Hello Yew Cycle – May 24

 

We still had a few days of holidays left and while on the bus back from Inverness we planned this route. It was a bit like revisiting all those places that we have cycled trough over time, it was all a bit improvised but it worked out great (the perfect weather played a big part!)

Inversnaid to Callander - 58km cycle + 8km walk up Ben Ledi

Thursday 16 May

What a day, this is what holidays are about! I feel so chilled out, happy and a bit relieved after bailing out of the Cape Wrath. Now I really have no regrets!

We left home in fog and drizzle at 7am, heading to Haymarket to get the train. There were 3 bikes but 1 got off and we managed to fit them without being harassed. In Glasgow we got on the train to Arrochar and met Ali and his fiancé who were heading to Corrour to run, lucky them! We got off at 9.37am, went to the pier, got a coffee and boarded the 10.30am ferry to Inversnaid which we reached at 11am. It was a bit chilly and cloudy but the first hill warmed us up. We have cycled there in autumn but spring is so different! Bluebells everywhere, all trees with new leaves, it was truly enjoyable and beautiful.

Landed in Inversnaid

Km 5 - taking off layers, it's going to be a hot day!

Along Loch Katrina

It turns out spring is a lovely time to come here

Bluebell season!!

On the NCN 7 to Callander

The stretch to get to the end of Loch Katrina was shorter than we thought, at 1pm we were already there and slowly got on the NCN 7 (after getting lost for a while in a farm with cute baby goats). We stopped for lunch and thought we should kill time, but then Paul came up with the idea to climb Ben Ledi, a few km from Callander. I'm so glad we didn;t realise before this would have been a short day cycle or I'm sure we would have pushed on to Killin, instead we had a great time climbing up this hill. By then the sun was out and I couldn't have thought of a better way to fill in a sunny day. We set off and reached the start of the walk at 2.45pm. I gave myself an hour to climb it (it was a vertical on a beautiful path) and I touched the cairn at the top at exactly 3:45:00. Check me out!

It was windy up there but we found a sheltered place and stopped 10 min to take in the views which were truly spectacular, with a curious raven keeping us company. The descent was 10min faster than the ascent (I definitely prefer to go up). Gladly the bikes were still there and in a perfect mood we cycled back to Callander, it was just like a perfect chilled out summer cycle, without a worry in the world and just enjoying the breeze in my face.

We checked in the Dalgair Hotel (silence when I entered the bar with all the men looking at me, thank goodness the barman was super nice!). The hotel is kind of falling apart but it has everything we need. As per tradition we went for dinner at the Chinese Village and stuffed myself with veggie noodles and a pint of beer. Can't wait to keep going tomorrow!

When you have a couple of hours to kill and there is a quick vertical waiting for you...

Callander to Pitlochry via Glen Lyon - 125km and 1289m up
Friday 17 May

Another sunny day that it felt we were cycling in the Alps in summer! We woke up with a blue sky, had a very abundant breakfast at 8am (double cereal bowl, croissant with jam, veggie frittata and bread), that powered me up until lunch time...

We said goodbye to Callander and got on the NCN7 towards Killin. Nobody around, not even dog walkers thanks goodness, it was an absolute pleasure to ride. I forgot the 2 steep climbs but they helped warm up the legs (the top didn't last long...)

On the NCN 7 to Killin

At 11am we were passing by the falls and then headed to the coop to get sandwiches for later (still in the bag...). We were debating if to keep following the 7 or be more adventurous and head up the road that would eventually take us on the other side the Glen Lyon (my favourite by far!). Given the weather was good, and we had nothing to do in Pitlochry, we went for the second option and have absolutely no regrets!

We took the wee road up the valley for 10km, with tail wind. Little to no traffic around, just sunshine and singing birds. We got to the point where the climb starts to get on the other side to Glen Lyon, and we met a couple of bikepackers that we met on Saturday in Ullapool...that was weird! The views up the pass were as good as I remembered them, and the descent sweet and fast. At the bottom we got on the other small road eastward, which meant headwind for 50km... Still, sun, scenic, no traffic, and after 17km there was the must stop at the Glen Lyon tea house where I stuffed myself with soup and a roasted veggies and pesto panini, today was my lucky day! Paul was not feeling great, probably because of the heat, and struggled to get food down, but we both enjoyed the stop. Not to forget the number of cyclists going up the road, it's really getting popular!

Down to Glen Lyon!!!

It's worth cycling in Glen Lyon just to stop at the tea house

From there it went on for another 20k down the valley (I say down but it was bumpy as hell). We passed by the oldest Yew in Europe, possibly the world, with its 5,000 years and counting. We stopped to say hi and wished him a much longer life and kept going, now along the NCN7 towards Aberfoyle. It was just 13 miles to destination but in between the wind and the bumps we were both quite struggling. At least we were not in a rush so we paced ourselves and just enjoyed a sunny day on the bike. We stopped for a cold drink and that made the miracle. We reached Pitlochry at 5.30pm and checked in the Backpackers hostel. Food at the coop and now getting ready for the last day tomorrow. I'm loving this weird holiday!

Hello Yew!

Finally in Pitlochry dead tired and completely desiccated

Dinner at the Backpackers Hostel - the noodles totally look like what's on the cover...

Try harder!

Glen Tilt loop from Pitlochry- 70km, 919m up
Saturday 18 May

I'm quite glad the holiday is kind of over, gosh I'm destroyed!

We had an early breakfast at 7am to beat the crowd in the kitchen, then pulled ourselves together and headed off. I was in the I can't be bothered mood, but then the sky was spotless blue and I knew we would have a great day. We got on the steep A924 out of town, the first 5km being a merciless climb, then it levelled out at the km 15 we left the road to get on the private one to some farm. Our train was at 8.30pm so we knew we had a lot of time to spare and stopped infinite times either for pictures, snacks or drinks. It was so lovely that it would have been a shame to rush.

We have done this route once before in rain and finally I got to see the views, what a treat to the eyes! Nobody around, just defensive lapwings, a huge herd of deer in the hills, a heron and countless ticks. Going up on the gravel road I was melting, no salt left in my body.

We then reached the farm and from there it was 3km of push the bikes on a tiny path. We met a lady who was walking the coast to coast and had a chat, then another hiker. We crossed the stream and stopped for lunch, thinking we could lay down for an hour but Paul got his first tick so on we moved (the sky was getting cloudy anyway).

Just before the bridge we met a very chatty couple who just had a dip, quite good characters they were! From there the descent started (descent with the random climb thrown in...) and it was so enjoyable! I actually got to like the rough stuff too for once!

We reached Blair Atholl and went for the most remarkable custard and rhubarb pastry...mmmhhh, good stuff the place was shutting in 15min or I would have eaten 20 more!

From there it was the final 12km to Pitlochry, all with headwind! Now we are here killing time (4h to go), by the look of it it will start pissing down soon.

Still hot!!!

Leaving the main road to get on a private one, which will turn into gravel in a few km

Hike bike section (3km)

I was actually glad to walk by this stage!

In Glen Tilt! How much did I miss this place

Honest I never ate something so delicious!

Indeed the torrential rain started at 6pm, destroying my dreams of laying down on the grass and sleep for 2h. Instead we went to have some Indian food and amazingly killed the few hours until the train arrived at 8.30pm. The sunset was the best farewell present we could get.

What a week we had, all improvised and all worked out great, Scotland can still surprise!