous off-road section for nearly 50 miles without any hint of public road, possibly unique in the British isles.
As I passed the lodge and headed along loch Ossian, darkness was starting to fall and the air temps were dropping. I noted a figure in the distance pushing a bike. Hmm; odd, I thought. As I approached I noticed he was wearing a Bear bones bikepacking shirt. Recognition soon followed - Bob Wightman who I had shared many miles with on the previous years group start. His bike had a flat tire and he looked absolutely scunnered. Turns out he'd bashed a rim on a waterbar, split his only spare tube on a subsequent one and that was that. He'd exited the HT route via a short but gruesome glen linking the top of the bealach cumhahn to Loch Ossian, with the intention of getting a train from Ossian station. I gave him a tube so he could at least ride his bike the last few miles to the station and we chatted about the route, scratching and old age....
We parted at the YHA and I started the long but steady climb over the road to the isles southwards to Loch Rannoch. This used to be a famously boggy track but has now been upgraded to a fine gravel surface thanks to yet another hydro scheme.
Its a good one and a very useful benefit of such works as it opens up a fine off-road through route to a variety of bikes. In fact you can now get from Callander to Aviemore via this and other good tracks mostly off road with only back roads to link the trails up.
Looking west over Loch Ossian to Ben Nevis and the Mamores
Sunset at Corrour Old Lodge, looking over Rannoch Moor, Blackwater res and Glencoe
I'd thought of stopping at the ruined lodge (it was a hospice for TB sufferers) but it was quite breezy so I decided to keep on down into the valley bottom to find some shelter. A small island in the (low) river provided the perfect spot:
Looking south over Strath Rannoch to the hills above Bridge of Orchy.
I had a reasonable sleep although it was still quite breezy so the flapping tarp kept me awake for a while. I woke to clear blue sky's, had breakfast, packed up and headed off. I re-joined the Highland Trail route at Bridge of Gaur and climbed up through the woods towards Loch Ericht.
Looking west to my bivvy spot with Glencoe ski centre and the Stobb Ghabhar group behind.
The famously boggy section to Ben Alder cottage wasn't and the north easterly breeze kept me cool. At the cottage I bumped into a mate who was mentoring a Duke of Edinburgh Award group so we chatted whilst they went the wrong way up Ben Alder and then I headed off over the fabulous singletrack that is Bealach Cumhahn and dubh. No more HT riders ('cept me!) although it transpired that the chap I spoke to at the bottom of the hill was trying to do an ITT but gave up later that day and went back via the lower loop. The descent was a hoot and the easy roll out by the Ericht was a fine way to finish another great ride.
Mandatory Bealach Dubh shot looking south west to Loch Ossian.
In August 1983, I visited Edinburgh for the first time with Durham County Youth Orchestra. We were playing a set in the now defunct festival of British Youth Orchestras schedule held in the (now re-developed) Tolcross Theatre. As part of the trip we went to see the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra in the Usher Hall. The headline piece was Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.
Many people talk about the track or song that changed their lives. Usually its a Hendrix / Zeplin / Sabbath / Pistols / Maiden track. In my case it was this utterly stunning piece of music. I was 13. School sucked, bullying was hell and '80s pop was shite. This blew my mind to a place its never returned from.
Years later I was advised by my then Bassoon teacher to buy a study book of extremely hard bassoon solos. The ROS intro was one of them. Like any young guitar hero pretender I had a go and after much practice I got to a point where I could play it (badly). Years later I raised this bar to below average.....
By this time I was a convert. Stravinsky was on my regular playlist. I'd explored his whole back catalogue and was a firm fan. Every so often I returned to that mighty work. It got me through all sorts of times good and bad and I fantasised about destroying that intro.
Time rolls on. Stirling Orchestra was my outlet for all things classical and I was happy to do my bit as best as I could. Stravinsky seemed an impossible dream which I knew would never be realised. In the meantime I was mainlining Shostakovich and another study book was obtained to allow me to dabble in his mighty works.
This book provided an insight into another Stravinsky classic - the Bercuese in the Firebird Suit. I bashed away at it one evening in 2015 for no other reason than it was there. Little did I know that this was to become an obsession that dominated my life for months.....
2018. The programme for Stirling Orchestra was announced and how we laughed. Stravinsky's Firebird Suit no less. We all knew it was impossible (but we all knew the compulsive attraction of such an unbelievably hard piece). I wasn't even in the frame for the first Bassoon part so I didn't care (I did) but circumstances changed. Suddenly it was up to me.
An obsession developed into a full blown life changing fixation with this incredible piece of music. I put in the hours. I sweated blood. I could play it blindfold. The concert came.
I'm no stranger to Hr Max. You hit that hill, increase the pace steadily and revel in the feeling of your heart bouncing off its age related rev limiter. Hitting Hr Max whilst sitting still is a strange feeling. Apparently drug addicts do this every time they take a hit. Maybe that's why so many people have put themselves on the line for the sake of entertainment - hitting that high with no artificial additives, time after time.
As I played that solo, in front of my fellow orchestra members, my parents and a large number of strangers, my heart rate hit maximum, the adrenalin surged and.... it worked. It could have been better. It could have been worse. But I played that solo. We played Stravinsky.
5/5
Well I finally made it to a more exotic location for this one. It was also my warmest bivvy since January!
