(23/06/07) Fort William (By Steven Whit
e)Met everyone at Waverly Station and boarded the 11:15am train to Glasgow to find out that Brock got on the train in front with no ticket! On the train to Glasgow and got chatting with German Boab (what a legend). Got to Glasgow to find that the platform was flooded so we had to board the train downstairs, much to the panic of the other travellers but not us. 4hrs later and after much banter and awe of great scenery we arrived at Fort William. Fired up to the youth hostel to dump the bags then fired into town for many jars. Andy bought a footy and we got mare peaved and kicked the baw aboot, Brock almost breaking his elbow with a blinding save on the pavement, with roaring applause from the local jakes outside the boozer, lol. We then headed to the shinty pitch where we had a kick about and got jaked. Fired to the hostel and sat ootside getting even more jaked. Spoke with the biggest arse of an ozzy burd, she got ripped by all, knows everything about nothing type! (Tatoo????? Fecking Sheat!!!) Laughed like freak in oor room which we shared with two yanks And another German lad. The German lad had no clue what was going on and the two yanks got pissed off saying "hey guys hey guys" but you know when you just cant stop laughing when you should be serious, it was one of those cracking moments!
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| Kickaboot at Fort William high st |
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| Kickaboot on the shinty pitch |
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Chilling at the hostel
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(24/06/07) Fort William to Fort Augustus: 24 mile/38 km, Ascent 400m (By Steven White)
With a stinking hangover, we got up at the back of 8am. Had a bite to eat then started on the road. Not far into it and our details are being taken doon by the biggest arse of a cop, careless cycling for Brock as we all wait behind the traffic. Nothing at all in it, a proper jobs worth!!!! We start the Great Glen Way at 10am and by 11am we have covered 10miles, we were rocking. Cycled along the river Lochy to the village of Gairloch, passed Loch Lochy, crossed the canal at Laggan Locks and on passing Loch Oich. We hit the biggest ascents you have ever seen! 6miles in 2 hours which was soul destroying and ran out of fluids! Talking to yourself is the common thing by now lol, with a host of crap tunes stuck in your head. How do they get there? Down hills were outstanding, off road big style for the next 7miles and with only a few up hills, it was sweet as a nut. Last 10 miles of the day were covered along the side of the canal which was very boring! Landed in Fort Augustus, tired, sore n starving, hit the chippy near Neptune’s Staircase then back to the hostel boozer. Andy and Brock fired oot to a local while the rest of us hit our beds after a couple of pints.
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| Setting off from the hostel |
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| The Caledonian Canal |
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| Steve at Loch Lochy |
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| Brock, Boab and Kev at Loch Lochy |
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| Loch Oich |
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| Final push to Fort Augustus |
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| Chippy at Neptune's staircase, Fort Augustus |
(25/06/07) Fort Agustus to Drumadrochet: 33 miles/53 km, Ascent 500m (By Steven White)
We seem to always start the day on the biggest bloody climb ever as we ascend 1300ft in 3hours of solid slogging up hill, with the legs taking a pounding. We cover 9miles of off road, beasting it in an hour and a half! Spirits are up as we stop off for a quick drink before we hit some serious up hill beasting, even Boab is pushing his bike. Kev keeps saying "I think we are at the highest point now" never trust a Jambo! Scenery is awesome with the climb up overlooking Loch Ness but with such hard work you are just getting through it all. We are now alongside Loch Ness with no sign of the mythical beast but 5 beasts are bombing the track now. Stopped off at Invermoriston for a couple of photos at Telford’s Bridge across the River Moriston and then had a pint before then next set of climbs. The bikes are melting most of it after the gruelling up hill with some of the best off road tracks and down hill I’ve done. Kev's para mental, loses a bolt of his back pannier and has to cycle down hill off road holding the back of it, it was mental! A quick Ray Mears style wilderness fixing by my good self and Rob then we headed down into Drumnadrochit. It was a huge, sweet down hill road too. We had cycled 35miles and started at 10am, stopped at 4pm which was a great time to have done it in, but the day’s cycle was taking its toll on the body and mind. After trying many times to get the bus to Inverness we met this sound as a pound woman who ran a hostel and after much bantering from Webb we got booked in and headed to a local quiet boozer for a few pints and games of pool. We then got a carry out and sat outside getting jaked by the camp fire with the guitar playing and banter with the staff (deep breath). Inside however some unsocial German types tried to be smart and came out with smert comments amongst themselves about us. Little did they realise that Rob being German himself knew what the craic was, much to the shame and embarrassment of the pratt who passed comment. This was not to be left to pleasantries of a smile; a raise of the shoulder and a swift "ya prick" was dealt with a lethal blow, horrahhh. Rob was on fire all night and Kev was not to his mercy, Kev resembling hank oot of ‘Me, Myself and Irene’ with a plaster on his chin. The sides were splitting with the banter, loved it! Banter and bevy was flowing around the hostel camp fire.
