Bike rides. As you know I love my mountain biking but due to my injury last year I have not been as active as I would like. My fitness levels are nowhere near to what they normally are. The pain is still there and although I think about going to the bike parks I just know my shoulders would not take it.

So every time I go out on my bike it’s for short rides on the back roads and forest tracks so nothing too serious. But still enjoyable just being out on my bike.

One ride a couple of weeks ago which I had checked out on google involved over 2500ft of elevation, that made the legs scream and burn I can tell you. But the stunning views as you climb higher and higher and the silence and the fact I didn’t see anyone makes it all worth while.

On the way back from this ride I spotted a Haggis, honest it was a real one. Not very often seen but regularly eaten by the Scot’s. I pedalled a bit faster to get by but I am sure I heard it growl at me.

Further on I passed a farm and in the field next to the farm house was one of the biggest bulls I have ever seen. He was just chilling out and relaxing and by the amount of cows in the field with him I could see why he needed a rest.

I get up early in the morning and sit looking on my iPad and looking out the window at the birds on the feeders having their breakfast and along comes the squirrel to have his.

As I opened the blinds on this morning the sun was coming up and it was misty and the light coming through the trees just looked so nice. Never one to miss a photo opportunity I went out as these situations disappear as quick as they appear.

After that beautiful start to the day it was time to take the camper out for a drive. Not the sort of drive I like because it meant driving to Stirling, nothing wrong with that it’s a nice drive but our destination was ATS tyre depot. After getting there and handing over the camper to them. An hour and half later the camper had six new tyres and I was £1400 poorer.

So after getting back to base and parking up I decided we needed a pick you up and we wandered off across the fields to get to Killin and sat in the garden of the Killin hotel in the sun with a drink or two and then ordered some food which we also ate outside in the sun. What a great way to end the day.

Last week we ticked another to do off our list and on our day off went and walked the Ben Lawers nature trail. Again it was another nice day and we parked up and hiked up the trail. It’s only a short walk but it goes up and up. Nikki’s little legs will vouch for this but the views are stunning as you walk up through the bracken and different flowers and the streams are cascading down along the way.

After getting back to the car we decided to drive up by the dam and have our picnic. We knew of a really nice spot. It was windy but worth the short drive and down a very bumpy dirt track to sit there with a view like that and eat our lunch. We carry some cheap basic chairs in the car for moments like this.

The next day I went out on my bike again, heading for Breaclaich reservoir about 5 miles away and along a single track road that went up and up and then up some more. Again the legs were burning but I got there.

But I could see the track went on further and the tarmac stopped so I just had to go up some more. Legs pumping and burning, lungs gasping for air I got to the point I wanted to get to and just sat there looking at the view and thinking I am on top of the world.

From there it was all down hill back to the reservoir and then a sharp left turn into the forest, some more up hills and more downhill then the last mile up hill back to base.

It was only a 16 mile ride but again with 2274ft of elevation. The rest of the day was spent chilling with a BBQ and beer. I slept well that night.