# CC Ecosse Lochs and Glens tour 2015



## Pat "5mph" (19 Aug 2015)

This is a tale of conquered hills, of endurance, of overcome fears, of great comradeship.
We rode up and down the Scottish hills and glens, among beautiful scenes of forests and waterfalls; we suffered, we cried and we rejoiced to be safe together at the end of each day.

Day one: Glasgow to Callander, via the Queen's view, Drymen, Gartmore, Aberfoyle, Duke's pass.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/371641503
Pictures here - I can't get them in the right order, but the descriptions should be self explanatory.

The day did not start well for me: I was running late to the meeting point, the cat had been not well, my panniers needed a last minute adjustment on the road.
@flyingfifi had already set out to meet @mcshroom at Glasgow Central. I later heard the meeting went like this:
Hiya, you must be Fifi! I'm Mushroom  ... well, not really, I'm Marcus 
Having adjusted my panniers I was hasting to the SECC, when a mini tornado almost blew me off the road: it was @Edwardoka running late too.
Ten past ten, we are comparing bikes and luggage: Catherine appears to have exceeded her 25kg allowance ... more about that later.



Already 20 minutes late on schedule, we ride to meet @Somebuddy half a mile up the road.
I see a cyclist waiting, tell Catherine, please, run along ask him if he's John Somebuddy from Cycle Chat. She comes back saying, no, he's Dave from Cycle Chat. That will do, tell him to come along 
Right into Kelvingrove park, our leader for the day @Edwardoka is not taking the lead ... his Garmin is broken, he's leading from memory! Just as well the rest of us have SatNav and local knowledge.
Another wee mix up in the park, finally we join @traljapa Tracey.
It turns out her and Catherine know how to get out of the twisty park path better than the rest of us, so with some, ermmm, discussion, we finally make it to the meeting point with @Harry_Palmer79, just about an hour later than agreed.
Said @Harry_Palmer79 (Ross) did not wait at the roundabout, but a bit further along: another 10 minutes delay, by now we should have met with @bigjim in Bearsden: I was sure I saved his number, but hadn't! No worries, he had mine, we would hear from him later.
Here the major disaster of the day: the road we had chosen to follow to Aberfoyle, avoiding a very hilly section of the NCR7, was extremely busy with motorized traffic due to another road closure we did not know about.
Things got quite hairy, some of us were riding 2 abreast to shield the more vulnerable, if we were to meet @bigjim as agreed we would have had to carry on on that road.
I can see car forum comments next day: them blinking women cyclists riding two abreast, carrying the kitchen sink couldn't make it uphill, a nonsense the lot of them 
Change of plan: fearless @Edwardoka and @Harry_Palmer79 went in pursue of Jim while the rest of us changed route at Drymen. Regrouping at Aberfoyle.
We did not see them again until Callander: they never did find Jim, who rode by himself the first day of the tour.
It is to be noted that after the fearless racing snakes left us, all went plain sailing, Fifi and I having done the route couple of weeks before. Well, @Somebuddy dropped his phone and @flyingfifi rode over it, bit of a minor mishap in the grand scheme of things.
We had a lovely lunch at Drymen, the real start of the hilly hills.
Strange how some hills are definitely more hilly then others in spite of the map profile that shows them less hilly, if you know what I mean.
It's only 10 ondulating miles from Drymen to Aberfoyle on the NCR7, but our nerves were frayed, the afternoon sun was stinging, the Duke's pass was looming in our thoughts.
It was not looming in Catherine's thoughts, because she was blissfully unaware. It was not looming in @traljapa's thoughts because she's an ace cyclist, it was not looming in the boy's thoughts for the same reason, so, well, yeah, it was really only looming in mine and @flyingfifi's thoughts!

