Time for another big ride with perfect cycling conditions making it an easy decision, I decided to get out early (6.45am) while it was cooler! Its a couple of months since I visited Callander so that was my plan today, I just wasn't sure which way to go but eventually decided to make my way out to Denny and take on the big climb up to the Carron Valley! I had a 20mph headwind to contend with up the climb also so it was a tough one! Earlier I got a bit of a shock when I was flying down the big descent into Glen Village and came across 2 big cows who decided the fields were getting boring so they ventured on to the road...
Not what you want to see when you are doing over 40mph down a descent...
Anyway I got to the top of the climb at Carron Valley and stopped for this photo of the River Carron!
I was looking forward to the ride along the valley now, there are some climbs but its mostly descents and lovely smooth roads for the most part!
Carron Valley Reservoir soon came into view!
This descent is just amazing, despite the 20mph headwind which slowed me right down today!
Love this part also!
The final part of the descent is just incredible, I decided to enjoy it without stopping for photos this time! At the end of the road I turned west towards Fintry and then north up the climb to Kippen, I had this lovely view of the Campsie Hills from the northern side on the way up!
At the top of the climb I stopped for some photos of the mountains to the north!
This road is just amazing also!
The descent down into Kippen is just sublime and I had a 20mph tailwind helping!
After passing through the village with all the annoying speed humps the final descent more than makes up for it, although I had 2 cars in front of me and they were holding me up...I should have stopped and waited for them to clear on the twisty descent but it was still a total blast!
I was now heading north towards Thornhill and stopped for photos of the Sea King helicopter and the Twin Pioneer aircraft in the village!
The Twin Pioneer has seen better days sadly...
From Thornhill I continued north towards Callander, it starts with a tough 2.5 mile climb and then a cracking twisty descent! Many cyclists were flying down the descent while I was on the climb and when I got to the top there was a big gathering of cyclists stopped in a parking bay, I got the impression they were doing some kind of time trial but I'm not sure as they didn't have any numbers on their jerseys!
I stopped for this photo on the way down!
Ben Ledi near Callander!
Another view of Ben Ledi from the bridge in the centre of Callander!
From Callander I was forced to use the main A84 road for 10 miles, thankfully most of the traffic was heading NW while I was heading SE! I was glad to get off the A84 near Blair Drummond Safari Park, I was now heading south on a much quieter road! After a couple of miles I turned east towards Stirling on the A811, its a main road also but way quieter than the A84! I made my way through the city without any issues, being a Sunday it was pretty quiet! I was now heading east towards Fallin on the A905 and had a nice view of the Ochil Hills to the north!
I stayed on the A905 until Airth where I took the back road to Letham and then south to Carronshore, then into Falkirk where I headed west for Bonnybridge! I stopped for this photo of the canal near Bonnybridge!
I then passed through Allandale and was heading for Castlecary when I spotted a back road which I have never used before, signposted for Walton (no sign of John Boy or Mary Ellen sadly...
) In fact I never saw anybody all the way up this awesome little back road! I stopped for a snack break after this big climb and took this photo looking back down the hill!
What a great little road it is, I will be using it again for sure as the road through Castlecary is awful...of course the camera makes it look flat!
From the top I could see the Ochils and Campsies to the north but the view was limited due to the trees!
I had a rough idea where the road would take me and my instincts were spot on as it brought me out at the back road to the village of Arns! What a road this one is, a long gradual climb on lovely smooth tarmac!
I stopped for this colourful photo on the way up!
Then there are some nice big descents before the road eventually flattens out and its smooth all the way!
At the end of the road I turned south up the climb to Upperton and 100 miles appeared on my gps! I stayed on the back roads all the way to Caldercruix where I joined the main road to home, I was very tired when I gort home but totally buzzing after a fantastic day of top drawer road cycling!
I got 40 miles from my first battery which was good going considering it was mostly headwind and climbs, 52 miles from battery 2 so I had a full battery for the last 20 miles and made the most of it...
