55 / 13 degrees, light winds, sunny cloudy for our trip to Pitlochry today. Killin was a nice quiet place, plenty of hills (mountains?) for climbing, the river and a pub. Would be nice to come back to in a caravan.
This is the fourth day in this second to last section of the trip. A bit sore today from pedalling 4.5 miles hard up to the top of Glen Ogle yesterday. Trying to go uphill faster is a silly thing to do, gets you what? No faster and sore legs!
Spent yesterday just admiring the views. We were lucky that for the majority of the day the hills were visible and not hidden by clouds and mist. The rainbows were an unexpected treat.
We’re eating less, we’ll see if that lasts as we move into the Highlands. Yesterday was a not very large breakfast (Full English because that’s the only option w/ protein), a couple meat cheese roll ups w/ half a banana and an afternoon lunch of a shared Scottish tapas & venison burgers. Went back to the hotel and passed out until 6:00 (carb coma?). The point to this is back in Cornwall we would have had another full meal, instead we had tea. Doubt the weight is coming off because, well, beer, but we do feel fitter.
Today we ride along
Loch Tay, the River Tay, the River Tummel to Pitlochry. Quite a lot of road today, but small ones. Today gets us over 900 miles so 3 quarters of the way!
Cullen Skink, salmon (Scotland's largest food export - maybe that’s why I’m not finding it on menus, they export it all?), a wee dram - meal plan for tonight. Stay off the haggis!
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| We climbed out of Killin |
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| Loch Tay |
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| Miles and miles of Loch Tay |
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| Fields overlooking the Loch |
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| The hills hidden in the clouds, but still a fantastic view |
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| Looking back down Loch Tay |
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| Castle Menzies |
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| Picnic stop, very autumnal |
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| I haven’t been in this bridge for 40 years |
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| End of the day |
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| Fisherman |
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| Day’s profile |
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| Lovely sculptures |
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| Now that’s a proper pub! |
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| This evening’s selections |
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| Corncrake |
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| Happy Chappie |
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| Nice end to the day! |
We left Killin and pedalled onto the best route we’ve had so far - 15 miles of smooth road overlooking stonewalled fields, a loch and surrounded by mountains. It was roller coaster hilly, but we’re used to that now! Roadwise, think it was the best day so far. Scenery wise, it was the best day too. Pitlochry is one of the prettier towns we’ve been though. It’s bustling touristy, but in a good way - plenty to see and do. We had a great wander around the town and dinner out at the Fern Cottage - early booking on Saturday night was a good idea!
Funny thing today, we pedalled through the town of
Dull, Scotland, turns out it’s paired with the town of Boring, Oregon. Not one you usually see!
Steve’s Letters From…
Greetings LFA’s and welcome to this week’s edition which comes, for the second week running from Scotland, to be more precise from Pitlochry. I realise it’s early but we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow with an early start in the morning morning as we tackle the last 60 mile day which includes a climb to 1500 ft over the Drumochter Pass. All being well next week’sedition will come from Wick which is where the cycling ends having been to JOG earlier the previous day.
Scotland has presented different challenges mainly weather related, it’s been varied, longish remote days between Gretna and Glasgow and shorter very scenic days for the last four days with Lochs, Glens and Castles, despite the weather some of the best cycling I have experienced.
Tomorrow we go into the Highlands proper, Aviemore is on the edge of the Cairngorm Mountains which has some of the highest peaks in Scotland (but not the highest). Once we go beyond Inverness, we are in new territory for me. I have never been north of here in my life though I lived not far from Aviemore and Inverness for three years (1980 to 1983) when I was stationed in Lossiemouth. Claire was born in Aberdeen.
Looking forward to the final stage through the Highlands.
Have a good week, Steve & Katherine.
