Glencarse 29/06/14

Another fine Sunday in Angus saw eight of us head on a round about route to the Glencarse Hotel. We headed towards Glamis and took a left up the hill towards Dundee climbing up to cross the dual carriage where Keith turned for home leaving the rest of us for a wee down hill respite towards and through Tealing before taking an unusual left down Emmock Rd into Strathmartine.

In Dundee we had a bit of climbing to do again but it was early and the roads relatively quiet, we took a right up Harestane Rd, Laird St to Clatto Park, down to Camperdown Park across the bridge over the dual carriage way working our way along the Coupar Angus Rd with a tight right at the roundabout we snaked our way down to South Rd and along to Invergowrie past the Lynch Centre.

Crossing into Invergowrie we were then on national cycle route 77 towards Perth, this gave us a respite from the hills  with 12 miles of virtually flat cycling apart from a short climb through Errol to Glencarse where we stopped for lunch at 36 miles.  It was pretty much chicken noodle soup and sandwiches all round washed down with a pint of something cold!

From Glencarse we faced a stiff climb up to Kinfauns where were met by a 20% sign, we took a right up towards Murrayshall and onto the A94 Perth Forfar Rd, we weren't on it for long as we turned right at the MacDonald Arms and back towards Forfar.  We zipped along at a good pace and there were a few dry mouths as we passed The Tav in Ardler which was shut for the second day in a row.  With Ron being out for the whole day and going back to Kirrie we went through to Miegle and then onto the Bogside Rd.

The pace was pretty steady along the lumpy road and as we got to the Glamis Rd Ron took a left up the Glamis Rd heading for tea and a well earned beer leaving the six of us to the last 6 miles back into Forfar, 73 miles and just under 300' of climbing.  The route is here if you fancy it!

Next week is the Bothy Working Party Weekend and the start of the Tour so no Sunday run as such, the following weekend the run is to Falkland on Sunday the 13th of July, for those wishing to loin us at the Tay Bridge Cafe, we should be there about 10:30 - 10:45 for a bacon roll.

Dunkeld 22/06/14

Six set off on a bright morning for a longish gentle run to Dunkeld.  

We took the Bogside Rd to Miegle then the main Perth Rd to Coupar Angus and then through to Blairgowrie.  From Blair we continued on towards Dunkeld on the main road which was quite busy  so we turned left the bottom of Loch of Clunie and this was quieter till we got to the Loch of the Lowes where it was pretty manic at the car parking area for the osprey hide, we got through with Charlie nearly being knocked off by someone trying to pass him on a corner with a car coming in the opposite direction - we regrouped in the lay-by deciding on the co-op and a seat outside for lunch.

Lunch purchased we headed down to the river and luckily there were two empty benches for us.

After a wee rest we decided on a run up the hill past Murthly Sawmill, that gave us a nice run mainly down hill through Murthly towards Kinlaven Bridge where we did our ususla right then left and the lumpy route back into Coupar Angus.  Nobody fancied stopping sow we headed towards Newtyle and home, six out and six back into Forfar and 65miles completed.

St Andrews - 01/06/14

Five headed out on the first day of summer with bright sunshine and a gentle breeze towards Muirdrum taking the B road to Dundee leaving Carrot Hill for the return journey.

The traffic was quiet and we made good progress and arriving in Dundee without issue.  Gus, Keith & Norman were on half days and took a left and headed for Arbroath along the costal path leaving Charlie & I to head to St Andrews.

Crossing the Tay the water was glassy calm and we were making steady progress, neither of us in need of a stop we gave the Tay Bridge Cafe  a miss and pressed on.  It got a bit breezy as we headed past Tentsmuir and Gaurdbridge but got a good blow along the flat path into St. Andrews.

We went down to our usual harbour cafe and sat in the sun for half an our or so with bacon and egg rolls, refreshed we headed up the gentle brae to Strathkinness and whizzed down the hill and back to Gaurdbridge then up the old Toll road to Balmullo and down to St Michaels where we took a left onto the Main Rd for a brief stint taking the next left towards Wormit, Newport on Tay then the bridge. It was much busier in the afternoon with lots of cyclists and after a brief pit stop and refreshment we headed back across the bridge.

From the bridge we headed through the docks and back up the brae to Michelin with the wind behind us, by Carrot Hill the sun was out and it was pretty warm.  Rolling down the hill into Forfar we had covered 70 miles.

ACC Runs List May - August

Wednesday 7th May - Finavon 

Sunday 11th May - Dundee Tesco Riverside, Padlocks! 

