Bike Touring, Fahrradreise Schottland mit E-bike und Hund (#13): Radweg 1 nach Aberdeen, Ostküste
What a view! I see the sun and the sea and fields. Totally beautiful. Yeah, so thank you for the food and the bed The dish was amazing. It was nice having you around. Let's go A beautiful day Bob made a really tasty Indian curry and he has now given me the rest of it to take with me. I got really good food and he even bought Quorn, one of those vegan rolls.
Extra for me and also a vegetarian pie . I am well provided for, really nice. He took really good care of me. I just had a chat with the bus driver. He wanted to know what I was doing and now he said Get yourself a meal tonight and gave me 40 pounds. Awesome.
There are really steep hills here on the official cycle route 1. I am super happy that the sun is shining. But it is a very cold north wind and so I am already sweating through the few hills and the wind makes it cold and wet inside.
And that is quite unpleasant for me. Yesterday it was very, very warm wind. It felt almost tropical. It was quite strange.
That's Eden Castle, but now it is just half a castle tower left of two originally. Phew, quite some agricultural air here. And pavement. Ok, Komoot says right. I hope that this is also a road But I think it looks pretty good.
Typical Scottish weather it's raining with sunshine That's quite typical here. It will last for about 4 minutes and then it's ok again. Zuri, it's time for you to get back in here. Now we're going downhill. Come. In These are pheasants. They're only released in Scotland to shoot them. This is sport for the rich. Which is a shame.
They are actually not at home here either. They come from France. 55 km and the battery is gone.
So it's definitely steeper than yesterday, where the battery lasted 75 km, but it's good because we've got 97 km today. That means we should still be ok with two batteries without charging them. It's almost time for lunch. It is really exhausting. We have now covered 65 km. It's all hills. It's really just up, down, up, down
Another rain shower. Where did the rain come from? I am completely wet. It is raining really hard. Unfortunately I haven't found anything to shelter under yet. The sun is also there, strangely enough.
Let's hope it will stop soon, because my trousers are completely wet And the jacket is not waterproof either. It's time to take a lunch break. The woman just asked what I was doing, because she has seen me for the second time. I got so wet. Madness and now the sun is already out again but that's good, now everything can dry again.
Oh, I'm looking forward to the curry, because that's quite tasty. Not the best place to take a break, but somehow I can't find a good one. We still have 35 km to Aberdeen. It is already a bit nippy. No sun, don't go away I have to ask Bob how he seasoned this, because it tastes really good. I had to put on a dry jacket on top, because it is too cold.
I wanted to show you what Bob bought for me this vegan Quorn Pastry. Anyway, super sweet of him. Now it goes on What's going on here? Traffic jam How do I get past there now? Can I get past there? Can I get through there first? Please.
That would be great. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Look at the rainbow. Super beautiful. Aberdeen, 20 km to go. Julian and Sylvia drove behind me on the Isle of Skye and then invited me via Instagram to their home in Aberdeen. They seem to have already opened up the barriers here.
It looks like they used to be really shit. Otherwise these other grids wouldn't be there. This looks like model houses, like some kind of man-made city? This is crazy! And where does the cycle path go? Hopefully around here.
There's something wrong with the cycle path. How do I get there? Great. That's where we have to go.
And here everything is blocked off. Let's see how we get there. Great! There aren't even any diversion signs.
Pedestrians I have no idea whether this is any good for me. something goes around here. But I don't know how to get there. It's a good thing that we are already used toe go through narrow things. but I don't know if this is going anywhere. Oh God There is no such thing.
That can't be Great, now I'm back in this residential area. Uh-oh, now this side is blocked off too. Noooo They can't do that.
How do I get out of here now? But somehow I don't know where I got in. Find the gap. This can't be. I got in here somewhere.
Maybe I got in and then they closed? Can that be? It was Friday evening, shortly before 6 o'clock and I thought I would have to spend the night here. My last idea was to call the building company whose name was on one of the the houses. Oh no, Is there anywhere else where I can leave Everything will be locked up Ehm, I need to grab my Iphone and give the site manager a call Okay, sorry.
