Picture of the Month - July 2013

The Caledonia Way

-again-

An off road cycle path that never fails to deliver,

especially beautiful on sunny summer days

Susan with Castle Stalker

Stonehaven to Montrose NCN1

The road winds ever on

Saturday 2nd June

Leaving Johnshaven we took to a quiet country road.

We were deliberately avoiding the A92 sections, cycling with 

fast moving traffic is never pleasant.

Views over the land toward Gourdon are lovely.

Isabel was a bit saddle sore!

Anne and Roni leading the way, 

enjoying the freedom of quiet 'C' class roads

Patterns in ploughed fields

One of the few hills - but legs were getting weary!

The downhill run to the St Cyrus Nature Reserve

'The Road goes ever on and on'

We finally arrived in Montrose and it was a saddle sore four,

 who were glad to return to 'evening-rest and sleep to meet'

Anne, Roni, Isabel & Bill

Picture of the Month - May 2013

The Caledonia Way

Slighe na h-Alba

A wonderful, traffic-free path, with a few sections on minor roads.  Much of the path is built along the former railway line which ran from Connel to the slate quarries near Ballachulish. 

The path has great views, hugging the coast for much of the way and has very few gradients. 

Stonehaven to Montrose NCN1

The flat middle bit

Saturday 2nd June

Our journey south is an off-road cyclists treat.

The short section between Inverbervie and Gourdon follows the

line of the disused railway - flat and traffic free.

If you haven't been to Gourdon - imagine any village scene from the 1983 Bill Forsyth film 'Local Hero' - through half-closed eyes Ferness could really exist.....

We didn't have time to slow down and absorb the atmosphere 

(but did look greedily at Hornblowers chip shop by the harbour)

We left the village initially on a superb track

However the coastal path is rough in places

No complaints from us - fabulous to be off road and beside the sea

OK, we all agreed it's a bit bumpy in places......

Rape fields are so YELLOW - intensely so on a bright day

Roni checking out future accommodation for us Moray Clubbers

We entered Johnshaven,

a village in which fishing remains the focus of life.

The School of Lathallan sits on the village outskirts.
Suspect the headie would have a few choice nicknames in Glasgow!

At this point we headed uphill, out of Johnshaven, swinging away 

from the coast and taking to quiet rolling farmland roads again -

Anne 'yellow jersey' leading the way.

Our detour was suggested by Bill as he didn't fancy 

the A92 down to St  Cyrus....far too busy

More bright yellow field crops of rape seed.

To some the fields smell sensational - a sort of dense, honeyed, mustardy, oily, deeply musky scent. Others find it disgusting!

In the absence of a picnic site and table, 

Isabel found her own comfy spot for 2nd (or 3rd) lunch

Only another 16 miles to go.....

Stonehaven to Montrose NCN1

 Kinraddie

Saturday 2nd June

Our weekend explorers were Roni, Anne, Bill and Isabel   

 

Quite a cultured lot - aren't we?

Bloomfield Steading is a peaceful cottage set within the grounds of Bloomfield, the childhood home of 

James Leslie Mitchell better know 

as Lewis Grassic Gibbon

 Everyone chose cycling in preference to the hills,

Anne particularly so - as she almost lives in the saddle!

Bill's chosen cycle route was from Stonehaven to Montrose...but the Bervie Braes closure after landslip meant Dunotter was our start point

Isabel was glad as this would shorten our route to 'only'
30 miles....

We suggested to Anne that with her Hi-Vis vest she should charge £5 a time directing cars to a parking place...well she was asked a few times!

it's a stunning agricultural landscape you pass through

Catterline was particularly colourful

Isabel hadn't been out with the club for a few years

-did she know what a gentle cycle this would be?

Following narrow country roads we arrived at Kinneff.
If you are fascinated by Scottish history Kinneff Old Kirk is a must - its famous as the site where the Honours of Scotland were hidden after the Siege of Dunnottar Castle in 1651 until the Restoration in 1660

 The significance of the church in our history is... 

as is often the way in Scotland, rather understated.

Good information panels inside the church.

