This route to Deuchrie was planned for yesterday but with rain & mist I decided to call it off, as the views from this elevated location over the Forth valley deserve a clear day, luck would have it that today would be that day fresh & cool with bright sunshine so what could be better, time to get going...
Climbing steadily uphill approaching Aikengall farm passing some of the locals along the way.
Bales of straw ready for the cattle's winter bedding.
The steady climb becoming steeper & longer on the way up through Aikengall wind farm but the rewards are lungs full of fresh clean Scottish air & cracking views.
Just a couple of months ago these same views were of purple heather & vibrant green ferns, a sure sign of the change of seasons now with the autumn copper colours.
Crossing over the Monynut forest road & entering the Crystal Rig wind farm through the trees. All the logging roads throughout the forest have caravans that were occupied by security guys from when the wind farms were being built to deter thieving.
At the highest point of the journey now overlooking the moorland that some areas were not so long ago pine forests cleared for 'eco-power' !
Old shepherds farm sheds & house all now out of use, the house looks as if it has been built onto the ruins of a previous house going by the brick being built onto the stonework ???
Crossroads of old days roads now hard to even see where they were but I suppose in their day they would have been busy thoroughfares for pack horses & people travelling to the Scottish Borders etc.
Crossing over the moorland of Dunbar Common which was very hard going in places due to the heavy rain that we had yesterday, prompting me to start thinking about winter tyres with a bit more grip on them.
Not quite sure what these stones are for, I'm wondering if they are marker stones to keep you on the right path or are they like old days sign posts that have eroded through time or are they like a marked measurement between each one ? God knows but only the one had an ordnance survey benchmark on it.
Mmm signs that other mountain bikes have recently been here.
Ok here's one for you....
Who know's what this is ?...
...And answer is...
Well it's from earlier in the year during the lambing, these little rubber hoops are placed over the newborn lambs tails to shorten the tail by docking it, thus keeping the back end of the sheep cleaner & free from infections by the build up of shite on the wool.
At Deuchrie Edge before the fun part of bombing downhill to Deuchrie farm, but first a few moments to take in the scenery of the countryside & Forth valley, well worth the hard boggy slog.
Top- An excellent example of a 'sheepfold' for the shepherd to inspect his livestock.
Bottom- A route for another day to the Halls farm left of top centre Deuchrie wood & right top centre is Rammer wood & it's to the right hand side of Rammer wood that there is a trail to the Halls just visible creeping up the side of the hill.
Lucknow cottage at Deuchrie farm such a shame that it's derelict, would be a cracking place to live, in the summer months anyway !
Back into civilisation now & the choices of which way to head home...
...Not a hard choice, through the beautiful Pressmennan woods & then taking a short cut through a couple of fields at the other end a decision I regretted as once again it was a field full of young bullocks who were going crazy & chased me through the last field which at the end I had to just throw my bike over a fence before I got trampled ! Was a brilliant buzz the joys of mountain biking eh ?
Time to sign off for now until next time buy for now.
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