Cruden Bay to Balmedie Beach (18.75 miles)
Trail Date: August 16, 2023
Method of travel: Mountain bike
The day began early at the Outlander Boutique B&B. This isn’t a full review, but I absolutely loved this little B&B and breakfast was divine! Everything was very cute.
My first stop of the day was Bullers of Buchan, a short and easy ride from Cruden Bay. The cliffs here are so dramatic, similar to the ones near Gardenstown. This was a pleasant change since the day prior had been kind of boring and flat.
I had been wanting to visit this particular collapsed sea cave after seeing it years ago on Instagram. I loved the colors, shadows, and sounds of this place. I have so many photos which I’ll definitely be painting from in the future.
I could have stayed there sketching all day, but there were many miles to cover!
Thankfully, I was able to find small paths and quiet country roads close to the coast until Collieston. A small village with a ton of history. There were signs with old photos and stories about 18th century smugglers and remains of Spanish warships.
I climbed the steep hill out of Collieston and rode south. Unfortunately I was soon forced into a rather busy road until I reached Newburgh. I stopped at Trellis Cafe for some much needed calories.
Knowing I only had a few more miles until my destination, I took a nice long break to enjoy my meal. It was a beautiful sunny day, and I heard there were seals at a nearby beach, but I was too tired to make the ride. It gives me a reason to visit again!
After regaining some strength, I got back on the road. As I was riding along, I saw a field of Highland cows, and just had to pull over. They are too fluffy and cute to resist.
I was filming them as another couple stopped to admire them. Suddenly the farmer was walking towards us from across the field. I thought we were about to be told to leave, but it was the exact opposite. He invited us in!
This little guy (named Ewan) had the softest fur! This was a dream come true for me. The farmer kept telling us to ‘brush as hard as we can’ because they love it!
I could tell the farmer was a proud papa.
After some time with the coos, I was full of adrenaline so I decided to ride on. The next few miles were along the main road which I was dreading. I had seen a shortcut on the map and decided to take my chances. It happened to be through a golf course. I was scared of being kicked out (and being shot since it was Trump’s golf course…joking…) but I was that desperate to avoid the main road.
Thankfully along the way I saw signs that said dog-walkers and cyclists were welcome as long as they don’t interfere with golfers. Easy!
The trail was smooth and luxurious and took me through fields of grass and heather until I reached the dunes just north of Balmedie Beach.
After such a long ride I was totally exhausted, but my work was just starting. The path suddenly ended halfway through the dunes. Without any warning, I suddenly felt like I was in a giant sandpit about to encounter a huge sandworm.
The deep soft sand was impossible to ride through so I began walking. I won’t bore you with my torture, but eventually I made it to the beach. Listening to the waves was so soothing after such a workout.
The end was bittersweet. I was so tired and very sick of sand. But I reflected on the beautiful days I had spent riding along the coast. I had experienced so much in such a short time. My muscles ached, but my head was swimming with inspiration. My heart was full of joy after this experience.
I will be continuing my journey in a few weeks after I catch up on work (and after it cools down..we suddenly have a heat wave!).
Thanks for joining me!
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