Gulp!!!!
Now, there's an important detail I must not forget: remember Catherine, her humongous luggage? Think Terry Pratchett and you're not far off. Remember our group split before Drymen, the fast boys in pursuit of @bigjim? Our cavalier leader @Edwardoka offered to carry a hefty part of this luggage, ended up carrying it up the Duke's pass too. Kudos aplenty to him, if he'd known he could have ditched the whole lot into the first nearby bush without affecting the outcome of Catherine's trip maybe he would be KOM now. What was in this luggage I hear you ask: oh, all will be revealed later!
Up the Duke's pass:
After a wee coffee break at Aberfoyle, Catherine and Fifi decide to walk the steep bit, Tracy takes it in her stride, quickly disappears up the hill, Dave shoots off too, I decide to give it my best try, cycling as much as I can, walking when I can't. Pat 5mph up a mountain pass? Pass me the chocolate, can't we get the bus instead? 
I did pass the pass slowly slowly, half walking half cycling. @mcshroom mega kudos to him spinning all the way, soon caught me up, hurled himself down the descend.
I was all alone on top of the world, immersed in the Queen Elizabeth forest.
On this day I conquered my fear of descending: clicked into my highest gears and went for it, right down to Brig o'Turk, only briefly stopping for a picture, up another minor hill at Loch Venachar, like a real cyclist Pat 5mph was signaling traffic behind that the road was clear for overtaking, never missing a pedal strike.
Up and down, down and up the shores of the Loch that I had ridden from the other side 2 weeks before on the off road section, this was so easy in comparison.
A quick right turn into the path, skipping the busy A84, I'm in Callander, sipping a well earned double espresso, meeting up with the Embra posse, Catherine and Fifi arrive 15 minutes later safe and sound.
The hostel is lovely, Christian the receptionist makes great coffee, is pleasant to all.
We are introduced to Maddie mini- Fubar who is on her very first cycling tour, on a month old bike, on clipless pedals only since last week. She did great! We all did! The Belles on Bikes rock!
Catherine is sitting among her 3 mega panniers.
She brought bedding, a bath towel,swimming costume, two dozen spare batteries for her camera and lights, 3 rolls of toilet paper, a pillow, a large bottle of shower gel, 3 tubs of hand cream, tea lights, many items of clothing. She did not pack a spare pair of shoes, so had to use mine every evening 
We make a cull, leave one pannier with the ever helpful Christian. The batteries and the tea lights are kept. @Fubar needs to confirm that at no stage of this trip own bedding and pillows are required.
We finally retire for the night.

Addenda:
In Drymore I took my helmet off for the heat: few ascents later, bombing down a gravel strewn downhill I remembered I'm 52, BigCat depends on me, have no helmet on, go "eeekkkk!!", carry on bombing downhill regardless. This is a pattern that will repeat several times on this tour 

After the Brig o'Turk, on a slight uphill, I got passed by the two American tourist on hybrids I was chatting with, she seemed to barely be able to ride her bike, wobbled so much.
The man laughed, said " we have electrical assist, we're on holiday!!" ... I could see @mcshroom in the distance, they were catching him fast 

On the Duke's pass, two young riders on heavy mountain bikes effortlessly did the bits I was walking, the girl was laughing with her partner like they were on a canal ride 

To be continued, thanks for reading


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2015)

Day two: Callander to Pitlochry, via Strathyre, Balquhidder, Glen Ogle, Killin, Loch Tay, Kenmore.
Pictures here, Strava here.

This was the hardest day by far, we left Callander at 9.30, got into Pitlochry at 8pm.
The slightly longer distance (63 miles) and the numerous off road sections, peppered by sudden sharp uphills and by twisty descends made us work hard on the bikes. Mine had never seen so many rapid gear changes, many front and rear almost simultaneously. I had visions of snapped cables!
Nae fear of punctures though, the Belles are Schwalbe Marathon girls 
We started on the mellow path that takes you out of Callander, up and over Loch Lubnaig. The scenery was most beautiful, with the Trossachs mountains across shrouded in the morning mist.


The path soon became seriously twisty, the surface more like a mountain bike trail, we had no choice but to push up the steep hill.
@Scoosh would have had great difficulties on his recumbent, here and on many other bits of the day's route.
Soon we reached Rob Roy's grave: Catherine gave us the obligatory history background talk. The mist had started to lift, we had another sunny day ahead.
It was an emotional day for me: after the exhilarating off road downhill into Killin, where I conquered my fear of gravel descents - and also almost rammed into @Fubar ... don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time, I'm having a ball  I was frankly exhausted by the rough path, but the hardest bit, for me, the numerous ups and downs of the 35 miles to Pitlochry were still to come.
On the Glen Ogle viaduct you can find this memorial:


When I got to it I was alone, soon @flyingfifi and @DougieAB cought up, us two girls were a wee bit tearful on reading the inscription, Dougie must have thought "what is going on here???"
Killin, where we stopped for lunch, had some village competition going, local were exhibiting straw craft in their gardens, like this one:


