Page 15 - Shining On Winter 2022

biking roads to boot. Or I could go west along Deeside and Donside into the heart of the Cairngorms. As
it happened I chose the Moray Firth and I hope the photos give some idea of why.

Your editor, Ba (or Barry as I ‘ve known him since he was a wee sprog at junior school) now owns a
BMW R1200RS and he reckons it’s the best bike he’s ever had, of forty plus and rising. Strangely my
primary ride is an RS too, wonder where Ba got the idea from. (I should just like to point out that it was
me who recommended the boxers to Col, albeit I was on a GS at the time. But yes it was trying Col’s
bike made me want one. Ba). Anyway I took a risk and left the heated jacket at home, packed my winter
gloves just in case, and headed north west from Inverurie on the A96.

Normally I stay clear of the A96 as it’s the trunk road between Scotland’s very own Northern Powerhouse
(step forward Aberdeen, Elgin and Inverness) and as such it can get fairly busy. I was in luck and the
road was uncommonly quiet, and swift progress was made through the undulating Aberdeenshire
countryside, with the Bennachie range disappearing over my left shoulder. On through The Glens of
Foudland, regularly blocked by snow and covered with massive wind turbines, and then on toward the
market town of Huntly.

I picked up a little traffic here but was
content just to sit back and enjoy the
scenery and warmth before turning off north
to my first destination some 17 or so miles
away along the B9022. Once again a
classic agricultural landscape, barley
(obviously) cattle and sheep (also
obviously) interspersed with small
settlements, none of which hindered
progress toward the 17th century harbour
town of Portsoy. A village not to be missed,
sitting as it does on the A98 between
Fochabers and Fraserburgh. I daundered
(Scottish for ambling/meandering. Ba)
along the seafront, keeping a sharp eye out for the dolphins that frequent the bay, and took a left on past
the harbour, completely unspoiled and uncrowded. This harbour is highly atmospheric and recently
appeared in an episode of Peaky Blinders, masquerading as a fog- bound Newfoundland location.

I wanted to press on to Cullen, just a few miles west along the A98 into Moray, which brands itself, with
good reason, as Malt Whisky Country. I parked up at one of my favourite spots, with uninterrupted views
over the old fisherman's village and along the sweep of Cullen Bay. A takeaway bacon roll and coffee
was in order so I walked back to the café in the village, only to come across an ex colleague of mine
from my days at Aberdeenshire Council,
Keith had always been a big BM fan and his
R 1200 R was parked outside. We chatted
and he told me he was now working in
London, but couldn’t wait to return home
when he retires in just a few years.

So it was good to catch up, enjoy the bacon
roll and take in the scenery but I was still
keen to get a few more miles in before
heading home. My next stop was Kingston
upon Spey right in the middle of Spey Bay. I’d
never been here before and it was well worth
the short detour from Fochabers, although
the conversion of the local pub into holiday lets is a sign of the times.

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