Dundee to Edzell
We cycled out of the Dundee today, following a route that snaked along the East Coast. It offered wide-open views and the fresh, salty air of the North Sea. It was truly a ride of two halves. The morning was mostly a steady, relatively flat pedal right along the water's edge, leading us to a fantastic stop for excellent coffee and pastries. We even lucked out with the wind—it was mostly pushing us along, a rare miracle for cyclists!
For lunch, we stopped at Roos Leap in Montrose. The food was great, but we skipped dessert since we had pastries earlier. Just as we were packing up to leave, the sky opened up with heavy rain, sleet and hail. Luckily, the storm passed in about 30 minutes, but we still had to navigate the aftermath. The roads and trails were flooded with lake-sized puddles three to four inches deep, and storm sewers were bubbling onto the street, which definitely slowed our pace.
The afternoon brought us to the undulating half of the route. While it was billed as "offering some punchy climbs and nippy descents," we found them a bit more modest. Our two "roadies" flew ahead for most of the day, while the rest of us cruised along on our e-bikes. Joe decided to unleash his bike's "turbo" setting—he absolutely loved it, though he jokingly complained he had to back off so he wouldn't overtake the road bikes!
We’ve wrapped up the day in Edzell, staying at the Glenesk Country House Hotel & Spa. It perfectly blends heritage with elegance, featuring country warmth and an award-winning whisky bar. After today's puddles and sleet, the indoor heated pool and a dram of whisky are exactly what we need.
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