Family fun in the spring sun
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Trailers, tag-alongs, trikes and balance bikes – a brief hint of spring sunshine was enough to bring out the families for a fantastic gentle ride to prepare for the warmer days ahead.
We met up with the others in the group – late as usual – in the community car park at Maryburgh, perfectly placed right next to a play park. Well, you need more than just bikes to entertain the little ones!
This latest “Supermums” ride had been organised by Mick Heath, the head of the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) Highland group, who is keen to encourage a new generation of enthusiastic pedallers to explore the north of Scotland and further afield with their families.
There were 11 grown-ups and eight children, so thankfully we weren’t outnumbered as we prepared our trailers and various bike attachments in the car park.
There are countless gadgets and gizmos on the market these days for transporting children by bike, and most cycle hire operators also offer trailers and tag-alongs, so try one out before investing in the type that suits you.
The next challenge is finding somewhere suitable to take the kids out. That’s where Mick’s organisation comes in handy! He had recce’d the route beforehand to find a quiet ride with enough interest for the kids and the adults.
Our route into the Brahan Estate, which in 1725 was the base for General George Wade’s pacification of the Highlands after the castle was forfeited during the Jacobite rising of 1715, led us along the quiet Dunglass Road above the River Conon.
The weather was perfect, with clear skies and spectacular views to enjoy as we tootled along at a gentle pace – you can’t do much else with two growing children being towed along behind you. Thankfully for me, Meg was doing the hard work pulling our trailer this time.
After a house at Balnain the road swings sharp right and climbs slightly into the woods. We soon headed left, off the surfaced road onto a bumpy track, forking left at a stone to enjoy a nice off-road section along the boundary of wood and fields.
Before we knew it we were dropping down to a lovely sunny spot by the river where we enjoyed a surprisingly warm picnic.
It was a great chance for the kids to get out and stretch their legs having been cooped up in the trailer so far. I took our eldest daugher Clara (4) for a little riverside stroll and a lesson in not getting too near the edge, while Jennifer (2) toddled about further back with her mum.
We’d brought Clara’s balance bike – which had been precariously balanced on the back of the trailer on the way here – so she could have a go at cycling now too. We hadn’t realised quite how brave she was getting freewheeling on this machine, which has no brakes, but she was rolling down the hill faster and faster each time.
It can be heart-in-mouth time for the parents at times like these but seeing such a joyous smile on her face when she was racing down that little bit of track makes all the effort of days like this worthwhile.
Once we were all packed up, with a little bit of persuasion (or bribery) to get the kids in the trailers again, we headed back via Brahan House, once the stables of the 17th century castle and all that now remains from the era.
After a fun ride back, we spent some time at the park before heading for tea and cake at The Cottage across the road – the perfect end to a wonderful family day out on the bikes.
* To find out what the Supermums are up to next, join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/cyclingsupermums/
