CC : Day 2 : Mon 17th May; Braemar to Blair Atholl

First those stats :

31.3 miles travelled (about 2 pushing, the rest cycling).

Average speed : 7.1mph. Slow but hard going is my excuse.

Total ascent: my Garmin and my ‘phone cannot agree. I think about 2,200 ft.

So that breakfast; how did the Braemar Arms do?

Sausage ; poor. Black pudding ; excellent. Overall, just above average.

I gathered up my stuff and went outside. It was raining. Off to the Co-Op for vital sustenance for the challenges ahead. Unfortunately they had virtually no sandwiches left save 3 varieties of chicken. So I choose the in date chicken (as opposed to the salmonella special – not in date).

Up the Dee valley:

A grey green dampness.

The road ran out at the Linn of Dee and the track started.

Boiling, tumbling water .

I was concerned about crossing the Geldie Burn some 5 miles ahead. I’d been warned it was highly dangerous in spate. I checked it out on t’internet which is a mistake – accounts of people roping up etc etc. However:

The Geldie Burn; a pussycat for today only. Not sure my cold feet felt the same.

I was pleased that taking boots and socks off and putting sandals on worked. So socks and boots back on and onwards up the glen.

In my worry/enthusiasm to cross this well known obstacle I’d failed to check the map; there were another 3 full on fords then a long spell of boggy ground so boots off etc etc.

The weather closed in. Sunny periods and showers were forecast; there were just 2 showers but each lasted about 3 hours, and no real sun.

Then the single track began as I made my way up Glen Tilt. Great for walking but impossible to cycle; it was narrow, bumpy, with steep drop offs into the river.

Here I took off the panniers to get across some slippery rock:

So remote; or so it seemed.

Towards the end of this slow, slippery and frankly dangerous in parts but scenic path I met a bloke coming towards me. He was walking Lands End to Cape Wrath (!). We had a good chat and he said I was not far from the Tarf Suspension bridge and warned me that once the estate track started it was full of vehicles for filming with some odd construction.

But first lunch at the Falls of Tarf suspension bridge:

Perfect lunch spot apart from the drizzle.

The suspension bridge was built in 1878 following the drowning of someone in the falls:

The bridge:

The Scottish Rights of Way Society erected it.

Now I could cycle as the estate track began:

Very wet but very good to be cycling not pushing.

Then I met 2 young men who were also walking to Cape Wrath. They warned me that the track had been churned up by the film vehicles for about 4 miles into a muddy morass. No-one would tell them what the film was. A mountain biker on his way to Ballater told me it was for Star Wars.

Very odd in the middle of nowhere. I of course had helmet, flo orange jacket, boots, PPE,
etc.

Some unusual rock formations:

Part being pink marble.

The mud on the track was dreadful . I’d heard that there had been torrential downpours overnight until noon. I got mud all over me, the bike and my kit so once at Blair Atholl I bought a scourer and took the bike to the river for a clean.

Then into the Gothic splendor of the Atholl Arms:

Antlers and claymores all over.

And today, for the first time in many months ; pints indoors!

Almost normal…

Today was supposed to be the easiest day; less distance and less climbing. But the single track was long and slippery, the mud deep and it sprayed up over my jacket, helmet and even my neck.

But it’s been a very good day despite that and the weather; these hours in this remote and beautiful landscape have been magical.

Many more fords tomorrow, more miles and a lot of climbing to look forward to! But we’re drinking and eating indoors so what could possibly go wrong ?!