Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Dumyat and Mine Woods on a fine evening






Pretty self explanatory really, Des, his mate Dan and myself headed up to Stirling last night to get Dumyat in the dry, due to the awesome weather that this summer has provided. We met our buddies from just along the road, Aron and Charlie who know all the best bits in the area.

Awesome nights biking, Well worth the short drive.





Sunday, July 27, 2014

Basking in summer dust....


What a fantastic week to be off work. I had worked my week off a couple of weeks before, and this week was to be payback, and what payback this weather has been!. Enjoyrideress was working the first three days of the week, so little Enjoyriderette and I spent a lovely few days together, with her getting her new bike out every day too. It's amazing to watch her discovering the freedom that cycling gives, and she seems pretty good when a hill comes along too, who knows where she inherited that from.

Then thursday at the beach avec BBQ and sausages set me up for a day in the hills on friday. Des, Stu, Julie and I met at Killin for a day I had been looking at doing for a while - Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas. We had planned to add in another two munro's to the north west too, but to be honest, it was too hot and I realised early on that these two were better left to a cooler day and an earlier start.


The route starts at Ben Lawers Car park, about 5 miles east of Killin, and goes pretty much straight up to the first munro - Beinn Ghlas. A lot of it is actually pedallable, but the temperature played a big part in forcing us off our bikes early on, which has it's own advantages as it allows some idle chat on the way up. Once up onto Ghlas, there is a really nice techy descent for a bit before heading skyward again onto Ben Lawers. Next time I think I'd just head down the bypass path from here, and wouldn't bother with Lawers itself, as it's just borderline too techy in the most part, but it was such a nice day that the views across the country made it well worth it.







The descent down the bypass path starts off a bit stop-start, but soon after becomes an absolute corker, the only thing slowing you down is waterbars, but pretty much every one of these is rideable, all the way down to the gate near the start. I'll definitely do this one again.



I'm now looking forward to getting over to Arran with the family for a week, along with a bike, possibly ;-) although, a wee night ride this coming week around Stirling looks a possibility too.

Oh, nearly forgot - The aforementioned sausages on the beach!