Giant Bike | Outdoor Activities

Musings on Tandeming in Rannoch and Tummel

ON A BICYCLE MADE FOR TWO IN HIGHLAND PERTHSHIRE

Colin Calder describes the joys of doubling up in Rannoch and Tummel. 

“But you’ll look sweet,

Upon the seat,

Of a bicycle made for two!” 

So run the words of the famous song – but it really is double the fun on a tandem, especially taking in the breathtaking scenery in Highland Perthshire.

The humble tandem is making a comeback on the roads and cycle paths of Scotland – providing an avenue for true “togetherness” on a bike.

In years gone past tandems were a common sight in Perthshire - offering an ideal way for couples to get away together - but in recent years they did a bit of a disappearing act.

But now bike shops will tell you that there is a new and growing demand for tandems as people discover the joy of doubling up on a bicycle made for two.

It seems more and more couples are keen to get the buzz and exhilaration of tandeming along in synchronicity on the one bike frame – something that can’t be replicated on standalone bikes.

My partner Diane and I recently enjoyed a romantic anniversary mini-break to mark our fourth anniversary in our tandem saddles by cycling around the scenic wilderness area of Rannoch and Tummel.

Romantic because we went on our first ever tandem ride during a first date four years ago – and immediately fell in love with a new hobby and each other!

To say we got into tandeming by accident would be an understatement! We had planned a walk at Loch Katrine in the Trossachs, but as we arrived, we noticed tandems for hire.

We thought that would be a fun way to break the ice on what was also a blind date but we both got hooked on tandeming immediately – despite the constant heavy rain and falling off into an unglamorous muddy heap on at least two occasions.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

As two crazy fifty-somethings we fell for each other and quickly bought our own tandem - affectionately named Matilda - for weekend cycles while dating which included regular trips to explore Rannoch and Tummell. 

I was living in Glasgow and Diane was living in Auchterarder and I found I couldn’t wait for the weekends to get out tandeming on Perthshire’s open country roads. Then in October 2013 I gave up on city life and moved to rural Perthshire when we moved into a new house together – complete with Matilda in the garage!

Matilda is a huge part of our lives now, and is essentially our baby – even though she is technically a grand old lady being a classic Jack Taylor tandem, which makes her even older than the pair of us!

For those not familiar with tandeming terms, I perform the role of “chief pilot” – the one who does the steering and gears; while Diane fills the role of “chief stoker” – stoking the power to the pedals.

And I am glad to say that, despite our unconventional way of starting out, we have gelled as a team – having become synchronised with each others foibles both on and off the saddle.

So tandeming is now “our thing” and because Highland Perthshire is one of our favourite spots, we decided to mark our anniversary with a Tour de Loch Rannoch du Tandem, followed by a relaxing celebratory overnight stay in the area.

We parked up just after Bridge of Guar. After unloading Matilda we set off with the sun shining on the calm water allowing us to enjoy what is described as one of the last true wilderness areas in Europe.

We cycled along the north side of the loch, a route which is a real magnet for cyclists. There were a few clouds but that only added to the mystery as the majesty of the perfectly conical shape of Schiehallion kept appearing and disappearing as we tandemed along.

A quick stop at a wild camping area provided some great photo opportunities with Schiehallion providing a marvellous scenic backdrop!  On we pedalled and in what seemed like no time we were tandeming into the village of Loch Rannoch, marking half way.

Time for one of our great joys of tandeming – a prosecco picnic! We had a perfect “table for two” on a picnic bench right in front of a cascading waterfall which provided a fabulous natural soundtrack to our alfresco lunch.

 

 

E-Tape
E-Tape

Another pleasure of tandeming is being able to have a coffee and cake stop without having to feel guilty about the calories. So before getting back on Matilda, we indulged in coffee and lovely thick caramel shortcake at the Riverbank Café – a real favourite of all the cyclists who circle the loch.

Refuelled we crossed the old bridge and headed down the south side of the loch – which if anything is even quieter and even more scenic. The B-class single track road never seems to be more than a couple of yards from the loch itself, and the wilderness factor is underlined as it winds its way through the magical Black Wood of Rannoch – one of the largest areas of ancient pine forest left in Scotland.

It is so special that it feels like an honour to be able to tandem through it – truly getting as close as possible to nature. Little wonder then that it is designated a Special Area of Conservation.

Pedalling on we hardly notice the one fairly steep climb on the route, which is well worth the effort as it offers great views over the loch. Just at that point the only rain shower of the day started. But we couldn’t complain as the sun and the rain revealed a brilliantly coloured rainbow which dramatically encapsulated the beauty of the area.

The rain stopped as suddenly as it started and a welcome descent took us quickly back down to end our circle of the loch back at Bridge of Gaur.

Buoyed with another successful tandem trip, Matilda was packed back into the car and we drove the five miles to the famous Rannoch Station Tearoom – a true little gem. And if our coffee and homemade carrot cake was anything to go by, it fully justifies its “must visit” reputation.

We then literally walked across the road to check in at the oasis which is Moor of Rannoch Hotel – surely one of the remotest luxury hotels in Scotland. We were welcomed by the fabulously hospitable owners, Scott and Steph.  It is hard to describe this hotel to fully justify what it offers but essentially it is probably best summed up in the four headline words they use on their website – Retreat, Relax, Unwind, Escape.

The hotel’s major selling point – apart from the gin and whisky bar (obviously!) - is that there is no tv signal and no wifi. You are quite literally cut off from the modern world - but that is actually a huge benefit, and the scenery provides the stimulating brain food as it looks out over the wilderness of Rannoch Moor to the Glencoe mountains.

Only minutes after we checked in, there was a magical moment when a herd of about 20 deer – obviously a stag party - came down off the hill to feed.

 

 

Later our taste buds were tantalised by a wonderful dinner – cooked from mainly local produce – which was accompanied by the live theatre that is the moving vista of the wild countryside viewed from the dining room. Washed down by a lively fruity Sauvignon, it was a great end to a perfect day before tiredness hit and sleep beckoned.

We enjoy trips like that one so much that we started a blog as a way to record our memories and photos – and the food and wine we consumed en route (which as you may have guessed is a big part of our adventures!)

As self-confessed nutty tandemers – and to make the blog more interesting and amusing - we write the blog from the perspective of the tandem, calling it Matildas Musings. With self-deprecating humour the blog recounts her trials and tribulations with the “old git” – aka me – and the “old gal” – aka Diane.

Launched two years ago, Matildas Musings has captured the imagination and now has followers not just in our Perthshire base – but it has global appeal with readers as far away as the Yukon in Canada, South America, Thailand and New Zealand.

The blog’s success saw it become the only Scottish finalist in the UK Blog Awards 2016 - out of 2,000 entries reaching the final 10 in the ‘most innovative’ category.

The enjoyment and laughs we get from writing the blog is proof of our tandeming maxim that it is ‘always more fun doing it together!’

So when you next see a tandem on the roads of Highland Perthshire – with a couple wearing matching day-glo yellow t-shirts – it will probably be Team Matilda. Give us a wave as you pass, but just don’t dare suggest that the stoker is not pedalling!

Rannoch Hills