RSF - The Off Road Cycling Club

The Adventure Starts Here

1986

I've never met anybody who regretted taking a long ride. But I've met many who regretted not doing one. - Moods of Future Joys - Alistair Humphreys

 

All content in the journals is copyright either of the RSF or the author or indeed both. It's use without permission will result in a stiff memo. If you would like to use an article or images please contact the general secretary in the first instance

The affair had by now become a matter of principle, not to say honour, and next week, by now in April, saw five of the group back again in fatalistic mood. With rain forecast, we voted this time to go clockwise in the theory that if forced to turn back, at least we could guarantee to have seen some different landscape. As it was, it turned out to be a fortuitous decision for the hill climbs proved to be much kinder in our new direction.
The storm, as now it could be correctly termed, redoubled its efforts, our eyes could see only a dark, wet and windy, inhospitable countryside devoid of all signs of life. We would need food and shelter very, very soon.
As I rode into a sunny glade, I had the feeling of being intrusive, for here some people with children were having a picnic. There wasn’t a dull face among them, and they waved and smiled. Their big dog thought a lone cyclist was fair game; but he gave up after a yell from his owner. A few yards on and the track inclined more steeply and I was on a downhill run.
Climbing from the bridge, the track becomes stony and then corrugated on the concrete-surfacechroad that marks the entrance to Gerakari, a typical mountain village with its bars and flat-roofed small houses, not to mention the inevitable wood-laden donkeys. The first bar served mint tea in glasses —nine for 200 drachma (about 80p).
It took us far longer than we expected, as very little was rideable and it was 3 o’clock before we sat down to hot soup at Fort William. Once we had thawed out we took the B road to Gairlochy and the forestry track alongside Loch Lochy which we found was nice easy riding.
After a rapid and rather rough descent the path followed alongside the river before ending at a gate which opened onto a tarmac road opposite a church. A notice stated that the church had one of the oldest bells in Scotland, but the gentleman who had opened the gate for us had informed us that the lady at the post office at Innerwick just down the road did pots of tea so we didn’t linger.

Categories Menu

Search The Archive

 pdf