I've spent the last week or so adjusting back into life in Portugal after our little trip back to the UK, but before we revert to blogging about our life out here in the sunny Algarve, I wanted to share a few photos from a fantastic ride I did with my best friend back in Scotland.
We decided to do a spectacular ride from Edinburgh to the Talla reservoir. The route takes in some of the best scenery that you will find anywhere on a bicycle. It is challenging for most, but the kilometres I've put in on the bike out here in Portugal certainly helped to make it more enjoyable - although I'm not sure the same could be said for my companion...and he won't thank me for telling you that!
Despite our ride taking place in mid-June, that didn't stop the Scottish weather from throwing in a few curveballs. The wind gusts were so strong (and chilly!) that I had to ask for a few sheets of gift wrapping paper at a local cafe to put up my cycling jersey to keep out the cold!
Our route took us past the Piper's Grave, which is between Innerleithen and Heriot. If you don't know the story, it is said that a piper made a bet that he could play his pipes all the way from Innerleithen to Edinburgh Castle. He set off, and as people realised he had a chance of winning the bet, they resorted to sabotage - cutting a hole in the windbag of his pipes. The steep climb at this spot, and the extra effort required to keep playing eventually exhausted the piper, and at the top of the pass he sat down never to rise again.
Thankfully there was no such drama for us on this route, and we made it round perfectly fine and were able to enjoy the stunning scenery along the way!
Given how lucky we are to live in a country with such great weather, it is good every now and then to have a little reality check and test the body out in a cooler climate. There is a lot to be said for cycling on the quieter roads of Scotland with the beautiful scenery. However I must admit I am glad I haven't needed the gift wrapping paper since I returned to the Algarve!
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