Something a bit different...

 

I've taken a while to get this post written, but to be honest, with the weather being so good of late, sitting down doing this hasn't been top priority.....

Anyway, last weekend Robin, Klaus, Steve and myself all departed from the ferry terminal at Ardrossan, bound for Arran and a wee jaunt up the west coast to fort William. Captain no-show was supposed to be coming too, but another call off put a stop to that!. Our first priority, before we could even begin to enjoy the trip, was to make the ferry at the north west port of Lochranza to claonaig over on Kintyre. It's not what you'd usually consider tight, time wise, as there's 75 minutes between getting off the Brodick ferry, and making this one, but a toughish headwind and bikes laden down with gear made it tighter than it shoud. 11.59 for the 12.00 sailing is indeed cutting it fine.

This bought us more time to enjoy the ride on the other side, and time also for a spot of lunch in the wee fishing port of tarbert. Our intention for the next few days was to follow the cycle path, NCN78, all the way to Fort William, via a nights camping in Lochgilphead, and a cheap hotel stay in Oban, and then the train back home.

 

As we had decided not to carry food (there's plenty stops along the way) we were travelling reasonably light, with around 9kg of packs on my bike, this meant no need for a back pack, which takes a lot of weight off of the body and is far more enjoyable. I'd taken a bit of a gamble on the weather, and only really packed light weight waterproof kit, and no spare clothes, so all the diners around us along the way would just have to put up with the 'fresh air' we were creating.

 

Fortunately, the weather was reasonable pretty much the whole way, except the odd shower on the first day, and a constant drizzle on the last day, which wasn't too bad, as the pub in FW had nice big radiators, and the train home was warm too!.

Our first day was over 60 miles and took us through North Arran, crossing the Kintyre peninsula to kennacraig, and on to tarbert, before taking the longer route around the whole knapdale peninsula, and eventually up and over the long climb from loch caolisphort and dropping us down into ardrishaig, and finally Lochgilphead a few miles further on. It was a pretty long day, and the food in the marina inn was destroyed in jig time, before retiring to 'camp' for the night. It was a pretty long night, as it rained constantly from about 4am, and the wind battered my wee tarp on and off in loud squalls.

 

Next morning, we waited out the rain til around 9am, meaning a late start to the day. This was another long day too, which starts off with a flat 15 miles all the way along the crinan canal and north through the beautiful kilmartin glen, before heading along the hilly northern shore line of loch awe.

 

 

Another nice lunch stop (there's a pattern forming here!) in dalavich, and then on and over the hills into taynuilt, before another undulating road over into Oban, by this time it was nearly 8pm, and another day of just under 60 miles under our belts. I'd booked a cheap hotel, the regent, in Oban, which was perfect for our needs - clean, central and with a decent breakfast in the morning to look forward to.

Our plan was originally to head back from Oban on the train, but klaus had talked us into headin on to fort William instead, which I'm glad he did. The last day wasn't too long, and was far flatter than the previous two. We were in the town for half past two, so had time to dry out before making the 17.37 connection to Glasgow.

Great weekend, I can't be bothered typing any more, and the pictures aren't great either, as I had the camera at the wrong setting all weekend!.

 

 

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Day of the triffids.

Saturday was a day I was looking forward to all week, a days biking and then meeting up in Glasgow for food and a comedy gig. I got on the train early on to meet Graham, a mate of mine from GMBC in the west end, then pedal out to milngavie to meet the others, and Robin who was driving to the start.

There were only five of us, as the club social was the night before, so hangovers possibly made some folks minds up. Off we went, along the west highland way to carbeth huts, but to be honest, I'm not really sure where we were after that!, as Graham and Chris knew these trails, the rest of us just followed along. Our aim was to get up and over auchineden hill, aka 'the whangie' a wee hill popular with Glaswegian climbers for years as it has a few accessible scrambles and is not far from the city.

 

The hill itself is a tale of two trails, the climb up being grassy and quite wide, whereas the descent was a hoot of tight, rocky singletrack, I'm sure this won't be the last visit here. After that, we had a wee bit of road work, before heading over the moor to auchengillan, where a scout camp was in progress. Great to see youngsters embracing the outdoors, fires being preferred to iPads for a change.

