October holiday in the Highlands

 

We would normally have spent 1 week cycling in Andalucia to suck up the last sunshine of the year, but to cut down a bit our carbon footprint, and frankly I couldn't be bothered with more planning abroad, we decided to go up North instead, and I truly don't regret it. We checked the forecasts and the first weekend looked sunny in the Highlands, so we packed tent and rucksacks and headed for a 2 day walk, hoping to see the fewer people as possible.

Part 1 – Hiking the Braeriach traverse

Saturday 11 October - 23k walk and 700m up

We have had our eyes on the Braeriach traverse for years, tried and failed it 3 times. This time we went for it, but instead of doing it in 1 day we decided we would go for 2 (the days are not that long anymore and by 6pm it's dark).

We officially gave up on Scotrail. Way too expensive, unpredictable, and generally really poor service. Our experience with Flixbus in Italy was not that great either but we decided to give it a go, and we were both pleasantly surprised by how punctual, fast (er than the train...) it was, and the driver was so polite too! We got off in Aviemore at 10.30am, we knew it would not be a super long day so we went to a café for a hot drink before setting off to the wild.

At 11am it was time to get going. The start of it was all known territory and once we left the road behind it felt like heaven. Just the 2 of us walking in an autumn coloured ancient forest, and it was not even too cold. We had lunch before we left it (it was windy), and then got on the Lairig Ghru path. As we walked in the valley the dark clouds started to disappear, and occasionally we would get some sunshine. Not a soul around, it all felt so good.

We were trying to waste a bit of time as there was not much to do once the tent was up, but eventually we got to the Currour Bothy shortly past 5pm. That was mobbed with tents, but luckily we found ourselves the perfect spot by a stream, away from the masses, and on a dry patch clear of vegetation. Dinner was the Firepot Porcini risotto (extra large), and as we finished dinner the sky started turn red, what a treat! It was cold but I didn't even wore my primaloft top so I guess it was not too bad.

Once in the sleeping bag we heard an helicopter flying around, probably searching for someone...hope they are all well. At the same time there were geese flying over us...a bit of peace please, we are trying to sleep here! :)

Sunday 12 October - 30k walk, 1300m up

Today was an epic day, one of those we will never forget. We both slept ok but really not great. At 6am it was dark (sky full of starts and a smiling moon) but we knew it was a long day and we had a bus to catch at 5pm, so we started the morning camping routine: Paul on the breakfast and me on packing the tent (back to the Divide times!).

The light slowly started to come in and there was not a single cloud in the sky. That was the best breakfast setting ever.

Shortly after 7am we set off, passing by the Bothy which looked like the Everest base camp...I counted 13 tents and really glad I was not among them. It was a cold morning but the first climb up to the Devil's point warmed us up, plus, the sun was there on the top welcoming us to an unforgettable day, and unforgettable views. The pictures really don't give it justice.

We stayed there a while contemplating the views before setting off for Munro number 2: Sgor an Lochain Uaine. It was all very rocky and the going slow, but with this weather and views we were both in awe and really took it easy to take it all in.

The top was unremarkable so we moved on heading to the 3^rd one, the highest, and the 3^rd highest of all the Munros: Cairn Toul (1291m). This was a bit of a difficult and slow one as it was a unique boulder field going up a d down. It required a lot of concentration and it was really slow, but the views from the top were spectacular. Up there the inversion finally materialised. From the Eastern side we could see a sea of clouds coming in and eating the lower lands, while we were on the top in t-shirt (there was no wind!!!!!!), truly magic.

At the bottom Paul gave me a reality check: it was 11am and we still had 22k to cover, and one more Munro (really 2...). I put on the turbo gear and we overtook a few couples that we met before. They must have thought we took some cocaine as we never saw the anymore. We went up another hill which should really have been a munro but it was not, then down, then along a very long traverse before heading up the last Munroe: Braeriach. Thankfully there were no more boulder fields but all the ground was very rocky and it was a constant hopping all the time. The nice treat here was a flock of snow buntings taking off in fron tof us (...we probably pissed them off, sorry!)

Our lunch was basically bars on the go to save up time. After a few pictures we started the very long descent down the valley. Honest it was steep and endless and it broke our knees, but at least we were making up some time and at 2pm we reached the stream down the valley. We rewarded ourselves with a 10 min break, then headed back to Aviemore the same way, always checking the time and distance.

Miraculously we made it there 20 min the bus arrived. I was really done and spent all the return journey looking out of the window trying to work out where we had been and what happened. Still can't believe we finally managed to tick off this traverse, and with the best possible weather! Totally worth it but on Monday I was so ruined that I hardly knew who I was.

Part 2 - Cycling trip

Fort William to Fort Augustus - 55km 360m up

Tuesday 14 October

Back home we checked the forecasts and the weather up North was still better than in foggy Edinburgh. No way we could find space for the bikes on any train, and the prices were extortionist (£124 to Kingsussie???), so we made use of a new bus company, Ember, which runs electric and goes to the West Coast instead.

I was a bit skeptical but it worked out fine. The bikes were downstairs which was a bit doggy but they made it save to Fort William. We got there at 2.30pm (faster than the train...) and only head a short day going up to Fort Augustus, which I remembered was all flat along the canal.

Well, it turns out this was not exactly all flat...and I've never even cycled it before!! I think I just did the bit out of Fort William, which is flat, and the last 10k to Fort Augustus, which is flat, but all the rest was a bit of the typical Sustrans style paths taking you up hills and down and up again *50. At least it was quiet, the autumn colours were stunning, and really enjoyable to cycle...even though I was hoping for an easy one to spare energies for the day after (I was also still recovering from the hiking weekend and my back was still a bit sore).