(26/6/07) Drumadrochet to Inverness: 20 mile/32 km, Inverness to Carrbridge: Total 49 miles/78km, Ascent 480m (By Steven White & Kevin Russell)
Up with an early start, we stopped off for supplies and a bite to eat at the shop in Drumadrochet. We began with a steep ascent and at half way; Brock, Rob and I decided to head along the main road to make the trip quicker. Kev and Andy opting to fire the long way round.
Me & Andy had a slog with the bike, at times getting off to push it as we headed along minor farm roads. A lot of it went up and up before reaching the highest point of the Great Glen Way. The track headed through open moorland with superb views in all directions particularly to the north western highlands, before a beast down hill to join the A82 near Inverness. We then headed along, crossing over the River Ness through a park before we met up with the others at the high street. It was longer but safer than cycling the busy A82 road.
Brock, Rob and me arrive in Inverness then chilled. Kev and Webb arrived less than 2 hours behind us. Grabbing a bite to eat, Kev tries to show us clips of his route and a reply of "kev im no bothered" was delivered. After some stodgy scran from a dodgy boozer, we make out way out of Inverness, following the NCN, down the road to Carrbridge. I get a puncture on the bike and both Rob and myself try n repair it! The tyre just wouldn’t go back on so we spent a while on it. Up the road we try and fix Kevs pannier and strap the hell out of it. Cycled passed Culloden where the battle took place in 1745, Clava Cairns, well preserved bronze aged prehistoric burial cairns built 4000 years ago. Many twisting and winding farm roads are covered, passing Loch Moy down the B9154, but the sun is blistering so it’s all good. Time is belting past now so we agree to stop off in Tomatin for the night, being as its 11miles away, we realise that my back wheel is now buckled and Andy's bike is fecked. It’s now beginning to become a slog. Arriving in Tomatin, a small one pub town, we discover that Brock and Rob decided to cycle on and head to Carrbridge. We stop 1st for some scran which was unreal. You could see the chefs at the hotel window waiting for business. We then head another 10miles to join them. After a gruelling 2 mile slog up hill and many sweary words being muttered under my breath, we finally hit down hill for 7miles, great views towards the Cairngorms but cold as hell cycling in the Highlands at 9:30pm! We arrive in Carrbridge an meet the other lads in the local. We find out there are no camping sites, so go for a wee wander to find somewhere suitable. Then just when we decide to camp at the park with the football pitches, we get the banter on the go with the staff and the manager invites us to crash in the back garden of the hotel, provided we pay for some scran in the morning. A few pints then followed with even Rob getting abit of cake from a local birthday in the pub. A cold and wet night followed in Kev’s soaking tent!
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| Looking to the North West Highlands |
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| Me near the end of the GGW |
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| The final push before Inverness |
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| Boozer in Inverness |
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| Andy chilling at Inverness |
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| The Clava Cairns |
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| En route to Carrbridge |
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| Cairn Hotel, Carrbridge |
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| Carrbridge camping |
(27/6/07) Carrbridge to Aviemore 12 mile plus few mile getting lost. 15 mile,24km ascent 310m (By Steven White & Kevin Russell)
In the morning we are kindly given bacon and egg rolls with tea and coffee for 3 bucks. I get the train to Aviemore at 10am, which is 7miles down the road to try and get my bike fixed. Arriving there I check out the only 2 bike repair places in Aviemore to be given brutal news that they are back logged and can’t fit me in, even though i pleaded with them and offered both a cheese burger . I headed to the Cairngorm Hotel to charge ma mobile and drown my woes. Call from Kev to say that they have got lost! 7miles & 1hr 30mins cycle turned into almost 3hrs, by then I called Helen and she very kindly came to my rescue to pick me up and take me home. I believed that the lads were cycling onto Pitlochry that day. Gutted when they arrive to tell me that they had decided to stay in Aviemore for the night, oh well! Left them in Aviemore and headed to the burgh. The journey for me was over. Gutted, tired, wounded and broken. I had a great, great time and although it was tough at times, I’ve never laughed so much in such a long time! A great group o lads, Fecking Rock n Roll!!
