Scotland & Orkney 2022

A cycle ride from Edinburgh to Orkney Read more

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Trip start
July 13, 2022
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Day 1
Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 9:01 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 132 m
Scotland Balado Airfield 56.217189, -3.44389156°13’2” N 3°26’38” W
1
Edinburgh to Kinross
July 13, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Post Covid recovery and I’m unsure how my strength and stamina are holding up. Only one way to find out, by setting off on the planned schedule.

By train to Edinburgh arriving before 1pm which gave me a fighting chance of completing 35 or so miles in the afternoon.

A little hillier than I would have liked so I took it slow, arriving at Gallowhill campsite just after 4pm. It’s just outside Kinross which is a smart, tidy large village. £10 a night plus £1 a shower. All looks clean and quiet as not too busy.

Tea at the busy Muir Inn - tomato soup and macaroni cheese which filled me up. Early to bed!Read more
Julia Beaumont ❤️
7/15/22Reply
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Day 2
Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 5:36 PM
🌧 18 °C
Altitude: 27 m
Scotland Carnoustie House Grounds 56.505219, -2.71816256°30’19” N 2°43’5” W
Kinross to Carnoustie
July 14, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
9am start. Weather varied from hot to cool but usually I had a tail wind.

Missed a turning outside Newburgh and did a longer inland route by mistake.

Lunch in Newport on Tay. Lovely campsite tonight £10 all in with good facilities.Read more
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Day 3
Friday, July 15, 2022 at 6:11 PM
☁️ 15 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Scotland Cowie Water 56.971504, -2.20279856°58’17” N 2°12’10” W
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Carnoustie to Stonehaven
July 15, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Some challenges today. Rain overnight, letting up about 8am. Showers during the day. Headwind.

Got lost on way to Arbroath Andes up trying to cycle through a strawberry farm - much to the puzzlement of the Romanian workforce.

Lunch in Melrose - hot and sunny until it rained. Took shelter at the tennis club along with players who also took refuge.

Had to use the A92 for some stretches - busy and hilly!

Stonehaven campsite had space for me, just.. there are only three tent pitches and 100 for motorhomes and caravans.

X(XX)XRead more
Cathrine Clarke That’s a big Mars bar x
7/17/22Reply
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Day 4
Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 8:25 PM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 35 m
Scotland Turriff 57.533159, -2.45886357°31’59” N 2°27’32” W
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Stonehaven to Turriff
July 16, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
A fine dry start and the heat built up during the day. Combined with a hilly route inland I found the 55 miles tough going.

A postman directed me to this excellent cafe in Bieldside. Before this a lovely level ride along a disused railway line beside the Dee.

Chatted up by a young couple with baby in Inverurie and a young girl (10 I think) at Turriff campsite.

Rain forecast overnight.Read more
Julia Beaumont Aha! Finally you have come to the darchaeological side!
7/18/22Reply
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Day 5
Sunday, July 17, 2022 at 9:13 PM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 22 m
Scotland Burn of Mosset 57.600096, -3.62003557°36’0” N 3°37’12” W
Turriff to Forres
July 17, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
A wet start. Delayed setting off, talking to the warden in Turriff who made me a filter coffee.

Extended chat with Mo and Wendy at my coffee stop.

A fair amount of rough riding on unpaved tracks, but also some good riding on well surfaced former railway lines.

Very warm in the afternoon. Got a puncture from a thorn in the last mile. No campsite here so in a comfy bed (no breakfast). Pizza for tea.Read more
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Day 6
Monday, July 18, 2022 at 7:15 PM
⛅ 21 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Scotland Buckle Rock 57.58234, -4.10879757°34’56” N 4°6’32” W
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Forres to the Black Isle / Fortrose
July 18, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Dear followers
Unable to stay two days in Forres, I hoped for a slightly easier day and overall it wasn’t bad - 50 miles and only a headwind for the last part. Dry with intense sunshine.

Lunch from a mobile sandwich van on a commercial estate. Painful navigation round Inverness and a detour as one side of the cycle path was closed.

Target campsite “full” although the warden found a space for my little tent which saved the hassle of moving on and other sites being booked up.

Was tipped to watch out for dolphins in the Moray Firth and saw three in the distance.

Tea in the golf club. Possibly the warmest day I’ve ever spent in Scotland.

X(XX)XRead more
Cathrine Clarke Sea view though x
7/18/22Reply
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Day 7
Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at 4:34 PM
☁️ 24 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Scotland Buckle Rock 57.582303, -4.10890257°34’56” N 4°6’32” W
Day off, Fortrose
July 19, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Oppressively warm day with occasional heavy, but warm, showers.

