Double Jeapardy

Not one, but two ace reporters came to the rescue. First, Thursday's route organiser Jeff:

"Here Comes The Sun (Dood'n doo doo)

The last thursday ride of July saw two non-cockney rebels (e-Dick and e-Les) and a fab four of conventional regulars (Hugh, Drew, Ken and Ian Sharp) meet your reporter (Jeff) at the Guide Hut after the latters usual blatt in from Strachan.  Having pre-empted the delayed Ian email, I got fingered for route selection, so contrived an unusual stringing together of familiar bits and pieces with a dose of off-road and exploration (see map).

We set off via Home Farm to Braathens West, whereupon explorations began.  We took the old railway line path back eastwards.  Half way along, this dives off at right angles, and an eager Hugh started off in that direction only to be called back.  A bit of hunting found the sneaky way back up onto the railway line, and we wound our way through the trees on a rougher path to the road crossing by the old Institute of Extraterrestrial Ecology. 

From there we took the track curving back in towards Glen o'Dee woods.  The very end of this track is a dead end, but we spotted a somewhat daunting rough track climb up a short way before this and sent the battery-equipped on a recon.  This lead to a fun, slightly more technical off-road bit back to the railway line, a little further along which we picked up the path over to the more familiar main track, which we followed north back to the Braathens road. Pause for team photo at The Birks sign by Drew.

From there, it was along to the Raemoir Road, a left and right to pick up the minor road, and eventual off-road section past Catterloch, popping out again at Hirn.  Then we did a zig-zag past Myrebird, eventually down to the Deeside Way at West Park.  This was followed back to Crathes, where we dropped down onto the river bank, and headed west towards the Milton - mainly for the joy of seeing Les and Dick haul their millstones over the fence.

Then we swung up the main drive of the castle, down the west drive, and then followed the road round to Buchanans for coffee.  Sitting outside, there was some initial complaint about a stiff cool breeze, but lo - then out came the sun - and comfort and banter abounded to accompany the fine scones (and one cheese muffin) and coffee.  Thereafter the party fractured almost straightaway according to home directions, with folks professing to have enjoyed the novel combination of bits and pieces.  Stats as per Strava."

Followed by Drew:

"sorry we can't tell any dashing nautical yarns (such as "FW group curcumcised world with a 45' cutter") ....so this is just the usual tale of bikes round Banchory.

​Five guys (Jeff, Ian Sh, Hugh, Ken P, and Drew) on bikes plus two (Dick and Les) on electrical contraptions​ (yes it's catching on) made up the group to follow Jeff on his wild way to Buchanans.

Route - out to W Brathens via Home Farm, on to the old railway path to E Brathens then along forest tracks by Target wood and back round to Newton of Leys and road to Drumshalloch farm then Mill of Hirn, along the riverside at Durris Bridge, Crathes and at long last Buchanan's for coffee scones and a bit of muffin!

Great morning with a share of sun and light wind... > 20 miles I was told by a Stravanite"