A mini-tour

Scotland has been blessed with some spectacular weather this week. With temperatures reaching 27°C it's been warm and dry. So with two and a half days off work in a row only a fool wouldn't make the most of it. The plan was to get the train to Dundee, ride to a campsite at St Cyrus and then onto Stonehaven the next day to get the train back.

Starting off in Dundee

The trip was to be a short trial-run of touring. Things didn't get off to a good start. After a few minutes of riding to the train station I had realised I had forgotten to pack my bib shorts, so I sprinted back to get them in fear of missing the train to Dundee. Like a shot I picked up my bib shorts - still hanging in the wardrobe - put them in a pannier and pedalled like mad to the station. Once on the train I realised I had forgotten the meths for the Trangia stove. Thankfully Dundee's Tiso store had plenty bottles of meths in all shades of purple for sale. By this time we were getting a bit peckish so decided it was time for elevenses before eventually setting off. Two words on the menu jumped out at me - Scooby snack. Everything you could ever want in a roll, and a big roll at that. Sorted!

Following Sustrans' Route 1, we were taken out of Dundee (easily done as Dundee is pretty small) through Dundee's port where photo ID is required. If you don't have any there is an alternative route but it wasn't obviously signposted. The route then goes on to Carnoustie and Arbroath whilst making it's way to the very top of Scotland.

Carnoustie

There are certain things that bike tourists cannot say no to. And one of them is a sign promising tasty strawberries. Diving off the road to indulge in some of the farm's red beauties we purchased a punnet and sooner than you could say anything at all they were gone!

Thumbs up!

Suitably fuelled, we carried on and made it to the campsite some 50 miles after leaving Dundee. It has to be said the campsite was pretty luxurious as far as campsites go. Each tent pitch had it's own picnic bench and BBQ and the grass was just the right length. Unfortunately we weren't equipped to test out the showers at the campsite as they only accepted 50p coins. I had read on their website the showers were £1 for 8 minutes and coin operated so we turned up to the campsite with enough £1 coins for everyone to have a shower! Of course they were no use so we had to make do with a quick wash from the basin. 

The campsite guard

After a very comfortable night's sleep we packed up and set off for the train station in Stonehaven to take us back for work the next day - boo! Learning lessons from the day before we covered ourselves in sun cream and covered up just to be sure. The sea breeze may cool you down but the sun will still burn. Day 2 would only be around 20 miles, less than half the previous day, so we had plenty time to get ice-cream in Stonehaven and catch the train home.

3 bikes

The sun finally made an appearance after a fairly dismal week of rain and grey skies. The only thing to do was to get out on the bike. But which one? Why not all three?


I started off with a DH run up Wood Hill, then a 30 mile road ride with a stop for tea and lunch in the middle, then an XC ride to finish the day off.

1 month to go

It's only one month until the trip begins. To say we're excited is an understatement. In one month time we will be getting the train to Newcastle to get the ferry over to the Netherlands where the trip will start.


To celebrate this, and the completion of Emily's bike, we went out for a short pedal in today's wind and rain. We had a head-wind all the way out and of course not a tail-wind on the way back. Typical. We were fuelled by Werther's Originals, it helped to mentally battle the rain!

Just in

Dusseldorf Aluminium camera case from Port Designs

After years of using a neoprene case for my camera I'm amazed I haven't broken one yet while out on the mountain bike. I take my camera with me on almost every ride and it gets thrown around in my bag and I'm not the most gentle when I take my bag off and put it on the ground.

Handy karabiner for attaching to brake levers

The clam-shell designed case has a squidgy foam inside and an aluminium body to protect your camera from knocks. It's not cheap with an RRP of £25 but if you have a good camera it's worth spending a little bit more to keep it safe.