Nine Stanes?

This blog has been resurrected from the start of 2019 purely for occasional posts on the activities of the "B" team. The main Freewheelers blog can still be viewed at http://www.freewheelers.blog/

The second Wednesday afternoon Booze Cruise of 2019 was completed on yet another windless afternoon, but it was an ambitious route undertaken as only Keith was riding an e-bike. Stewart had gone down with a cold and Malcolm L notified a change of plans for him - he would cycle from home and meet us at the Nine Stanes  recumbent stone circle - so it was just 5 of us that left from the Guide Lodge at 1 pm on 9th January - Nigel, Colin, Archie, Keith and I.

Heading south past the Waters of Feugh settlement, we climbed up to the Y junction that we would normally take the right fork at when heading to Finzean. This time, we took the left fork and headed up the pretty steep hill that leads past the 3 new houses that have got probably the finest views of the open countryside looking towards Clach-na-Bheinn. It had been a couple of years since I'd been up this way and the houses had been a work in progress then, but it all seems to be finished now.

Google Maps had to be consulted as we discussed whether to turn left or right at the junction at the top of the hill (right it is - then left at the next one). Still we continued to climb - Nigel and Archie were bringing up the rear but I was feeling a bit wobbly and had to sit down for a minute. I must have looked poorly as Keith offered to swap bikes to get me to the top of the hill - an offer I gratefully accepted. What a wonderful feeling when in turbo mode!

We found a/the stone circle but it was marked as Malloch Woods. Was this Nine Stanes, the place we were supposed to meet Malcolm? There was no sign of him and attempts to call him all failed, so, after a bit, we headed down the hill to the Slug road and back down towards Milton of Crathes, taking the slight detour down to the river, under the Dee bridge and along the side of St. Ternan's football pitch, but, first of all, stopping off at our favourite spot at the fisherman's hut overlooking the river, where we took a couple of snaps:

Parking up our bikes at the Milton, who should we meet but Malcolm, who confessed that he'd been a bit later than planned and had just missed us at the stone circle. Anyway, we all had a nice chat and a warming cuppa and scones and then went our separate ways - Nigel, Colin and Malcolm to their respective homes and Keith and I plus Archie (eventually) headed to the Legion for a couple of beers.

Here's the stats: