Still no Cairngorm trip this month as it was looking like winter would be having another go up there this weekend. So instead I went with another tour of the fair Kingdom of Fife. Last August I did the southern bit of the coastal path out (well about half of it) and an inland route back. This time I went with the Northern section using a route I'd plotted a couple of years ago but never ridden in its entirety. Basically due north to the hills, turn right, keep going until you run out of land - about 100k - then back by the Pilgrims way - a further 100k!
This is what you are up against: rolling hills with a mix of forestry, natural woodland and farmland. The clear blue sky took a while to appear as I set out into gathering clouds and got rained on within 5 minutes of departure.... I then narrowly missed several downpours, only catching a few sprinkles before it finally cleared. I progressed East, reveling in riding fine (and dry) trails in the sunshine. There was a stiff easterly breeze but this would give me a helpful shove homewards the next day.
A particularly fine bit of trail along the Tay coast - all very easy but lots of twists, turns and occasional tree roots make it much fun.
The silvery Tay....
Shortly after this I hit the chippy at Newport which is a cracker - a fish tea was consumed sat in the evening sun. The Co-op provided supplies for later and the next day; and then it was the final easy miles along the coast to Tentsmuir forest. Now the last time I bivvied here I got savaged by mosquitos and had a truly horrible night. I knew it was far too cold for them today so bivvy spot finding involved scoping out the first likely spot and pitching up, guaranteed bug free. It's all pretty level and you can choose between grassy hillside, dense sitka or spaced out pine, depending on the weather. I went with a sheltered spot by a fire break in the hope I'd get some sun the next morning.
Bivvy set up take 1. I had a very pleasant evening sipping beer and reading, whilst listening to various nightly noises, then turned in, confident that it would be a dry night so no need for the tarp...
Last September on the last night of my Mounth tour, I was similarly ensconced in a wood near Pitlochry. At one point I dreamed it was raining and woke with a start, only to see stars overhead. So I was somewhat shocked this night to have a dream that it was raining, only to wake up to find it was.... raining!
Fortunately my tarp was handy so I grabbed head torch, unzipped (totally non-waterproof) bivvy bag, ripped out the tarp and spread it over me and then dragged on jacket and boots, got out and got the tarp up in record time. Phew, I laid back in my slightly damp bivvy and relaxed once more. Then the rain went off....
Bivvy set up take 2 - it did actually rain a bit more a couple of times so that will teach me to believe a weather forecast! The dawn chorus was deafening but I snoozed some more and then had a leisurely breakfast before departing into the sun.
And came across this - a couple of static caravans which looked like the usual hippy / off grid set up, but with a load of female mannikins posed around the place wearing various evening dress....Odd.
As I departed the forest, darker clouds were around, so I went with a fairly direct route home through the Howe of Fife via various easy tracks and back roads (and the Greggs at Cupar for breakfast part 2), finishing with an assault on the Lomond hills (after breakfast part 3 from the bakers in Falkland), which I've not ridden for ages, thanks to the horrible weather. Today, my bike ended up covered in dust! At one point I was hailed a by a chap on a rigid singlespeed who recognised my bike from Bikepacking.com's 'Bikes of the Highland Trail' no-one ever recognises me, just my weird bolide....
More sunshine over Loch Leven and the Ochills. That little lot came to 200k so I'm well pleased as my bike riding has been a bit hit or miss this year so far. May next and yet another pledge to hit the Cairngorms....
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