This went through my mind as I contemplated my July BAM. Recently, I'd been made aware of two Perthshire routes - Perthshiregrit (https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1125079?units=km), and Perthshiregravel.com. This was timely as they both picked up a few trails I'd been eyeing up for a while. I'd actually meant to do something like this way back in March but the lockdown scuppered this thoroughly. So this weekend I figured I'd head up there and see what was what. I had a few options in mind, as usual, and even bunged a route on the GPS, in a fit of organisation.
I loaded for a nominal three days which left the bike weighing a ton but meant I'd avoid crowded pubs, cafes and shops.
I went off route almost immediately as I wasn't in any rush and wanted to minimise road miles given that my route would involve a fair few. So instead of a rapid transit through to Auchterader I picked up a few Ochills trails including the ace Drove Road which goes down the west side of Glen Eagles. Thanks to the recent run of good weather, everything was back to being (nearly) dry.
North of Auchterarder there is a large network of great wee roads with varying levels of bugger all traffic. I cruised through these in hot sunshine. That said, there was a fair bit of cloud around, and contrary (yet again) to the forecast the wind was in the northwest and about twice the strength the beeb had suggested. My route took me over a ridge of hills north of the A85. About halfway up the climb was new trail number one. A good doubletrack over to the A822. This was easy going and gave fantastic views over the wide vale bordered by the Ochills and the main Perthshire massif.
Looking back to my beloved Ochills and the large area of flat land I'd crossed on various back roads.
View West to Ben Ledi in the Trossachs
It popped out by a golf course (in full flow once again, I ducked) and nearly opposite was the start of new trail number two - a shortish section of Wades Road to the Sma Glen. It was great - a lovely grassy double track that hadn't been churned up by farm vehicles. Wee tracks like this are becoming increasingly rare as most seem to have been upgraded to motorway standard for wind farms, power lines or stalking access. I sat in the sun eating a late lunch checking out the views:
East to the hills above Dundee
Looking into the Sma Glen
This trails pops out on the A822 which I followed for a couple of miles to the bridge over the river Almond. There were a fair few folk camped at the road side and down by the river with the usual fires and mess. So I burned past and turned off the road just over the bridge. This is a great route through a 15 mile long strath. It climbs steadily for about 10 miles, mostly on a smooth track with only the last couple of miles a bit rough; descending to Loch Tay on another good track. That was the good news. The bad news was the stiff north westerly wind being nicely funneled through the glen. Fortunately it was all within the range of my (one) gear so I was able to make good progress without killing myself. I was still pretty bushed by the time I got to the estate bothy at the top.
View back down. The bothy is unfortunately locked as the estate use it for shooting parties. It was open when I passed by a few years ago and very posh - sofas, beds and gas cooking (plus a lot of empty whisky bottles!)
A few large clouds had passed close by depositing a few sprinkles. Finally descending down to loch Tay it came on to rain in earnest. I kept on as it looked like it was short lived so I was rather damp when I hit the road for some blessedly easy tailwind pedaling to Kenmore, sunny once more.
Again I blazed straight through as there were lots of people around all enjoying the newly opened pubs. More new ground was the woods of Drummond Hill. I'd traced a route through the southern slopes to drop out on the Fortingall road. Despite having this in the GPS I still made two nav errors thanks to following my nose rather than the machine, the second leading to a wasted climb and descent (and back again). I actually think I'm better off without a plotted route for these rides as then I'll check the screen at every turn...
I hit the road eventually and it was decision time. I'd had a notion to keep heading north and west up Glen Lyon, over to Loch Rannoch and then onwards and upwards to Ben Alder. But the cloud to the north west look pretty black and I really didn't fancy another 10 mile grind into the wind. East looked much brighter so off I went on another wee road to Coshieville. Hmm now what. I was now off my route (hurrah!) and back to my more favoured method of bike riding which is to go where the mood takes me. I could continue east and head into the woods above Dull (a real place) or further east again to the woods above Pitlochry, scene of my face plant / skull smash crash in 1994. Or, climb up the road over to Rannoch but turn off on another track I'd eyed up pre ride.
