Inverness back home May cycle

 

This was the trip that was not meant to be. It all started when I went to work for the all staff meeting – once a year, don't fuck up – covered in bird shit. You may think this bring good lack, but the day after I went for my usual early morning cycle to the Pentlands and crashed with a badger. He was fine but I got quite a few bruises and scratches, and sore knee and wrist. After 8 days of pseudo rest I got on the bike only to be stung by a bee. We were meant to leave that Saturday but my knee and wrist didn't think so, so we put it off to Wednesday, and on Tuesday I woke up with a sore throat, and the weather looked shit anyway – heatwave my ass! But I'm so glad we went because we both needed it a lot (especially Paul!), and at the end everything turned out perfect. 

 

Inverness to Fort Augustus – 96 km

Wednesday 20 May

We got a late train to Inverness and got there at 9.30pm. We really like the Youth Hostel there, and were pleased to see that the local cat was still there, this time undisturbed, nobody was trying to kick him out.

We had a good night sleep and until the end we were not sure which route to take, mostly because the forecasts were a bit dubious and we were trying to work out how wet and windy it would be. It turns out we didn't need to worry at all as, despite the clouds around, we didn't get a single drop.

We went for the original route: Kessock Bridge, little road by the Beauly Forth (really pretty and enjoyable), then we kind of found ourselves in a boggy path (thankfully a short bit) to Muir of Ord, and then to Beauly where we spoilt ourselves with an amazing flaky almond croissant (me) and a rhubarb tart (Paul).

Refilled, off we went again on the road to Cannich, which was quiet and a pleasure to ride in its lush spring dress. We had to stop at the shop / Glen Affric cafe to get our sandwich and a proper coffee. It was so strange to be there after such a long time, but it's always a nice stop, especially when you think where you are in the map.

We kept going until the tarmac road ended in Tomich, which is also the village where the Golden Retriever breed was born. It's a cure little village and so glad the locals are not assholes:

Advance with courage...indeed!

We were now ready to hit the “adventurous” part of the day. We did it once on the North gravel route years before, and I really didn't remember how beautiful and wild the track up that hill takes you. We could see the Affric range all covered in ominous (homnibus?) clouds and rain coming down in buckets, but on our side it was all dark and dry... There was some pushing involved in the steepest bit until we reached the top where the loch is, really breath taking stuff!

The descent was very fast and in no time we reached the main road to Skye. We crossed it and got on the Old Military Road which would take us to Fort Augustus. We were both starving and the wind was cold so we found ourselves a sheltered spot to eat our cheese sandwich.

village board, just not sure where the village is!

We were trying to kill time as the check in was not until 4pm, so we decided to walk up the overgrown path which was also steep and really I don't think I would have gone much faster (I calculated 2km/h faster). We were just taking in the views and enjoying ourselves. We haven't met a soul since we started hill 1, the weather was holding up, belly full, what else do you need in life?

Eventually the top arrived and from there it was a short descent to Fort Augustus, which we reached at 4pm sharp. We checked in the Morag's Hostel and got a 6 bed room all for us.

We like this place but it seems like it's a bit run down since last time we were there. Plenty of cyclists there as it's a bit of a hub. We went to the store to get our dinner (huge plate of pasta) and we were both glad that we decided to go for the cycling trip, we really really missed being out in the wild. Paul got some chips eaten by Loch Ness but Nessie was nowhere to be seen.

Fort Augustus to Kinloch Rannoch – 28 km (plenty of cheating)

Thursday 21 May

The day started with an amazing breakfast...we found some left Chinese porridge, established there was no milk by using Google Translator, we did read something like 33 min cook time but ate it after 5 min...we are still not sure if it was rice!

The forecasts have been consistent all week: today it would piss down all morning. The original plan was to go up the Corrieyairack Pass then along Loch Laggan, Currour and Road to the Isles, which we have done a few times and I really love that route, but you do what you can with what you have, and what we had was dark skies and lot of rain all morning. Thankfully we had a bail out option. I already had a genius plan when I thought we would cycle to Fort William on the NCN, get the train to Rannoch and then cycle the last bit along Loch Rannoch. The night before, walking back from the shop, Paul saw an Ember sign at the bus stop. It turns out they cover the Inverness to Fort William route, and there was space on the 8.30am bus...no brainer, we got the tickets and there we were. I'm not even feeling guilty about this!

The downside was that we had a couple of hours to kill in Fort William. We did our shopping for lunch (sandwich) and dinner (noodles), for a coffee at the cafe, then went to the train station thinking we can sit down there...it was mobbed! I didn't realise how popular the West Highland Way is nowadays, and I'm so glad I did it before it became busy as the appeal is gone forever.

