Glen Tilt - a wee ride.

 This area around Blair Atholl is certainly a mountain bikers dream. Yesterday there were also 7000+ competitors here for the Marie Curie bike race. 7000, can you envisage that number. Fantastic turnout.
 So today now that things have quietened down and the weekenders have gone back to work. Shame but we've all been there. We decided to hire mountain bikes and go for a ride down Glen Tilt.

 Now its 25 years at least since i rode a bike and the difference between the new and old bikes is staggering. The gears and brakes actually work, too well at times i can tell you.

 We hired the bikes from the guy who runs the chippy and the pizza place  at "Food in the Park"and it was well worth the day rental.
 It was quite nice when we set off, but it was obviously going to change as black clouds roll in. Then we had a down pour and then it cleared for 15 minutes before the next batch of rain. That has been how the day progressed.

 The estate road or land rover track is not an open road and so the only traffic we met was from the estate. Oh, and the postman. The track goes right through to Braemar but its not all land rover track and so care needs to be taken on the short paths.

 We cycled in total 20 miles,  to just where the forestry peters out, had lunch, took in the scenery and cycled back. Going the wind and the rain was at our back and progress was rapid but on the reverse it was hard work with quite a strong wind and the hail and rain stinging our faces.

 The jacket proved it's worth. And i was very pleased about that. And there will be a seperate post on the jackets.

 Glen Tilt is a wonderful glen with stunning scenery and i can understand why it's on the route of so many TGO challengers. Especially with having a good fish and chip shop open 11.00am until 8.00pm in Blair.
The campsite at Blair Athol Castle is large but gets booked up at weekends. You need to book weeks in advance if you wish to overnight here. During the week it would be easier.