Off I went, more stand up pedaling, my legs starting to feel it. It was now 6.45 so I was up for a stop at any likely looking spot. There were more road side campers where the track started. I sniggered to myself - their spot would be death by midges (and mozzies as it turned out). For me was another substantial climb up which I walked. Then off this wide track onto a vague, rough double track with little sign of use. Just what you need at the end of a long day and not only that I had the added bonus of gathering clouds behind me to add to the drama. Hmm, single speed limitations - it was hard work pedaling and I was off regularly where the track jumped up a steeper slope. On a geared bike I'd have been able to twiddle along in my granny gear with minimal effort. Hey ho.
I was looking for a turn off but in keeping with my ride so far rode past it focusing on the trail ahead. To be fair I'd read it was very vague but it would lead to an old shooting hut, now surrounded by woodland, that I had thought would make a nice cheeky bivvy spot. A quick check of the map indicated I could keep going (rather than back track for a mile) and join the same track where it emerged from the woods. So onwards, upwards and finally downwards I went, all on this great track. A few sprinkles of rain came through but it was clear that the big hills behind were holding the worst, justifying my reduced route. A bit more head scratching saw me pick up the track back into the woods but on crossing the gate, I looked about me and thought "this is a good bivvy spot" and stopped. It was near ideal, breezy enough to keep the midges at bay but sheltered from the worst of the wind. I actually pitched right on the track, such as it was, but I figured no-one would be passing as it was now 8.30. In fact it didn't look like anyone had been past for some time.
Isolation pitch.
I was knackered and very hungry having been riding for eight and a half hours and only eaten a cheese roll, crisps and a double biscuit. Annoyingly the wind was dropping so the midges came out. I'd actually forgotten my smidge but I was saved by my nano mesh mozzie tent which I'd chucked in at the last minute. It only weighs 60g's but it will cover a bivvy. I draped it over my head, tucked it under the bag and was able to cook and eat tea, read and drink whisky in relative comfort. But the mozzies got me again. As per the June BAM I wasn't aware of them until the next day when all these bumps appeared on my head.... At 10.30 I crashed out and fell asleep instantly.
Morning World
I woke to clear blue skies with the sun just under the horizon. Thereafter sleep came and went but not my usual solid eight hours despite the rigours of the previous day. Rain also came and went but when I eventually got going at 6.45 it was dry again. I had a leisurely breakfast and considered my options. I'd vaguely thought of doing another day and a night out but the weather looked less than inspiring. Plus I'd have to buy more food but lacked the mandatory face mask... South looked brighter so I figured out a run back home via more (hopefully) great trails.
First I tried to continue on the track to check out the shooting hut. But several increasingly boggy areas gave pause until one particularly bad one defeated me. I'd only got half a mile so gave up and back tracked to my route of the night before. There seemed to be tracks everywhere not marked on the map and a big track appeared heading back into Dull Wood and down the hill. I followed this to a junction and a sign announcing 'Path to Weem 3 miles'. As this is where I was heading why not - except there was nothing on the map.... It was fine and well way marked until I emerged on a large forest track above Weem with no indication of the direction. This track was also not on the map so I was now into the land of guess work. There then followed around 45 minutes of riding down bits of dead end bike trail still under construction, quad tracks (more dead ends) and forest tracks that lead to.... a dead end! Much climbing / re-climbing, huffing, puffing and swearing eventually got me back to where I started. I then went up the track but it turned back into the forest and away from Weem. One last chance on another bike trail lead me into a maze of trails, all a like. I've been here before (figuratively not literally) so it was with a sense of inevitability that I chose a trail at random knowing that it would be the steepest one of the lot. 10 minutes of arse over seat descending got me onto another bigger path and finally out onto the road. Muttering curses about signposting, Forestry Commisson and bike trail builders who build trails everywhere instead of a few clearly defined ones that are easy to follow, I pedaled quickly through Aberfeldy.
