We last wrote when we were in Elgin, East of Inverness. That was more than a week ago, and we owe apologies for this time lag. That is, assuming anyone is still visiting this blog, and we hope you are!
We actually wrote the last bit on the B&B in Elgin. We then went to a shop- with lots of different whiskies and made limited purchases. Then to see Elgin cathedral, which like many in Scotland is a ruin. In this case only partly because of the Reformation, because someone called the Wolf of Bedenough burnt it down in the middle ages when he had disagreement with the bishop, who had excommunicated him. The we went on East along the Moray coast, partly on a former railway made into a cycle track. It is nice to have these, if the surface is good enough. The trains could not climb very steep gradients! And neither can we. After a stop at a campsite, we got to Banff and went to see a stately home, Duff house, then on a rough road past an old bridge and on. There were a few houses on the rough road and as we passed one window we were offered lemon barley to drink and a nice chat. We were told that the people of Banff and the town on the opposite valley McDuff did not get on, so the McDuffs removed the clock face from the town clock facing Banff. Well I suppose they could have done worse. By this time it was raining, and I was tired and we had to get on for somewhere to stay. Comes a notice by the wayside about a campsite we had not noticed on the map. It said "cyclists this way", so we did. It had a little bothy and kitchen for cyclists. A relief that we didn't have to put the tent up in the pelting rain.
The next day took us to Aberdeen. On roads to Maud and then another old railway, which started fine, but the surface became progressively worse. After we both had fallen off (no damage, to us or bikes) we got back on ordinary roads. My (Katherine) fall was a nice soft landing in a bed of nettles but fortunately I was covered from head to foot and finger tips in waterproof clothing, so the nettles did no harm. We phoned a pub in Aberdeen doing B&B and went there. Nice to be in a pub when one arrives..... Also we found we could turn the radiators on, so could get belongings dry.
From Aberdeen to Stonehaven. Not sure why this took so long; it is not far, but we camped there, had aa swim in a heated outdoor salt water swimming pool. It was rather good for tired muscles, then an excellent fish-based supper in a pub and continued the next day, visiting Dunnottar castle to start with. As most castles it was in ruins, mainly from Cromwell's bombardment because he believed that the Scottish Crown Jewels were there. They had been but were actually smuggled out and hidden in a church. That day took us to Arbroath, famous for its "smokies", (a type of smoked haddock) which are indeed delicious. We arrived late because the place we hoped to stay at no longer existed and stopped a couple to ask the way to any B&Bs or hotels. They offered to let us put up our tent on their lawn which we accepted. They were incredibly kind, giving us a flask of tea and toast, as well as the use of their bathroom. The next day on to Dundee, after trying to visit a museum of Pictish stones and finding it shut, and visiting Arbroath abbey. Historical people among you might like to look up the declaration of Arbroath. This was another seriously wet day though it did let off for a while when we got to Dundee. The route into Dundee went next to a railway and the Canoustie Golf course. By this point it had rained so much that the golf course had lakes instead of puddles and deep puddles on the cycle path that one approached at speed and then free wheeled through with your legs up. Tom said it had stopped raining when we got to Dundee and indeed it had. But our accommodation was up a long very steep hill and it pelted down as we pushed up. Went to the contemporary arts centre, but nothing much so late, so just a drink.
From Dundee, over the Tay Bridge which has a cycleway down the middle, between the two traffic flows. Finding this was almost impossible, but not quite impossible because you had to go up in a lift and there were road works surrounding the lift. We had to shout up to workmen on the bridge to find out how to get to it. The other side, got onto the correct route with no problem. It took us through a beautiful forest, Tentsmuir forest, and on to St Andrews. The route in went past golf courses and then one golf shop after another. Spent little time there, and on, now in the rain again as we went on to Falkland. This bit was (variably) wet and quite tough. By this time, rain had led to very full rivers, with impressive waterfalls, and sometimes water running in streams down the road and sometimes bits of road under water altogether. Falkland was camping in a very wet apple orchard. Our anti-midge veils came in useful.
Next day to Edinburgh. Over some high hills, so should have had good views, It chose to rain that day when we crossed the high ground, not before and not after. Over th Forth Bridge and into Edinburgh to another campsite which is where we are now. The ground is waterlogged and turning to mud, though thankfully today has been (almost) dry, so things are improving.
A couple of days in Edinburgh, not cycling but going in by bus for the festival. We have been to a Korean version of The Tempest (a mixture of dance and opera) and a Chinese version of King Lear (Beijing opera style). Also to a moving dance about Altzeimer's, some early music and a very good a capella choir recital and a full choral church service which included an interesting sermon by a doctor on a theme on spirituality and health and also Haydn's St Nicolas Mass with choir and orchestra. And just wandering around; the place is quite extraordinary during the festival and it takes at least a day to come to terms with finding fringe events; we had a day and a half!
Tomorrow we move on to Roslyn, the church having become even more famous after the Da Vinci Code. Judging by the entry price they are cashing in on this.
No comments:
Post a Comment