After a leisurely drive up the A9 to Blair Atholl (rush hour plus lots of tourists) I abandoned the heap and headed up Glen Tilt. The weather had been funny all day with intermittent showers of dreich and lots of cloud. It had looked sunny as I drove north but by the time I'd departed it was decidedly grey looking. Fortunately the stiff breeze was behind me so I made good progress up the glen, emerging at the top at around 8.30. A few spots presented themselves for stopping but I fancied a bit of shelter so pressed on until the ruins of Bynack Lodge. By this time it was so gloomy I'd had to take off my shades and sure enough as I pitched the tarp there was a faint hint of drizzle in the air.... In the event it was dry, warm and pleasant night.
The next morning there was no sign of the forecasted heatwave but as usual I was totally over dressed so no problems. Next up was the infamous geldie crossing. True to form it was somewhat deeper than expected all thanks to the large amount of snow still hanging around above 700m. This set the pattern for the weekend. Any burn or river that was fed above this height was fairly flowing.
I managed to ride it with only a dab at the end (on a rock so no wet feet) so was quite pleased. It didn't last as my route took me along to Linn of Quoich and I'd forgotten the bridge there now no longer crosses the river.... Of course the ford was deep enough to go over my (goretex) boots - I blame the Jones' low BB! I'd thought of doing Glen Gairn but the single track crosses the gairn itself twice as well as a couple of burns flowing off Ben Avon which would be high given the snow melt. Instead I ground up the big track out of Invercauld over to Glen Gairn as per the CL route. Just as I crested the summit an eagle soared away from me and circled for a while over the glen. Bombing down into Glen gairn confirmed my choice - the Gairn was high and you could see the burns flowing off Ben Avon as white torrents.
I had an early lunch at Loch builg lodge wondering how the CL group starters were getting on. The sun was now beating down and I had a strong tailwind. The firestation café in Tomintoul provided lunch no. 2. I was heading for my friends place near Aberlour but instead of an easy cruise down the road I turned off on a trail into the Braes of Glenlivet and then after a bit of navigational faffing picked up a track from Ladder foot into the top end of Glenlivet itself. I stopped to check out what I'd thought was a bothy and was pleased to find it was, albeit a bit run down and home to a rather annoyed crow.
Then it was up the climb and over into Glenfiddich. I was down to shorts and T shirt now as it was properly roasting. The descent is fast and with the tailwind was easy. I stopped at the spookily empty Glenfiddich lodge and contemplated a nosy inside but a truck turned up so I just took a photo instead:
Very weird - there is still furniture inside and its all just been left. the landowner isn't interested in selling it so is just leaving it to fall into ruin...
After the lodge I ground up another big climb which gave stunning views all round and lead to a nice descent on a rough, vague farm track, something that seems to be increasingly rare with all the wind farm developments everywhere.
Thereafter it was a brief road ride to Aberlour and the Speyside way to my pals place for beer, food and chat. I did actually bivvy on their floor but I'll not try to claim it!
The next day started fairly calm so I got away at 10 with a vague plan to head for Aviemore then down the Gaick back to Blair Atholl. I'd considered including Ben alder in the proceedings but this would have meant another night out and I really needed to be back home that evening. After Bridge of Avon I picked up the CL loop but didn't meet any group start riders until the river before the egg path. A couple of guys were crossing the other way having bivvied that night in Rothiemurchus. Good progress guys! I missed out Ryvoan as I needed supplies and the paths around Glenmore would be crowded as would the cafe. So I followed the CL route backwards to Aviemore had chips from the happy haggis, grabbed scran at the garage and got going with a notion that I'd get back to the car by 6 or so.
The wind had other ideas. I'd noted that it had strengthened as the morning progressed. Turning south west down the spey valley confirmed my worst fears - it was right in my face. What roadies call a 'block headwind' which is rich considering that an aero road bike is barely affected by headwinds, at least compared to a large 29+ with bags on it!
I diverted off the road at Feshie Bridge to pick up the CL outward route which gave some respite in the woods but when I started the long climb up Glen Tromie I knew it was going to be a slow one.
Headwind Karma - I've been pretty lucky of late with no major headwind issues for a number of years and lots of trips (including both Highland Trails I've done) whereby some random wind changes have served me well. So I guess this was payback and given the stunning weather I couldn't really complain. It was just a case of get your head down and dig in. To the head of the pass took a long, long time and any thought of getting back to the car by 6 went out the window.
I'm fairly relaxed about such things these days whereas once upon a time this relentless blast in my face would have had me cursing and swearing. The wind cares not a jot for such outpourings and you are better saving your energy for pedalling.
I got a shock when I came upon the river flowing out of Loch an Duin - it was in full flow and well over a foot deep. I've never seen this river as deep as this, even in pretty wet weather. Having narrowly escaped a dunking in the Alt Garbh Gaig (fat tyres are ace for river crossings) I wasn't taking any chances so took shoes and socks off and paddled across.
Escaping the Gaik
A final feed to fuel all this hard pedalling was had in the sun whilst my feet dried; then it was off along the single track. Being in the lee of the slope I finally got a break from the wind and after the usual faff to get from the single track to the track by the lodge, bombed down the glen to the road. Fortunately the road / cycleway to Blair Atholl runs almost due west at this point so I finished with an easy pedal and a strong tailwind, getting back to the car at 7 less than an hour after my estimate which wasn't bad considering the wind. Total distance 280k with around 4000m of climbing.
