Orrin Odyssey

The (bike) training is going well, but its early days to boast as consistency is the key! With the weather favouring sticking to lower altitudes we decided to bike from Aultgowrie to the Orrin Reservoir, which is pretty close to home.

morecambe or wise!

The initial 10km is gently uphill to the dam wall. It's nice because it's a good track and there's plenty to see enroute. Abi spotted a Sea Eagle, which was great to see so early in the year.

the bothy

I very much like the dam nestled into the landscape. It feels a bit soviet, or maybe a combination of industrial and nature combined and I always think of the film 'Where Eagles Dare' at places like this!

Soon enough you come to an old cement store which is now a bothy or shelter and we lunched here. Interestingly 2 other bikers had already signed the visitor book today - we didn't see a soul all day.

now ride that once more...

From here its 10 -12km of single track all the way back. This track is great, but obviously much slower than the approach. Today it seemed pretty fast flowing, and once Abi got her eye in she coped with it in good form.

Abi definitely has a strong puddle game... I suspect she could ride puddles at a county if not international level... she seeks them out, trying to slay them as I try and avoid them. Shallow or deep she takes no prisoners and I struggle to follow her through some monsters.

Abi didn't get a good vibe about this particular puddle

We set off quite late, but were surprised when we realised it was 3pm with 1 hr of light left and we had quite a way to go... time to hustle. We made it. 25km / 3 hour ride (approx).