Aberdeen - Dundee

Folks were on the move in the YH dormitory shortly after 0600, a number of them were off shore workers on a course at the Robert Gordon Institute of Technology.  Once awake there was little point in trying to snooze on so up, shower and breakfast then back to the room to strip my bed and get my bags packed.  I needed to get them on the bike to be ready for my co-rider for the day!  Gillian, sec for Elgin and Dist P support Group, had kindly loaned husband Jim, complete with coffee and flapjack, to ride with me to Stonehaven.

First coffee stop and Jim tests the goodies!
The weather was on a gradual down-turn, clouds thickening up, hills getting more frequent, longer and steeper!!
I need to get Jim's pics at some time, he has the ones of me carrying out a  cyclist's technical manoeuvre............... GOAP...Get Off And Push!!
Not long after this photo was taken out came the waterproof top and overtrousers; a few more up's were followed by a long down into Stonehaven.  Conditions were a touch miserable and a late lunch was sought.

A sign close to the sea front pointed the way to Molly's Restaurant, that and the faint aroma of chips sealed the deal!  Bikes locked together and secured to a ring on the building wall, now, lets get into the warm.  Inside the place was heaving, one or two empty chairs and that was it.  A group of people in front of us were also waiting to be seated, the folk in front of us gave it another minute or so and decided to come back later, as they left the restaurant two groups at tables started to make a move to leave and within another minute we were seated and deciding what to eat.  Thoughts of 'healthy eating' went out of the window as two All Day Breakfasts were ordered along with toast and a large pot of tea!  Mopping up the last of the egg yolk and finishing the tea we got kitted up again and ventured out into the elements.

Jim, having taken some photos of the stormy view was going to be heading up to the train station, back to Aberdeen and drive home to Elgin.  I looked at the map and the weather and thought "I'm not camping in these conditions" and I know the next hostel is in Dundee; that's enough for today, I'm for a train ride; I'm doing this for fun not a penance!!

Jim was away back to Aberdeen, it had been good to have some company, especially bearing coffee and flapjack!!
Heavily laden bike stashed in the disabled bay (bike space was off the end of the platform!), next stop Dundee.

Dundee was wet and busy, the area around the station was a building site, lots of regeneration, re-aligned roads, new buildings springing up, a city on the move!
A short walk with the bike through a pedestrianized area led me to The Backpacker's Hostel, a rambling building with lots of twists, turns and spiral stone stairways but very clean and tidy and with all modern fixtures and fittings, free wi-fi, and best of all, inexpensive!!  Bed made up, now off to the kitchen for a brew then an early night, I plan to get an early start to get out of the city before there is too much traffic.