Within 15 minutes someone should come, who hopefully can open the gate. Hello, sorry. How did you get in there? I don't know, the cycle path goes through here.
Does it? I was just following it but then on the other side it didn't go and then I was locked. It is just for me that I know that it doesn't.. So did you come in here that side? I think this side Did you come in here a while ago? No, I don't know, maybe 50 min maybe strange The other guy, he would've locked up like 5 pm So I thought you might have come in that side.
It is hard to tell now. I don't know if you can see it on my phone I tried to find the exit... It is fine If you manage to come in maybe others will too Yeah, thank you! I just don't understand how you manage to get in there If it was up that side, then... No, no I want to go there But this is locked This gate was open? I think Amazing, thank you very much Yeah, on the opposite side of the fence.
Oh I was really lucky, that the office was still open for 10 minutes. At 6 p.m. they close and go home. More barriers Let's hope this doesn't have any repercussions. Zuri. Sorry. What are they doing here? Do you manage? I hope so Adventure Puppy This is quite a pompous building We're almost there. 1 km to go Hi, how are you? Good.
My husband will help you with the bike Perfect The bike is now carried to the third floor, to the flat. That's why we have to take everything off. For the very first time that the things need to be taken off. The next day Julian and Sylvia invited me to spend the day with them. They showed me the most beautiful places around Aberdeen.
Starting with the Seal Beach. The colony living here consists of about 400 animals, consisting in particular of grey seals and harbour seals. After such a long time on the bike I didn't realise how fast the car is and how fast the landscape speeds past you. Slains Castle was built in the 16th century. For over 300 years it belonged to Clan Hey.
In 1913, however, it was sold and in 1925 as with so many other Scottish castles, the roof was removed, to save on taxes. The castle became particularly famous because it was the inspiration for the book Dracula. Looks quite interesting, especially with the dark sky and the sun and the cliffs are also amazing. What a view A little further north we have visited a puffin nesting site.
Unfortunately there were none to be found there. All gone. But for the coastal view alone the trip was worth it. Now we go to the sea urchins, er no to the seagulls. This rock is used by thousands of seagulls as a nesting site and you can probably see gulls feeding their babies at other times of the year. Yes, we are definitely here in the wrong month. But it still looks beautiful.
We are now at a farm shop and there's supposed to be really, really good ice cream here. The great thing here is that the berries are harvested freshly from the field and then they make them directly into ice cream. And what would a perfect day be without ice cream? Wow, look at this ice cream We're in a park here in Aberdeen right now here kids learn to ride a bike and also to read the road signs. Really cool, so they can really train for the road. There's also a roundabout back there, right of way... Oh, there are one-way streets too.
Oh, and that you are not allowed to turn here. That's really well done. Haven't seen it anywhere else. Thank you, bye We are on the road again We are just passing through the city of Aberdeen. This is also called the asphalt, no granite city, because everything here is made of granite and that is actually problematic, because in winter, when everything is is grey and it rains, then everything is just very very grey and bleak, they both said. It was so nice to be with them. It was unbelievable.
I took a break for one day. It did so good and the flat was so nicely furnished. It felt so comfortable. They made really good food too, Sylvia, gave me lots of fruit and vegetables. It was just so delicious. And this morning we had pancakes. Just really nice. The interesting thing is that they are from Silesia.
they have both been living here for 14 years. They came over here as students. It was quite interesting what they said, how they perceive the people here.
I have also gathered a few impressions from England. That already coincides with the Scottish people. They said that this is quite unusual, that somebody invites you home. That it's actually too personal. That you only meet everyone in a restaurant.
or in a pub. That nobody really shows themselves, that they actually only have Polish friends who come to their homes. Also for example.
