Clatterin' Brig 19/05/13

It's been about three months since we last visited the Clatterin' Brig at the foot of the Cairn O' Mount and as we set of from Forfar it looked like it might rain and there was a northerly wind to impede our progress.

Seven of set out towards Horney Cross Shielhill then Windsor Terrace to Brechin, we have come back that way a few times but had not headed out that way for a while so it made a fine change with only a couple of small climbs.  W joined the usuall rout at the Co-op and climbed up through Trinity, Temple Wood, Ron turned off heading down towards Stracthro, whilst the rest of us enjoyed the long descent down to Gallery through Marykirk, from Marykirk we followed the main road to Laurencekirk.

Laurencekirk was quite busy for a Sunday morning as we weaved along the High Street before turning left down Station Road heading for Auchenblae and climed through Drumtochty Glen past St Palladuis Church, described as a fairy tale church with part of the original structure dating back as far as 1244 and Drumtochty Castle

On the final steep descent Charlie's rear brake cable snapped, we had covered just under 40 miles climbed 1800' and were ready for lunch, you get a grand feed in the restaurant and it was busy with cyclists.  We had a good break and thankfully David had a full set of cables in his bag so Charlie managed to change the cable and we were soon heading for home.

The sun was out and we had the wind behind us and were making good progress, but it wasn't Charlie's day as he hit a pothole we had a brief stop to get things back together before heading through Fettercarin and Edzell and turning for Memus and the Drovers.  It clouded over a wee bit on the way but when we arrived Gus, David and Charlie headed straight home  and Norman and I stopped for a couple of liquid refreshments.

On the way home we met up with Grahame Steel and his family out for a couple of hours in the sun.  We arrived back in Forfar  we had covered 68 miles the route is here if you want to try it

Glencarse 12/05/13

It was a breezy sunny day as eight headed out from the leisure centre heading for Glencarse.  The route, to start, was the reverse of Scone The Flat Way a popular 100K Audax event run from Forfar.

We left the route in Scone turning right towards Perth before the climb over Kinoull Hill where there were fantastic views of the Tay estuary before we enjoyed the long descent into Glencarse where we enjoyed a good bowl of soup, sandwiches, chips and beer!

We headed back along the cycle route towards Dundee enjoying the wind behind us then past Castle Huntly and up from Longforgan through Fowlis a left on the Coupar Angus Road and a right to Pitloyal Loch

 down to Newtyle and home.

Just under 77 Miles the route is Here

Audax Weekend 4th & 5th May 2013

This weekend saw the club host 4 Audax events ranging from a short 50K to a gruelling 200K round the Deeside Loop.

For more information on Audax events:  click here

Prosen & Clova

Sunshine and a strong westerly wind welcomed us today as seven headed out for a short but hard route from the leisure centre.  We headed out the Glamis Rd, down the hill to Drumgley then out the Bogside Rd turning right up to Maryton, Kirriemuir and out towards Pearsie.

The climbs are all hard and as we approached the first ust after 9 miles of gradual climbing 400' the rain came on, thankfully we turned to have the wind behind us and we got a wee blow up 200' in about 3/4 of a mile, we then had a wee breather with a gently undulating mile and half into the wind followed by three short 100' or so steep climbs to the Pearsie junction where Keith turned for home.

The junction is the "point of no return" on this hilly loop, at this point we had climbed over a 1000' in just 12 miles and are a good 500' higher than we started, the next three miles sees a series of short sharp climbs totaling about 500' before the hardest climb  of the day at Easter Lednathie 275' in 0.6 of a mile then a lovely long descent into Glen Prosen

Taking a breather before descending into Glen Prosen

The descent is into the wind and we hit a few showers before tuning over the bridge and back up the other side, a series of 2 long gradual climbs which were a breeze with the wind behind us where we came upon the new memorial to Captain Scott and Dr Wilson which sits at the top of Mile Hill looking over Prosen Water, the pair had planned their ill fated 1910 -1912 expedition to the North Pole from Wilson's close by Burnside Cottage

At this point we had pedaled 22 miles and climbed  just over 2100' - time for a breather before the mile descent into Dykehead where Ron headed for home with the rest of us turning left into the wind into Glen Clova for 11 miles of lumps to the Glen Clova Hotel for soup and a beer.