Cool, isn't it?
Lots more pictures in the album, the area is stunning.
During lunch, @Fubar consulted the famous red folder: we don't know why!
Also, on this day, we find out that @Somebuddy has a competitive streak in him, he does not like to be passed by Pat 5mph.
He did impede my progress once, this bad karma came back to bite him in the shorts the very next day 
After Killin I found myself riding mostly alone, the fast boys well ahead, Marcus too, while our all encompassing leader considerately stayed at the back with the Belles and with Junior Fu - and @Somebuddy, who had had a puncture.
We regrouped at Loch Tay Marina, only me, Tracey and Fifi managed to get a coffee, by the time Dave, Maddy and Mark arrived the cafe had shut.
The sufferings of poor Junior-Fu came to light, she had to lie down in the grass, severe pain in her neck.
It was now 5pm, we still had 19 miles to get to Pitlochry.
It would have been fine, had the smooth path not diverged into the usual steep minor roads, complete with passing tractors, occasional boy racers and suicidal wildlife! There was bold baldy chickens in my way!... Later I was told they were actually baby pheasants ... erm ...
Had to walk a couple of the sudden steep bits, caught in the wrong gear: by thet time I was so tired anyway that walking was faster than cycling.
At one junction I toyed with the idea of taking the road instead of the NCR, because I was alone I decided not to, in case something happened the others would not know were I was - we were all following the Garmin.
Later I found out that Catherine, at the same junction, did follow the road, got lost, rejoined the NCR, was found ahead, alone, in tears, by an exasperate Fiona, who decided to phone me while I was reaching the top of an enormous hill ... some rude muttering were grunted!
Now, my energy was really reaching the end: riding along the most beautiful tree lined avenue, I started singing an old song of a life long past, remembering loved ones long gone that would have not believed I could do this ride, no, they would have stopped me from doing it.
No more tears! @Somebuddy has caught up! The sign says 5 miles to Pitlochry along the path, on a steep uphill of course.
Again, we consider taking the road, again, we decide to follow the agreed route. Later, looking at the map, we see that we would not have saved any miles, the road avoided was a busy one.
Those last 5 miles took us on an uphill country road, the highlight a lovely tunnel made by trees, intertwining top branches covering the dusky sky above.
Finally we got into Pitlochry: us ladies had a quick meal before dropping into our beds, while the boys proceeded to the pub. I hear 6 pints ahead were consumed! 

Day 3 and 4 coming tomorrow, thanks for reading


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2015)

Day 3: Pitlochry to Newtonmore, via Killiecrankie, Blair Athol, Calvine, Drumochter pass, Dalwhinnie.
Pictures here, Strava here.

We woke up in Pitlochry to a wet day, still quite mild though. Maddie Junior-Fu had been picked up the evening before, only four Belles left now, rearing to go on to the next stage. While the boys were in the pub, we did our stretches: to our surprise, we felt not nearly as stiff as we thought we would feel.
A nice surprise, @Brandane was joining us for the day. He didn't last 5 miles, he he, I think he feared shrinking in the rain 

A rainy start on day three.
We had had our briefing by @Edwardoka: it would be a slog uphill after Blair Athol, no food or water for 25 miles over the Drumochter pass. He was quite urgent in his briefing, stating that the lack of water refilling opportunities was what worried him most. So us Belles carried extra, turned out we had enough for next day's lunch stop too 
Today we discover that Catherine brakes downhill and that in spite of carrying numerous batteries her camera keeps going flat.
Wait a minute, wait a minute .... my camera ... needs change of batteries ...
@mcshroom: what do you mean, you haven't changed them yet? Is it powered by the spirit of the batteries in the depths of your panniers?? Gimme the blooming thing, here, I'll put two of mine in! 
Ready to attack the pass:



Truly, it wasn't bad at all, after the previous day nothing would be, I did not need to walk any hills on day 3 or on day 4; might have had to apologize to @mcshroom though, for swearing at him ... I know where I'm going - wobbling into a junction uphill .... I've got SatNav!!!   
The ride over Creagan Mor into Dalwhinnie was very enjoyable, the rain had stopped, we had no head wind to battle with. The path was a bit rough in places but nothing major.
@Somebuddy did have a bit of a hard time: his neck was really sore from the previous day's ride, a couple of screws on his bike came undone, one of his shoes got permanently stuck to the pedal .... "Out of the way, can't stoppppppp!!!!!" 
A lovely lunch in Dalwhinnie, the sun shining so bright that I applied sun screen. We were making good time to Newtonmore.
While the faster ones made haste on the quiet flat road after the lunch stop, some of us got told by tourers riding our route the opposite way that a forest track we planned to follow next day was impassable. Preoccupied with his cleat @Somebuddy wasn't listening, a mistake that would effect him tomorrow 
To the mantras of "pedal, Catherine, pedal, don't brake!" .... "how do you know I'm braking??" .... "because I'm about to ram into your back wheel!!!"
and: " go @Fubar go @Edwardoka go, I'm ok, the Belles are ok, we have SatNav, we have maps!"  the hostel in Newtonmore is reached.
The accommodation was outstanding, us girls had a flat for ourselves, so did the boys. The owner has a garage cum bike mechanic workshop, he fixed Dave's cleat no charge.
We all shared a big kitchen/diner, there were two cookers, plenty of pots and pans, us girls managed to produce a meal for 11 in no time, in spite of having difficulties with the electric hobs I'm not used to cook on.
A great night in, lots of laughs, banter, sense of achievement.
Newtonmore, home of the Scottish wild cat 



