SWAMP's 2005 tour of the 7 Stanes

Voted the best trails in the world, we toured five of Scotland's purpose built trail systems. The riding was fun and challenging, but it was the country and people that that will be most remembered.

Welcome to the village of New Abby, our home for the first half of our week. On the left is the Griffel Inn, a pub and Bed & Breakfast. Next door was a Post Office/grocery/craft shop. One woman ran it all. Across the street was the Abby Arms, our B&B. New Abby is a friendly little village. We could sit outside and have a brew, or we could sit inside and have a brew. The Scot's ale and stout was well liked We had our own private dining area, and the food was exceptional. After dinner we could walk through town and admire the hanging flower baskets. Each little home had a little car. Gas was $6.34/gallon, thus the small cars. At the far end of town were the ruins of a 14th century abby. Returning from the abby about 11pm, it still wasn't dark. Too early for bed. So into the pub to try another beer. The locals gathered here every evening. Our hosts, Gary and Sharon, put together a wonderful itinerary for us. Every morning we would load the van for a short drive. The country was very picturesque, with lush mountains, and crystal clear streams worthy of a picnic. Mary's Loch (lake) was surrounded with spring flowers. Scotland's stone walls are a work of art. The Fox Glove could be found everywhere we rode. Several of the parks sported a cafe. Lots of sweet treats to reward a hard ride. The on-site bike shop rented top notch big-hit bikes. Also had a bike wash. The lower sections of trail rolled through lush forest. Raised walkways got us across the bogs. These were narrow, with turns and climbs. They were not easy. All the trail was crushed rock, smooth and fast with excellent traction. The builders took advantage of obsticals to add excitement. Tony and I found this narrow ledge that climbed to a ridge that presented a roller coaster through the forest that eventually dropped onto a rock causeway. Big fun - did it twice. Time to gain some altitude, this time on 2-track. This narrowed into single-track. The rock surface prevented erosion. When the trail went along an edge, the views were awe inspiring. Sometimes they were simply breathtaking. When the climb got steep, the builders used switch-backs. Half way up, the trails got more rocky, and challenging. There would be a few hundred feet of trail, then a technical section. We would typically stop, look for a line, then let it roll. That's assuming there was a line. Sharp turn at the bottom - stupid idea. Sometimes, rocks added interest to the trail. Sometimes, rocks were the trail. These could have been a little closer together. The steeper the trail, the tighter the switch-back. Since we don't have these in Florida, they offered a learning opportunity.