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| Lunch at Loggerheads |
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Lost In Translation !
There was just the hint of suspicion that something might have been lost in translation as we cycled into, over and around most of Wales on our day cycle with our super friendly host Ian.
The previous evening we'd arrived at Ian and partners Anna's house after a long drive from Edinburgh and set about planning a days cycle in the immediate environs agreeing to a 50er rather than a 70er cycle day. What the "ers" were we were soon to find out !
After having left Wallasey early we crossed the Wirral's a silted land mass adjoining the river Dee and crossed over into nearby Wales. Add on another couple of hours and we'd cycled around and over the nearby hills to finally reach our lunch stop at Loggerheads.We knew we were going to be in trouble as a) Liverpool had disappeared from the horizon b) We were surrounded by hills and c) we'd done 70+ kms already !
In the flea weight category (bike and body) and pretty damned fit Ian lead us on the long journey home. With H having done a max of 40kms since damaging his ribs over a week ago he nearly fell off his bike when at the 97 km mark when I told him that we still had 20+ kms to go !
Somehow H made it back and while we both thanked Ian for this lovely ride we both jointly discussed seeking revenge if Ian ever makes it out to OZ !
After recovering we had a lovely diner with Ian and Anna down at Liverpool's waterfront enjoying great company and recovering from the days hard work.
Sent from my iPad
The previous evening we'd arrived at Ian and partners Anna's house after a long drive from Edinburgh and set about planning a days cycle in the immediate environs agreeing to a 50er rather than a 70er cycle day. What the "ers" were we were soon to find out !
After having left Wallasey early we crossed the Wirral's a silted land mass adjoining the river Dee and crossed over into nearby Wales. Add on another couple of hours and we'd cycled around and over the nearby hills to finally reach our lunch stop at Loggerheads.We knew we were going to be in trouble as a) Liverpool had disappeared from the horizon b) We were surrounded by hills and c) we'd done 70+ kms already !
In the flea weight category (bike and body) and pretty damned fit Ian lead us on the long journey home. With H having done a max of 40kms since damaging his ribs over a week ago he nearly fell off his bike when at the 97 km mark when I told him that we still had 20+ kms to go !
Somehow H made it back and while we both thanked Ian for this lovely ride we both jointly discussed seeking revenge if Ian ever makes it out to OZ !
After recovering we had a lovely diner with Ian and Anna down at Liverpool's waterfront enjoying great company and recovering from the days hard work.
Sent from my iPad
Sunday, July 14, 2019
All the Way To Liverpool !
The instructions couldn't have been more straightforward as we left Dr Simon in Edinburgh after breakfast at the Manna House down by the waterfront. "Cycle straight ahead and you won't get lost" - "You can't possibly miss Edinburgh Airport"! Those words were going to come back and haunt us !
We left our Premiere Inn accommodation early on the Saturday after completion of our cycle tour. Henley had been thoroughly checked out by a Dr at the General Western Hospital the afternoon before and found to be relatively healthy for an 85 year old !
We donned our panniers for the last time and cycled down to Sth Queensferry for breakfast with Dr Simon our friend who'd helped us to kickstart our tour some 5 weeks prior with a warm up ride around Edinburgh.
After swapping travel stories and listening to Simon's dreams of one day cycling around the world we said goodbye and set off on a directish route to the airport to pick up our hire car.
All went well for at least a couple of kms until the rail trail ran out. Exploring options I descended a series of wooden stairs down an embankment with my fully laden bike to find that I was now trapped by a locked gate. While H wisely back tracked from the trail to the nearest road I had to unload my bike and lift it and all my panniers over the gate to get on to the same road.
Onwards another 4-5 kms and after a series of wrong turns we finally could see the airport. The only problem being was that following the advice of some locals who tried to help us avoid the main road we were now at the back of the airport riding along a series of country lanes that were taking us further and further away.
Again we backtracked 4-5 kms with much cursing and went around to the front side eventually cycling to the car rentals area to pick up our car.
After waiting nearly an hour in the Hertz queue and picking up an obvious too small for our bikes car we went back to plead for a bigger model. Mission achieved another 30 minutes were wasted working out how to turn the bloody GPS from German to English !
