Loch Kinord

Robin's report from last Thursday (24th April):

"Since Scott's photos came out lighter than Ian's I am using them for my

report on last week's white knuckle bike ride led by Dick "the

rebel" Taylor who broke all the rules in one go. We sweated profusely,

we went uphill most of the time , we risked life and limb and worst of

all we had no time for coffee after taking 2.5 hours to do 9 miles!

Things started deceptively easily along the Deeside Way from Dinnet to

Cambus o' May where we crossed the main road to the forest walks. We found a

link path sign posted to Burn o' Vat and started on an uphill track which

looked promising except that it kept going uphill and then turned into

a slippery walking track with wet tree routes and jagged stones in it . 

Quite soon it became clear that there were 3 mountain bike riders and 3

mountain bike walkers in our group (you know who you are!) but we did

all eventually make it to the look out point near Burn o' Vat looking

over Loch Kinord where these photos were taken by Scott.

Just when we thought the ride was pretty well over we took the track

along the South side of the Loch which again started promisingly but

then turned into a very long and windy walking path with more of the

aforesaid wet tree routes and jagged stones. At this point there was

mutiny by 2 members of the party who baled out onto the Deeside Way

and made their way back to Dinnet separately leaving the other 4

watching wildlife at a very pleasant look out point wondering where

they were.

Anyway we eventually all met up in Dinnet again at 1pm (having set off

at 10.30am.) I took a vote at the end to see whether the participants would have

preferred to be in Napoleon's Army retreating from Moscow in Winter or

one of Dick's bike rides and there was a 5 -1 vote in favour of

Napoleon as our next leader!"