Mount Keen, Cairngorms.

[Globalti]

Dashed up to Scotland to cycle in and climb this with my Munroe bagging pal.

He got his bike as far as the top of the obvious Land Rover track in the middle distance, I managed to lug mine to the start of the final summit cone on the horizon. The ride in was about 6 miles through glorious Caledonian forest and open valley.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e49/C957/MtKeen300808015.jpg

It took about 4 hours up and one hour down! Coming back down was a superb big-ring blast with the wind and the slope.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e49/C957/MtKeen300808019.jpg

 

[Dayvo]

Nice photos, and a rewarding downhill after the slog up it!

How long did the 'dash' to Scotland take?

 

[snorri]

Not really in the Cairn Gorms, a bit further south and east.

 

[Globalti]

I caught the train from Preston to Edinburgh then changed for the Pitlochry train. It was wierd travelling on a Friday afternoon in shorts & T shirt when everybody around me was commuting! Leaving Preston at 13.38 I met my pal at Pitlochry at 18.28. Coming back this morning by car we left Braemar at 07:00 and were back in Blackburn 5 hours later!

 

[longers]

Looks like a great trip .

What next?

More road riding?

 

[Charlotte_C+ :-)]

Those are fantastic photos!

 

[Globalti]

Looks like a great trip .

What next?

More road riding?

Yes, when my legs recover from running back down that summit cone, a completely unfamiliar action for a cyclist's legs! I was a mountaineer for 25 years until I started cycling and I have completely lost the strength in the specific muscles needed for walking down hills.