Ride - Scotland, Forest of Mar
Where
This is my second trip to the Forest of Mar west of Braemar. I parked at Linn of Quoich and made my way up Glen Quoich using the gravel roads on the south side of Quoich Water. The water in the burn is crystal clear with no signs of peat at all. The peat on the hills must be pretty shallow here. Compare it to the peaty water in Lui Water, Glen Lui last week. The ride to where Glen Quoich splits is pretty straight-forward albeit steep in one spot. At the major ford, I followed the track as it branched to the NE and I rode on the north side of Quoich Water. About half-way through the forest, the gravel track fords accross the burn and backtracks down Quoich Water on its north side. At that point, I continued to head NE by following a narrow single-track.
The blue budcaps on the pine saplings are a welcome new thing. The Scottish mountains are bizarrely devoid of trees because they are over-grazed by deer.
I flushed out another black grouse or Caipercailie as I rode up the glen. Couldn’t really tell which it was.
Gallery
Gear and Nutrition
For some reason all nine gears on the back worked when I was riding the small ring up-front. I didn’t try the large front ring. The only thing different that I did this morning was to lube the chain. Whatever the cause, it’s great news.
Nutrition consisted of coffee, breakfast, and electrolytes before loading the car. I drank a starch drink in the car, ate a starch bar on the ride. Post ride I had another starch bar, electrolytes and four pork pies…!
I rode most of the way with a base layer and thicker one over the top. Waterproof socks were invaluable again with so many burns to ford.