Ken P is in training for a cycling holiday in Gerona/Girona and almost did a similar mileage on Wednesday, he tells me. The same day, Robin, Colin and Malcolm T went on Robin's planned Tarland/Dinnet trip. Colin took this photo of Robin and Malcolm at the Loch Kinord Hotel, where it was reported, the scones were rather good:
Today (Thursday), Dick, Ken P and I met up at the Guide Hut at 9 am and drove down to Dinnet, where we started our cycle on the Deeside Way, heading west, before crossing the road and cycling back towards Burn o' Vat.
There were plenty of photo opportunities en route - firstly at Cambus o' May:
Ken had to take relief further on and he almost stood on this ant-hill:
(video)
Burn o' Vat is very impressive but the downward stretch near there is notoriously tricky. I hadn't done it before and nervously inched my way down, but Dick, as ever, took it all in his stride and raced down the hill, oblivious to the many stones and tree roots on the trail. We did, however, stop overlooking Loch Kinord for a team photo:
We popped in to the Visitor Centre at the foot of the hill:
We should have studied the maps there of the various trails, because we got a bit lost on the next stretch, which should have taken us on the north side of Loch Kinord back to Dinnet. We did stop and admire the lillies on the loch at one stage:
Twice we had to ask directions and we ended up on a narrow, stony trail that may have been OK for walking but was far from ideal for cycling on. There was another pretty stopping point for yet another team photo, however:
The last of the team photos was taken at the Loch Kinord Hotel as we waited for our tea and scones:
The elapsed time for this run was almost two and a half hours, but getting lost didn't help. The actual distance covered was only 11 miles, climbing almost 500 feet. Full details here - http://www.strava.com/activities/158323202
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