Another Shire Ticked

2nd & 3rd July 2011

Saturday morning and I have to go to work, but the panniers were loaded up last night and are ready to click onto the bikes when we roll them out the shed.  Now is the time to ask, Why didn't we make the gate that wee bit wider?

Mike got the choice of roads I got the choice of where we headed.
Aviemore for coffee & cake well we would have had cake if I had ordered as it was we had posh coffee with a free refill at Pappa Rock its at the north end of the town.
Laggan where we turned of the main roads and headed inland as far as the tar would go, this is Mikes first night "wild camping"


Wild camp site at Corrieyairack Pass

 and as wild camp sites goes this one is WILD and REMOTE. 
BBQ & wine and only a few midgies to share it with.  It stayed light for what seemed like hours but that could have been the result of my early start. 
Being as there was no telly or midgies to swat Mike decided it would be a good idea to take a wee wander have a poke about in the nearby ruins which we think could have been part of General Wades barracks, followed the track into the woods we came across a fantastic wee bridge.

Melgarve East Bridge

This bridge was built around 1750 and restored in 1984, according to the nearby sign, a wee hidden gem like this makes the end to a perfect day.  Well to be precise the glass of river chilled white wine we had back at the tent was the perfect end to the day but this bridge just made us stand and think of all those that went before us along this scenic route thru Scotland.




Sunday morning we were packed up reasonably early had a few miles to cover today.  Today's thrill was being able to ride the bike for the first 4 miles of the day without the need to wear a helmet, well it seemed pointless we wont see anyone else, well not until we get further down the glen and the farms and fishery areas on the Spey.

A quick stop in Fort William for fuel then we head south towards Glencoe, one of our favourite places in Scotland, but this time we kept going bypassing it and heading towards Appin and Castle Stalker.

Castle Stalker

Castle Stalker and a wee bit of trivia
Local legend has it that
In around 1620 the Castle passed into the hands of the Campbells of Airds as a result of a drunken wager by the 7th Stewart Chief, Duncan, in exchange for an eight-oared wherry

Its now time to turn the bikes round and start the long ride home, its only the 2nd time we have been along the A85 from Connel ~ Tyndrum a bikers paradise, as is The Green Welly our next stop in Tyndrum.  The 3rd posh coffee of the trip and a browse in the shop then its on the bikes for the long 125 ride home.



Not only did we get to add another shire to the list visited, but we got to ride on a few of our favourite roads

A920 Huntly - Dufftown

A95 Aberlour - Grantown on Spey

A89 by Loch Laggan

A828 along the shores of Loch Linnhe

A85 Connel - Tyndrum

A85 Thru Glen Ogle  the bikes always sound great going thru here :-)

Well that was another perfect biking weekend, the scenery on the West coast of Scotland is hard to beat and we just happen to be lucky enough to live close enough to it to get there in a couple of hours.
Going to spend the next few weeks pouring over maps hunting for another perfect wild camping destination.