"Sometimes things take year’s in gestation, and today was a case in point. Dick has been holding on to a possible bike ride for a number of years now; one that leaves Corgarf and heads into the hills, making for Glen Avon, then on to Tomintoul, coffee and back via an up and over Lecht. Today we did it! Dick, Les, Iain, Ian D., Drew, Hugh, Dave W., Jeff, Bob and John P. Clearly, the biggie was the Lecht climb from the Tomintoul side and this hung in the air for most of the ride. But to get us going we had to head off into the heather (Which has been bloomin’ good this year) alongside the headwaters of the Don. Our aim was towards Inchrory Lodge about 8km ‘in’. The track (nay, road) was in great repair and it was clearly set to take hunting parties to the lodge. As we made our way along a group of shiny, expensive 4x4’s passed us, and as Les was standing to attention, saluting the well-heeled, we noticed one of the party was none other than Princess Anne.
Bob had stories of an unwelcoming attitude on this estate, but to be fair we were acknowledged and tolerated and no doubt tracked by the royal security detail. When we finally made it to the lodge it was a very large and smart affair with very strong looking gates into the courtyard. We paused, but didn’t loiter and headed of in a northerly direction along Glen Avon. Now, I have to be honest I had heard Dick and others talk of Glen ‘Arn’ and it finally dawned on me this was another north-eastern example of ignoring some of the letters in a perfectly good word. I am now calibrated for Glen Arn and can join in all sorts of expeditionary conversations that had been closed to me before.
There was quite a distance along a well made track and road before we could claim coffee at Tomintoul. All was going swimmingly when something like, “Oh bother” was heard from Hugh and as we heard more strange expletives it became apparent his back tyre was losing pressure fast. The pit crew sprung into action to help whilst Iain and Les decided it was better to adhere to Top Gear rules and leave the stricken behind. The tyre was levered-off, an inner tube was forthcoming, all went back together and finally an effective pump was deployed. Hugh got back on his steed and the Freewheelers had successfully achieved a roadside repair - well done chaps!
It was uneventful from there to Tomintoul except for some fairly brutal short uphills in what was deemed a gentle downhill into the village. We aimed for the Old Firestation Tearoom where we found plenty of room and bacon butties. We also found a blast from the past, in that the coffee was the filter-in-a-cup Rombouts. I haven’t seen that in years. We enjoyed our stop, took our photo and nosed back on to the road for the run-in to the Lecht.
The main road was remarkably quiet and for the most part cycling was easy. We paused at the car park by the Lecht Mine and then (quite quietly) folks headed-off to THE HILL. There was some pushing, Les used a lot of battery but by and large we all worked our way up to The Lecht without incident, though with lots of effort. Dick clearly had his tail up (or was it excess battery), because once at the top he headed-up further up to the top of the slopes to come down the bike course. The rest of us focussed on regaining a heart rate that wasn’t likely to blow a gasket.
Once up, there was the down (though not until after a bit more up). I think we all enjoyed the down and I know I hit a speed record on my bike as I whooped-up the tarmac. (Is that a term? Ed.) Thankfully we all got down safe and sound and as we slotted the bikes back on the cars, there were many comments on what a great ride it had been - thanks, Dick!
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