Fast forward 300 miles, the usual arguments between driver and navigator ( we weren't sure if our GPS was set up correctly) and we finally arrived just outside Liverpool to our hosts for the next 2 evenings Ian (a keen cyclist who I'd met on a Tajikistan trip 12 months back).and his partner Anna.
It was great to catch up and plan for a days cycle around the local area, while unleashing our cultural ambassador (H) on these poor unsuspecting Scousers !
Sent from my iPad
We left our Premiere Inn accommodation early on the Saturday after completion of our cycle tour. Henley had been thoroughly checked out by a Dr at the General Western Hospital the afternoon before and found to be relatively healthy for an 85 year old !
We donned our panniers for the last time and cycled down to Sth Queensferry for breakfast with Dr Simon our friend who'd helped us to kickstart our tour some 5 weeks prior with a warm up ride around Edinburgh.
After swapping travel stories and listening to Simon's dreams of one day cycling around the world we said goodbye and set off on a directish route to the airport to pick up our hire car.
All went well for at least a couple of kms until the rail trail ran out. Exploring options I descended a series of wooden stairs down an embankment with my fully laden bike to find that I was now trapped by a locked gate. While H wisely back tracked from the trail to the nearest road I had to unload my bike and lift it and all my panniers over the gate to get on to the same road.
Onwards another 4-5 kms and after a series of wrong turns we finally could see the airport. The only problem being was that following the advice of some locals who tried to help us avoid the main road we were now at the back of the airport riding along a series of country lanes that were taking us further and further away.
Again we backtracked 4-5 kms with much cursing and went around to the front side eventually cycling to the car rentals area to pick up our car.
After waiting nearly an hour in the Hertz queue and picking up an obvious too small for our bikes car we went back to plead for a bigger model. Mission achieved another 30 minutes were wasted working out how to turn the bloody GPS from German to English !
Fast forward 300 miles, the usual arguments between driver and navigator ( we weren't sure if our GPS was set up correctly) and we finally arrived just outside Liverpool to our hosts for the next 2 evenings Ian (a keen cyclist who I'd met on a Tajikistan trip 12 months back).and his partner Anna.
It was great to catch up and plan for a days cycle around the local area, while unleashing our cultural ambassador (H) on these poor unsuspecting Scousers !
Sent from my iPad
Friday, July 12, 2019
En route to Edinburgh - 40kms
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| Hills of Kinross |
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| Drone time |
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| Looking back at Kinross |
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| The Scottish journey is complete - coming back into Edinburgh ! |
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| Aerial view near Kinross |
Finishing in Style !
It was the smell of the finish line and the smell of 3 week unwashed cycling clothes that got H to remove himself sloth like from his bed (admittedly in pain) so we could enjoy our breakfast and hit the road.
Fittingly after 4 weeks of indifferent weather our last day should be sunny as we made our way along a walking / cycling trail around what would have been a beautiful Loch Leven if you could see through the 6 foot high weeds and long grass.
It has been a constant reminder on tour of the shortcomings of the UK government's cost cutting exercises with road verges in dreadful condition and rail trails, road fringes and areas of council responsibility so overgrown with grass and weeds - this is something you would not see in many European countries.
One of these overgrown areas brought me undone this morning as I came to a trail intersection. Attempting to read a sign while avoiding an Oldie and her unleashed dog I overbalanced. Unfortunately for me I'd stopped unknown right next to a big ditch (overgrown with weeds) and simply rolled over bike and all into what H described as a Weed filled sink hole.
While more embarrassed than hurt i noticed in standing back up that my leg and arms were starting to fire up - the penny dropped I'd picked a patch of stinging nettles to fall into !
Cycling through Kinross we took on our last climb for the tour a goodish 3km climb a testing gradient but also with some wonderful views looking back towards Loch Leven.
A great descent followed into Dunfermline where we then made our way on a circuitous s shaped route to the Forth Bridge some 10kms distant.