You hear a lot about the English construction workers, that they always seem to replace everything instead of repairing it. And that it takes forever and that they also often still have two taps, one with very hot water and one with very cold water, which you have to mix yourself. And they have these sockets...
I have often seen them in the bathroom, where you are only allowed to put razors in, to save people from committing suicide. That they do not put the hairdryer in the bathtub. Unbelievable.
And she said it is really hard to find deep friendships, because people are all just so superficial. Through this politeness, which is also very nice in England. Which they also like very much. They say in Poland everyone is very very rude, which is also said about the Germans, that they are very direct.
But they also don't like Poland because there is a lot of bribery. It seems that in the last election all the people who had voted for a particular party got 400 zloty as a holiday vouchers. Then there is also a child bonus, some vouchers, 200 zloty or Euro, if a certain party is elected That you don't actually vote for a party because of the ideals but who brings the most money as a direct payout. That's aweful. That unfortunately also somebody won, that all the people.. so many people from abroad who actually want to come back to Poland, but they just don't want to with the current politics there.
It is very very conservative and very hostile to the people. There are quite a lot of Poles in Aberdeen, because the gas and oil business is booming here, because there are a lot of oil and gas companies here and there is good money to be made here The two of them, no she also works in an oil company and it's also interesting when you think, it's so black and white. People are only concerned about money or whatever. It's not like that at all. She is also very environmentally conscious, has organic detergent and pays attention to many things and would actually like to work in a sustainable company but it is also hard to find such a job.
By the way, this is the city centre here and they have completely closed it off for pedestrians and cyclists. Now through the Covid time. This is really cool. By the way, I asked Julian and Sylvia how they know me. and it's really cool. They saw me in Skye.
At the same waterfall where I met Eddie. They said I was talking to a guy. which of course was Eddie.
And then I was in the café in Portree. and there they saw me again and then they saw me again somewhere else and then they checked that I was on my bike and then they saw my Instagram, then they sent me a message that I can also come to Aberdeen if I wanted to. Really nice. This is a cycle path only really good and the sea. ok, that will be interesting too, because ok, maybe we are lucky. There is a dead end here, but a bicycle sign we should be able to get through.
This is a Komoot path. I decided to take this because it is a little bit faster than the long-distance cycle route 1, which makes a wide arc around this road. There are ten kilometres to go on the road, but that's all right We are not on the road.
Even if the road is a bit bumpy. So the road is very, very busy. But it's only a short section Heated Open Air Pool.
That sounds like a real waste of energy in Scotland Oh, the road is getting smaller. Great. Well, this is not really bicycle friendly. So I'm going to go on to the road, because I can't ride here, it's not suitable for a bicycle. So they really haven't thought this through, They can't just stop the cycle track 5km before the next town.
It is good that today is Sunday and that there is not so much traffic today. We are now in Stonehaven And here is another castle this is one of the last things we will see on our journey. Well before Edinburgh I mean.
This is the Castle It's kind of a sought-after place, because there are lots and lots of people Let's see what this is. Dunnottar Castle here. What does it say It is one of the most imposing fascinating ruins in Scotland Here William Wallace, sets fire to a chapel full of English soldiers Because Dunottar was the safest place in the kingdom, the Scottish Crown Jewels were kept here. Oh, but during the turmoil of the Occupation of Cromwell they got then secretly taken away. 167 People were miserably imprisoned here, because they refused to renounce their religion.
There it is. Let's leave the bike here. Looks relatively impregnable already. Now we are on the other side But it is quite destroyed Boah, what cliffs. That looks a bit like Slains or whatever the other castle was called. The first rain on an so called sunshine day. Why not? It is Scotland after all.
Oh, that looks quite dark. I decided to take the normal road and not to take cycle route 1. Because I always find this a bit stupid.
As a cyclist I feel like a second-class road user. Because the straight road, which has no hills, and definitely also has the better view, belongs to the cars. The cycle path goes over the hill back there. They could also make this road a bit smaller and make a cycle path here, or they could divert the cars back there. It really annoys me that as a cyclist you always get the difficult ways.