Last installment later on this evening, thanks for reading


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2015)

The fourth day, coming towards the end of this epic journey, memories already fading among daily routine.
Did we really do it? You bet we did!
Pictures here, Strava here.
From Newtonmore to Inverness, via Aviemore, Boat of Garten, the Slodch summit and Tomatin. Plus numerous historical sites en route 

Saying a heartfelt goodbye to our hosts at Newtonmore, we set out on another sunny day, empty Sunday morning roads.
Aviemore was reached in good time, a wee comfort break - @Harry_Palmer79 lost a filling on a gigantic jelly bean - then up we ride towards Boat of Garten.
Our quick thinking leaders @Fubar and @Edwardoka had plotted a new, slightly adjusted route, to avoid the forestry path we were warned against by the tourers met yesterday. This resulted on our Garmin routes being off the course, leaving us slow coaches at the back in danger of missing turns. The ever helpful Ed kept riding backwards and forwards making sure all was well. Catherine and I lost ourselves (figuratively speaking) in the most aromatic pine forest, taking umpteen pictures while singing " Oh Tannenbaum, oh Tannenbaum, wie Gruen sind deine Bletter!"
Like SuperSuperCyclingMan Ed wizzes by (he was actually riding back towards us) ... next left, next left!! All right, all right, we are coming 
Meanwhile, I knew that on my left, right in the middle of the beautiful forest, @Somebuddy was getting tumble dried by the mountain bike track: he missed the morning briefing because "I'm gonna head off, or the racing boys are gonna pass me" ....  

The smooth road we used, while @Somebuddy used the "alternative off road route, expect variable surfaces".
Right enough, while having a coffee at Boat, I saw many mountain bikers on full suss bikes rolling out of that path.
What next? Inverness just 34 miles! 


Next then, the Slochd then lunch in Tomatin! Yeah!!!
Up and up we go - pedal Catherine, pedal! SatNavs back on track ... I'm ok @Fubar, SatNavSaysStraight On! ... ahh, is Emma here too? 


What a descent from the summit! Pedal, Catherine, pedal, we are gonna disconnect your brakes!!!
Truly, we ascended from the easy side.
Anticlimax at Tomatin: despite the numerous  on the map, the village only had one cafe, closed on Sundays.
We ended up emptying our panniers of leftover supplies, eating on a bench in the local community centre. @bigjim brewed a cuppa 
@Fubar was force fed some of my chocolate rice cakes 


Inverness was now so near, we could almost utter triumphant cries of "we made it!" ... yeahbut ... Battle of Colloden anybody? What about the ancient grave stones of Clava Cairns? Nooooo, Catherine, noooooo! 
We all went in the end, apart from @flyingfifi who was busy holding her head in her hands at the side of the road.
Aha, Culloden, where is Mark gone? @bigjim: "don't tell me he's gone to pee in the sacred field, a sacrilege that is ..." He didn't, but I had a smoke in it 
Pictures in album.
And so we finally arrived in Inverness, a motley assortment of knackered cyclists, ready for a good meal.
I think it is fitting to close this tale with the image of @Edwardoka looking as cool as a cucumber in the face of adversity: does he look bothered? Never!



The ending: we bickered some, found a nice restaurant, had a great meal, took our trains home next day. I attacked the local steepest hill riding home from the station instead of taking the flat. Got a PB on Strava!
While I fold my map of the Lochs and Glens for the last time this year I feel so proud of our wee group.
Till the next one!


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## Fubar (20 Aug 2015)

Brilliant write up @Pat "5mph"! Loved reading your perspective on the trip


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## djb1971 (20 Aug 2015)

another good read Pat 

it all looked to be very, errr, normal this year. I think you were too busy pedalling and eating cake to get into trouble


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## Sara_H (20 Aug 2015)

Fantastic! What a great trip.


