High pressure sat over us for more than a week and we had our first penetrating frosts and ink black night sky. Day after day we had the best time of the year to ride bikes and walk the sea cliff paths close to home.

The first morning of frost today. A few of the summer birds are still here, but the evening sky now has skeins of geese making their way over to the wetlands around Threave Castle. It is time to put on the long finger gloves and knee warmers and carry a bag so that the ride always features the gathering of mushrooms, berries or sloes.

If you get paid to ride a bike and get your kit given to you, then the event you will be trying to win in the UK is The Tour of Britain. The nice people that organize the race have realised that some of the most wonderful roads for riding a bike are here in the South West of Scotland. They keep on returning, which is a big thumbs up for Dumfries & Galloway as a cycling destination even if you do not get paid to ride a bike.

We never walked, that was the rule. Then one day in New Zealand there was one hill climb too many and we blew, bonked, hit the wall, crashed and burned. When you climb at 4mph you may as well walk. We broke the rule.

We have been nominated for the ‘ Thistle Award ‘ - Best Outdoor Company. Which is rather nice, and thank you to whoever put us forward. But do we deserve it ?

Guided Spring rides in collaboration with Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere.

Take your time on our little day trips to explore some of the beautiful landscapes within Galloway’s UNESCO protected Biosphere.

Spring can be ephemeral, a difficult thing to pin down. Last year it barely lasted two weeks before big coats and jumpers were thrown into the back of the cupboard and the car window de-icer put away. That was a tough winter last year.

The dry weather has allowed for a number of happy Gravel rides featuring stops to brew coffee and eat cake. Every stop to take in the views had a birdsong soundtrack and you can convince yourself that the smell of spring was in the warm air. I am thinking of planting the first potatoes.

The winter has been kind to us so far with little snow and rivers as low as summer days. We may be still cleaning away the last pine needles of Christmas from room corners, but birds are calling at dawn and already the sun has some warmth to it.