Travellers’ tales: Powering through the Highlands

We’d read about the Moray Triangle, a 220km circular route from Aviemore with 1,550 metres of climbing, in Travellers’ Tales in the Oct/Nov 2022 issue of Cycle. But could we complete it on our e-mountain bikes? It looked like it might push us to the limits of our 635Wh batteries. 

The run down from Aviemore via Grantown-on-Spey to our first night at Craigellachie (70km with 420m of ascent) was a delightful combination of forest track, singletrack, ex-railway line and quiet roads. Nothing too technical and a perfect cycling day. 

The sole fly in the ointment was a diversion requested by route managers for cyclists to avoid ‘vulnerable’ terrain and to use the quiet road on the north side of the Spey from Cromdale. This included a large, very steep hill. Yet we finished the day with range to spare. 

Our second day down to Findhorn via Lossiemouth (73km, 591m) began with a tough, rough climb, followed by a long descent on a poorly signed track and partially built muddy path to coffee and cake in Fochabers. We crossed the Spey near Spey Bay, encountering miles of forest trails surfaced with trillions of bum-numbing, golf-ball-sized pebbles. 

After a recuperative lunch in Lossiemouth, and with about 30% charge left, we set off along a glorious cliff-top track to Burghead. The ‘Burma Road’ through the huge sand dunes of Roseisle Forest led to ice cream and sympathy at a chuck wagon in a shaded car park. After more empty, beautiful coastal riding and more shingle, we arrived at our B&B at the Findhorn Community as my battery (and bottom) cried ‘enough!’. 

The third day back up to Aviemore (75km, 550m) included the notorious 36km off-road climb of the Dava Way (380m!). Besides weight, wind, temperature and tyre pressures, e-bike range responds poorly to rough surfaces. So the last day boded ill. 

I cracked and asked for a recharge at our lunch stop in Grantown, while Rob, ever the stoic, set his chin upwards to home. From Boat of Garten things went very quiet. He finally ran out of power just as we pedalled into our guesthouse car park.