Scotland’s Cairngorms
Bike’s camera wielding Chippywood has ridden and photographed every great road in the UK. Including these…
Not every road can change your life, but take two hours to ride around the far side of the Cairngorms and you might be inclined to disagree – after my first experience riding here I seriously thought about selling-up and moving to Scotland. It’s that good…
The route starts in the north on the A95 outside Grantown-on-spey. After crossing the river, you turn left on the A393 heading for Tomintoul. The skies look massive up here. This isn’t yet a classic – the tarmac is pockmarked with storm damage, and it’s narrow – but you get the sense of heading towards something special. Slowly, the brownish purple Cairngorm slopes expose themselves like dark faraway clouds. Trees are left behind as the road wraps across moorland hillsides like a grey ribbon flapping in the wind. Dodge a couple of gravelly hairpins at the Bridge of Brown then stop for a cuppa at the tea room.
Onwards, through more trees, and you’re on an old military road, built in the eighteenth century so’s the British army could surpress highland insurrections. Is that the sound of bagpipes, or wind, that’s creeping past my ear plugs? Drop into Tomintoul, turn left and stay on the A393 for Braemar. Next head for the Lecht ski centre. The road is pure swirling black asphalt and it climbs steeply toward an eventual summit, then over the top and down the other side towards Cock Bridge. Enjoy more hairpins then hook a left. Stay on the A939 across more heather upholstered hillsides. At Gairnshiel Lodge swoop onto the B976 and follow this tiny road up and over, cutting the corner off a main tourist route. After you’ve dropped in for tea and cake with the Queen at Balmoral (seriously, there’s a cafe) pick up the A93 again and start the long haul to the summit at the Spittal of Glenshee – it’s the highest A-road in the UK. This is fast and flowing territory, meandering between hills and mountains. Up here it’s cold even in summer, and often cloudy and damp so be prepared. But as the road drops down again towards Blairgowrie, it becomes a dramatic roller-coaster ride – good suspension, brakes and a willing wrist help. Arrive at Blairgowrie, catch your breath, buy local jam and consider the history that, 260 years ago, paved the way that you’ve just come.
‘Catch your breath, buy local jam and consider the history that, 260 years ago, paved the way that you’ve just come’