Cycling the Dalnacardoch Road
Start at the Wade Bridge -
Standing near Wade’s Bridge at Trinafour you able to see the Auckleeks Estate Gamekeeper’s house and the attractive red-painted older house on the other side of the road. Nearby is the hydro-electricity turbine house. This latter lies at the downhill end of huge pipes which lead up to the Errochty dam. It retains the water in the large Errochty reservoir. The dam (worth a visit) is a massive structure with a walkway across the top that allows a circular walking route back down a forestry track to Trinafour. The parapet of the dam is often adorned with the remains of peregrine kills and regurgitated peregrine pellets. The bones and feathers on the wall include the remains of oystercatchers and blackbirds. I have seen a peregrine sitting on one of the bolts that project from the concrete on the downhill side of the dam. This perch affords a wonderful view of the mixed woodland far below and therefore of any potential prey which might be foolish enough to take to the air. The pellets consist of various indigestible parts of the food such as bones and feathers and are much like the better known pellets of owls.
The courageous cyclist should now turn to the north and prepare to tackle the hill. The Dalnacardoch road is not for those lacking determination. Be assured your lowest gear will be needed. It begins as it means to go on, with a formidable slope passing the turbine house and ascending to what was the dwelling house of the hydro-board employee. This house is now unoccupied and beginning to look it. Here there is a track up to the dam but the road turns to the right and for a time the hill eases somewhat. There are another three hairpin bends and accompanying steep hills. The hairpins used to be particularly exciting for drivers but on the occasion of the construction of the Beauly-Denny Powerline massive crash barriers were put in place to prevent lorries from leaving the road and plunging down the precipitous hillside. This precaution was understandable but the legacy is ‘road furniture’ reminiscent of a motorway. Be that as it may, the splendid view of Schiehallion is undiminished.
At the penultimate hairpin bend a track branches off from the road and heads northwest. It proceeds towards Errochty Water and then skirts to the north to terminate at Loch Con. This loch boasts a fine bothy and was once home to an osprey’s nest in pines at the western end. The nest blew down and is no more. Black-throated divers can also be seen on the loch. Loch Con is an attractive prospect but on this occasion stay on the public road.
Further up the Dalnacardoch road there is a lochan on the left which, in summer, sports numerous airborne dragonflies. The habitat has become moorland with heather (ling) stretching to the summit Beinn a’Chuallaich. On the right-hand side of the road is forestry plantation and as you proceed to the high point the A9 becomes visible ahead of you. Along this latter half of the Dalnacardoch road some fallow deer may occasionally be seen. They can be distinguished from roe deer by their greater size and paler somewhat spotted colour.
The road descends steeply (a joy to the cyclist) to the Perth to Inverness railway line and then towards the A9. It passes over a narrow stone bridge, the parapets of which, bear the scars of over confident motorists. Just before the A9 is reached cycle route 7 is encountered. It follows the old A9 road south towards Calvine. The road remains in fairly good fettle and it is a pleasure to cycle in the absence of traffic even though the busy new road is not far away. The distance to Calvine is about six miles with a burn alongside and passing fields and mixed woodland.
At Calvine a vandal has sprayed pointless graffiti concerning the flat earth on the circular monument and other surfaces. This is a pity and will take some effort (perhaps never to be made) to remove. Calvine (again unfortunately) has an abandoned primary school and an abandoned filling station and shop. The filling station / garage famously burnt down about fifteen years ago. It remains pretty much in the same condition today - even showing the price of fuel at the time of the conflagration like a watch that stopped when its elderly owner died.
Even the most eager cyclist will by now be in need of refreshment and this can be acquired at the House of Bruar which is about a mile further south on the old A9. The House of Bruar is an amazing economic success. Its car park is usually well populated with Range Rovers and Jaguars. It is in effect a motorway service station without fuel for the county set heading north to grouse moors, skiing or other outdoors pursuits. There is much here for those with a taste for expensive goods, especially clothing. The economic success has allowed the building of a vast veranda cafe which, it has to be said, is very pleasant. Cafe culture has come to Scotland but indoors and with coffee cups that are too small, while, potentially the weather outside is inclement. The area is heated with about 20 bar heaters in the roof each with three radiant bars - not very energy saving but the result is that the environment within the cafe is warm and comforting. It is perhaps this warmth and the availability of food that has led to the presence of ever-chirruping house sparrows. The whole structure has the ambiance of a large aviary in a zoo.
Refuelled, the cyclist can now return to Trinafour via the road between Calvine and Trinafour. The road is a scenic curvaceous one, lying as it does, alongside the Errochty Water, which shallow sparkling river, is lined by alders, birches, rowans and aspens. It is an important spawning river for salmon.
On returning to your starting point at Trinafour it is worth reading the noticeboard which describes how Wade made Bridges. You never know when you made need to construct one.