Day 18 - Wednesday 15th August - Kingussie to Inverness
Weather - Very wet start - dry after lunch
Distance - 65.0 miles
Camp Site - Highland Rugby Football Club, Canal Park, Inverness
And yet another wet start! This is really Scottish mountain weather conditions - rain during the day and midges early in the morning and at dusk. We awoke to steady rain and had to make a dash to the toilets to avoid getting wet even before breakfast and as we were in a hollow in the mountains it looked as though the weather was to be locked in for some time.
On leaving the camp site we joined back on to the cycle track before diverting off the A9 and riding into Kingussie where we were directed on to the B970 which took us past the imposing ruin of the old Ruthven Barracks. It would have been interesting to visit this building but not in the pouring rain so I kept going along the winding B970 as far as Inverdruie where a number of us stopped for coffee and cake in the café at the Rothiemurchus Visitor Centre.
While we were there Nic the mechanic arrived and came to see if we were all alright and I mentioned that my brakes needed some adjusting. While we sat in the warm with our coffee he checked my bike over for me - outside in the rain.
Throughout the trip he was always very helpful to everybody and was always very willing to do what was necessary to keep bicycles in working order. He certainly helped to make the ride easier for us knowing that there was always mechanical back up if it was needed.Then as we left and went outside it had actually stopped raining and it slowly began to brighten up - as we did after the coffee and cake. Our route took us through Boat of Garten and Carrbridge and rejoined the A9 and the stretches of cycle track and on to Tomatin where we stopped at a very nice pub for lunch. Back on the A9 we soon joined the B9154 and then minor roads until we passed the Clava Cairns, several prehistoric burial mounds, and on to Culloden Moor. The road passed through the middle of the 1746 battlefield with its memorials and visitor centre with several coaches parked outside. Even though I did not stop I sensed an eerie atmosphere as I rode through the battlefield.
We were still fairly high and as we left Culloden Moor there was a fine view over the Beauly Firth and the Kessock suspension bridge taking the main A9 north from Inverness with the town itself in the foreground. Once again there was a benefit from the earlier bad weather as it had cleared the air and provided clear distant views.
The camp site tonight was at the Rugby Club ground along the river about a mile after the centre of Inverness and once again the facilities were what we had come to expect in most rugby clubs - in poor condition and not always very clean. There were only one set of showers available so the "boys" and "girls" took it in turn to use them - we let the "girls" go first and made the most of the tea and cakes etc while we were waiting for our turn.
Dinner tonight was served in the large bar inside the clubhouse which helped to keep the midges away from us during the evening. We were disappointed at the end of the day to find that the bar had run short of drinks - there was no draught beer and only a choice of two bottled lagers - Budweiser and Millers - and no spirits. What a let down for a rugby club!