Boating on Loch Faskally

Wake up early to get breakfast. Then head to the room grab the stuff and head to my start wave area. A cold start. 3degC. Thankfully blue skies and no rain. However no breeze, so there will be no tailwinds. The ride heading out (and west) is fine. I don't manage to get in to any groups though.

Once at the far end of the Loch Rannoch, the route heads east to the Shiehallion climb. I did manage to get in to a small group for a few km to enable me to refuel and rest for a while. A fairly quick climb then west through Fortinghall, passing the site of the Yew, before the final turn for home at Bridge of Lyon.

The home stretch is fine, I keep a steady pace through Weem and Strathtay to Logierait. No new road this year, we head up the steep climb on to the minor road which heads back to Pitlochry.

The Etape Caledonia ride can be seen at Relive here.

Afternoon walk around the North end of Loch Faskally as I hadn't done that before. Walking near to the A9 at times on the west side of the loch,  so bit noisy. the walk is much better when you are near to the loch, accessed via the steps in Extra 1. You do get a better view of Ben Vrackie though, Extra 2.

I get back to the hotel and manage to get a nice coffee and cake from a café just before it shut. Cafés in Pitlochry close early as they opened early in the morning to provide sustenance to riders before the Etape.

A nice evening meal in the hotel then fairly early to bed.