15 Saturday, 28.6., Inverness - Buckie, 118 km
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From Inverness the route leads inland into a hilly farmland with
meadows,
forests and small rivers. There is nearly no traffic. So we now have
not
one of those ancient landscapes but a quite normal as we are used at
home.
Finally we reach the town Nairn and have a photo of a narrow bridge.
Approaching the coast again we visit Brodie Castle, one of those
legendary
British castles. The following village Dyke has a
nice church and
an old graveyard. The gardens behind the houses are picturesque as
well.
In the botany and at the shore of the rivers we see large fields of the
Herakleum
(Giant Hogweed). This plant is a controversial subject for
ecologists
because it is not member of the native flora. It was once imported from
the
Caucasus mountains and now lurks to displace local plants at their
ancestral
location.
Near the town Forres there is one of these cute small bridges again
(Bailey
Bridge). Thereafter I get lost for a while - passing Forres -
but then
at the keyword "Mill of Grange" find back to the
cycle path. The sun
shines bright and we have beautiful colours again. At the town Elgin
the route is adventurous along the river and in the outskirts difficult
to
follow.
We then have an old rail bridge crossing the mouth of the River
Spey.
And on the other side of the river there is a fine rest place at an
abandoned
airfield. It is interesting to observe how the natur re-conquers the
tarmac
and concrete surfaces. A roebuck jumps out of the bush and
immediately
back into it again.
The last section for today is along the coast in the evening sun. I
think
that this area must be touristic, but there are no B&B signs
around.
The Hotel in the center of the town of Buckie is announced for sale.
Finally
I find the Old Coach House Hotel where I can stay.
Of course we have
a festival again: "Lost Weekend" or so.
My final walk is soon over
while so many youngsters stroll around and crie and shout. There is
much
to do "at home": a shave and laundry.
The night is somewhat noisy from the disputes of the seagulls, which
permanently
seem to have trouble with each other. But don't bother, this is the
noise
of a coastal town.
16 Sunday, 29.6., Buckie - Tarves, 115 km
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We will pass a couple of scenic coastal towns today. They have nice
names
like Portessie, Findochty or Portknockie.
Within the cliffs
there is a golf course (Cullen). There are two golfers just at the
drive and the first
one tries to hit the ball but only a hollow sound comes up and the ball
trundles
20 m or so ahead. The second player does a better work. Like Tiger
Woods
he strikes the ball away and I neither see it fly nor fall. Strange
thing.
I better continue my tour and pass a pretty rail viaduct.
We return inland to farmland and in the village Fordyce
there are some
old things like the ruin of a church and ancient gravestones. At Portsoy
we return to the coast, there is a festival at the harbour today. One
has to pay an entrance fee to come in there. I only want to go for a
photo
and so they let me in cost free. Thankyou!
At Banff we leave the coast and ride up the valley of the River
Deveron. The next town is Turiff, but I
don't remember details,
may be the path was just along the river. At the village Maud
we
have a new attraction: the route leads on the former railtrack of the Formatine
and Buchan Way Sometimes a rough gravel, but mostly a good
surface..
The only drawbacks are the tricky barriers to keep out the motorized
dare-devils.
It is hard to lift the loaden bike up to knee height all the time at
these
spots.
Some miles later the pleasure ends and in the fields I get lost,
missing
a sign to turn off. As I notice my mistake I go back assisted by the
float
direction of the river Ythan, but there were 4
miles in vain. Then I feel
a desire for an accommodation and ask here and there in the village Tarves.
They only advise me to go to the next village named Pitmedden,
there
is a hotel. I will never get there! You know why? OK, just at the road
(B999
crossing A920) there is a sign: Farmhouse B&B.
I meet a friendly
lady there and my usual demand "Can I stay here overnight?" is replied:
"Yes
you can". The dog named Cate is so happy on me as
if I am an old friend.
In the evening I cycle to Pitmedden, have a look at the hotel and even
find
an open shop on Sunday where I can buy some food and phone up at home.
17 Monday, 30.6., Tarves - Arbroath, 142 km
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Today we can use the railtrack of the Buchan Way once again and this
ends
in the outskirts of Aberdeen. It is a great pleasure to cycle like
this.
Sometimes a flock of rabbits runs ahead which comfortably
live in the
slopes. After I reach the metropolis of Aberdeen the situation changes.
