Loch Ness Ride

I spent the weekend doing a trail leader course with Jules Fincham down at Aviemore. I found him to be a tremendous coach and learnt loads on the weekend. I also realised there is a vast network of single track to explore in the Strathspey area much of which is not marked on any map.

Back on the fixed gear today for a ride in my favorite area, the South side of Loch Ness. This is a cyclist's paradise with miles of scenic virtually traffic free road. From my house there's tons of routes I can do. Today I cycled out to Dores, a quaint small village with a beautiful bay on Loch Ness and a traditional inn. Then along the shore of Loch Ness to Inverfarigaig. The shore road is through woodland where you can often see red squirrels. There are no houses, only the solitary ruin of the house where Johnson and Boswell stopped on their eighteenth century tour of the Highlands.

Dores bay

Looking down Loch Ness near Inverfarigaig

The pass of Farigaig is full of velvety moss

After Inverfaragaig I turned up the spectacular pass of Farigaig,  where huge crags beetle over you. The area is  of geological interest and there is a memorial to a geologist killed there by rock fall. I struggled with the steepest section on my fixed gear. After this I reached the crofting hamlet of Errogie and sped homewards under darkening skies, bowled along through the moorland by a strong wind. The high moorland has incredible panoramas on all sides especially the expanse of loch Duntelchaig and on the  far side of Loch Ness the long ridge with its fans of scree, the green nook of Abriachan village nestling on its shoulder and the gaunt finger of Glen Urquhart castle below it by the side of the water.
.http://www.lochnesswelcome.co.uk/sectionDetail.asp?sID=53
http://cauldeenprimary.co.uk/secretlochness/data/foyers_dundeardail.htm