Setting off from Nethybridge hotel we aimed for the centre of the Cairngorms, and Balmoral Castle. Of course, as soon as we got onto some fast roads we completely forgot about looking out for Balmoral and blew straight past it.
Instead, we stopped at a bright white, star shaped castle that had the most pleasing symmetry. Braemar castle proudly stood on a small rise, behind some trees. It looked like someone was told to add as many towers to a castle as they could. Every corner has an additional tower, each side has towers and the entrance was a huge tower.
We only had a look around the outside because Aimi was waiting with the bikes, hoping strong needing a wee. So we moved on up the road to the petrol station. Here the two smug gits on the Triumph and Honda finally filled up. They had smugly decided not to when i last filled up, so they were gasping now.
Here was also where we bumped into some baby GS riders we saw going over the ski pass. They had Irish plates but were from Texas, over visiting their Irish friend. For the rest of the day they overtook us at a stop, before we then breezed past them at their next one. All the way to the Wallace Monument.
This huge Eye-Of-Sauron looking gothic tower sits on a steep lone standing hill across the river from Stirling castle. It stands on this hill because it’s where William Wallace and <insert other historically important name here> watched the approach of the English army. Against significantly more troops, they commanded the Scots to a tactical victory using the bend in the river to their advantage, sending the English army home in retreat for a few years. They subsequently came back and dominated the Scots, but this defiant stand cemented William Wallace in Scottish folk lore as a hero.
I’ve always wanted to stop and find out about this tower and climb it, mainly for the view. And it did not disappoint. You get an amazing view across Stirling and the river from under the arched gothic spire at the top. Below this there are 3 huge vaulted stone chambers with history about Wallace and other significant Scottish persons. This includes his sword which was described as “unusually long” indicating he was a very tall guy of the times.
This was at the end of just as much biking as we’ve done all the other days, but you’re probably getting bored of me saying how incredible the views are from the saddle. Just take it as read that we had a whole day of enjoying the scenery. Indeed, I was enjoying it so vigorously that I very much nearly ended up in the scenery.
The wiggly road down from the ski resort was great fun to blast along. Just as I overtook a slower moving van pulling a trailer, a huge bird was sweeping along above and to the side of me. I thought this was great, until it decided to swoop down to the road directly in front of me for some road kill. Luckily I ducked and swerved and narrowly avoided it taking me out.
The only other time I nearly ended up in the scenery was blasting along this road where it was rising and falling. It was like little bike jumps and indeed just as I was nagging a joke about it to Edd on Comms saying, “prepare for takeoff” that one happened to bump me up sharply so my wheels left the ground briefly. This was right before a corner so I wrestled it round and slowed down a bit for the next ones. Great fun, but my new tires are getting used up!
We’ve been joking around this whole holiday that all the hotels have been excellent for service and quality. So this being the last stop in Scotland, it must be time for a bad hotel. But pulling up outside this beautiful Victorian mansion hotel it looked like our run of good luck would continue. Reception met us and even offered to carry Adams bag upstairs. They even tolerated the children bickering as Edd tried to crush Aimi’s crisps…