We got off at the Rannoch station and put on all the waterproof, but by the time we started cycling the rain stopped and we started taking off layers...it was hot! It was a short and flat ride to Kinloch Rannoch along the North bank of the loch, and we got there quite early.

Paul pissed off as he ripped his jacket...

To kill time we went to get a tea at the Cornerstone cafe, which was pretty indeed (and the jam soooo good! Living on pastries...). At 4pm we went to pick up the keys of the Studio by the Loch Rannoch Hotel and what a place that was! We had a view on the loch and everything we needed. The backside was wet and mouldy but I spotted a baby robin who just fledged and couldn't even fly yet. So well camouflaged and adorable, that made my day!

Kinloch Rannoch to Callander – 92 km
Friday 22 May

The forecasts were still dubious and we knew we would get some rain, but today there was no bail out option and I'm so glad we went for it because we absolutely loved it, and amazingly I wasn't neither wet nor too filthy by the end of the day. It was a short day so we took it easy and left at 8.15am (we knew the Tea Room in Glen Lyon would open at 10am and didn't want to get there to early).

We left our nice studio and headed off on the South bank of the loch. After 8k Paul spotted a sign pointing to a gravel road to Glen Lyon. That was not the route we did before but we decided to give it a go. I'm glad we did as it was much better than the normal route, on a beautiful path in a forest that looked like the one by Aviemore.

Eventually we rejoined the normal track and the ascent started. It was steep but doable, until we reached the gate and were about to leave the shelter of the trees. We stopped to get ready for wild weather: wind and rain and clouds. It was a short push the bike section and we both loved it a lot, so beautiful and wild.

The descent was really steep and I had to push at times (no more crashies please!), we got to the bottom and reached the road and it was a short climb to the Glen Lyion tea room, which we reached at 10.20am, perfect timing!

There I ate the best scone I ever ate. I don't know if it was hunger but it was really sublime (when Paul asked me, at the end of the day, what my favourite part of the day was the answer was easy: the scone!).

Good things don't last long, and although I wanted to take with m e 10 more scones there was just no space, so off we went up the Glen to the dam. It was quiet and we enjoyed the bumpy road and spring scenery a lot, including the bunch of Highland Cows with their babies. We stopped at a distance and Mama was checking us out and you don't want to mess with her, so up we went again until we reached the dam.

We had a short stop under the roof of a sign. We ate a piece of cake and took layers off for the climb to come. We saw the first touring cyclist coming down with way too much stuff, honest I counted 8 panniers and bags... The climb was steep but doable and the rain was off and on but overall not too bad.

We reached the top and put on a layer for the steep descend to come. We reached the bottom and joined the road in Glen Lochay, again another lovely wee road down a beautiful glen, today we were really spoilt. We hardly met any cars but cyclists abound. A couple of bike packers but mostly day riders coming from Killin.

We reached Killin at 2pm and went to the Coop for a snack, followed by a hot soup for me and a roll for Paul in the Kula cafe. We have never been there before but it was a nice place for a stop.

Recharged, we set off for the last 40k of the day, on the by know well know NCN to Callander. It was all known territory but sometime it's just god to enjoy beautiful routes that you know well. By now it was past 3om and we were amazed at the amount of cyclists (and hikers!) coming up that route (as usual we were the salmons...). Monday is bank holiday and we expected a few people setting off, but we really met many (including 4 youngsters on MTB who I'm still wondering what they are up too, blissful youth!). Cycling IS getting popular!

We reached destination at 4.30 pm and we had the best surprise of the day...we booked a pod and we couldn't have asked for more. It was just perfect, like clean, functional, practical, cute, peaceful and with a direct view on Ben Ledi. If I'll ever need a retreat I know where to go!

Callander back home– 101 km

Saturday 23 May

The last day was the usual cycle back home – B road to Doune, the NCN to Dunblane, Stirling, Bridge of Allan, Alloa, and Kelpies. Again, nothing remarkable but all very enjoyable. At the Kelpies we saw Mama and Daddy Swan with 8 chicks walking to the water, I love spring!

Farawell to the mountains

The other little surprise was the deviation by Blackness on Sea due to some horse carriage event. We were sent god knows where, and the “shortcut” that Paul found was a bit WTF but at least we saw a new place...

Back home, and now the heatwave is starting grrr.... Reading previous blog entries, we found one of a cycling trip we did in May a few years ago. We got some bad weather there too and I may have said “never again a cycling holiday in Scotland in May again”...one never learns, but then, me I actually had a lot of fun, and it seems the curse has left me!