When we ventured out the sky was an ominous grey with a strong wind, we set of with the wind behind us, Gus taking the pace anxous to "out bike the rain" which we pretty much succeeded in doing.  We split at Tulloch Wyne with Charlie heading for home and the rest of us through Cortachy for the last two short sharp climbs 

of the day and a long descent into the Drovers and a well earned beer or two!  They were out of real ale, disaster, but they also have West Beer on tap, a traditional German beer brewed in Glasgow - take a look here

The sun was out when we left and it was still pretty wind as we did the last 6 miles down into Forfar ad home - 52 miles and over 3000' of climbing - a tough but enjoyable day out!  The route is here if you fancy it?

Montrose 21/04/13

Six headed out on a driech day from the leisure centre, looking to shelter from the wind we headed over Dunichen Hill, a fair climb but it got us out of the wind for a wee bit.  From there it was the back road all the way to Arbroath.  Ron and Gus turned off half way, the former had spent 13 hours struggling in the wind round the Deeside loop yesterday with David H.

As we approached Arbroath the sun was threatening to come out and the constant drizzle was beginning to ease, we turned left past the now defunct cycle world and headed round the industrial estate to St. Vigeans and the short steep brae, much worse when you start it a 1/4 of the way up.  We headed up to National Route 1 past the Medowbank Cafe passing the ever expanding new houses on the edge of Arbroath and as we turned left we got the wind behind us.

The rain was off and the sun came out briefly and it was a pleasant run along the coast through Lunan and up the hill where we stopped for a brief break.

Heading down the long hill towards Montrose we could see the town covered in a huge grey cloud and as we turned left into Ferryden we got a proper soaking!  

A brief stop to collect some grub and we headed for Duncan's house  where we had the usual good conversation and banter over some warming coffee, sausage rolls and biscuits. It wasn't looking great as we thought about heading out  and Duncan had some spares to part with and after a bit of bartering Charlie got a light weight crank and Norman some spd pedals.

We had decided on a route up through Hillside of Montrose and as we started up the long gradual ascent the sun finally came out properly, so it was off with the waterproofs for a push which lasted a good 5 miles before we descended towards Brechin.  

We turned through the golf course and followed the road through to Little Brechin and on towards Careston, just before Memus Charlie turned for home leaving Norman David and I to head for refreshments at the Drovers.

A quiet run down the hill into Forfar gave us just over 60 miles for the day, the route is here if you would like to follow it round.

Next week it's the steep hills of Prosen followed by Glen Clova and potentially the Drovers on the way home for a pint!

The Bothy - 14/04/13

9:00am - the rain was teaming down at the leisure centre and the thought of 3 hours to Glencarse had nobody in a hurry to leave!

After a bit of talk it was confirmed that Charlie had a key for the bothy a decision was made for a direct route via Kirriemuir for supplies.

We set of up the main road but by the time we had gone through Padanaram we had been overtaken by half a dozen horse boxes so a brief stint on the Bogside road we turned up through the Strathmore Springs store and up the wee brae to Maryton then into Kirrie where we saw Pat oot for a walk as we headed for Belles Brae and the Co-op.

Supplies bought we headed for Cadam Wood for a bit of shelter and Kinnordy, Muirhead, right onto the Glen Isla road through Kirkton of Kingoldrum and left round the North side of Lintrathen Loch past Peel Farm and into the Bothy.

The water was so high from the snow melt that the bridge was almost submerged

Ron got the fire on and Gus got the kettle and we all had tea!  The rain continued for an hour or so than all of a sudden the sun came out.  We tidied up then headed off but the water had continued to rise and the gate area where David is standing above was flooded out and we had to climb the fence.

After a bit of discussion we decided to head to Balintore Castle, it took a few stops to change clothes on and off we headed towards the castle.

It was a wee bit cooler by the time we got to the top so another stop to put on more kit before the descent.

From Balintore we we had the wind behind us as we headed for Pearsie then onto the Clova Rd for home.  The last mile was hard into the wind as Charlie and Gus vied for the front approaching the toon, Charlie taking it on the line.

It was only 37 miles but we climbed nearly 2400 ft.

The following weeks pub run is Finavon and next week join us for a longwinded run to Montrose

Lance!!