Back to the Highlands
Stonehaven to Pitrochry via Deeside Way, Braemar and Glen Tilt

When	10 and 11 October 2015
Cycled	170km / 106miles
Bikes	Dharma and Hayduke (cross monsters)
Equipment	Light (we slept in a hostel), Paul brought a Camelback and me a pannier, had I know the route before I'd have taken a rucksack but the pannier was ok too Lots of waterproof stuff (useless in Scotland but you have to believe in something)
Considerations	Midges are still around I really don't like mud but I'm getting addicted to the bike packing spirit When an experience mountainbiker describes a route, the word “cyclable” is translated to “no way I get on the saddle here!”

Back from the Great Divide we were eager for more adventure, but time constraints wouldn't allow for more than 2 days. We wanted to see new places and planned a route on both paved and unpaved roads, and on the second day we decided to change the route completely.



Day 1 – Stonehaven to Braemar - 110km

We catched an early train and by 9.30am we arrived in Stonehaven on a mild and nice autumn day.

We headed first to Dunnattar Castle, a cliff top fortress on a beautiful setting. 

We had a walk around and then finally hit the road toward the Deeside Way (NCN 195), a fairytale cycling path that runs from Aberdeen to Ballater by the river Dee.

http://www.deesideway.org/

I wouldn't take a road bike as the surface can get rough, especially in the forestry roads after Banchory, but the rest of the track is on good gravel surface, and at times on the A road. We really enjoyed it and would recommend it as a day ride. The villages along the route are very nice, especially Banchory, Aboyne and Ballater. Once in Ballater we took the B road to the Balmoral Castle (which you can't see from the road) and then on the A93 for the last 9 miles to Braemar. 
 

In Braemar we stayed at the SYHA, which we strongly recommend:
https://www.syha.org.uk/where-to-stay/highlands/braemar.aspx

The most striking thing about Braemar, is that there is no pub there, only hotel bars! Although it was Saturday, the town was very quiet and nothing was on. We just had a huge meal at the hostel and over a few beers we laughed at the idea of taking a “shortcut” and reaching Pitlochry from the Caingorms. At the beginning we didn't think it possible, but on a second though we thought we could keep following the river Dee and then get to Pitrlochry through Glen Tilt. We went to sleep thinking the night always brings good advice.


Day 2 - Braemar to Pitrlochry – 60km, mostly wild

We must have got the bike packing bug on the Divide as we were really longing for adventure and remote places. At the hostel we were advised to ask at the Braemar Mountain Sport for more info on the route, as the guy running it was an experienced biker. There we went and after a long chat we decided to give it a go. Apparently the path was rough but walkable, and the forecasts for the day couldn't have been better...or so I wished!

The first 6m to Linn O' Dee were on a peaceful B road in the country side, and after that things started to get wild. 

 We took first a land-rover track for a few kilometres, and then left the Dee river to get in proper wilderness. We could hear and see deer everywhere, heathers abounded as well as water in all its forms. First a few stream crossing, then the land-rover track turned into single track and with it the rain started to pour down. We were gaining elevation and entering into truly remote areas. The path was muddy, narrow and rocky, and for a few kilometres it was on a steep slope
 .

Finally we reached the Bedford Bridge and finally the path turned in a rough land-rover track first which got better the further down we went. After a coffee stop in Blair Atholl we took the road to Pitlochry and celebrated the beautiful adventure over a pint. Soon we forgot about the rain, the wet shoes and trousers, the midges that are amazingly still around, and just remembered a beautiful and unexpected autumn adventure.