The Scottish Crown Jewels were hidden here after they had been rescued from Dunnottar Castle during Oliver Cromwell's siege in 1652.  The minister James Grainger and his wife Christian Fletcher devised the plan to smuggle them out of the castle right under the noses of the besieging forces,
aye, great stuff!

The Honous Three - our Scottish Crown Jewels

  

We had our pieces amongst the graves in the churchyard.

It's a very peaceful spot

....there is a rather steep hill back up to our route....

We were soon speeding downhill to 

Inverbervie.

10 miles done.....only 20 to go!

Glen Ogle to Callander

-The top bit-

May the force be with us

Cycle route 7

Sunday 19th February

In case you are wondering about the title - it's all to do with gravity.

Most guide books describe the route from Callander to Killin, but knowledge of the terrain (or a look at a map) shows that the least cycling effort is from Glenoglehead back to Callander.

It's easy riding downhill......but make sure you have left a car at your chosen finish point or it's uphill on the way back!

The parking place at the top of the pass is around 950' and here the cycle surface is well engineered.

Its a super link piece, designed to keep cyclists safe from the A85 traffic, the road does have a poor safety record -  it's known as one of Scotland's five most dangerous roads.

Taking care crossing the main road, (it can be hair-raising)

we joined the old Callander and Oban Railway track bed.

The surface was frozen - the steep hillside keeping this part of the track in shade.

We left tyre tracks on the overnight dusting of snow, not many cyclists out today.

Further down the track the low winter sun just had enough warmth to melt the surface so that a fine mud spray rose from your back wheel. 

Lesson - don't cycle too closely or directly behind someone......

The Glen Ogle viaduct.

It gives great views and was a major 19th century engineering feat.

The bridge has 12 stone arches and is constructed with a concrete core clad in local granite

It is grade B listed and is a 'handsome' structure.

Glad of the railings..........its a long drop down....

This route has a few gates and animal grids on it.

They are wide enough to cycle through.

Roni didn't trust advice from Andy or her own judgement!

Andy being a gentleman held open the wooden side gate....

...... but Deirdre sailed over the grid with ease

(and had a grin on her face)

Must say very chic sunglasses......

......what Deirdre couldn't see was the back of her fleece.

Always was (and will be) a dirty girl.

Desperation December!

...search for the sun...

16th Dec, 27th Dec, 30th Dec & 6th Jan

We've had a particularly poor run of weather and this selection of pictures shows we were stir crazy for exercise in the great outdoors.

(16th Dec) Loch Ard provided a short afternoon trip - 

it was very atmospheric, all the ice melting and dripping - an unseasonable dragonfly being the highlight of our day.....

(27th Dec) One week later saw a walk on the West Highland Way from Milngavie to the Beech Tree at Dumgoyne.

It was cold - the photo below shows an overnight covering of snow on the Campsies.

 Popular choice today, with both walkers and cyclists

 Beyond Easter Carbeth, views toward Ben Lomond open up.

The stile has now been removed-it's now a hole in the wa'.

No views today, too misty. 

Quiet bit of path, apart from chatter.....

 Squidgy in places

Photo pose on path - pink seems popular?

We headed on for coffee and cakes in the Beech Tree.

'Dodgy Doggerel' enticing walkers to spend cash!

No more low level walks for us - we need height and views.

(30th Dec) The following week the forecast was better 'in the east'  

The Ochils beckoned

David promised a quick round of The Law, Ben Cleuch and 

Andrew Gannel Hill.

Good paths, dry conditions and little wind;

a promising start

 The 'contour line' of cloud on the hills was very marked.

Below it benign, above it vicious wind and rain.

We were drookit and freezing.

Good walk though, Ochils deserve more visits by us,

not just because they are lower.....

 Will we ever see the sun again?

(6th Jan) Another week passed and saw us choosing the 

flattest most sheltered cycle path we could find.

Crap weather again.

Alloa to Dunfermline cycle path - route NCN764

26 mile round trip, well surfaced and easy.

Highlight of the day was Corrieri in Bridge of Allan.

Waterproofs were essential for the very windy and wet conditions

 Good company always makes it seem worthwhile

Moray Clubbers at various times, Graham, Dee, Bill, Alison, Elizabeth,

Roni, David, Ron & Andy