I have finally bitten the bullet and paid the best part of £300 for the return ferry for me and my Thorn eXp from Shetland to Aberdeen. For those who live on the mainland, be thankful that you don’t have this expense before a wheel is turned one revolution on that mainland.
I have decided that the Cairngorms is the place to be as every time I have toured Scotland I seem to have gone around the rim so to speak or have got marooned in the central belt. This time I will be going into the middle of the Highlands.
The route will take me from the ferry terminal in Aberdeen out on the Deeside Way cycle path, through Banchory, Aboyne and Ballater, where I will turn right and climb up to Tomintoul. There will be a quick detour to Glenlivet, back towards Tomintoul, the following the side roads where possible to Dalwhinnie via Speybridge, Boat of Garten, Aviemore and Kingussie.
Once at Dalwhinnie, the plan is to ride back to Ballater via Blair Atholl, Kirkmichael and Braemar. From Ballater I will be retracing the route back to Aberdeen for the ferry.
I have allowed 10 days, which averages out at 26 miles per day or thereabouts, giving me plenty of time to either wander off the route or just skive. The trip will be done alone so that I can stop and go at will, but more importantly do the speed that I want to do.
Accommodation will be a DD 3x3m tarp, which is big enough to be put up to resemble a tent shape. I planned to buy a tent, but it seems a bit of a waste as I am going mid to late August, so the weather is unlikely to be horrendous, compared to Shetland. I will take a water filter with me as I am fussy about my water after poisoning myself once by using a water bladder that had not been cleaned properly. I also worry about who is doing what upstream. I will stop at hostels when I really must, avoiding them where possible as my snoring will keep everyone else awake.
The scenery I imagine will be tremendous. I shall look out on it as I do my cooking. At this stage I am unsure whether to take my mKettle or a gas cooker. Chances are that I will be eating cold food in the evening, buying a hot pie and cake if possible at lunchtime. I fall over quickly in the morning if I don’t eat so I will rely on fruit for breakfast and perhaps some Tesco granola squares.
If anyone has any advice for me that would help along the way then please chip in, whether it be where to go, I’m not a drinker so distilleries are only interesting the first time, or what to carry, then I would be more than happy to listen.
