Sluie loop

If only I had the same way with words that Messrs Perry and Pollard have .......

So, sticking to the purely factual report, a very healthy turnout - in terms of numbers anyway - of eight of us showed up at the Guide Hut today. There was a bit of a wind coming in from the west so it was felt we'd rather have that at our backs than be heading in to it on the return leg, so Ian (Sharp) suggested trying the north side of the Dee and up Sluie Hill and back - a ride some, but not most, of those present had done earlier this year.

The start was up to Inchmarlo then west and down towards Bridge of Canny, turning left just before it and up through the magnificently kept grounds belonging to the Taylors - not Dick and Theresa, but those of Taylors Industrial Services. They say where there's muck, there's brass and this is a perfect example.

The route west alongside the Dee is a lovely track and we stopped a couple of times for team photos:

Standing, l-r: Ian Sharp, Dick Taylor, Rob Pollard, Archie Cook and Scott Hunter.
Seated, l-r: Ian Stewart, Robin Brodie & Ken Page 

At the next riverside stop, Archie & Ken took some relief, but I was a little slow with the camera and Ken is seen trying to escape view, whilst Archie is still lurking behind a tree, much to Robin's amusement:

Further along the river, there's an elaborate construction round a seat with a fine river view:

From that point on, it was hard work - back up to the main road, then across and up Sluie Hill, which Dick had, in his usual understated way, earlier described as "nothing much really". We all got to the top - eventually - although the majority of the group had to push their bikes up the very last bit. The next team photo was taken at the highest point, just beyond the house, where the cellphone mast stands:

The route back from here took us through some muddy forest/farm tracks until we met the road that leads to Craiglash Quarry in one direction and Bridge of Canny in the other. We took the downhill option, but turned left before the end and headed towards Brathens and through the forest there that took us out at the back of Archie's house, where he baled out, dropped off his bike and drove down to Tease to join the rest of us for yummy Xmas Mince Pies and cream and other artery-clogging goodies.

I'm not sure what the collective noun is for a group of bikes? - suggestions on a postcard please - but, for want of the correct word, let's just call this a gaggle of them waiting for us in the grounds of the Episcopal Church:

Smart, new bikes with 29" wheels, disc brakes, front suspension and 27 + gears all to the front. Old, clapped-out 30 + year old bike well hidden.

The ride time was almost two hours, with the elapsed time half an hour more. Distance covered was "only" 16.4 miles, but there was over 1,000 feet of climbing. Full stats here - http://www.strava.com/activities/231832919