Anyway, we finally arrived in Fort Augustus at 5.30pm and went straight to the shop to get dinner and goodies. We didn't need the lights after all and our stay in the Morag hostel was better than the last time we were there, at least fewer people and all more civilised. 

We had a massive plate of pasta with tomato sauce and went to sleep at 9pm dead tired. You know it's a good holiday when you go to bed destroyed. 

Fort Augustus to Kinloch Rannoc - 117km and 1700m up
Wend 15 October

It was another early start as we knew today it was a massive day, epic day number 2 of the holiday. We woke up at 6am and went for breakfast (porridge and croissants, we forgat the yogurts...). A couple of guys were there already cooking eggs, they were cycling too but “only” to the Currour station.

The sky was cloudy but forecasts said full sun...yes yes. We had a beautiful dawn on Loch Ness as we left shortly at 7am. This was our 5^th time going to the Corrieyairack Pass and we well knew what was coming. The nice entertainment of the morning was provided by a couple of deer in fighting more who stopped to check us out, and them resumed the fighting. The soundtrack of all today and tomorrow was rutting deer heard all over the glens. You must love Scotland.

Up we went, mostly pushing, and almost at the top of the Corrieyairack Pass (770 m high), the fog came in and it was freezing, but it was still some kind on inversion as we could see the tops of the hills around just about (5 times we have been up there and 5 times we saw nothing...). The descent on the zig zag track was all push the bike and it was truly freezing. After that we managed to get on the saddle and cycle down to the bothy, where unfortunately there was a shooting party so we moved on. We stopped at the start of the tarmac for a piece of cake, and from there it was the dream cycle.

By the time we reached Loch Laggan the sky cleared and it was all blue and warm...and no wind!!! We have cycled this route a few times now, but today it was particularly astonishing. It must have been the good weather, full views everywhere and the autumn colours, it was really a blast.

We reached the Currour Station house at 2.20pm, 10min before the kitchen closed, right in time for the most delicious tomato and fennel soup, which helped fix my stomach (up the first pass I ate a bar and with the cold air I must have got a bit of indigestion..). It was a lovely break and so different from last time we were there in May...

At 3pm we got on the saddle again as those 40 last k won't cycle themselves alone... It was again all known territory but with perfect weather for once. Pity that the Road to the Islands is so rocky and bad that I really had to look on the ground rather than around... The other surprise was to meet a group of kids out camping, and a bunch of randoms after then, that being 4pm... Hope they are ok, me I'm soooo glad we were not camping!

We finally reached the tarmac and it was 25k more to destination, but with the sun going down, and the light filtering through the colourful trees along the Loch, it was such a pleasure to cycle that I hoped it would last forever. I'll truly never forget today.

We reached the village at 5.11pm and went to the store to get a few goodies, then we checked in the posh Danistair hotel, which we both really like. Dinner was the Tuscan stew Firepot ready meal (with peas...), and we ate like kings. We both slept sound.


Kinloch Rannoch to Callander - 90km and 1150m up
Thursday 16 October

We thought we would get another day of sunshine but it was clouds all day, still, it was another dream cycle day. I'm really loving this holiday!

We have done this route before when on the Badger Divide, but today I was in full energies and good mood (finally recovered from the hike, best way to recover is to go for a hard cycle it turns out).

We had the most amazing breakfast and left shortly after 8am, since today it was a shorter day and not so much hike a bike. The village was quiet and the first 8km were flat on the South bank of Loch Rannoch. Then we got on some forest road of the overgrown kind before we got on the proper gravel road. All cyclable until we got to the gate, from where it was open hill / wet stones and slightly boggy and the hike a bike began. I actually enjoyed it a lot, in the middle of nowhere, listening to the rutting deer, all to ourselves, what else do you want from life?

We reached pass number 1 and from there it was a steep stony descent down to Glen Lyon.

A couple of k up the road and the Tea Room was waiting for us. We had the most delicious fruit scone, just out of the oven, and a lovely break as usual. This place, like the Currour station, is like an oasis always ready to welcome you.

We then had 15 km up the road to the dam and it was all beautiful, we met more cyclists than cars and almost at the end of it we met again the shepard working with his collie to herd sheep, with such a mastery that we both got mesmerised again.

From there it was a 5km of climb to the Kenknock pass, and then a steep descent down to get to Glen Lochay. That road took us down to Killin that we reached ahead of time at 1pm. I was ravenous! Never go shopping when you are hungry...I came out, and ate on the spot: falafel wrap, huge samosa and protein drink. We were also cold, and since we had time to spare for once, we went to get a huge bowl of hot squash soup at the Falls of Dochart hotel. That definitely warmed me up but I could feel all the food in my belly going up the next bit...

From there it was all known territory and we reached Callander Hostel at 4.20pm. The Chinese Village was open and we went to celebrate the end of another great day. We still had 1 day, but really the exiting bit had been completed and we both felt relieved and satisfied.

Callander to Edinburgh – 100km and 744 up

Friday 17 October

Today was really unremarkable and there are no pictures. The best part was seeing hundreds of geese flying South as we were leaving Callander. Honest it was the best nature spectacle I've seen in a long time.

The checkpoints were: Dunblane (chocolate twist); Bridge of Allan; Alloa (cake); Kelpies (hot soup); Blackness on Sea (sandwich); Queensferry bridge and back home, which we reached at 2.40pm (really weird to be back so early now that I'm used at 11h of cycling...).

I still can't believe how lucky we have been with the weather, and everything really. We were both fine, no mechanicals (Killie and Ossian did great), no assholes and just generally all extremely enjoyable. I'm so glad we stayed here instead of going to Spain!