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| A good local ride from my local town of Dingwall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dingwall's best, the cats back , it involves starting with a two-mile climb from sea level to 150 meters on a single-track farm road, good views but sore legs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If you have come by car leave it in one of the free car parks in the centre of Dingwall, head north up the high street; by the way there is an excellent bike shop in Dingwall if spares or last minute shopping are called for.( Dryburgh Cycles, Tulloch st. 013459-863163) Once the end of the high street is reached cross the road using the pedestrian crossing lights, carry straight on past the Police station. In about one hundred meters you see a road branching to your left, Blackwells Street, turn in to it. You are now on the route, simply keep following this road and start to climb, on the map this road is marked Knockbain road. |
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| Keep climbing until you reach the split on the road, take the left and keep climbing, I did say it was a hard climb! . Near the top, the road disappears and you are left on a tractor track, in wet weather it can be hard going. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Once you read the level ground you will be rewarded with great views, and on your left you will see the brooding shape of the cats back. On top of this strange hill are the remains of an ancient hill fort,(Knockfarrel) in truth not much to look at. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Keep going until you come to the national pathways signing pointing down, enjoy the descent another monster climb awaits you! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Once the bridge is crossed you can start to climb up and over the cats back, the climb is steep, very steep but thankfully relativity short, reaching the top have a break and enjoy the views, it almost all down hill from here all the way back to Dingwall. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dropping down to the glen between the hills, simply follow the well laid out path to the wooden bridge. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ride the length of the cats back, then down the tail, at the bottom is a small car park for the less athletic, carry straight through and follow the only road to join another single track. At this tea junction turn left again, follow this quiet road for about a mile. On your right loch Ussie will come in to view, at the first right start heading down to the loch, past a village that consists of six houses. The road continues to follow the loch contours. Opposite the last house in the village there is an untarred track down to the loch side, well worth a look for camping or just chilling, it's a beautiful quiet place. There is an island in the middle that one day I will explore in the kayak. In fact it's so good do me a favour and don't tell anybody about it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| So after the village you can't get lost, only one road so just follow it, down hill all the way. When you hit the forest the road stops and the off road fun begins, steep and twisty the last forest track rushes through and down this forest, until it bumps in to the cliffs at the bottom. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| You than hit the Ulllapool road an all-together busier road,( A835) so take care.�� On the main road take a left still heading down hill, until the roundabout, about 2 miles. On reaching the roundabout take the turning for Dingwall then immediately turn off on to the cycle way on your left which will take you back into Dingwall and food. Dingwall has a active high street with plenty of pubs and places to eat, a good museum and my particular favourite a good cycle path down to the fore shore via a abandoned canal (see the round Dingwall path) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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