Day 12 - Ballater to Inverness, 74 miles

This was the toughest day by far, taking us up three significant climbs, the highest through the Lecht, which is listed in the top 100 cycle climbs in the UK. We were to pass through ski resorts, castles and the breathtaking scenery of the Grampian Mountains to descend into the capital of the Highlands, Inverness.

Main van taking the large bags onto the next stop

We stayed at Ballater, close to Balmoral, a centre for hikers and known for its spring water, once said to cure scrofula TB of the lymph glands).  The physician to Queen Victoria owned the house where we stayed.












There are a large number of Munro’s in the area.  

Munro’s are named after Sir Hugh Munro and include all mountains in Scotland over 3000ft. This are ticked off by avid walkers. 
















“Munro bagging” is the term used collect as many Munros as possible (282 in all).

This was a castle - small and extraordinary fortified house building in the middle of nowhere

I have been reliably informed that this may be a 'peel house' - a fortified building, presumably to protect against invasions (of whom?)













The climbs begin...

This is near top of the steepest part of the Lecht. My Garmin hit 20% then went to unrecordable.

It was bitterly cold despite working hard.

Still a long, long way to go...

...but a moment of repose

...for a very fine view.

...and words to remind us to stop and look.

At the top was the Lecht ski resort. It was <4C with a bitter headwind. I was very cold, so cold I could hardly speak. 

Kathy was waiting for me at the top. My ascent had been slow as I'd stopped frequently to catch the views and some photos.

We descended into the northwesterly. At 10% descent we still had to peddle. 

At 20% it felt worrisome as we were buffeted creating a wobbly ride.

We passed through Tomintoul as part of our descent to Inverness - really important facts: 

• The highest village in the Scottish Highlands
• Close to the Glenlivet Estate
• 'Lord' Tony Williams, Deputy Director of Finance for the Metropolitan Police defrauded £4.5 million from the police and used this improve a local hotel, the Gordon Arms. He was caught and imprisoned for 7 years
• A 10m fibreglass Zulu was found in the beer cellar - purpose unknown
• Grigor Willcox, a white warlock, lived in Tomintoul in the 18th century - he carried amulets including a mermaid's crystal. His special powers included making cows produce milk, curing barren women and detecting thieves. Perhaps his spirit helped uncover Tony's illegal Zulu warrior purchase.

Took quite a while to warm up. This afternoon was our first experience of moderate rain.

Then it dried up and we enjoyed a final descent to Inverness!

Really big climbs - the Lecht is one of the top 100 climbs in the UK

Statistics
See screen shots if you are on the spectrum
Road kill - 26 rabbits, one hare, one sheep, 5 birds (2 pheasant)

Day 11 - Kinross to Ballater, 82 miles

We continued from Kinross with a final destination of Balloter, 82 relatively tough miles with a big climb to the ski resort of Glen Shee after lunch. We skirted around Perth crossing the River Tay and then on to Blairgowrie, the Cairngorms and a long descent to Braemar. Finally we passed the Queens country home at Balmoral finishing in highland town of Ballater.

At first it is cloudy, but the sun emerges in patches

Perth, Scotland is different from Perth, Australia. There was no beach, no surfers and no Fosters, but a medieval town, previously known as "St. John's Toun”, dedicated to St John the Baptist (origin of the local football team’s name, St Johnstone).

We cycled past Scone Palace, a Georgian Gothic building and the crowning-place of the Kings of Scots. 

Here 38 Kings of Scots were crowned at the Stone Scone or Stone of Destiny. Well known figures were anointed here include Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Robert the Bruce and Charles II. 

No King of Scots has the right reign unless crowned upon the Stone of Scone.

After Perth we descended through woodland only to be waylaid by traffic works. 

We were told to wait whilst heavy machinery was unloaded. 

This was only 2 minutes above our lunch stop. 

We wait...

...and wait

How long? The traffic is backing up, 20 minutes have passed.

At last we're free to go, but after the cars. Very annoyingly, as the early starters and faster riders lost their right to first pick of the sandwiches.

We travelled north along the A93, passing the stunning Cairngorm landscape climbing higher and higher until a final steeper ascent to the Spittal of Glenshee and Glenshee ski centre for our final brew stop. 

The ascent to Glensshe was a fairly gruelling ‘drag’ (cycle term for long slow climb, not necessarily steep, but this one was moderate at 9-12%).

The photos don't do this breathtaking scenery justice.

Beyond the brew stop the descent was outstanding   ...and fast!

Fabulous views of the Cairngorms, a meandering river and increasing pastureland as the scenic route transformed into broadening landscape, the drama of the mountains receding behind. 

On the very long steep descent, my speedometer hit 48.1mph.

This felt risky.

We crossed over a bridge to Balmoral and, as a sign alerted us, we caught sight of a red squirrel. A live one! Road kill spots that day were very high.

Balmoral has been one of the residences for members of the British Royal Family since 1852, when the estate and its original castle were purchased privately by Prince Albert. They remain as the private property of the royal family and not the Crown.  

Queen Elizabeth was in residence at Balmoral at the time of the death of Diana in 1997. Her private discussions with Prime Minister Tony Blair were dramatised in the Stephen Frears film, The Queen (2006). 

The 1997 film Mrs. Brown with Billy Connolly and Judi Dench (grieving Queen Victoria) was also based at Balmoral. Both of these films touchingly portray the suffering and human face behind these two monarchs.

Ian, Trevor and Tamlin, the super-fast cyclists in our group kindly tolerated me hanging off the back of their peloton. 

Our descent from Kinshee averaged 19.5mph over 26 miles. All good training for my July triathlon.

We cross the river into Ballatter.  I was tired but exhilarated.

Ballater, our highland destination.

Statistics

Distance 82.3 miles

Duration 5:26

Average speed 15.2mph (drafting on the back of SA chain gang + Trevor); final 26 miles were at 19.5mph

Maximum speed - 48.1mph

Climbed 1379m

Heart rate (ave) 99bpm; Max HR (129bpm) - it didn’t feel that low going up Glenshee!

Temp cooler at 12.6 C

Road kill - 4 birds (pigeons x2, unidentifiable x2); 16 small furry mammals - large number of mostly unidentifiable sitings but one definite hare, 2 rabbits and a lamb.