Heartbreak Ridge

Fantastic day out today near Ballater in Royal Deeside. It is a beautiful area at any time but the purple heather is in full bloom at the moment and was lovely in the sunshine.

We cycled one of our favourite routes called Heartbreak Ridge. I am sure there is a local tale as to the reason behind the name but from a mountain biker’s perspective there are 2 schools of thought – it could be that the very long and steep cycle up brings you close to a heart attack or it could be that the stunning miles of singletrack downhill on granite and heather fills your heart with joy. Or possibly both.

We were a bit disappointed the local campsite was full but the quiet spot we are staying in just outside of town has far exceeded expectations. We sat outside for hours until we watched the sun go down (at which point the midges arrived!). Brought the small BBQ in the van for the first time and enjoyed grilled leeks with venison sausages and new potatoes for dinner. We were even lucky enough to pick some wild rasberries to go with the chocolate afterwards. Perfect to replenish the 2868 calories I evidently burned today. Will sleep well tonight.