I
am the rabbit myself. So I feel at busy crossings and roundabouts. Such
a
big town with the roaring dense traffic is an awful difference to the
silence
of the farmland or coastal areas. I fight my way into the city and just
hit
the tourist information. This is important for I need a new Sustrans
map
"Edinburgh to Aberdeen" (though I will go the opposite direction). And
I
get the map. "So many people buy this map" the clerk says. "I hope so"
I
say.
Now let us cross the Victoria Bridge and leave the
town along the
harbour. At the lighthouse and the Nigg Bay we are
for our own again.
And there is a fine route along the cliffs of the coast. In Portlethen
we turn inland and pass a stone circle with funny signs (Beware Dogs in
Field).
The route zigzags for a while (up and down as well) and finally we
reach
the scenic town Stonehaven. Up above the town there
is a beautiful
view.
From now on I choose: the main road (A92) if this is nearer to the
coast,
the cycle route otherwise. On the main road we reach a fabulous speed
(did
I tell you, that we enjoy a proper tailwind once again?). At Inverbervie
we must leave the coast anyway because the continuation of the route
can only
be mastered by unloaded all terrain bikes. But I see "Four Men on a
Bench"
and shortly ask for a photo and before they really know - click - the
photo
is done. "A nice place here" I say and hear something like "If you sit
here
twenty years?". And I hurry up back into the real world.
This is the town Montrose with a dense traffic as
usual.
Over a bridge we reach more quiet channels again. This is the last
section
for today and I monotonically ride ahead.I pass the ruin of the Red
Castle,
this looks like the head of a horse. At Arbroath
there is a Nature Trail which leads to the
promenade. There seem to be some smokehouses,
a speciality of this town? ("Smokie"
- haddock smoked over embers using a technique that is traditional to
the area..., try Google). But at first I must
find an accommodation.
Three times in vain: no room for a single. At last in the
guesthouse
The Pend, looking like a backpacker's pension, I get
a tiny room.
The greatest problem is the bike, but finally the chief gets the idea
to
deposit it at a nearby pub.
For dinner I cannot get profit of the announced smokies. Let's have
some
fish'n chips from the takeaway - once for ever. In my room I consume
this
stuff with bare hands, no one should watch me at this activity.
The greatest place of interest at Arbroath seem to be the ruins of the
abbey
(1178).
18 Thursday, 1.7., Arbroath - Edinburgh, 136 km
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At breakfast the chief asks me if I had been at the village Auchmithie
nearby, the nicest spot of the coast near and far. I have not been
there
- he even offers to bring me there. Well - you cannot see everything
and
time is money - I prefer to go on south.
I ride to Monifieth on the main road (A930), have a
look at the Broughty
Castle and then ride on the promenade along the Firth
of Tay. We
can avoid to get into the large town Dundee and
end under the road
bridge across the Tay. After some time I find the elevator for
wheelchairs,
baby carriages and bicycles. A fine facility! Pedestrians and The
non-motorized
vehicles can use a path in the middle of the bridge, which is longer
than
2 km - the longest river bridge in Britain. On the right hand side we
see
the Tay rail bridge, and there is some history about this bridge.
In my early youth I heard about it and felt spooky. There is a ballad
by
Theodor Fontane (I don't know if an English translation exists), and
this
begins: "When will we three meet again...". At the other side of the
Tay
there is a signpost about the background: in the year 1879 the bridge
broke
during a storm and a train with about 70 passengers pitched into the
floods.
No survivors. Today the remaining fundaments of the old bridge are
still to be seen.
We get the feeling to begin a new section of our tour. But it is not
new
to go up and down, sometimes with nice views across the river Tay. At Newburgh
we go inland, the weather is dull and we have few colours. On lonesome
paths
we surround the hills of the West Lomond mountains.
The hills are
not higher than 500 m but are hidden by clouds. At Kinross
we pass
Loch Leven, a historic place, but we don't see much of it.
Another summit must be passed, this is easy to perform and then we use
our
favourite old rail track for a while. Eventually we see a large bridge
in
front, but it lasts a while until we are guided through Dunfermline
and other towns. So it is a great moment to enter th Forth
Road
Bridge. This is somewhat shorter than 2 km and as it was
built in 1964
it was the longest suspension bridge in Europe. To the left we see the Forth
Rail Bridge, a huge framework bridge which is very scenic and
looks like
my imaginations of the River Kway Bridge.
We have crossed the Firth of Forth and now reach the town Queensferry.
There is enough time to master the last 20 km to Edinburgh.