Then it goes over fields and then it goes up and down, then you have to go round bends, instead of getting the direct route which is what you'd get if you were driving. But there are really very, very few countries where you as a cyclist get the better roads. So Switzerland for example. There have really cool cycle paths. and I had such great views or also the one road in Slovenia that they closed for cars. And I think if you want to have a traffic turnaround, then you also have to build a few roads for cyclists, so that it is not so difficult to cycle.
It's one thing to make a diversion, which is nicer but just being chased over mountains, because that is the calmer way but it's still a car road, just annoys me. We have now ridden 47 km and Julian & Sylvia have said that there is a quite good restaurant, which means that I will now take a lunch break here for an hour and charge the battery. Let's see if it's open. You cannot be to sure in the Corona time. Beer Garden open Yes, looks good We have found a nice bar actually the two of them recommended this restaurant to me. But there is only take away and therefore I ordered the fries here.
and the cappuccino and it's only £4. So it's relatively cheap, because a cappuccino normally costs 2.60 or so. Once again there is a small change of plan. In the bar, where I was just sitting, I was approached by a couple. She is from Germany and I think he is Scottish.
They live 70 km from here and they asked me, if I would like to sleep at theirs tonight. In itself that is quite nice, because I don't have to camp now. and I can charge my batteries. This means that I could make it to Edinburgh tomorrow, which I wouldn't find too bad either But it is 70 kilometres and it's inland. This means that I will now change my route a bit and take cycle route 1 for about 20 km and then dive inland. It's a long day then with 120 kilometres.
But it would be nice, because then I can go to Edinburgh tomorrow with full batteries. and I don't have to go to a restaurant tonight. And I think that tonight it is supposed to pour and they have a small guest room. That would be perfect. But it's going to be a long day. I will probably arrive at 9 o'clock in the evening. Zuri the mistress of finding water holes.
I am always surprised how quickly she discovers them. By the way, this is the 1 offroad You really can't cylce that fast It's also low tide right now. You don't see so much sea either This is not the easiest bike course But this is a Komoot course We are now heading to the 1 Onraod. Before that we were on 1 Offroad.
This is quite steep. I'm pretty knocked out already It's just been a long couple of cycling days. We are now in Montrose. We are now leaving Cycle Route 1 to go to the couple to Claudia and Frank who invited me There are now 50 km to go.
Once again the cycle path is used for signs, which are in the way for cyclists. Always crazy, that they always block the way. All right, let's move on. There are a lot of pheasants again, which are are released for shooting. They are all...wooow. God they are all kept here and fed.
Ooouh, what's that? Oh! We have now cycled 100 km and we now have 18 km left But I need a short break now. Now I wanted to show you what Sylvia has given me. and that was crackers, then apple a banana and two pieces homemade cake, which is mega delicious, but I have to show you the best namely these mega cute dog biscuits for Zuri. Oh, she is looking forward to it. Yummy. So many baby cows. Cute!
That was Claudia just now, who asked if she can take anything off, but I mean, we only have 11 km left, which I can easily cycle, They were still hiking until just now, Could also be Germany. Hesse. Now we are in Newtyle 1,5 km to go.
then we are with Claudia and Frank. I hope we are right. We have to pass some castle. But this could be a castle entrance. There was nothing signposted All good. Sweet castle.
We are almost there They live really nice You're all set too. Oh look, what a delicious dinner I just wanted to show you my nice cosy place to sleep. This is really nice. It's a little wooden house. It's really cosy with the fairy lights. Hmm, let's get cosy, Zuri. Zuri got some ice cream.
And me too. After dinner The next episode will be just as exciting. Among other things: In the roaring storm we set off for Edinburgh. There we can spend the night with Hannah who is also a keen cyclist. We explore the beautiful city of Edinburgh, which has not only great buildings but also plenty of nature.
See you in the next video.
2022-02-27 19:12
