Coast & Castles North Day 2 - South Queensferry - Dundee

 As the alarm went off at 7, I sneaked a look out the window to find it was dull and overcast but crucially dry! The little heater had done a stirling job of getting everything dry apart from my shoes which were a little wet, but nothing that the merino wool socks couldn’t cope with and with the minimum of fuss the bike was packed and I was wheeling it back into the lift. Deciding against the premier inn all you can eat buffet, I instead mounted up to cycle the 50 yards to the McDonalds next door…

Glad I had brought some chain lube with me as the chain looked like it had been at the bottom of the sea, a quick fettle while scoffing the sausage & egg McMuffin and I was away down the hill to cross the old road bridge. I can’t get enough of the bridges across the Firth of Forth, and the best thing about going over the old road bridge is the view you get of the rail bridge. The weather was a bit miserable and it was freezing, but the view, especially as they’ve now painted it with state of the art paint which means it’s not permanently sheathed in scaffolding and tarpaulins properly warmed the heart! I think it’s my 5th time cycling over the bridge and it never gets old!

As I explained yesterday, today was going to be slightly longer than I’d ideally like due to the problems with overnight accommodation, so as always when the mileage seems overwhelming, I’d broken it down into chunks. First target was Kinross and Loch Levan 20 miles in, so off the bridge, through Inverkeithing, then skirting round the outskirts of Dumbarton, there wasn’t much to look at although stopping to stroke a Labrador by a junction was a highlight! Past Bowershall and I thought I’d have time to stop at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum. I mean is that a bit of me or what! Got to it to find it didn’t open for another week! Gutted!

I knew a lot of the climbing was in this first 20 miles but they all seemed like small climbs. In fact it was a massive climb just with little downhills in between! Half way up I saw a sign for Saline. Those who know me professionally (!) will know that Mark Harris has been working with me for 15 years, constantly saving my bacon and generally cleaning up the mess I leave behind. It’s where he lives with his lovely wife Lauren and their 2 beautiful kids. I sent him the picture of the bike parked up against the sign and he immediately replied the kettle was on and I had to go and see them. Trouble was I was going the other way and it would add on about 15 miles. Already with over 80 planned I couldn’t face it so politely declined. Next time Mark!

While I was taking the photo of the sign a couple of cyclist came past asking if I was OK. It was a dad and his daughter out for a ride as he works for the council and had been down in Dumbarton to make sure the roads had been closed for a TT. While commenting on how loaded my bike was (I didn’t know if he was on about the luggage or me!) we’d caught up with his daughter who was only 15. We’d reached the steepest part of the climb at 15% and I thought I could do a Declan here and trash talk them both then sprint for the top after sitting on their wheels for ages…! Happily his daughter took one look at me and sprinted off with her dad, leaving me for dead…just on Dec, he’s just had his other hip done last week so is now super bionic. He probably ran home from the hospital…what he can’t do however is download a simple blog. It obviously must be my fault that the link works for everyone else but him…😁

Cresting 1,000 feet the climb topped out and a lovely alpine like descent down to Kinross meant it was time for coffee and cake! It was only 10, so I’d made decent time and done over half the days climbing in the first 20 miles. It was still cold mind, so the 10 minutes inside was a blessed relief. I know I had a nice skirt round the Loch Leven heritage trail for the next10 miles or so, and although it was busy with dog walkers and runners it was nice enough, but for most of it you couldn’t see the Loch which was a bit odd! Pulling up the hill off the trail it was back to lumpy quiet roads and on towards Falkland

The next ten miles or so were lovely! Single track lanes with no traffic interspersed with tarmac fire roads through the forests, I wish you could have been there to smell the pine! It was a bit up and down but progress was good as I tipped into Falkland 35 miles in. I’d never heard of the village but chuffin Nora! It was like a fairytale village! I ended up stopping, getting off the bike and having a good walk round. The highlight was the Falkland Palace, sometime residence of Mary Queen of Scots and a truly awesome building. And yes, the Falkland Islands are named after the village! I’d have liked to have stayed longer, but still had the thick end of 50 miles to go, so reluctantly got on the bike and headed out to the somewhat less grand Newton in Falkland!

Back on busier roads I’d gone past the 40 mile mark where I was planning on stopping for some dinner. I felt great though, so decided to to get to 50 miles and stop then. Through Freuchie and turning left, once I’d got to Burnturk things went skywards again, but the climb was beautiful, clinging to the side of hill, switchbacks aplenty and I’m sure what would have been a stunning view to my left hand side if it wasn’t for the low cloud and mist! Once again a lovely descent meant at the cross roads the signpost said only 10 miles to St Andrews, so as I was feeling so good I thought I might as well carry on and have a late lunch there.

You’re all now waiting for my overconfidence and hubris to catch up with me, for me to fall apart and crawl into St Andrews on my hands and knees aren’t you?! Well just for once, it didn’t! I breezed the 10 miles into St Andrews, and 60 miles in and 40 miles since I last had something to eat (pretty sure that is a record!) I was having a good old gawp around before looking for something to eat. 

We’d been to St Andrews once before, on a day out from visiting Andrea’s extended family. The only thing I really remembered was getting massively sunburned! I didn’t really recognise any of it and although very nice, wasn’t a patch on Falkland. Ticking off abandoned Castle and Cathedral, and a quick trip to the harbour and beach, it was time for some lunch! Looking at a few cafes, the prices, were to be frank, ridiculous. Therefore I do what I always do at these times, Greggs! Wheeling the bike inside as I couldn’t find anywhere to lock it, pasties, coffee and chicken strips were polished off in short order!

Just 20 miles to go and it was 2.45. I couldn’t believe how smoothly it was going and how good I felt. I’d really enjoyed the 40 miles from Kinross, and although there wasn’t much “coast” the roads had been great and lovely and quiet. Heading out of St Andrews past all the golfists carrying their bats (I hate golf if you hadn’t guessed…) it was a nicely surfaced bike path pretty much until the route turned off and through RAF Leuchars. Through that and a right hand junction took me onto the cinder a gravel paths through Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve that would take us to Tayport and the Tay bridge. 

Smashing through the forest on some of the best gravel tracks I’ve ever ridden on with tantalising glimpses of St Andrews Bay was a pretty good way to tick the miles off and all of a sudden the trees stopped and the Firth of Tay was right in front of me. Some ducking and diving along the cycle path out of Tayport and the final climb up to the entrance of the cycle track which slightly bizarrely is in between the 4 lanes of traffic, and the day ended as it started, with a bridge over a Firth! Halfway along the bridge the Garmin ticked over 80 miles and 4000 feet of climbing and I’d made well before 5pm. Sometimes I can do it!

At the hotel, I managed to con them to let me take the bike up to room again, a quick shower and the plan had been to meet up with Andrea’s uncle John who lives in Dundee for tea. Unfortunately he’s not been well and is in Ninewell hospital. Asking Andrea to find out which ward he was in, I googled which bus I needed (at least I got to go on one today!) sat top deck, front seat and I was by his bed with Andrea’s cousin Katrina by 6! He’s a lovely fella (with admittedly crap jokes!) so we had a good catch up and hopefully he’ll be back home this week. With a promise to meet up later in the year, I walked the 4 miles back into Dundee town centre to try a loosen up a bit and ordered the biggest plate of pasta you’ve ever seen…!

The upside of the big day today means only 40 miles tomorrow! I want to spend the morning at the V&A and go to Tannadice, the home of my Scottish favourite football team, Dundee United in the morning then set off after lunch for Montrose. Weather also looks to be lovely…☺️