March 2016 Mountain bike challenge - the Moray Way

March 14-15th 2016     

A  two-day 100 mile off-road loop that combines the Dava Way, part of the Moray Coastal Path, and a return leg up the Speyside Way.  Undertook this with Andrew Fyfe as part of our individual training plans for other rides.

We chose to start at Aberlour and work clockwise around the way-marked trail.  Very mixed trail conditions from old railway line "double-track" through a few farmers access roads, a little tarmac to escape the sand-dunes, and some really grim walkers path.  The two dozen swing-gates on the first morning were an upper body workout and put us behind schedule so we ended day 1 in darkness going downhill into Forres.

Day 2 started at the edge of the sand dunes at the back of the airbase with Eurofighter Typhoons doing circuits.  Good sandy single track across east.  The final leg was coming south again to Craigellachie and then Aberlour and really did test our climbing legs on the fire road.