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2015)

Fubar said:


> Brilliant write up @Pat "5mph"! Loved reading your perspective on the trip


I forgot to mention Ed's off. I can only report stuff that I have witnessed


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## Fubar (20 Aug 2015)

djb1971 said:


> another good read Pat
> 
> it all looked to be very, errr, normal this year. I think you were too busy pedalling and eating cake to get into trouble



She's a pro


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## Edwardoka (21 Aug 2015)

Fantastic write up! I was glad to be occasionally on domestique duty with such a fine group of people 

(It's not as if I could have caught @Harry_Palmer79 and @DougieAB anyway )


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## Pat "5mph" (21 Aug 2015)

How did you solve the creaking hub @Edwardoka?
I forgot to ask back then  to preoccupied scoffing my lunch ...


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## Rickshaw Phil (21 Aug 2015)

Love the write up Pat.

In my few trips to Scotland I've stayed in Callander and in Aviemore so have a good idea of the terrain you've all been riding - well done! 

Want to try riding that way myself sometime.


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## Edwardoka (21 Aug 2015)

Pat "5mph" said:


> How did you solve the creaking hub @Edwardoka?
> I forgot to ask back then  to preoccupied scoffing my lunch ...


The seal is busted, water got in. Stopped the noise and metal-on-metal contact but probably not the best solution...


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## Pat "5mph" (21 Aug 2015)

Edwardoka said:


> The seal is busted, water got in. Stopped the noise and metal-on-metal contact but probably not the best solution...


You need to service the bearings, even I can do that, go for it, hopefully the hub is not all pitted.
@Rickshaw Phil you come on tour with us next time, a laugh a minute guaranteed. There may be rain


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## Edwardoka (21 Aug 2015)

Pat "5mph" said:


> You need to service the bearings, even I can do that, go for it, hopefully the hub is not all pitted.
> @Rickshaw Phil you come on tour with us next time, a laugh a minute guaranteed. There may be rain


Stock Triban wheels aren't worth saving 

I struggle to fix a puncture, failed to replace a gear cable, servicing a hub might as well be building a base on Mars given how likely it is to end with success if I'm in charge of it :-p


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## Fubar (23 Aug 2015)

Edwardoka said:


> Stock Triban wheels aren't worth saving
> 
> I struggle to fix a puncture, failed to replace a gear cable, servicing a hub might as well be building a base on Mars given how likely it is to end with success if I'm in charge of it :-p



I can never get the bolts correctly torqued - always either too loose or too tight. Leave it to the pros


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## mcshroom (23 Aug 2015)

There's something quite comforting about knowing exactly how everything on your bike has been put together (either knowing it's done right, or knowing what you've not done right so need to watch). If you can get on a maintenance course then you would find it useful. Either that or buy and do up a cheap old bike with the help of youtube which is what I did.


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## Pat "5mph" (23 Aug 2015)

mcshroom said:


> There's something quite comforting about knowing exactly how everything on your bike has been put together (either knowing it's done right, or knowing what you've not done right so need to watch).


Yes, quite.
Like my newly fitted shorter stem - who said "I've never seen a stem so short"?  
Bike sooo comfy, steering so good. Discovered the old one that came with the bike was not properly tight!


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## flyingfifi (4 Sep 2015)

Thanks for the lovely photos and write up roll on next year


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## anothersam (14 Apr 2020)

Pat "5mph" said:


> This is a tale of conquered hills, of endurance, of overcome fears, of great comradeship.
> We rode up and down the Scottish hills and glens, among beautiful scenes of forests and waterfalls; we suffered, we cried and we rejoiced to be safe together at the end of each day.


Enjoyed this. Belatedly.



mcshroom said:


> There's something quite comforting about knowing exactly how everything on your bike has been put together


Yes! Though I don’t consider myself to be worth much as a mechanic, it’s very satisfying (when it’s not too thrilling).


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## HobbesOnTour (20 Apr 2020)

What an absolutely fantastic write up!!
It reads like a hell of a lot of fun! 😀


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## Pat "5mph" (21 Apr 2020)

It was, @HobbesOnTour, it was.
We broke @Fubar


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## Fubar (24 Apr 2020)

Pat "5mph" said:


> It was, @HobbesOnTour, it was.
> We broke @Fubar



Not on this one you didn't! Actually I think this tour was my favourite.


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## Edwardoka (24 Apr 2020)

Fubar said:


> Not on this one you didn't! Actually I think this tour was my favourite.


The six pints were just for fun then?


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## Fubar (28 Apr 2020)

Edwardoka said:


> The six pints were just for fun then?



I think I broke myself that night...


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