Crianlarich to Stirling - 73k - Sat 21 July

We wanted an early start. The midgees wanted an earlier one! We were happy to leave this place behind, nice as it was because the midgees didn't leave us alone. We headed off down the A85 towards Killin, but would be turning south to Stirling at the tiny hamlet of Lix, just 8k away, where the famous 'Kyber Pass of Scotland' would begin, and hopefully the flat rail trail for bikes on the NCN 7 that was promised to avoid it.

The road started to rise a mile or so before Lix - by Lix we were doing it hard in low gears, and as the road turned south beyond Lix it got steeper for the next 2k where we reached what I thought to be a temporary summit, in anticipation of the real 'Pass' to come. What we had done was not so bad. At the crest we found the NCN 7 (using the old railway line to Killin), so we hopped on that, leaving the highway and the steep climbs. From the rail trail, which I must say was fantastic, we could see that the road then dropped steadily for mile after mile, while we stayed high up on the old railway line. The truth is that there never was Pass, and in fact the road continued to descend until it met Loch Lubnaig, and remained flat all the way to Stirling. The climbing we did was the 'steep' section that the guy said to avoid at all costs!

The rail trail was great though. It crossed some viaducts, giving superb sights across the Glen, and down on villages, farmhouses and the road full of traffic. But after 7k it finished, dropping by a series of tight S bends in concrete down to roaf level where it turned us out on tracks, old bits of road and paths winding up and down through forests with tough short hills, tight bends and all adding to extra distance.

It took us away from the road several miles into the village of Balquhidder, which we would not have normally visited, but it was the village where the great Scottish revolutionary Rob Roy was buried with his wife in the ruins of the village cathedral. Buried with him was his son who was hanged by the authorities for abduction of a woman. We kept faith with the NCN as it then took us across country again, just adding miles to a day when we really didn't need it, and after several more miles of mountain bike riding (where you'd be in your element Angus!) on dirt paths with steep sections where we just made the crests - (which is not meant for touring bikes laden with panniers!) we decided that enough was enough and took the first chance to get back on the highway at the village of Strathyre. After Balquhidder, as we were wrestling with the tight ascents and twists and turns of what was the old road, it dawned on me that this would have been the road travelled by Queen Victoria, who labelled this section as Scotlands equivalent to the Khyber Pass. We were probably on it, so rather than the NCN avoiding it, it probably put us on it! We got off anyway.

From the highway, we were in high gear immediately and flying along the Loch at high twenties and thirties, which is basically how we covered the final 30k or so to STirling. The Highlands had disappeared now, and the land was flat, and the road good. Julie led the way for the final 40k or so, and rode superbly. She has certainly improved and become a competent cyclist. It is a thrill to see her climb mountains with determination, to rise out of her seat and take on the steepest climbs. She is hard to keep with on the flats - I tell her its because I carry more load - but she has done superbly well since the early days after leaving PAris.

After meeting Hamish the Highland Bull, who was just a crowd pleaser, entertaining the crowd through his fence at the hamlet of Kilmahog (he was a 500kg version of a labrador puppy), we cruised the rest of the way, via lunch stop at Callander, to Stirling.

We were about 6k out, the flat road heading straight for Stirling, when Julie shouted that we could see the Wallace Monument, a high point from where it is believed William Wallace viewed and commanded the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1290 something. Just a mile or so later the great Stirling Castle came into clear view, the road lined up perfectly with it, so we had it in a sights for the remainder of the way. We stopped just on the edge of town for photos with the castle as the backdrop, then at the town sign also with the castle as the backings creen, and then we cycled into this most marvellous o Scottish towns. It was said of the Scottish Kings that if you take Stirling, you take Scotland such was its geographical significance.

It was at 3pm on Saturadya afternoon, 21 July that our bikes finally came to rest outside the Alpine Bike Shop in Murray Place, across the road from Willy Wallace Backpackers, our home for the next two days. The Apline Bike shop had promised me two boxes for the bikes. We turned off our computer at 3486k, just 14k short of our estimated 3500k.

Our great ride was over, but certainly not the adventure. Life for us is full of exciting challenges. Julie has said she has an agreement with her bike to give it a rest for a while. I think mine will need some tlc before it goes on another adventure.

This was a massive undertaking, but we looked at each other with a glint in our eyes as if we knew we were thinking the same thing - we pulled off something that was seemingly impossible, with the good grace and blessing of the Lord Himself whose presence we were continually aware of.

Thats the end of the ride story, but given another chance here today I will add some reflections when time permits.

As I write it is Sunday morning 22 July, our free day in Stirling. As has been the case with every free day except Kilchoan, and every big town - it is raining, a fitting tribute to our trip where for some five of the seven weeks of the ride, it rained on our parade.

We are very grateful for the faith, love and prayers of a lot of people back home whom we know followed and supported us with great love and affection. We will be home soon, but our hearts are in Scotland, and as the sign says that we have seen so often leaving Scottish villages 'Haste ye back again'.

Thats a definite!