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Scottish Prize Tour Oct 2007 by John Kemp

 

 

A few days after returning home from the York Rally I received a letter informing me that I had won the independent hostels’ lottery of en-suite accommodation for four people for two nights at Comrie Croft bunkhouse near Crieff. Brian Parkinson, Malcolm Lomas, Grayham Simpson and I decided to extend this to make a two centre trip by booking an extra two nights at Melrose YH. We drove up to Comrie on a miserable rainy Wednesday in October, to find the bunkhouse very well-appointed, comfortable with friendly staff, and newly developing as a mountain biking centre. As such it is an ideal place to stay and explore the Southern Highlands.

 

The only problem for us was that the best routes are too long for the shorter autumn days or would involve a multi-day ride. So we decided to opt for an out and back ride up Glen Artney on tracks and then back on road. However chatting to the staff bike person we were told that we could make a better circuit by following the isolated Findhu Glen eastwards out of Glen Artney and then back on road towards Comrie. This was very helpful, since the glen is on MoD land and marked as part of an extensive DANGER AREA on the map, and without this advice we had given no thought to it.  However, we were told that the firing range has been closed for years, that the nearby Cultybraggan barracks are now unoccupied, and that the only problem would be lifting the bikes over a couple of gates.

 

Comrie and Glen Artney ( Click here to see photos of the ride)

 

The bad weather had given way to sunshine and so we found the track out of Comrie quite  pleasant as it climbed high above the Water of Ruchill flowing down Glen Artney. After a time it becomes singletrack for a short distance and passes along a wooded hillside and crosses streams before reverting to a land rover track. This continues and then descends to cross the river and meet the road on the southern side of the glen. A short distance before the end of the road there is a white gate on the left. This was locked and had to be negotiated to gain access into the Findhu Glen which in contrast to lower Glen Artney had a greater sense of isolation. The track to the head of this glen is very good and easily rideable to the watershed. At this point the track becomes a little rougher as it descends to the Corriebeagh Burn where we sat to eat our sandwiches. A narrow defile is entered and the track follows the stream down to a point where it climbs out to meet the edge of a high level marsh. This extends for just over a kilometre to the edge of the B827, and was difficult to ride through despite being surprisingly not too wet. Once reaching the road there followed a sweeping descent before taking a left turn on a by-road back into Glen Artney. From here we made a fast descent past the Cultybraggan barracks and back to Comrie and the café.

 

It had been a good route for a short autumnal day, pleasant and scenic with a sense of isolation without the seriousness of a major route. There is much to offer in Perthshire, and the area is well worth returning to when the days are longer and there is more time to spare.

 

Melrose and Scott’s View ( Click here to view photos of the ride)

 

The following day we drove south to Melrose, and after lunch in this attractive town we took one of the published cycle routes to Scott’s View. Here there is a beautiful panorama over the Tweed towards the distinctive twin Eildon Hills. We continued along lanes and through woods to Wallace’s Statue – an impressive monument overlooking the Tweed Valley. After crossing the Tweed via a suspension bridge we took teas at a garden centre at Newtown St Boswells. From here we continued past Thomas the Rhymer’s Eildon Stone to the hostel at Melrose

 

It had been an attractive easy half day’s ride with beautiful views of the Tweed Valley - again blessed with sunshine.

 

Minch Mor and the Southern Upland Way ( Click here to view photos of the ride)

 

The next morning we motored to Walkerburn just short of Innerleithen. From here we climbed up a reasonably graded forest road to meet the Southern Upland way as it climbs out of Traquair with the early mist giving way to sunshine.  At weekends from 9.00am till 5.00pm busses and wagons ascend this forest road at frequent intervals as they carry mountain bikers and bikes up to a high point so they can take one of the dedicated downhill routes to Innerleithen without the necessity of making the climb. Our intention was to continue up passing Minch Mor and follow the Southern Upland Way to  The Three Brethren from where it descends through the forest to Yair Bridge. As we climbed almost 1300ft to the ridge we passed firstly the Point of Resolution where there is a sculpture from which there is a remarkable view of a remarkable series of  “corn circles” in the heather below. Further up we passed the Cheese Well where travellers apparently used to leave cheese for the fairies. From Minch Mor there is a rideable high level traverse along the exposed ridge for almost five miles with a continuous extensive  panorama on all sides. The descent starts at the distinctive cairns of the Three Brethren. At first this is quite rocky but once the forest is entered entering becomes quick. The road is met at Yair Bridge from where we followed the quiet lanes on the southern side of the Tweed back to our starting point, where late in the afternoon busses were still taking mountain bikers up the hill.

 

This ride had all the hallmarks of a classic and is to be highly recommended – in fact the whole area of the Tweed  and Borders appears to be replete with routes for all types of cyclist.