With the new bridge in place over the Forth it meant that the not so old former bridge served as a freeway option for buses, a couple of taxis and quite a few cyclists and walkers.
With our journey completed amidst celebratory well wishes it was time to pack Henley off to the Greater Western Hospital where checks thankfully revealed no serious damage other than some exceedingly sore ribs.
Tomorrow we begin the 2nd part of our tour which includes some sightseeing as well as some cycling in Wales, Dorset, The Isle of Wight and Devon. For the moment it's time to reflect on our great tour of magical Scotland.
Sent from my iPad
Fittingly after 4 weeks of indifferent weather our last day should be sunny as we made our way along a walking / cycling trail around what would have been a beautiful Loch Leven if you could see through the 6 foot high weeds and long grass.
It has been a constant reminder on tour of the shortcomings of the UK government's cost cutting exercises with road verges in dreadful condition and rail trails, road fringes and areas of council responsibility so overgrown with grass and weeds - this is something you would not see in many European countries.
One of these overgrown areas brought me undone this morning as I came to a trail intersection. Attempting to read a sign while avoiding an Oldie and her unleashed dog I overbalanced. Unfortunately for me I'd stopped unknown right next to a big ditch (overgrown with weeds) and simply rolled over bike and all into what H described as a Weed filled sink hole.
While more embarrassed than hurt i noticed in standing back up that my leg and arms were starting to fire up - the penny dropped I'd picked a patch of stinging nettles to fall into !
Cycling through Kinross we took on our last climb for the tour a goodish 3km climb a testing gradient but also with some wonderful views looking back towards Loch Leven.
A great descent followed into Dunfermline where we then made our way on a circuitous s shaped route to the Forth Bridge some 10kms distant.
With the new bridge in place over the Forth it meant that the not so old former bridge served as a freeway option for buses, a couple of taxis and quite a few cyclists and walkers.
With our journey completed amidst celebratory well wishes it was time to pack Henley off to the Greater Western Hospital where checks thankfully revealed no serious damage other than some exceedingly sore ribs.
Tomorrow we begin the 2nd part of our tour which includes some sightseeing as well as some cycling in Wales, Dorset, The Isle of Wight and Devon. For the moment it's time to reflect on our great tour of magical Scotland.
Sent from my iPad
Thursday, July 11, 2019
En route to Kinneswood - 40kms
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| Aptly named sign |
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| A Cuppa in Falkland where Outlander is filmed! |
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| Looking towards Kinross |
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| Our 2nd climb up a hill near Falkland to a dead end ! |
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| Falkland |
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| Hills near Kinneswood |
You Can Fool Us Twice !
We left our overpriced "not a hostel" but pretty damned close to one and hit the road just in time for morning showers that shadowed our exit out of Lunan Bay.
15 soaking kms later we reached Arbroath and after a supermarket breakfast at Liddl (read crap) we boarded a train to the quaint named town of Ladybank.
Our aim was to get Henley back to Edinburgh in enough pieces for the local medical fraternity to reassemble as best they could.
At Ladybank we had a supermarket lunch (not much better) and in the high humidity and what looked like sun, set off again across country to our b&b near Kinross.
On the way we passed through the beautiful town of Falkland with its rich architectural and historical connection with the Kings of Scotland.
After a cuppa we exited through a part of the former royal estate where some clown had removed the route marker we were following and placed another one.
The replacement took us up a steep road to the foothills of the Lomond Hills where numerous paths went in many different directions.
Suspecting this wasn't right we rode back down the hill to our last intersection and after asking a couple of walkers who seemed convinced it was the right direction, rode back up the same hill.
This time we ventured further into the forest that resembled the Amazon jungle before again descending back to the same intersection !
Fooled twice we decided to just keep going straight ahead and sure enough we picked up the official route marker just around the next bend.
Our final 10 kms were into a sizeable headwind as we worked our way through quiet hedge lined country lanes to our b&b at Kineswood overlooking a shimmering Loch Leven in the late afternoon sun.
A "Litchy" organised quiz at the pub where we had dinner confirmed Kevs pain induced Dementia when he could only recall 2 of the towns we'd stayed at over the last 30 days !
