There is an old Scottish song, the chorus of which chimes: “Oh, you take the high road; and I’ll take the low road; and I’ll be in Scotland before you.”
Today, our riders put that to the test, by very much taking the high road.
Here is how Day Seven panned out.
After leaving basecamp just outside Edinburgh, riders crossed the Firth of Forth to a gorgeous sunrise. Conditions were fresh, with frost on some tents this morning, but after the torrential rain on Day Five riders were clearly pleased just to be out in the dry.
At the first pistop, Prostate Cancer UK were out supporting their 39 riders, who have raised vital funds for men’s health and prostate cancer awareness.
As the ride drew nearer to the Cairngorms National Park, the terrain grew noticeably lumpier, with multiple ‘rollers’ contributing to the stage’s 5/5 difficulty rating.
This climbing all drew to a climax at the Cairnwell Pass. Popularly known as Glenshee, it is the UK’s highest main road at 2200 feet or 670m, and is frankly a monster of an ascent. Two years ago, riders had to contend with howling conditions and powerful headwinds; today, the bright sunshine and crisp air made things somewhat easier. But we saw plenty of cyclists digging deep nonetheless.
The descent from Glenshee was very much a reward for all that hardship. Though there were still a few nasty climbs to contend with, it was for the most part a beautiful, flowing road with relatively little traffic. The perfect end to a postcard-perfect day of Scottish cycling.
Tomorrow, the riders must navigate arguably an even tougher climb: the Lecht. Until then: food, drink, and rest.