At least I knew where I was going now. A bit of riverside trail avoided the main road and then it was the long, long climb into Griffin Forest, heading over towards Dunkeld (15 miles, all off road). This is all easy going but a nice traverse across a large moor, forest and Windfarm with good views all around.
Looking west up the Tay valley, Schiehallion the pointy peak right of centre
At Rumbling bridge I crossed the main road and started another long climb up a trail I'd done in around 2004. I had no memory of it other than it had been very wet, being January. After the usual big farm track start it pealed off onto a fine grassy trail climbing easily up into a narrow defile. No leg buster, the gradient stayed steady to the summit, only a few small wet bits interrupting the flow.
The fab descent - this should be etched in my memory but I couldn't recall this bit at all from sixteen years ago! It popped out into a couple of fields (with cows but they were over the other side this morning) and then the road again down to Bankfoot.
More wee roads followed and a feeling of extreme hunger. I'd already had a second breakfast and a cup of sweet coffee in Griffin Forest so this wasn't usual. I'd been feeling pretty wabbit since Bankfoot so stopped in the edge of some woods and ate most of the rest of my stash whilst checking out the hills I'd been riding through, laid out before me. Must be all that singlespeeding! At a cross roads above the A9 was a 'Road ahead closed' sign. These seem to be plaguing my rides this year and after the navigational faffing so far, entirely typical. The alternatives were to cut west to my outward route or cut east but end up on the A9 itself (dual carriageway, no thanks). Of course I rode through the closure thinking I'd get through one way or another. As I approached the junction I noted lots of paving plant, lorries, rollers and the traffic in a contraflow. Bugger; I couldn't sneak through that lot as per my ride of the previous weekend. Salvation came in the form of another path sign pointing to Aberuthven where I knew I could pick up another back road to Dunning. First the old A9 (9m wide tarmac with large piles of manure stored on it) then a good gravel track, and then the crux.....
It was with a further sense of inevitability that I ploughed into the 'path' actually a 3m strip of dense vegetation with the vaguest of trampled line through it. Only 20 minutes but at one point I was actually brought to a halt by the tangle of plant life wrapped round legs and pedals. Further map appraisal suggested I could have avoided this with a loop of more farm track. Oh well, back on track again to Aberuthven, across the A9 and up to the Dunning Road. This lead to the last new trail of the route and (mostly) a good one. A few weeks previous I'd passed here on the road bike and noted a sign 'Path to Dunning Glen road via the Cat Road'. Intriguing and got to be worth a look.
Another fine piece of track. The route turned off this after a bit (well waymarked!) but it seemed to continue to more woods and possibly a way up onto the moor above me. Something to check out on another day. The only iffy bit was two barbed wire fences with stiles, not gates, unlike the rest of it. As I approached the Dunning road two roadies went past. Being on a single speed Jones plus with bags on, and being pretty wrecked I paid them no heed but after settling into to my pace on the climb I started slowly reeling them in. I nearly caught the guy at the back (they both had Dunfermline Cycling Club kit on so should be pretty handy) so maybe I'm fitter than I think. They did see me when taking their summit photos (!) but sped away on the descent where I was happy to freewheel. I had a few more trail options here but in the event stuck to the tarmac most of the way home joining my outward route at Crook of Devon.
70 miles today making 150 over two days, not bad going all in all. I'd bagged some great trails, nav errors notwithstanding, and spied a few more for future trips. The singlespeed had revealed a few limitations for the first time. Specifically at the end of a long day when you are faced with a climb requiring either max effort pedaling or a walk. Also a couple of trails that would have made for a nice easy granny gear twiddle were hard work on my one gear (32/21 so not tall). That said I started with around 3kg of food (and drink!) so with a more normal load out I'd probably be fine...
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