Six headed out on a damp day from the leisure centre heading directly into the wind for Brechin, by the time we had slogged up the long brae to Aberlemno the rain had turned to snow. Thankfully it was not cold enough for it to lie but never the less we turned left down to the river through Craigesk Wood getting a little bit of shelter for a mile or so before rejoining the main road at Netherton.
We climbed up into Brechin where Ron turned for home leaving the rest of us to climb up through Trinity then turning up the hill past Temple wood on the back road to Hillside and Montrose. We took a left down through Logie Pert but rather than go all the way down to Gallery we headed right taking the flat road along to the Laurencekirk Montrose Rd where we turned left down the hill and over the Marykirk Bridge and into Markirk.
We turned right up Kirktonhill Rd past the school and up the long climb of Kirktonhill and down through the wood turning right onto a lumpy B road and heading left at the kennels down into St Cyrus for lunch at the Cafe. A big bowl of carrot soup warmed us up - apart from Charlie who had a bacon roll.
Lunch over the snow finally stopped and we took the cycle path to wards Montrose past Steptoes Junk Yard then briefly stopping at the old railway viaduct for a breather.
From the viaduct we headed along the cycle path before crossing the road add headed for Sunnyside and the Bridge of Dunn home of the Caledoninan Railway where a bit of train spotting went on!
We headed to Farnell round the edge of the Kinaird Castle estate
We turned right on the Montrose Road heading for Forfar then headed left up the long climb to Bolshan then through to Guthrie where we went round the back of Guthrie Castle.
We joined the Arbroath Road turned for Letham, at Ron's request, with Keith heading straight for home, we climbed up the hill and down past Trumperton Tearooms and into Letham up the steep brae at the Den Charlie went straight through heading for home leaving three of us to a more than welcomed warm up in front of the fire in the Commercial Inn.
The climb up to Dunichen was a wee bit hard after a few beers but after that it was all down hill into Forfar via the Lour Rd. It was a good day despite the snow and we got back into Forfar just under 55 miles. The route is here if you fancy giving it a try
