A spot of wind: Birnam – Drumochter Pass – Newtonmore

Scottish wind is different from the English variety. There were no gusts, just an endless flat blowing like the egress of a hair dryer. We battled into the teeth of it and up the pass, light in gradient but heavy on gravelly, bumpy surface, and alternate sunshine and downpour. It must have been the slowest 15 miles we ever cycled.

By the way, it was beautiful at the top.

Last night we stayed in Birnam (of the Scottish play) at a guest house run by a charming naturalist. We bombed back to Perth by bus (reversing the last 2 hours of our ride) to see Lau play at the splendid Perth concert hall. Mesmerising as ever, and, to Caroline’s shock, they stood up! (Folk music is not used to such radical changes of direction).

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