Day 14 - 30th July 2002

Newtonmore hostel: highly recommended!

The improved weather of the previous evening is a distant memory as today dawn dull and damp. Mark and Tim begin by attempting to clean up the bikes without a hose pipe (which isn't a big success) and the women are sent on their way ahead to follow the road South of Loch Tay. The route is spectacular even in low cloud and relatively easy with next to no traffic and we regroup in Kenmore. Our route is designed to take the "direct route" to Drumochter pass cutting out many miles and a long climb to Drumochter Pass. Instead we have two big climbs, one to get over to Tummel Bridge, another up to Trinafour then over to Dalnacardoch.

A rare view of mountains (looking south)

We reached Aviemore by noon, the sun was shining and we stopped at the bike shop to restock. Mark also wanted to get the freewheel mechanism on his rear wheel fixed (it caused problems in bad weather) and they could fit him in about 2pm so after a snack the rest of us headed for Inverness. The plan was to stop at the Tomatin Distillery so we'd get into Dingwall about 5.30pm and hopefully meet our friend Stewart after work. Mark would try and catch us on the newly repaired bike.

As we left Aviemore we had a choice: take the bike route via Carrbridge or parallel the road and save a few miles. Plan B won and we were back on the bike path soon after without ever having to take the main road. Much of the bike path follows the old A9 and is in good condition. The first challenge was the climb to Slochd summit but in the improved conditions and with a good surface below our tires it proved easy enough. Conditions were fine as we passed through the narrow cut at the summit, shared with railway and the A9. Hard to believe that later in the day torrential rain would cause a landslide closing road and railway and undermine part of the bike track causing it's collapse!

Tracy and Mickie

The stretch down to Tomatin from Slochd was easy and we enjoyed an hours rest at the distillery taking a short tour (though they were not in production) and sampling the product.

Old sign on the original A9

Then we continued along the bike route until we reached the River Nairn. Here we could take a detour on the bike route or a more direct ride on the road. Knowing we were close to the long drop into Inverness we opted for the latter and after a short climb we enjoyed an excellent view as we cruised downhill. This part of the A9 was OK but the traffic got pretty scary as the road flattened out, particularly where a third lane joined on our left and we had to cut across busy traffic. As we skirted Inverness heading to Kessock bridge there were signs for bicycles and we found our way onto the bike path over the water.

From here we again picked up the bike route and dropped down to the water for a while for some pleasant views. One thing we could see however was the storm clouds approaching and we were soon being rained on heavily. Again we kept off the A9 then picked up the old A9 which now forms the road to Dingwall since the construction of the bridge over the Cromarty Firth.

By the time we reached Dingwall we were pretty we and relieved to meet Stewart waiting outside his house about 5.30, having just arrived home. He then marshalled the neighborhood to our aid: bikes in someones garage, outerwear drying in his house and later piles of laundry dispatched elsewhere to be dried! We all waited at his place warming up and drying out, wondering how Mark was getting on in the pouring rain.

He eventually arrived extremely wet having met a flooded stretch of road near the River Nairn as he came around a corner and being unable to stop before he was more than pannier deep. He emptied his bags to dry and went off with Mickey to get settled into their B&B. Once we were all presentable we headed to the nearest pub for food and returned for a pleasant evenings chat. And a few whiskys!