The Route
Last year my friends bought some buildings on the Isle of Sanday and I said I'd give them a hand with the restoration. I've cycled there before, heading North from Edinburgh through the Cairngorms, this time I wanted to try a new route exploring more of the East Coast.
With work waiting for me I was a bit pressed for time and didn't do any sight seeing but I'll share the highlights, and bits I might have skipped, for anyone interested in doing a similar route.
Day One, Saturday 14th May, Edinburgh to Dundee
I headed off from Edinburgh Airport in the early afternoon, crossed the Forth Road Bridge, then headed along the Fife Coastal Path (route 76). The coastline here is quite built up but the sections of forest trail, cycle path and beachfront flow into each other making for easy riding. From Aberdour onwards the coast isn't so populated and the route follows this lovely 7 mile gravel section.
At Kirkcaldy I headed inland, across the peninsular, in the direction of the Tay Road Bridge, passing pretty hamlets along the way. The climbs are gentle here and there was very little in the way of traffic.
I crossed the Tay Road Bridge at dusk to arrive in Dundee. There were loads of drunk people on the streets at 9pm, so I headed off along the coast looking for a suitable place to make camp. The suburbs stretched out for miles and beyond that, land along the cycle path was fenced off and inaccessible. I had to go a long way before finding a quiet spot on Carnoustie Beach, where I rolled out my bivy, finally getting my head down at 12.30
Day Two, Sunday 15th May, Dundee to New Deer
I was on my way by 6.00, heading East to Aberdeen along the coast. Groups of road cyclists made up the majority of the traffic, the sun was out and you could see they were having a blast. These country roads are ideal for road cycling.
I found the section from Stonehaven into Aberdeen a bit clunky, the last twenty miles twisting and turning to avoid the busy trunk roads leading into the city. The route through Aberdeen and on to Dyce has cobbles, diversions and lots of pavement sections. I'd consider alternative routes to Dyce next time.
The Fomantine and Buchan Way
I loved this section, the surface is so good and gradients so gentle that I found myself bowling along in a high gear, passing through woodland, fields and along the old railway embankments. I made camp for the night in a fir wood near New Deer where I had a good 10 hour sleep.
Day Three, Monday 16th, New Deer to Portsoy
After cycling the last ten miles to Maud I didn't want to get back onto tarmac. There was rain all morning, so I booked myself into a hostel in Portsoy and took it easy. The climbs on this section are slightly harder, the luscious green hills reminded me of Lancashire but with masses of bright flowering gorse.
I arrived around 3pm. It's a picturesque village and the hostel is down by the beach. It's by far the best hostel I've stayed in, quiet, clean and the rooms all have a view of the sea.
(£26 for this single room)
Day Four, Tuesday 17th, Portsoy to Invergordon
This day turned into an epic ride, the first section along the North Aberdeenshire Coast is one I really enjoyed. I took the main road out of Portsoy which wasn't too busy but had a few trucks. The are some bigger hills from here on but none of the climbs take more than ten minutes. There are more bits of coast path along this section and silky smooth cycle paths through Elgin.
A rest at Portgordon
Nearer Inverness the route started looking a bit wiggley, so I took the main road through Cawdor, a decision that backfired on me. I had to backtrack and take 3 miles of forest track through Lochandinty Wood, slow going but quite good fun and a change of scenery. There are miles of gravel track running through these woods.
The trail came out at Culloden, just a quick ride down the hill and into Inverness.
With not enough time to make the last Ferry at Cromarty, I made my way over Kessock Bridge, not the way I'd planned but I'm fond of Dingwall and the ride out there is OK.
From Alness I was on the A9 trunk road for a while, the cycle track here is just a metre wide, so after a short stretch I took a small road down to Invergordon and rode along the Dornoch Firth. This detour worked out well, it was dusk, the road was flat and lights from the oil rigs were shining through the twilight along the Firth. The wind was picking up so I made my camp at a church just a few miles up the road.
Day Five, Wednesday 18th, Invergordon to Thurso
I had another early start and made my way through lanes to Tain, reached the Dornoch Firth Bridge and decided to follow the A9 up the coast. Views over the Dornoch Firth and the landscape from here onwards are stunning.
The road is smooth and the locals will give you plenty of room but for an hour or so there was a fair bit of traffic. The road from Brora was much clearer and had great views of the coast.
I arrived at Helmsdale at midday and headed inland on this single track road.
After half an hour a strong headwind came blasting down the glen, I ended up pushing the bike for a few miles and eventually the wind subsided.
Further up the glen there are long stretches of straight road and further on the road drops down through an area called The Flows.
It's a very satisfying route to the North Coast, arriving at Melvich Beach, just 14 miles from The ferry.
There's nothing much in the way of amenities along this route, I had my last drink at Melvich and set off for Thurso, blasted by another headwind. The last 6 miles were a struggle and I pushed the bike some of the way. I arrived at 7pm feeling slightly battered by the elements and headed for the nearest patch of woods to make camp nice and early.
Day Six, Thursday 19th, Thurso to Sanday
I caught the morning ferry to Stromness, made my way along Route one to Kirkwall and caught the afternoon ferry, another windy ride.
Arrival in Sanday at 4.30
View of the next bay.
