UK Day 10: 45 Miles

Callander, Scotland to Aberfeldy, Scotland

Today was probably my favorite day of riding, even if it was the slowest. I covered 45 miles from Callander to Aberfeldy, mostly on bike paths. The paths varied in surface quality and paving, which slowed me down at times, but I had loch views for almost the entire day.

The ride started with a gradual uphill stretch for nine miles along Loch Lubnaig. I then passed through the town of Strathyre and continued along an old rail trail. The gravel on the path was fairly coarse and bounced me around a bit. My bike is better suited for paved roads, but it handled the terrain well enough.

At Loch Earn, the route transitioned from one former rail path to another, connected by a challenging series of switchbacks that climbed about 300 feet. Once I reached the next trail, though, it was smooth sailing all the way to Loch Tay.

I rode 17 miles along Loch Tay, which reminded me of riding through the Palisades on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. The path would drop down toward the loch and then climb a couple hundred feet before descending again. There were plenty of rolling and steep hills, but overall it was a fantastic ride.

I stopped in Kenmore for lunch and had mac and cheese with garlic bread before finishing the final seven miles of the day. I arrived at my hotel around 2:30 but wasn’t able to check in until 3:00. After a quick shower and change of clothes, I walked up the road to the Aberfeldy Distillery, where I had a tour scheduled for 4:00. It was a great experience, complete with a Scotch tasting at the end. I figured I had to visit at least one Scotch distillery while I was in Scotland. After the tour, I grabbed a quick dinner at a pub across the street from the hotel before settling in for the night.