From Snow to Snowdrops
The old Galloway Railway
Tradition demands that, as symbols of purity, snowdrops first appear on 2nd of February to coincide with Candlemas, the Christian Feast of Purification. Nothing suggests that snowdrops could be up before year’s end in Scotland. But our finger of rock sticks out into the Irish Sea, and is warmly embraced by the gulf stream. Signs of spring can be two months or more ahead of the calendar here and already we are bewitched by these first signs of spring and a new year. The first to show are in the same spot every year, but three weeks on and now the wilder parts of our garden are speckled white with them. These small white flowers would not get a second look in July or August, but now they are rock stars.
A recent blast of ice cold northern air killed off the last of the spinach in the garden, and turned our local untreated roads to skating rings. We took out our gravel bikes and headed for forest tracks in search of some grip and shelter. Slippy is hard to judge until you are too late and a thaw and refreeze can turn perfect conditions to sheet ice. Too little snow where tree cover has held back the blizzard and you can be on ice again.
Get it right and get lucky too and you can have the perfect day, which is what we managed. Over the Stroan Viaduct we get the perfect view up the Dee Glen to the high hills beyond the Raiders Road. Stroan Loch is frozen over, the first time we have seen this and we stand there taking in this unique view of our playground. Now I would usually tell you that this is where the book 39 Steps has one of key scenes as the hero jumps from the train. But others say it is further along our route at Loch Skerrow.
A frozen Loch Stroan
We plan a long ride, but further on forestry vehicles have compacted the snow into ice and the riding is beyond our skill set. We turn back, riding into a chattering cloud of Fieldfares in the trees along the track. A few days later we will have them visit our garden, forced down from the high ground. We have kept bags of windfall apples which we chop up for them, but they stay only until the weather breaks.
Cooper the Gravel dog
Some fine Galloway Forest tracks
The weather warms, replaced by our usual warm and wet or temperate maritime as the books call it to make it sound interesting. We are back in Galloway Forest with Cooper the ‘ gravel dog ‘, flapjacks and our winter stove of choice - the Japanese Ti spirit stove from Evernew. Good coffee and the ritual of packing as light as possible and stopping to make perfect coffee are so important. It is just above freezing, so you need to get the details right. We go exploring tracks that the map calls a dead end. It comes tantalizing close to forming a loop, but forestry and land Scotland is in the tree business, growing timber and getting it out when ready. Just a couple of hundred meters short of a great but lumpy side ride.
Coffee made with Evernew burner
Closely observed
Headspace ride
We do a lot of climbing as we ride the road to nowhere, but there is no hurry today and we get some stunning views as payback. We have spent so much of the last months on gravel bikes learning the routes like a London cabbie gets ‘ the knowledge ‘. We have the chance soon to put that work to good use - we are developing what we hope to be the first and best gravel festival in the UK. A world class event over 4 days with 3 beautiful rides and the feel of an arts festival come folk festival. It has been an amazing experience to work with the world’s leading sports event company - Golazo to make this happen this October and every year after. Information about the Raiders Gravel Event can be got here when you sign up. We will be able to say more very soon - but we are just so excited. HAPPY 2021 to all of you throughout the world. If you would like to come and ride these wonderful tracks you can see our Gravel for Mortals holidays here.
Raiders Road in winter - no cars!