Around the Fochabers Ring

The sun was shining, weakly on this Easter Sunday morning,and I was about early to go to Fochabers for the http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/ourwoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/ScotlandMorayandAberdeenshireNoForestForestsofMorayandAberdeenshireWhiteashMorayMonsterTrailsTheFochabersRing Monster Trails that were there !

Several routes were there, around the grade that I like (Red), and I was ready for some rough riding after a few days of a sedentary life !

…that’s when the first error of the week reared it’s head- my bike shoes were at Kate’s house…Ooops ! Rather than going back I decided  to ride in my sandals… the trail was initially OK for me to negotiate in sandals, just a fairly steep climb for some distance, up to the pyramid monument to the Duchess of Richmond, then down and into winding steep tracks through the forest…which soon became quite tortuous,and infested with gnarly tree roots, which did their (failing) best to throw me off…and quite tricky at times.

I returned to the car park, packed up and went off to Kate’s….collecting the paper on me way –well it’s Sunday….papers day !

I had the ‘afternoon off’ visiting…and so took it easy, and walked to the hospital in the evening (less than an hour away), saw Kate who continued to do well, although she wasn’t too good at ‘I Spy’ ! , and walked home for an early night.