Last year my friends bought some buildings on the Isle of Sanday and I said I'd give them a hand with the restoration. I've cycled there before, heading North from Edinburgh through the Cairngorms, this time I wanted to try a new route exploring more of the East Coast.
With work waiting for me I was a bit pressed for time and didn't do any sight seeing but I'll share the highlights, and bits I might have skipped, for anyone interested in doing a similar route.
Day One, Saturday 14th May, Edinburgh to Dundee
I headed off from Edinburgh Airport in the early afternoon, crossed the Forth Road Bridge, then headed along the Fife Coastal Path (route 76). The coastline here is quite built up but the sections of forest trail, cycle path and beachfront flow into each other making for easy riding. From Aberdour onwards the coast isn't so populated and the route follows this lovely 7 mile gravel section.
At Kirkcaldy I headed inland, across the peninsular, in the direction of the Tay Road Bridge, passing pretty hamlets along the way. The climbs are gentle here and there was very little in the way of traffic.
I crossed the Tay Road Bridge at dusk to arrive in Dundee. There were loads of drunk people on the streets at 9pm, so I headed off along the coast looking for a suitable place to make camp. The suburbs stretched out for miles and beyond that, land along the cycle path was fenced off and inaccessible. I had to go a long way before finding a quiet spot on Carnoustie Beach, where I rolled out my bivy, finally getting my head down at 12.30
Day Two, Sunday 15th May, Dundee to New Deer
I was on my way by 6.00, heading East to Aberdeen along the coast. Groups of road cyclists made up the majority of the traffic, the sun was out and you could see they were having a blast. These country roads are ideal for road cycling.
I found the section from Stonehaven into Aberdeen a bit clunky, the last twenty miles twisting and turning to avoid the busy trunk roads leading into the city. The route through Aberdeen and on to Dyce has cobbles, diversions and lots of pavement sections. I'd consider alternative routes to Dyce next time.
The Fomantine and Buchan Way
I loved this section, the surface is so good and gradients so gentle that I found myself bowling along in a high gear, passing through woodland, fields and along the old railway embankments. I made camp for the night in a fir wood near New Deer where I had a good 10 hour sleep.
Day Three, Monday 16th, New Deer to Portsoy
After cycling the last ten miles to Maud I didn't want to get back onto tarmac. There was rain all morning, so I booked myself into a hostel in Portsoy and took it easy. The climbs on this section are slightly harder, the luscious green hills reminded me of Lancashire but with masses of bright flowering gorse.
I arrived around 3pm. It's a picturesque village and the hostel is down by the beach. It's by far the best hostel I've stayed in, quiet, clean and the rooms all have a view of the sea.
(£26 for this single room)
Day Four, Tuesday 17th, Portsoy to Invergordon
This day turned into an epic ride, the first section along the North Aberdeenshire Coast is one I really enjoyed. I took the main road out of Portsoy which wasn't too busy but had a few trucks. The are some bigger hills from here on but none of the climbs take more than ten minutes. There are more bits of coast path along this section and silky smooth cycle paths through Elgin.
A rest at Portgordon
Nearer Inverness the route started looking a bit wiggley, so I took the main road through Cawdor, a decision that backfired on me. I had to backtrack and take 3 miles of forest track through Lochandinty Wood, slow going but quite good fun and a change of scenery. There are miles of gravel track running through these woods.
The trail came out at Culloden, just a quick ride down the hill and into Inverness.
With not enough time to make the last Ferry at Cromarty, I made my way over Kessock Bridge, not the way I'd planned but I'm fond of Dingwall and the ride out there is OK.
From Alness I was on the A9 trunk road for a while, the cycle track here is just a metre wide, so after a short stretch I took a small road down to Invergordon and rode along the Dornoch Firth. This detour worked out well, it was dusk, the road was flat and lights from the oil rigs were shining through the twilight along the Firth. The wind was picking up so I made my camp at a church just a few miles up the road.
Day Five, Wednesday 18th, Invergordon to Thurso
I had another early start and made my way through lanes to Tain, reached the Dornoch Firth Bridge and decided to follow the A9 up the coast. Views over the Dornoch Firth and the landscape from here onwards are stunning.
The road is smooth and the locals will give you plenty of room but for an hour or so there was a fair bit of traffic. The road from Brora was much clearer and had great views of the coast.
I arrived at Helmsdale at midday and headed inland on this single track road.
After half an hour a strong headwind came blasting down the glen, I ended up pushing the bike for a few miles and eventually the wind subsided.
Further up the glen there are long stretches of straight road and further on the road drops down through an area called The Flows.
It's a very satisfying route to the North Coast, arriving at Melvich Beach, just 14 miles from The ferry.
There's nothing much in the way of amenities along this route, I had my last drink at Melvich and set off for Thurso, blasted by another headwind. The last 6 miles were a struggle and I pushed the bike some of the way. I arrived at 7pm feeling slightly battered by the elements and headed for the nearest patch of woods to make camp nice and early.
Day Six, Thursday 19th, Thurso to Sanday
I caught the morning ferry to Stromness, made my way along Route one to Kirkwall and caught the afternoon ferry, another windy ride.
Arrival in Sanday at 4.30
View of the next bay.
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