While Steve was away trying to get his bike fixed, we were on our way to Aviemore. As we were following the NCN 7, it split into 2 routes after Boat of Garten with one way following the B970 and the other following the Strathspey Railway on the traffic free Speyside Way. Opting for the latter, which was meant to be the quickest, we ploughed on with Brock and Robert firing ahead. However, due to the fact that they beasted on, they missed the turning on the right, as did me and Webb. To make matters worse, me and Webb got caught behind a farmer and his dog rounding up hundreds of sheep. Some 30 mins later and we cycled on passed a farm to the awaiting Brock and Rab. “Take your time lads eh, the famer went mental at us” we were greeted with. We cycled on passing through fields, opening and closing gates. There were no NCN signs and I began to wonder if we were going the right way. Further ahead there were signs for Spey Bridge. “We are going the wrong way lads, think we need to go back” the usual groans of “feck sake Kev” come from Andy. As if it’s my fault eh. Few phone calls to Steve saying we are lost, we backtrack as I look at the map. “The cycle path follows the Aviemore steam train” I shout as we all hear a faint “choo choo” in the distant background. . We cycled back and asked the local ranger. He said we missed the turning by 2 mile. Sheeeiite!! We then head back with many pissed off faces and. a belief of how they feck did we miss the turning. Finally found the path and it turned out to be a great wee cycle through an open forest and superb views of the Cairngorm Mountains. I fell behind as they cycled ahead. I did have a heavy tent on the back of my pannier frame that kept coming loose and falling off. The path then followed the Aviemore housing estate into the main drag. Met Steve and said our goodbyes, gutted that he couldn’t join us as he'd already phoned Helen to come and pick him up. His bike was fecked and couldn’t carry on. We decided later that we were going to stay the night due to a shite day. We grabbed a couple of sausage rolls then went to find a hostel. The 1st hostel we tried was booked up but the 2nd one wasn’t so we got our own room in a 6 bunk dorm. Dropped my stuff off then I cycled to the bicycle shop, hiding away in an industrial estate. Found it and bought a missing bolt for my pannier frame 30p (hopefully no more tent disasters) Met up with the rest of the lads in Tesco and bought a slab o lager with Andy buying his usual bottle of JD. Back at the hostel, Brock made chilli con carne which was guid like. After a rest we fired over to the Spey River and got jaked and had a good bit of banter, apart fae the midges like. Bought more cans and fired along to the Macdonald Highland Hotel grounds where we got a game o knockout and pairs with Andy’s fitba (surprised we didnae get chased aff). Rab comes out with the famous words “Let’s get fecked guys, let’s get Swedish girls. Ended up back at the hostel bevying away.
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| Breaky in Carrbridge |
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| Stuck behind the farmer & his sheep |
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| The Speyside Way to Aviemore |
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| Brock & Bob in the Aviemore hostel |
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| Brock & Webb by the River Spey |
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| Getting jaked by the Spey |
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| Jaked at the Macdonald Highland Hotel |
(28/6/07) Aviemore to Pitlochry 60 mile, 96km,Ascent 457m
The next day we set off around 10 after breakfast. The NCN followed the B970 through quite country roads passing Loch Insh, Ruthven Barracks, Kingussie finally stopping for lunch in Newtonmore. It rained for abit but then the rest of the day was dry but cloudy. Grabbed a cup of tea and a bacon roll in the cafe then fired over to the toilet to fill up our water supply. (We were in the highlands). The next part of the journey followed the traffic free, General Wade’s Military Road by the River Truim in Glen Truim. The path was stony at times but mostly flat and downhill. Then it merged with a country road before entering Dalwhinnie with great views towards Loch Ericht. Once in Dalwhinnie a few of the lads wanted to get the train to Pitlochry but then next one wasn’t due for a couple of hours. I wasn’t keen on it myself and preferred to cycle the whole way. After grabbing something to eat we left Dalwhinnie and came to a warning sign. Some of us had our reservations as the sign warned of severe weather conditions even in summer and no shelter for 20 mile but we persevered. The traffic free path through the Pass of Drumochter was the old A9 right next to the new road and didn’t feel at all hilly and it was a beautiful, scenic highland cycle in the middle of the Grampian Mountains. From the summit of the drumochter pass at 457m, it was all downhill SW into Glen Garry. We stopped for a rest in Calvine praising the cracking cycle. The landscape also changed dramatically from the rugged highland terrain to the fields and farms of the lowland. Headed on passing the looming Ben Vrackie on the B8079. There wasn’t much in Blair Atholl, therefore we cycled on down into the pass of Killiecrankie into Pitlochry. We thought about camping but then cycled into the town and grabbed a welcome chippy and booked ourselves into Pitlochry backpackers. We put our bikes into the shed and also we got a room to ourselves in the hostel. After cleaning myself up we went for a few beers in the pub along the road. I felt physically drained but still managed to whip Andy at pool. Later we got a 12 pack of lager & Andy got his JD. Headed back to the hostel for a few tins and then out to some tourist boozer. Karaoke was on so Rob got up and gave a rendition of the proclaimers. Headed back to the hostel for a kip but Brock and Webb stayed up with new lease of life, smoking and bevying oot the hostel window and bouncing aboot the hostel.