The route
is well signed and never leads into the traffic (another rail track
sometimes).
At last I intend to end at the next B&B available. And this is
a very
nice one near the Haymarket: Glenerne, 4 Hampton Terrace.
A Victorian
house, old furniture and large portraits everywhere. I get a large room
with
a bathroom aside. 15 minutes ago I was tired and exhausted,
now I lie
in the warm bath-tub and I think: "Life is wonderful".
Just on the other side of the road there is a Japanese restaurant. But
I
am too lazy or too tightfisted: I enjoy my bag-food and look out of the
window
into a wonderful gardenscene in the evening sun.
19 Wednesday, 2.7., Edinburgh - Kelso, 137 km
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From my lodging I reach the center of Edinburgh, Princess
Street
and so on within some minutes. The cyclist is invited to have a
struggle with
the doubledecker busses for they use the same carriage ways. At a
traffic
light it happens to me that there is a bus to the left and another to
the right.
And then they shut the gap like tongues or scissors. I somehow stay
alife but from now
on use the pedestrian's pavement.
As usual I don't like a big town and look for the crossing of the cycle
route
along an arterial road. In vein! But I can tell you, that there are
lots
of Guesthouses, B&Bs and private Hotels. But I must go back to
the city and at the Tevot Place I recognize where I
am. Then I get
lost for another time - forget about it. May be, one hour later I face
the
small tunnel of the rail track, where I am right and the tour may start.
For a while on the track things are fine. But then the track is closed
and
a diversion route recommended. So we still toddle around in the
outskirts
until we reach the free botany. This means to cross the River
South Esk
and climb up the Moorfoot Hills. The views to the
coast and the town of
Edinburgh are stunning and we get up easily. Behind a bend there is the
summit.
A long green valley opens and a 40 km/h downhill road without using the
brakes nor
the pedals follows. No trees at all, some brown areas of heather which
start
to blossom in red.
At a bridge I have a rest and see my favourite Monkey Flowers again. Up
at
the slope there is a lonesome house, may be the Garvald Lodge.
And
the road stays to lead straight ahead, somewhat uphill at first but
then
all the way down to the Leithen Water and the
touristic town Innerleithen.
Here we reach the river Tweed and will follow him
until his mouth.
This part of the Tweed valley remembers at the landscape of the German
low
mountain ranges. The river Tweed soon gets wide and we come to the
villages
Galashiels and Melrose. As usual
I will have rushed through
ignoring the famous Melrose Abbey (1136), may be
there was just a
downhill or the wind pushed me along. Then after a gate we have the
road for
ourselves. At the village Newton St. Boswells we
cross another spectacular
suspension bridge (Dryburgh Bridge).
If you read my End-to-End report you know I have a foible for the most
beautiful
telephone box. Here is another one and I use it for a call at home.
Usually
I look for an accommodation first, but today I say: "...you find a
B&B
everywhere...". May be I am wrong today with this statement. Just a
moment later I have a severe blackout. I climb up
a 12% hill, ride 1 km ahead and then suppose to be wrong. I go back the
same
way, read the signs - no, I was right. So up the 12% hill a second
time.
And a friendly man in his garden says "Hello" for the third time.
Farmland and lonesome farm buildings. Once I see an individual, an old
man with a plastic bag as luggage. He looks in his map and doesn't
realize
me. So I rush along but cannot report something about this tramp or
whoever
he was. Soon we reach the town Kelso and while I
look for an accommodation
it starts to rain.
We have my favourite situation again as I told you before. They all
have
"full", "booked", "no vacancies". At last I enter "The Queens
Head Hotel".
This was restored until last week and so there are no bookings in
advance.
I can check in "just in time" - as the chief says. And don't forget: we
await
the "Jim Clark Memorial Rally". Jim Clark was born around here, he was
killed
1968 on the Hockenheimring during an unimportant race.
For dinner I have seen a Pizza-Take-Away. I go there and order a
Seafood
Pizza 10 inches diameter or so. During the waiting time I throw a
glance
to the Kelso Abbey, the meadows of the river Tweed and the entrance to
the
park of Floors Castle. Then I hurry back with the
pizza-bag, quite
quickly along the chief who just checks in another guest. And in my
room
I consume the pizza aided by my pocket knife and a spoon - works well
and
tastes exquisite.
Behind the hotel there is a Porsche jacked upon a trailer. May be he
has checked
in "just in time" as well.
Chapter
5. Kelso/Berwick - York/Hull
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