Aberdeen Adventures with Ian Downie
This week, Ian Downie takes us through a spin of Aberdeen, Scotland and a few surrounding towns with a few climbs to test your legs.
This collection also features Stage 1 of Tour of Britain 2022, an eight-stage men’s professional road cycling race.
You can find all these rides under NEW in the FulGaz App.
KINGSEAT AND SWAILEND
A pleasant ride, mainly on quiet roads, through the countryside North of Aberdeen, beginning in the suburb of Bridge of Don at a height of 30m above sea level and climbing to a height of 139m near the half way point. There are a few kickers going briefly above 10% but generally the climbing is fairly gentle. Apart from two short sections on the A947 Banff-Aberdeen road, the return leg is on narrower roads through the countryside until you are back in the suburbs. Ian's normalised power 161W at 2.3W/Kg, wind 16.6KpH S.
More InfoKIRKTON OF SKENE
A hilly ride starting in the Aberdeen suburb of Danestone before a 5km climb past up past Newhills Kirk, where the gradient briefly goes over 10%. There’s a brief respite before an easier climb past Brimmond Hill, with Craibstone golf course on your right. You have time to recover with a steep descent to Borrowstone Road, then another easy climb before dropping down to Kirkton of Skene. Then it’s on to Garlogie where you start the return journey with one steep kicker (Gairnhill Ramp topping out at 11%) to challenge you before a long descent into Aberdeen. Ian's normalised power 173W at 2.5W/Kg, wind 20KpH N.
More InfoTHE TOUR OF BRITAIN - STAGE 1 - ABERDEEN TO CHAPEL OF GARIOCH
The ride starts on Union Street in the centre of Aberdeen and follows the Beach Boulevard to the Esplanade, where the North Sea haar (mist) wraps itself around you as you ride along by the shore. After crossing the River Don, you start the first of four climbs with a gentle 3km rise at an average of 1.9%, topping out at 8% near the top. After climbing through Kinmuck, there is a short kicker up to the top of the second climb, then it is downhill through Keithhall into Inverurie, looping round the town back towards the river, where you start the third climb, another gentle rise with a kick in the tail up the long straight road where you can see the summit of Bennachie, the Mither Tap, straight ahead of you. The final climb is the shortest but also the steepest, averaging 6% over 700m with a maximum of just over 15% on the way up to the final destination of Chapel of Garioch (pronounced ‘Gearie’). Ian's normalised power 165W at 2.4W/Kg, wind 10.7KpH SSE.
More InfoLOWER DEESIDE TO BANKHEAD VIA NEWHILLS
A springtime ride mainly outside the city of Aberdeen, with glimpses of the River Dee on your right for the first 8Km as you head out for an easy ride through dappled sunshine on Lower Deeside Road. Then you turn right across the river before hitting the first climb, a short 500m kicker up to Upper Deeside Road, with the gradient topping out at about 9%. Another right hand turn at the top of the hill takes you back in towards the city through the leafy West end suburbs, another easy section before the real climbing begins. A left turn into Bailieswells Road takes you on to the steepest part of the climb, a 100m section where the gradient tops out at over 14%, but not for long. Then it’s a drag of around 800m at no more than 6% before the gradient kicks up again for another 150m section where you will see just over 15% briefly. There’s still a bit more climbing but that’s the worst over, and when you pass Newhills Church you are rewarded with a panoramic view of the North of Aberdeen stretching towards the North Sea. Ian's normalised power 170W at 2.46W/Kg, wind 26.3KpH S.
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