Wednesday 14th May - Letham 

Saturday 17th May  - Audax UK 400K Musselburgh 

Sunday 18th May - Round Kilry Bothy meet B run 

Wednesday 21st May - Glamis 

Sunday 25th May - Clatterin Brigg 

Wednesday 28th May - Roundyhill 

Saturday 31st May - Audax UK 300K Portmahomach 

Sunday 1st June - St Andrews 

Sunday 1st June - Audax UK 100 & 200K Portmahomach 

Wednesday 4th June - Drovers 

Saturday 7th June - Bothy Drum Up 

Saturday 7th June - Audax UK 300K Snow Roads 

Sunday 8th June - Pitcairngreen 

Wednesday 11th June - Finavon 

Saturday 14th June - Audax UK 300K Galashiels 

Sunday 15th June - Johnshaven 

Wednesday 18th June - Letham 

Saturday 21st June - Audax UK 200K Bridge of Weir 

Sunday 22nd June - Dunkeld 

Wednesday 25th June - Glamis 

Sunday 29th June - Glencarse 

Wednesday 2nd July - Roundyhill 

Saturday 5th July - Audax UK 110K & 300K Stornoway 

Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th July - Bothy Working Party Weekend , Barbi etc - contact Ron / Jim for more info 

Sunday 6th July - Audax UK 200K Stornoway 

Wednesday 9th July - Drovers 

Saturday 12th July - Audax UK 600K Galashiels 

Sunday 13th July  - Falkland 

Wednesday 16th July - Finavon 

Sunday 20th July - Prosen & Clova Clova Hotel Beer Festival - B run direct dept 10:30 Leisure Centre 

Monday 21st July - Audax UK 1300K Isle of Arran 

Wednesday 23rd - July Letham 

Sunday 27th July - Stonehaven 

Wednesday 30th July - Glamis 

Thursday 31st July - Audax UK 200k Galashiels 

Saturday 2nd August - Bothy Drum Up 

Sunday 3rd August - Amulree 

Bothy Drum Up - First Sat in the month , Bothy open from 10 till 1.00 ± all welcome , tea / coffee provided,  for more info 

contact Jim D.   Sunday runs start 9:00am from the leisure centre, Wednesday night runs start 7:00pm from the club 

rooms for more info contact 07799 714008 

Meikleour - 20/04/14

Another bout of big girls blouse syndrome has kept me away but a few injections of some fancy chemicals and a few good drams of Naked Grouse got me back, unfortunately though to much to soon!

The Meikleour Arms Hotel is a club favorite and knowing it was too far for a first time out I should should have turned for home with the group at Blairgowrie! Norman, Charlie and I pressed on towards Dunkeld being passed by and re passing a couple of young ladies from Kirriemuuir when they stopped for a rest!

We turned left the bottom of Loch of Clunie and up the south side, Charlie decided on a longer run whilst Norman and I took a left heading through the bottom of the picturesque Glendelvine coming out at the Old Military Rd at the primary school.  We took another left through Spittalfield to Meikleour.  Arriving at 11:55 we debated would they be open or not and should we head on but the door was open and they were already serving.  It was warm enough to sit out side when sheltered from the breeze.

We decided on the direct route back to Coupar Angus then through to Ardler for a refreshment in the beer garden thinking we might meet Gus and Dave who had turned off earlier at Blairgowrie, they weren't there and Stewart confirmed that they hadn't been in earlier either, after a couple of pints of Orkney Dark Island we headed back to Forfar via Eassie, and into the wind up Inglistonhill after the downhill past Glamis we took a right  at Douglastown and past Kinnettles House, or Castle as it now prefers to be known as, and along to the path up the side of the dual carriage-way and down into Forfar.  60 miles in the sun - a pleasant Sunday out!

Jessie's Kitchen 23/03/14

With lunch booked for 12 five of us headed up the Dundee road on my first trip out for quite a while, blouse syndrome aka sore knee!  A few at the front were pushing on and Wee Jimmy needed a break at the top of the hill, feeling a bit faint so we had a blether before taking a more reasonable pace to Carrot Hill and nice and easy on the way up.

On the way down Keith took a left and headed for home and at the back road from Dundee to Forfar Jimmy was heading home as well, we were a wee bit early for our trip to Jessies so we turned left as well and got Jimmy up the long brae before we turned right towards Carnoustie and back into the Ferry.

Jessie's Kitchen is in a garden centre on Albert Rd, tucked out of the way but always very busy, to be honest it's yummy mummy hot spot and three sweaty cyclist were a bit out of place.  The soup and sandwich combo was  also pretty tasty and by the time we had finished the sun was out and we had a wee seat outside enjoying the views over the Tay.

We could have sat for a while but needs must and we decided on a route through Dundee, Liff and a long climb towards Newtyle then back home to Forfar, in the distance we could make out the hills round Loch Brandy covered in snow, a touch under 60 miles but a lovely spring day out!

Arbroath - 03/03/14

With the sun shining and the wind not to strong we headed up up the Dundee Road and down to Inverarity and up the gradual climb to Whigstreet where we dropped down to the right and followed the wind pretty much as we could towards Arbroath with Ron stopping at Carmylie for a cuppee leaving the rest of us to go the the Meddowbamk Inn where we met up with Duncan and George.

Charlie headed straight for home leaving the six of us, Gus, Keith, Norman, Brian, David and myself to a run towards Montrose.  Before we dropped down to Ferryden we took a left turn up to towards Rossie then a decision to keep the hieght we had gained saw us turn left onto the A92 for a mile or so before a right turn had us back towards Boysack offering good views down over Inverkeilor.

We stopped and regrouped for the last time just before the Crem and rolled through Friokheim as a group then straight back to Forfar with Gus and Keith setting a good pace getting us in well before 3 o'clock.

Net Sunday it's Edzell, leaving at 10 from the Leisure Centre.