Back onto the WHW for a wee bit, and familiar trails such as Rosie's, fire breaker, boardwalk and eventually the riverside back into milngavie. Robin then decided to show us his flora identification skills, whilst pedalling alongside me, pointing out weird looking triffid like plants down by the allander water. So amazed by these triffids was he, that he veered into me (you know I'm right robinho!) and the two of us ended up in a tangled heap on the Tarmac path, much to amusement of a forty something ned. I think we made his day!.

So 40k later, back on the train home to get scrubbed up for the evening ahead, great day.

 

 

 

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Locally sourced....

I've had a really good weeks riding this week, just riding around my local trails. On Monday I headed out for a nightride up to dundonald hill, but got sidetracked in the 'secret woods' trails in the middle of Troon on the way. It's just a little woodland area in the middle of troops most salubrious area, but at night it does feel far more rural. There must be around 2-3 miles of lovely rolling, rooty singletrack, which is perfect for some XC training laps. I'll need to fit some interval training in here this year.

Tuesday was an even nicer ebpvening than Monday, must have been one of the most spectacular sunsets I've ever seen in the shire, but I forgot my camera. Idiot. I had an hour or two messing about on the jumps at Auchincruive, before meeting Julie and two old riding mates of mine, Craig P and big JC. I've not been out with them for ages, so it was great to show them my local stuff, as they are from Kilmarnock, so anything is better than their local trails.

Thursday was our usual figure of eight loop at fairlie, accompanied by Robin and my puffer buddy, kaiser klaus. The trails up there are still muddy, but not as slick, so hopefully they'll continue to drain and show us how good they are in time for summer.

3 nightrides, no rain. Great week.

 

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Typical Ayrshire weather...

This morning was the first time I've done the monkton-tarbolton-failford-stair-annbank loop since before the strathpuffer, and I must admit, after 10 minutes I was ready for chucking it. The stair-rod rain was really hammering into my face heading along the side of the airport, but I knew I'd have a tailwind all the way to tarbolton. After that, it's all off road, and mainly in the woods, so plenty shelter.

Here comes the rain

 

And it's gone again...

 

River Ayr gorge

 

Plenty rain last night!

 

Could almost be summer

38K, and back in time for elevenses. Sweet.

 

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First Lakes ride of 2014

 

Sunday morning was lovely in the shire, but by the time Robin, Julie and I got onto the M74, a day of drizzle had begun. However, the north west lakes can take on an eerie beauty on days like that, with mist hanging over the mirror pond-like derwent water.

We had decided on a slightly different configuration of a popular route of ours, the borrowdale bash, starting on the west of the lake near hawse end outdoor centre. This meant a nice warm up along the lakeside path to the south of the lake, then cycling along the, ahem, footpath to manesty on the east. The main road down the east of derwent is closed to traffic at the moment, so we were untroubled by cars for a change, which was nice.

Untroubled doesn't last long in the lakes though, as the Tarmac climb up to ashness bridge gets the lungs going and the heart pumping, then once the road gets flatter, a tasty headwind had built up heading toward watendlath. After a short but steep climb off-road from the lochan, one of my favourite descents in the lakes lies before you - the the techy bedrockfest down to rosthwaite, and it didn't disappoint.

 

 

The discovery of a previously unnoticed tearoom at rosthwaite was awesome, as we were wet and getting cold from the descent, so a pint of tea and a massive slice of almond and cherry cake was very welcome.

 

All that was left climbing wise was the hoist up the devilishly steep honister pass. Which we passed on!. Instead, we took a wee shortcut, pushing up a footpath to the lovely undulating trail which ultimately leads to castle crags. I used to really love this descent, but I now feel it's just a bit too straight and ploughy, more of a test of nerve rather than skills. Still good though.

After this, I managed to talk R n J into a wee push up cat bells, as they were set to head for the warmth of the car. This was an accidental spot of good luck, as we spotted a path we'd never seen before, a bridleway higher up than the lake path, which was pretty good fun, and even ended up descending right to the car!. By which point it was chucking it down, Oh how I love getting changed by a road side in the rain.....

Great day though, and some tasty food in threlkeld before heading back up the road. A great start to our lakes rides for 2014.

 

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A wee winter ride in the alps

After the fantastic weather of last weekend, which was my working weekend, this week has been a bit unsettled. I had been planning all week to head out somewhere rocky on a solo ride, as all my usual riding buddies were entombed at work, and I needed some proper riding and fresh air. The Ayrshire mud can be tiring during a spell of weather like this.