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| Insh |
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| Aprroaching Ruthven Barracks |
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| Ruthven Barracks |
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| General Wade’s Military Road |
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| Loch Ericht |
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| Start of the Drumochter Pass |
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| Brock & Andy at the Drumochter Pass |
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| Brock & Kev at Drumochter Summit |
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| Bob & Webb in Calvine |
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| Bob & Kev in Pitlochry boozer |
(29.6.07) Pitlochry to Kinross, 40mile, 64km, Ascent 120m
A new day began with porridge and coffee for breaky. Bought myself a new windproof jacket in the high street then we set off following the National Cycle Network route 7 heading SE along by the River Tummel. After Ballinluig, we cycled onto NCN route 77 to Perth on the outskirts of Tay Forest Park, passing Dalguise on the B898. We then headed along by the A9, cycling down and under then onto a forest path down beside the River Tay all the way to Dunkeld. Some wee bam just aboot knocked us over on a motorbike behind us. In Dunkeld we stopped for lunch beside the River Tay and fed the baby ducks chasing away the seagulls. Had a barry wee pie in a homemade bakery along in the town centre. We then ploughed on towards Perth, crossing the A9 where toots from a big truck warned Rab that he was playing chicken. The NCN followed the B867 south via quiet country farm roads. On the way into Perth we all separated but met up again in the city centre. (Mobile phones come in handy). We had a bite to eat then cycled out of Perth, asking locals the best way to get onto the B996 without cycling on the busy A roads. Cycled on the A912 for a while through the Bridge of Earn before finding the B996. We then followed the signs to Milnathort and then onto Kinross. Got a chippy then bought lager with Andy buying his bottle of jack Daniels. We then tried to look to wild camp near Loch Leven but there were no places suitable and the midges were biting. We asked a local for the nearest campsite and had to cycle 2 mile up the road before we found one. Paid the boy 3 bucks and set up our tent. It was a local gypsy caravan site so ended up playing fitba with the locals and having a bevy. Brock’s tent was wet so him, me and Webb had to squeeze into mine.
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| Leaving Pitlochry |
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| Perthshire |
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| Andy in Perthshire |
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| The River Tay |
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| Feeding the ducks in Dunkeld |
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| Country road to Perth |
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| The lads after Perth |
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| Loch Leven |
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| Bevy at the campsite |
(30.6.07) Kinross to Edinburgh, 28 mile, 45 km, Ascent 276m
Woke up to blazing sunshine on the last day of our journey. Packed up then cycled back to Kinross to get food and breakfast. On the road to Dunfermline we followed the NCN 1 on a quiet country road that was considerably steep. I got moaned at as per usual by Andy as there was more hills (My fault yet again eh). We cycled along by Lurg and Dow Loch, through Blairadam Forest and then onto the B915 before hitting Dunfermline. We stopped for a bite to eat before setting off again following the NCN to Inverkeithing. Brock had an epic fall trying to cycle up onto the pavement but dusted himself off after a few bruises and a rip on Andy’s jacket then we headed onto the forth road bridge. Followed the NCN by Dalemeny, Cramond, Silvernknowes, the North Edinburgh Cycle Network, through the meadows and then to Newington for a well-deserved couple of pints.
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| Bob in his Bivy |
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| Packing up |
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| Suncream on in Kinross |
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| Looking back to Loch Leven |
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| Looking back to Loch Leven |
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| Brock & Andy in Dunfermline |
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| Brock after his epic fall |
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| Me at the Forth Road Bridge |
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| Bob, Andy & Michael on the Bridge |