With 30kms to go till we reach Edinburgh the touring part is nearly done !
Sent from my iPad
15 soaking kms later we reached Arbroath and after a supermarket breakfast at Liddl (read crap) we boarded a train to the quaint named town of Ladybank.
Our aim was to get Henley back to Edinburgh in enough pieces for the local medical fraternity to reassemble as best they could.
At Ladybank we had a supermarket lunch (not much better) and in the high humidity and what looked like sun, set off again across country to our b&b near Kinross.
On the way we passed through the beautiful town of Falkland with its rich architectural and historical connection with the Kings of Scotland.
After a cuppa we exited through a part of the former royal estate where some clown had removed the route marker we were following and placed another one.
The replacement took us up a steep road to the foothills of the Lomond Hills where numerous paths went in many different directions.
Suspecting this wasn't right we rode back down the hill to our last intersection and after asking a couple of walkers who seemed convinced it was the right direction, rode back up the same hill.
This time we ventured further into the forest that resembled the Amazon jungle before again descending back to the same intersection !
Fooled twice we decided to just keep going straight ahead and sure enough we picked up the official route marker just around the next bend.
Our final 10 kms were into a sizeable headwind as we worked our way through quiet hedge lined country lanes to our b&b at Kineswood overlooking a shimmering Loch Leven in the late afternoon sun.
A "Litchy" organised quiz at the pub where we had dinner confirmed Kevs pain induced Dementia when he could only recall 2 of the towns we'd stayed at over the last 30 days !
With 30kms to go till we reach Edinburgh the touring part is nearly done !
Sent from my iPad
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
En route to Lunan Bay - 27 kms
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| Kev on the Train |
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| Storm approaching at Montrose |
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| Lunan Bay |
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| Lunan Bay Estate |
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| Lunan Bay Estate |
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| Aberdeen |
Limping over the Line !
With Henley doing a great impression overnight of Lenin lying in state (on his back and unable to move other than snore because of his painful rib injury), it was time to come up with a plan B to help get him over the line to Edinburgh and to hopefully see a GP.
The offer was made to get H direct to Edinburgh but he decided instead to finish the tour if we could shorten the daily legs.
With this in mind we departed our accommodation near Aberdeen Airport late after the health inspectors had given us the clearance to put back on our on our soon to be walking cycle clothes.
It was a gentle 10km cycle into Aberdeen proper where we cruised around trying to find its well hidden railway station.
After a coffee we boarded our high speed train to Montrose over a landscape that alternated between full on mist, full on sunshine and full on rain !
Hopping off at Montrose the one thing we did notice was the high humidity (almost Queensland like) that suggested that a storm was not that far off.
With only just over 10kms to go we cycled near to the coast past brightly coloured fields contrasted by what looked like an end of the earth weather front !
Finally we made it to our glorified hostel accommodation on the Lunan estate right next to the Lunan Bay beach and after coffee and a walk settled for dinner in the well restored estate house.
Amazingly with no rain we set about once again planning another short days cycle for tomorrow on our penultimate cycle touring day.
Sent from my iPad
The offer was made to get H direct to Edinburgh but he decided instead to finish the tour if we could shorten the daily legs.
With this in mind we departed our accommodation near Aberdeen Airport late after the health inspectors had given us the clearance to put back on our on our soon to be walking cycle clothes.
It was a gentle 10km cycle into Aberdeen proper where we cruised around trying to find its well hidden railway station.
After a coffee we boarded our high speed train to Montrose over a landscape that alternated between full on mist, full on sunshine and full on rain !
Hopping off at Montrose the one thing we did notice was the high humidity (almost Queensland like) that suggested that a storm was not that far off.
With only just over 10kms to go we cycled near to the coast past brightly coloured fields contrasted by what looked like an end of the earth weather front !
Finally we made it to our glorified hostel accommodation on the Lunan estate right next to the Lunan Bay beach and after coffee and a walk settled for dinner in the well restored estate house.
Amazingly with no rain we set about once again planning another short days cycle for tomorrow on our penultimate cycle touring day.
Sent from my iPad
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