Around the Pond: 5000 km on the North Sea Cycle Route

I feel even less fit today than yesterday. Luckily the route starts out flat along the coast from Carnoustie to Dundee. Here I look for the Tourist Info, hoping to buy the Sustrans maps for the route past Edinburgh. I have the address of the Tourist Info, but it turns out to be out of date. I finally find it at its new location at the harbour. However, they don't have the maps I need.

After a short break I use the Tay Road Bridge to cross into the Kingdom of Fife. Not far away is the Tay Rail Bridge, famous mostly for the disaster that destroyed its predecessor in 1879. Even the german poet Theodor Fontane wrote a Ballad about the disaster: Die Brück' am Tay.

The footpath and cycle way across the bridge runs in the middle of the bridge, between the auto lanes. To get there I have to use an elevator. Luckily it is large enough to fit my bicycle.

Once in Fife the route gets hilly again. I try to get a room in Newburg, but everything is booked. The landlord tells me the way to a hotel in Auchtermuchty, the next town on the route. After several more hills I finally get a room in the old, cozy Forest Hills Hotel. The timing was perfect: a few minutes after arriving there it started to pour.


Day 71 - August 12: Carnoustie - Auchtermuchty

Route

Carnoustie - Dundee - Newport-on-Tay - Newburgh - Auchtermuchty

Statistics

Distance: 58.36 km
Cycle time: 3:51 h
Average speed: 15.14 kmh
Height difference: 496 m
Total distance: 3750 km
© Thomas Stets ts.semper.d@googlemail.com
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