I had considered a few options, but most rides I had thought of were too high, as there is snow everywhere above 4 or 500 metres, and anything lower than that that ain't rocky is a bog at present. I could have headed to the all weather, yet familiar trail centres in the borders or Galloway, but I wasn't inspired. They can be good fun in a group, but a bit dull on your tod.

So, I decided to head up the A82 to Arrochar, just west of Loch Lomond, to do a loop I haven't done for what must be around 8 years, the Glen Lyon circuit, also known sometimes as the allt coire grogain due to the fording of that particular 'allt', more on that later.

As I had did this route before, and started on the dull fire road climb out of succoth, by Arrochar, I opted instead to head up the beginning of the cobbler path, which links into the aforementioned fire road. This presented a problem. When I reached the junction, I was keen to see how far I could get up the cobbler, as the weather wasn't as bad as it was when I left the shire. It transpired that the path was clear of snow right up to just before the Narnain boulders, at around 500 metres high. Good stuff.

This was really the first ride that I had the Yeti out on the type of terrain that I really wanted it for, big rocky, steep and techy descending, but riding on your lonesome tends to make you hold back a bit, but the bike felt way more capable than the guy sitting on it!. I look forward to a summer of riding stuff like this on a bike that feels it was made for it, indeed, it also felt pretty capable in the climbs too

After that, I peeled off north along the forestry drive to my original intended target, loch sloy. After a mile or two, I noticed a ribbon of trail peeling off down towards Arrochar, so I stopped to have a look. Wow. It looks a pearler, like something that has been designed for fun, so a mental bookmark taken, and I'll be riding it next time!.

By the time I made the long uphill trudge to the top out point, I realised that I had another problem! The fording of the burn, which unbeknown to me had become a river, not a burn, and due to the snow melt, didn't look too welcoming either. I pondered it for a few minutes, had a look upstream. Nothing. Had a look downstream, again nothing. Aw naw.

It was too deep to have a run at, and I didn't fancy wading through with boots on, and having freezing wet feet for the rest of the ride. Ah well, only one thing for it. Socks and boots off, trews rolled up and get the feet wet. In the name of Christ it was cold, but not as cold as the snow that coated the far bank!. It was also far deeper and faster flowing than it looked, thank god I had a bike to act as a crutch.

Onward and downward, a mental fast rocky wide track that leads to the highlight of this loop, the rolling descent into Arrochar. Really good, but all over within twenty minutes really. I think that this loop is now only worth the drive north of it's combined with the cobbler, I suppose I was a different rider 8 years ago.

Good day though, and great to get out in the mountains, despite the sleet, rain and wading.

 

 

Not much point going up there.

 

 

Signs of spring!

 

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Fairlie grim.....

 

I'd been looking forward to a wee Saturday ride up the moor all week, and the blue sky in the morning promised a fine days riding, even though we knew that due to the previous weeks rain that the trails would be challenging. About an hour after the blue morning skies were sighted, the grey, cold rain and wind moved in for the day. The tone was set.

Anyway, after getting the train to Dalry to meet robin and mejulie, we headed up on the long Tarmac climb to the good stuff. The only downside of gaining height (the Kaim hill trails climb to over 1000 feet, and descend to sea level) is that if there is a wee wind at sea level, you can guarantee that it'll be blowing a hoolie at the top. And it was, a really cold south easterly too.

There was a wee bit of snow up there too, hopefully a sign of things to come, as I for one am a bit fed up of riding through mud, and want some crispy, frosty trails instead. It didn't last long, as soon as we descended from the quarry, back to the mud. :-(

All the trails were riding really tough, the tyres squirming for grip all the while, but I don't know if there's a tyre about that would have made much difference today. We than headed down and rode the kilruskin sweet singletrack stuff, that has suffered a wee bit with fallen trees due to the recent winds. I'll need to get up with the chainsaw soon, and clear it again.

Back up the road, and then a final descent down fairlie glen. Which always delayed due to Julie being a wee Jessie, not wanting to ride over the burn, or walk over it, as the stepping stones were covered because the water is really high. Cue our ulster knight in shining armour!.

 

We were all getting bloomin cold waiting for her!.

There is only one thing that gazumps the final descent into fairlie glen. The village inn, good food and awesome real ale. The liver and bacon was in my thoughts from about Thursday!.

 

 

 

 

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