Whoosh 2025, Day 3: Kinross to Lochearnhead

48.6 miles, 2,228ft of climbing

One of the lessons of Sunday’s third full day of this year’s Whoosh ride was that it sometimes pays to persist in the hope that things will get better. Another was that there sometimes comes a time to admit defeat and adapt to changing circumstances.

We started out from Kinross wrapped up against the unseasonable cold. But a series of nasty hills – more than 1,000ft of climbing in the first 11 miles – soon had us warmed up. The scenery grew increasingly wild as we crossed the line into the Highlands. A small deer skipped across the road.

We took in breathtaking views of distant mountains. We reached the picturesque Victorian resort town of Crieff with the complacent feeling that we had already completed nearly two-thirds of the day’s miles and rather more of the climbing.

But there were complications to come. The cycle route out of the small town of Comrie began as a narrow road, winding among the trees of Strathearn. Then it turned into a rough track along the long-closed railway line that used to link the area’s towns. As members of the party deliberated on trying a different route, I decided to brave the surface, although it was unsuited to my normal way of riding.

My determination to try something unaccustomed was rewarded after a few miles when the path suddenly turned into a tarmac path. I was able to enjoy riding swiftly, and traffic-free, through a forest of deciduous trees, sunlight glinting off Loch Earn below.

Others were having to make still tougher decisions. A bout of apparent food poisoning following Saturday’s evening meal had hit several members of the party, leaving many struggling to ride at all.

I, however, reflected on the value of having trusted in the people planning the Whoosh route and continuing with the path.

That was a slightly premature thought. Shortly after St Fillans, the path deteriorated suddenly into a rough, stony, grassy track. Deciding this time that flexibility was key, I found my way down to the neighbouring main road with Sylvia, another rider who was by now with me.

Crowded round the shores of the loch was a rich variety of trees. It was a powerful reminder of the role that trees can play in creating a thriving ecosystem. Tree Aid, the charity for which this year’s Whoosh is raising funds, is seeking to support local communities in Africa’s drylands in planting trees to improve their land’s resilience to climate change.

The group seeks, as we do, to work towards a better future. It also seeks to adapt its methods to local conditions.

Thoughts about trees’ importance provided a boost for a last few miles of glorious riding. By now, the loch was next to us, sparkling in the late afternoon sunlight, with the trees to our right forming a majestic wall along the loch’s shores. The wind, for the first time in days, felt as if it was on our backs, carrying us to our night’s stay at Lochearnhead Scout Station.

2025 Charity

This year we are supporting just one charity - Tree Aid, who are backed by our very own Eamonn and Adjoa and who work with people in Africa to plant trees which can provide food and incomes.

Tree Aid. Grow Trees; Grow Hope