Sunday 3 May 2009

Liddesdale the Right Way Around (anti clockwise)









A great ride today in very mixed conditions but made up for by good company. It's so nice riding with a group that doesn't take things too seriously yet are strong and fit but also enjoy a laugh and bit of a social. Gavins MacLean and Lindfield, and Colleen and Andrew Foggo with Fiona and I. The way out of Glen Tarbet was hell on wheels with a 30mph wind and sleet against a black intimidating sky to the west. By the time we got to the climb up Liddesdale we were cold and soaked. Luckily the weather gave us a break on the climb which has to be the best leg breaker in the area if attacked. Gavin and I attacked and did it in 12mins then went back down a bit for another dig to the top. From the top the wind really got up as a cross wind and the descent to Kingairloch was fast, hairy and wet. By this time we needed food and drink so headed off right up Loch a Chorie to the newly opened "Boathouse Resturant". We walked in and did a double take as it was posh and full of Sunday lunchers and nearly went back out. Thankfully an old friend who used to live in the village called us in and low and behold it was Kurt Larson who owns the Boathouse it seems and who's daughter Catriona runs it. We were treated to the best sandwiches in Morven if not the whole West Coast, and soup. This is a seriously lovely spot and the food is superb, we all agreed we would return either in posh garb or whatever. Back down to Kingairloch we stopped above the church and admired the stunning clear blue water of Camus na Croise bay and nipped along to see a wedding coming out of the church. Andrew spotted a cottage called "Elastic Cottage"which he commented was "a bit of a stretch" at which point Fiona nearly fell off her bike in hysterics. Back along the Loch we had the wind at our backs and tore along with a stop to see a Sea Eagle, big hairy goats and several near misses with sheep and cows back to Glen Tarbet where we decided to road race a wee Giro D' Lochaber to finish back at Corran, then a nice wee jaunt back accross to the "mainland" and the realities of non bike life.


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