Ballater Blast

Enjoying a week off work in the lovely town of Ballater. We are staying for the first time in the local camping site which is impressive. Very well maintained, sensible and clear Covid precautions and only a short walk to the town. We couldn’t have picked a better week as the weather is hot and sunny. BBQ and sunsets in the evening and coffee outside in the morning.

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The scenery here is stunning at the side of the River Dee with views of the hills all around. The downside of hills all around is that every bike ride starts with a pretty challenging climb. The upside is the fantastic view when you reach the ridge line and the great descents back at the end of the day. There are enough trails here to keep a mountain biker happy for more than a week.

Yesterday we cycled up the Mount Keen access path from town up and over the first set of hills and down an amazing single track descent in the shadow of mighty Mount Keen. Needless to say, after eyeing up the gradient of the path up Mount Keen we turned the other way and opted for the Black Moss climb and long descent followed by the tracks in the woods along the river back into town.

Today we started with a very big climb up to the mast to cycle down Mastermind, a double back diamond that continues to be Illya’s nemesis. I gained a false sense of confidence by managing to ride a few sections at the start but that was not long lived and I walked most of the steep and windy descent. The things we do for our other halves ?!? We than headed along the old railway line (flat 😄) to Cambus o May woodland where we spent the rest of the day enjoying the trails there. Still a lot of ups but shorter and just as many fun downs.

After an Icecream stop in town we are back at the van. Yes that thermometer does read over 30 and yes we really are in Scotland. Think the awning will be used for shade rather than rain shelter this afternoon 🤣.