Day 4 Aviemore to Kinross

Today started badly but has gotten significantly better than I could have hoped for. What a difference a few hours can bring...

We got up early and went unsuccessfully in search of breakfast. I went to the bike shop for 8.30 to wait for the owners and pick up my new if somewhat unwanted Raleigh Airlite 100. After I'd paid for the bike Mike and Jenny went to get breakfast themselves and we started preparing for departure. Unfortunately the seat clamp snapped when adjusting it and we lost more time finding Mike to get a new one. I was somewhat cheesed off when I woke up this morning knowing I wouldn't be using Ants bike anymore and by the time we left Aviemore at half nine I had finished the cheese and moved on to the coffee and cigars. After a few miles in the rain I was metaphorical speaking, in a cab with two lady companions heading to the Pink Pussycat in Lower Regent. *

We cycled the same route we had tried the day beforehand which was quiet and very pretty and called in on Don and Gwen to say thank you again and give them a bottle of wine. We continued upon the road until it merged with the A9, the main route to Perth and one we feared would be busy. It was however quiet with traffic coming along in waves and very well paved. It was also exceptionally beautiful and we stopped a number of times to take photos. We had been warned that the journey today would have one unpleasant climb up to the summit of Drumochter and were making as much time as we could whilst we had a 5 knot tailwind.

We did leave the A9 once to use the cycle route that ran alongside but the poor surface meant the extra risk on the unexpectedly quiet main road and significant speed increase lured us back. We were nipping along at around 15mph when to our surprise we were greeted with a sign proclaiming we had crested the summit. We were understandably feeling rather chipper about this, but didn't realise that the next twenty miles would be all downhill on smooth tarmac.

Those twenty miles were some of the best cycling I've ever had the joy of doing. Speed never dropped below 20mph and I hit 41mph at one point. The drivers all gave us plenty of room when they came past but often we had the dual carriageway to ourselves and the scenery of the Cairngorms was outstanding. The wind was behind us and the rain gave way to grey-blue skies with sunlight streaking out to highlight luscious green and browns of the moorland.

We stopped for lunch in Pillochry where the pub did filling sandwiches and let us keep the bikes inside despite being rained upon for ten minutes before reaching shelter. After lunch we continued the brisk pace aiming for Perth, a ride of 81 miles and easily achievable. There was more smooth road although increasing levels of traffic and scenery that reminded me of Kent with many fields planted with cereals and stacks of straw bales glowing in the sunlight. We followed a cycle track along the river for the final few miles in to the city centre and had a cup of tea whilst deciding upon what to do. I to the end we wanted to get within striking distance of the Fourth bridge and so left Perth and continued south.

After Perth the motorways start and we took a very quiet A road that ran more or less a similar route to the M90 although it did have one sizeable climb to contend with and a number of times we stopped for photos. I almost regret not stopping in Perth as it was such a pleasant city but the views on the way out made up for it. We eventually made another 11 miles before the sun started to skulk behind the horizon and with tired legs and 102 miles on the clock today decided to stop. We found a b&b in Kinross where we could put the bikes in an outbuilding and Chris negotiated a little discount. We have even been promised sandwiches in the morning which always saves half an hour or so as we need an 11 o'clock nibble... There are two comfy beds, a kebab shop down the road has presented us with chicken kebabs and I'm sleepy, so I shall bid you a fine farewell. Goodnight!

* other Blackadder quotes are available.