Moray Coast; Culbin Forest ...

 

A fine cold clear morning and the frost was noticeable as the finger tips nipped ae we rode out for a loop around Culbin forest...

Around the forest on roads through lovely pine and birch trees I was surprised at little wildlife, we had still not seen a red squirrel yet, one Buzzard appeared but apart from small bird song it was very quiet...

With the coast now in sight I walked down to have a look while G checked the map. This is where we probably made a mistake as we should have just dropped onto the beach and rode the short distance east to where the sand ends below the cliffs at Findhorn Bay, and then then returned and cycled west as far as we could until we reached what later as we discovered was a salt marsh of several miles.

This is kinda what happens sometimes when A; you don't do enough research of somewhere new, 

And B; your not cycling with a local,

I thought there were great sandy trails in the forest but now realise that the sand trails I have seen in pics online I thought were here were in fact in the woods behind Burghead Bay, 

So we ended up riding 16 miles of forest roads in a full loop of the Forest then came across the salt marsh  and with winter hours of short light we would not have time to ride all the beaches,

G is a good navigator though and she reckoned we could get straight out across the salt marsh to sand out on the north side of the RSPB Reserve area, which we did part walking part cycling to not cut up the ground - the fat bikes again coming into there own,

We met another cyclist out on the beach there and giving a Covid safe distance exchange we rode east while he rode west, and we too should of rode west as we soon rode onto real soft sand,  The sand here is typical finer than back home in East Lothian and it is usually either real firm that you could ride a regular MTB (as the rider we met was doing), or real soft and ridable but only just and a bit of a work out.

I looked back and watched the rider whose entry onto the beach from the grassy dunes we soon passed (see in film) continue on away to the westerly point towards Nairn, while we rounded a corner onto a pebble tideline and with sunset nearing wisely recrossed the salt marsh back to the forest as we were not on home ground so play safe and stay on firm ground...

The salt marsh and reserve beyond with beach on other side...

Miles of salt marsh, great for flora and fauna, all here would have been sand 80 years ago as the area is still covered by anti glider poles, possibly the biggest collection of these remaining, many still full height, They are I read now scheduled monuments...

Late lunch stop...

A quick lunch as sun was setting as we enjoyed that last hour of amazing light you so often get here on the east coast in winter...

Seal heading down the coast as we approached...

Legs got a break from the soft half mile of sand as we rounded the point and we rode west about a mile  to get around the water in the salt marsh from the retreating tide...

A way across visible...

Back at the forest...

Riding back we chatted about where we should have gone along the coast and a bit disappointed to miss the main section of Culbin Sands, but as G said,  in summer the longer daylight would allow all the time needed to proper explore here. 

It had been a big day with 28 miles cycled, maybe a bit too much on forest roads for my liking but as I say `you won't know what's there if you don't go`...

Back to Base and the Lossie chippy was open and we devoured a lovely fish supper, well earned after another fantastic day out...

We film of the days ride, Song is `Ascension` by Tycho,

More soon...