A Room with a View

For my April BAM I always try to do a proper trip rather than yet another local woodland excursion, however looking back over the years I rarely succeed at this. So this year wasn't much different although I did get a bit further afield. Given the weather, which was slated to turn wet by the end of the weekend, I really should have done something exciting, involving Ben Alder or the Cairngorms. However as usual, I couldn't be bothered loading up the car and heading north, doubtless along with most of the population of Central Scotland, it being the Easter holidays. I did scope a route around Perthshire but this generally involves a fair bit of road riding or else another drive to some suitable start point. So in the end, the Ochills it was, however given the fab forecast I figured on something a bit more interesting than my usual woodland retreat.

This involved one of the many lengthy climbs to the higher summits, from Glen Quey up an Ochills standard grassy and tussocky track. This was pushed in it's entirety however the effort is always worth it, and this evening more so as the view West, to the hills I'd pedaled through the previous weekend, was stunning as the sun set. After some thought I kept on to Tarmangie Hill, stood on it's summit contemplating the view and then retreated to the Sitka Spruce tree I'd kipped under in January 2020, now lying on its side, and settled on a level spot just below it.

Bivvy bag only! I'd just re-read Ron Farmer's 'The Book of the Bivvy' so the inspiration from that and the zero percent chance of rain across three weather forecasts led me to drag it out.

People talk about scoring a room with a view when booking a hotel, well this view would be hard to beat anywhere and cost not a penny. The lumps and bumps are tree pits as this whole hillside is to be planted. I suspect it will be more sitka as they have been planting much of the Ochills with them in recent years, all part of the carbon credit scam which everyone seems oblivious to. So instead of the species rich grassland of these uplands, they will be turned into yet another sterile mono-culture. Anyway, I set these thoughts aside as I took in the view to the accompaniment of a fine ale. 

The moon was already shining and soon the stars joined in for further panoramic viewing. The temps dropped but not to the hard frosts of the previous week and I'd the heavy quilt with me so was plenty warm.

Book reading followed along with some fine whisky as I relaxed in my eerie. It's a funny feeling knowing you are very likely the only person in the whole range of hills and everyone else would be stuck in front of the dross on TV. 

A sound sleep followed, waking at first light, then again to the dawn chorus in the tree and finally at 8.30 as the sun was now beating down. I had a leisurely breakfast and spread out the quilt to dry. All my stuff lay around me, again making me wonder how you finesse a bivvy bag only sleep if it's raining, without everything getting wet. Answer? You don't...

So now what? As many trails as possible to cash in on the dry conditions. I headed West to Cleuch for more views although it was pretty hazy so I left sharpish on the long descent to the upper Glen Devon res. On a whim I carried on into Glen Bee but up to the low bump of Kinpauch Hill. Off this there is a fine single track descent which is a narrow rocky slot in places, a rarity in these hills and good practice for the forthcoming Highland Trail....

Soft focus looking down Glen Bee.

Auchterarder Co-op once again provided an early lunch but sat out in warm sun rather than the damp cold of February. Then more trails up to Corb, round Stronachie Forest and a finish with Glen Devon forest and the usual route home.

Total distance was 106k with a creditable 2700m of climbing, almost in BB territory! My only aches were from wrists. I'd taken the near sacrilegious step of ditching the loop bars from the Jones as I wanted something wider. I'd a pair of Ritchey Kyotes lying around so fitted these on a short stem robbed from the ICT. These worked really well on the steppy descents but seem to cause an inordinate amount of wrist pain in the last couple of hours. Back to the loops then...

So, May next. I might try to get away for Bank Holiday weekend, otherwise it will be more Highland Trail bivvies!