Thanks to the campsite for keeping me on the same pitch for a second night despite it being booked by someone else.

Thanks to the leisure centre who have booked me into a yoga session tonight.

Thanks to the library for free Wi-Fi, phone charging and refreshments.

Thanks to the golf club for free Wi-Fi, a pot of tea and no hassle.

Thanks to Tweedie Pie for lunch and possibly tea.Read more
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Day 8
Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 9:18 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 22 m
Scotland Easter Clynekirkton 58.02843, -3.84378958°1’42” N 3°50’38” W
Fortrose to Brora
July 20, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Over the hill from Fortrose to Cromarty ready for the tiny (two vehicle max) ferry to Nigg. Just time to have a coffee break at The Slaughterhouse before boarding.

After that flattish with mostly helpful winds. Garden with 150 empty gin bottles - the owner had drunk “the majority, over several years”. Lunch in Tain - considerably busier than on previous visits.

Small but friendly campsite just north of Brora.Read more
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Day 9
Thursday, July 21, 2022 at 4:46 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Scotland Wick River 58.443085, -3.10566858°26’35” N 3°6’20” W
Brora to Wick
July 21, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
All day on the A9 and A99 which is both mentally and physically testing.

Speed has been either 5mph or 25mph depending on the slope. Most passing traffic considerate but lots of concentration is required by the cyclist.

After delightful coffee and toast in Helmsdale, refreshment stops were rare. I ended up talking to roadside animals and playing mental games with vehicle number plates (only one with a 61 plate).

Weather overcast and cool - like a vampire I cast no shadow all day.

Huge cemetery on the entrance to Wick including a big collection of war graves. All from either the Navy or the Air Force. Many from commonwealth countries. Clearly WWII affected this area.

Spacious campsite in Wick.Read more
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Day 10
Friday, July 22, 2022
☁️ 13 °C
Altitude: 37 m
Scotland Sands of Evie 59.112856, -3.10612659°6’46” N 3°6’22” W
Wick to Orkney / Evie
July 22, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
A little time to spend on Wick before the 1:30pm ferry from
Gills Bay. Chanced upon the nuclear and Caithness archives by Wick airport - a beautiful modern building with helpful staff. Found out some of the background to the war graves in Wick cemetery.

Coffee, toast and marmalade at The Rumblin Tum. 17 miles on single track roads to the ferry.

Ferry bounces across the Pentland Firth to the tune of car alarms not liking the movement.

Time trialling from St Margaret’s Hope to Kirkwall in an hour. Finally arrived at Evie and the apartment which is in a converted church. No more cycling for a while.Read more
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Day 13
Monday, July 25, 2022 at 10:17 PM
⛅ 11 °C
Altitude: 37 m
Scotland Sands of Evie 59.112843, -3.10621659°6’46” N 3°6’22” W
Rest days
July 25, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Saturday: parkrun in Kirkwall, haircut, lunch out. Sourdough pizza for tea from the bake house next door in Evie.

Sunday: Raining in the morning, fair and warm in the afternoon. We drove to the southern tip of the Orkneys to see where the John O’Groats passenger ferry comes in. Very pleasant and cheap afternoon tea in St Margaret’s Hope.

Monday: showery. To Stromness for coffee and The Pier Arts Centre and to Harray Potter to buy some unique glasses and mugs. Walk around the coastline in the afternoon before the rain restarted.Read more
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Day 14
Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at 8:09 PM
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 36 m
Scotland Sands of Evie 59.112841, -3.10593259°6’46” N 3°6’21” W
Kirkwall and Jacqui
July 26, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
A brief visit to Kirkwall before meeting Jacqui for lunch and an afternoon exploring Costa Head on the far west of Orkney. Jacqui is post master on Rousay and an archaeologist to boot and has been our host on previous visits.

Bird life on Orkney is depleted compared to several years ago due to Avian flu. We only saw fulmars and oyster catchers.Read more
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Day 15
Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 9:47 PM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 37 m
Scotland Sands of Evie 59.112839, -3.10603259°6’46” N 3°6’22” W
Island life
July 27, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Early start for a day on the Swandro dig. The ferry had to go slowly as the skipper spotted a school of dolphins on our route. There were about 20 of them.

Good weather all day. Seals were bobbing up and down near the excavations.Read more
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Day 16
Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 9:46 PM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 37 m
Scotland Sands of Evie 59.112837, -3.10604759°6’46” N 3°6’22” W
Rousay and Swandro
July 28, 2022 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Another dry, sunny and mostly warm day on Rousay. I joined a team filling sand bags and moving them up to the top of the beach. Rest of the day sieving but with a break to walk along the coast to other prehistoric remains. Last day on site.Read more
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Trip end
July 30, 2022