Story 19: Appreciating what's on my doorstep

One of the things I love most about our cycling trips is that we're always moving along slowly enough to take in and appreciate the scenery round about us. And we're extremely lucky in that we don't have to travel very far to find some of the most scenic routes. Today we decided to leave from home and head into Stirling for breakfast (in a wee place called Toast, where Claudia - the lovely owner - and her staff make the best French toast with bacon and maple syrup I've ever tasted!) before deciding where to go from there. But before we'd even left the house, I was appreciating the view in front of me. We're very lucky to live in an ordinary house with an extraordinary view, and I never take it for granted:


After pulling on my gloves and pulling up my balaclava, we set off along one of the quiet back roads to Stirling, nestled in between the fields and the hills all the way:



After breakfast - did I mention that Toast make the best French toast with bacon and maple syrup I've ever tasted...

- we decided to cycle through the Riverside area of Stirling, across to Cambuskenneth then on towards Bridge of Allan. Looking resplendent as ever, The Wallace Monument sat on the crag ahead of us. I see the Wallace Monument most days and it's a sight I never grow tired of (the same could be said about the legs and the rear of the cyclist who's peddling along in front of me...):

From Bridge of Allan it was quite a hard cycle - uphill and in to the wind most of the way - on the main road to Dunblane. That road's also surrounded by lovely scenery, but I was panting like an old wifey with my head down all the way to Dunblane so, the view of the tarmac below me had to suffice for this wee section! Coming out of Dunblane, we carried on towards the village of Kinbuck. Fortunately for us cyclists (but not so much so for folks in their cars) this road's closed to vehicles at the moment as there are some stone repairs being carried out on the Kinbuck Bridge. It's a quiet road anyway, but it was lovely being able to cycle along without having to take the usual precautions for traffic. From Kinbuck we headed over the scaffolded bridge to head back towards Dunblane on another of the quiet back roads. Yet again, the surroundings were glorious:

I absolutely loved the downhill-most-of-the-way next few miles back to Bridge of Allan and the cows and sheep would've heard a fair few Wheee's and Woo Hoo's along the way! A welcome cup of coffee while sitting outside Jam Jar (al fresco style in almost mid-October!) set us up nicely for the last leg home. We took the quiet back road again and enjoyed being blown along it for most of the way.

We cycled about 37 miles today and we were enveloped in greenery and gorgeous scenery for almost every one of those miles. How very, very lucky we are to live where we do, and to have found the perfect way to soak up the scenery that's right on our doorstep. And, how very lucky we are to have had so much sunshine - even when it's baltic - since I became hooked on cycling! Yup, if you'd told me a few months ago that I'd be leaving my house - in full sight of my neighbours - wearing a balaclava to keep me warm whilst riding 37 miles on a road bike I'd have laughed out loud and told you not to be so silly! Three months on from our first cycle I'm still loving every trip as much as the last, and today was a brilliant reminder that we don't have to travel far from home to find the perfect way to spend a Sunday.