Fife and Angus

A travel day with strong wind (mostly) pushing me along started in Anstruther where I had stayed with my JNCC friend and colleague Kelly, along with her family.

Al, Kelly and Ethan (Millie had not appeared yet!)

Clear air today – St Andrew’s in the foreground , Tayside and Angus in the background, and Banchory (home) lies over the hills furthest in the distance

St Andrew’s is famous for its golf courses (and university)

There is a lot of soft fruit grown in Fife and Angus – at one point I spent about 2 km passing strawberry polytunnels. These Polish workers were working on the strawberry plants for next year I think.

The Tay is being used as a jack-up rig parking place just now – another one was on its way (the same one as I saw off Kinghorn in the Forth) as I cycled out on the north side of the Tay.

The Tay road bridge’s bicycle and pedestrian pathway runs between the two carriageways. As with the Forth road bridge this was a very windy crossing and I took it slowly

I do not think there are many of these in Britain – a lift dedicated for cycles from the central trackway of the Tay road bridge down to ground level on the Dundee side. I could roll straight in

Dundee takes the “good cycle infrastructure” top award so far, based purely on my experience of course! Very pleasant cycle paths, a cycle lift and a focus on statistics too. Well done all involved

I stopped to watch two golfers at Carnoustie – there being dire warning signs about dangers on the cycle path from errant golf balls. The first player took two practice swings, shuffled up to the orange ball, swung and it went all of 10 m along the ground. The second repeated the two practice swings, stepped up and firmly hit the ball into the air, unfortunately at about 90 degrees to where it was meant to go. It shot across the bicycle track at cyclist head height, ricocheted off the railway fence back across the same path at the same height and landed not far from the first player’s ball. Those warning signs are valid!

I have been varying my food sources on this trip. Usually I like to stop and take a seat for a break at lunchtime but today having failed to find anything else, I stopped at Dimas Burgers truck parked on a side road in south Arbroath. Dimas turned out to be a young Bulgarian who has lived in Arbroath for the last ten years, but only got his truck last year just before the hot summer. He did well then, but has been struggling a little with this year’s weather so I was pleased to give him a little custom and company. Like many, he was concerned about UK’s current direction in relation to Europe. For the record, I had his “little trouble” platter.

There is a lot of crustacean pot fishing based from Arbroath

I have been very poor at keeping you updated on statistics. The most important is that the fund-raising passed £7000 today. I am not sure that I will achieve my £8000 target though, so have been pondering other fund-raising ideas. How would a sponsored vote on whether my beard and moustache stays or goes be received? could I sell enough calendars of bathtubs in fields to make producing them worthwhile? All thoughts on these ideas or any others would be welcome.

Other statistics: total distance so far: 2353 km (=1462 miles), 23128 m ascent, 116 new bathtubs in fields sighted, bird list at 117, live mammal list at 19 with a further 4 as squished vehicle victims.

4 thoughts on “Fife and Angus”

John Cooper says:

21st Jun 2019 at 10:01 am

Will take two 2020 Tasker tub calendars (at least one month with you sitting in a tub). Pedal safe

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1. Mark on a bike says:
  
  21st Jun 2019 at 9:02 pm
  
  John, I will seek more orders before deciding whether to proceed. Me in a tub would be a new one!
  M
  
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grizell2015 says:

21st Jun 2019 at 11:09 am

West Acre would certainly divy up for a proper shave so long as it remains off for at least a year. You are doing brilliantly and I feel sure you will get to £8000. Xxx all in Norfolk.

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Mark on a bike says:

21st Jun 2019 at 9:03 pm

I cannot check the whole of West Acre’s views, but I will ask Guy and Jennie what they think!
Back in Drumshalloch just now – but off again on Monday
xxx

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