BRIAN ON LINE
 
 
With the weather once again holding fair and with Dave’s Range Rover given a clean bill of health for another year it was off to Pitlochry for the purpose of an assault on Farragon Hill. Our route took us from the Pitlochry Festival Theatre across the A9 and up onto the Rob Roy Way continuing onto Strathtay. From there we headed along our old friend, National Cycle Route 7 before taking the track into Edradynate Estate. After a fairly sedate cycle through the estate, climbing all the time and observing the numerous red squirrels amongst the trees we eventually emerged onto the vast open moorland with Farragon Hill clearly in view. This was where the climbing really started and where we were on and off the bike due to the severe gradients and loose surface of the land rover track. As you get closer to the highest point, which is around 2000ft, it was becoming almost impossible to cycle any distance so we pushed this section. Once we reached the top we investigated the old barytes mine excavations still clearly visible with the unusual blue pools well worth checking out - but keep away from the edge as these pools look deep and the steep sides would mean trying to get out would be a problem should you fall in. Once at the highest point and after observing the view it was a case of adjusting the suspension travel, buttoning up the jackets and holding on as we pointed the bikes downhill for the long descent to the shores of Loch Tummel. The track on this side of the hill is not as good as on the way up - it required a good degree of concentration as we picked the best route over the rough and sometimes steep terrain. Our arms and hands certainly got a good work out as we made it downhill with the smell and heat from the over worked brakes noticeably evident once we finally reached the bottom. After joining the road it was a straight forward gentle ride along the loch side past Clunie Power Station before crossing the River Tummel via the Coronation bridge and picking up the nice single track along the River Garry back to Pitlochry via Loch Faskally. Once back in Pitlochry we headed down to the Power Station and Dam, checking out the fish ladder before packing up the bikes and heading up the road to the Moulin Inn where a pint of Braveheart and Moulin Light were suitably dispatched in double quick time. All in all another great route out in high exposed moorland that requires a high level of fitness and stamina to cope with the steep gradients encountered along the way. For a more technical review of the trip, additional photographs and detailed GPS route files visit...... www.davebanks.scot/route_11.htmhttp://www.davebanks.scot/route_11.htmshapeimage_2_link_0
the edradynate loop & the blue lagoons of farragon hill, pitlochry, OCTOber 2013
 
The Route - Just over 24 miles