Kinross-shire - Seasonal affective disorder

I'm sorry that the blog has been a bit sparse over the summer months but I have not been doing very much. You see, I have seasonal affective disorder or rather, I have REVERSE seasonal affective disorder since it's summer that makes me miserable! I can't bear the heat, the crowds, the midges and, this summer at least, the endless days of sunshine which drive me up the wall. But it looks like summer is finally on the wane and I've broken my duck with a wonderful mini cycle tour in Kinross-shire. 

My friend Graham and I set out cycling from Kinross, using the Loch Leven Heritage Trail to get started. We only stayed on it for a short while though before turning off onto a delightful, single track road that hugged the bottom of the Lomonds escarpment all the way to Strathmiglo. The Lomond Hills show their best side to the north with steep, sweeping flanks and sheer, rocky crags. I find them quite beautiful. It's something about the way they dominate their landscape and how their ramparts rise with such drama from the patchwork of fields around them. And there is something elemental about their relationship with the wild waters of Loch Leven.

A detour from our route at Strathmiglo to hunt for coffee paid dividends. The cycle route used a lovely traffic free bike path that meandered through woods, fields and finally tall, aromatic pines to emerge at the Pillars of Hercules organic farm and cafe, just outside Falkland. It was no hardship to repeat the route back to Strathmiglo, except perhaps for the climb that came as a surprise in an otherwise flat section. 

We were to spend the rest of the afternoon climbing as we cycled up through Abernethy Glen. At the top of the pass, we pulled off the road and onto the woodland trails of Pitmedden Forest. We were surprised how busy it was and I hadn't realised it's such a popular place for mountain bikers. But we had started the day late so by the time we had filtered water and cycled on into the forest, most folk were heading home for their tea and we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

We cycled east on a dirt track that hugged the spine of the hill, scouting as we went for potential camp spots. Eventually we found a lovely spot on the top of the ridge with open views all around. To the south, the twin peaks of the Lomond Hills rose above a rolling landscape of woods and farms. To the north, the River Tay retreated into the murky weather engulfing the Perthshire hills but to the west the Ochils were clear and we watched their silently rotating wind turbines. Down below we picked out the meandering waters of the River Earn and a train cutting across the fields that looked so tiny within this big view. 

The murky weather soon caught us too with light showers of rain that put us into our tents for the evening. But this was a fabulous camp spot nonetheless and it didn't disappoint the next morning either. Sunrise cast a purple glow over the Lomonds and illuminated the grasses and tree trunks of the forest so that they looked on fire.

When the dazzling display of the sunrise was over and breakfast eaten, we packed up our tents and had a lovely, early morning descent back along the forest track. It was that time of the day when the light is still soft and the rest of the world is not yet woken up. Back on the tarmac road and the steep descent to Glenfoot certainly woke us up. 

From Glenfoot we cycled on tiny, quiet roads that dovetailed with the motorway back to Kinross. A couple of tough climbs on these little roads took us by surprise before we reached the village of Glenfarg where the route levelled. The road from Glenfarg to Milnathort via Duncrievie and Netherton was sheer joy. There was barely any traffic and the road stayed high but flat affording big views, open skies and great cycling. Soon Loch Leven came into view again nestling below the steep flanks of Bishop Hill and the long ridge of Benarty.

Our road drifted gently down to Milnathort, passing under the motorway and entering the village through delightful narrow lanes. This was our final stop on this mini tour and a chance to indulge in coffee and cake which I'm sure is good for treating seasonal affective disorder.  

Fact File

Start/finish: Kinross
Public transport: Given the Sunday rail strikes we used my friend's car on this occasion. However, Kinross is served by Citylink and local buses plus this route could be done by train from Lochgelly from where it's a short cycle to join the Loch Leven Heritage Trail at Findatie or the RSPB centre.
My route: Joined Loch Leven Heritage Trail at Kinross and followed national cycle route number 1 to Strathmiglo and Falkland. Returned to Strathmiglo and cycled north from there through Abernethy Glen. You can cycle through Stocks Wynd off the main street in Strathmiglo to join the Abernethy Glen road without having to use the A91 or A912. Pitmedden Forest is signed at the top of the pass. Descended to Glenfoot and joined bike path heading west beside the A913. Where it meets a roundabout there are then cycle signs pointing the route to Glenfarg and onto Milnathort/Kinross using quiet, unclassified roads.
Info: Great coffee stop at the Pillars of Hercules which is on the cycle route into Falkland and also has a dedicated cyclist campsite. Also a good coffee stop and cyclist area at the back at Heaven Scent in Milnathort.

Perthshire - The Birks of Aberfeldy

This was a short overnighter in the hills wrapped around other events and bookended by the beautiful Birks. It started on a hot afternoon as we sweated our way up the lush, wooded gorge of the Birks, grateful to pause at waterfalls and interesting fungi.

From the Birks, we struck out across the bleak Urlar grouse moors. A smattering of trees in the lower reaches of the glen provided interest and a tin-roofed hut provided a back rest for a chocolate stop. 

Before too long we were hunting for a camp spot and a grass shelf by the river provided the only suitable place for miles to pitch our tents. In the evening the sound of light rain on nylon added to the gentle gurgle of the river. 

Next day our track climbed to meet the summer hill road between Amulree and Kenmore. Here swirling clouds were a backdrop to the photogenic hut on the loch shore.

From here, a series of interconnecting paths and tracks took us back to the Birks through woodlands, plantations and open pastures. 

It was wonderful on the way back to follow the river down the gorge and eventually pop out at the Watermill Cafe, since surely the main reason for doing hiking is to make space for cake at the end.

 

Fact File
Start/finish: Aberfeldy
Public transport: Buses from Dunkeld and Pitlochry connect to the Inverness train line.
My route: Followed the footpath signed the Birks of Aberfeldy from the village centre, sticking to the west side of the gorge. Where it met the bridge over the Falls of Moness, took the footpath that continued on the west side and met the Urlar Road. Followed this road uphill, detouring to the left around the farm at Urlar. After here it was dirt track which we followed to Amulree-Kenmore road and turned right downhill. At the first cottage a track leaves the road on the right. This is now the Rob Roy Way and we followed it back to Aberfeldy, this time coming back down the east side of the Birks gorge.