The time has come, the sun is shining, both cafes are open and the first time has been set! That's right, The Great Coffee Apothecary link up is here! The aim - to get between both our cafes as fast as you can by human power and get rewarded with cake!
I (Jonny) ran from the front door of our Udny cafe to the front door of our Ellon cafe this afternoon to set the route down the old railway line, get the first time on the board and set the ball rolling. It is a great run! I didn't get there in time for a coffee but I did get there in time to help tidy up and to get the new incredible lunch menus on the tables (more on that another day)!
Here's the scoop!
- Get between the two cafes on the route on the map below.
- Use any form of man powered transport you fancy - walk, run, cycle, pogo stick, ride a unicorn, ............. be inventive.
- Track your journey with one of the very many apps out there that do that for you.
- Show the staff at the destination cafe your phone with the tracking and get on the leader board.
- If you top the leader board in your discipline then you get a drink and a cake on the house.
- If you beat your previous time on the leader board (which you always will first time) then get 25% off a drink and cake.
- If you don't beat your previous time but still make it, grab 10% off your drink and cake! (meals excluded in all discounts)
Here's the route and time from my tracking
We are incredibly lucky that you can get most of the way between the two cafes without being on the roads with the total distance being 9.25km. At present the first/last 2kms at the Udny end are on the road but there are plans afoot to open the Drove Road that would link the railway line to just beside Wood Recycleability just up the pavement for the Udny cafe. I know you can get down to the railway line from the Logierieve bridge but not on a bike and it gets pretty overgrown in summer so that is out! The only other thing to mention is that we also have a category for the lycra clad, mean machines that ride road bikes that aren't really suitable for the old railway line, just pick your fastest route and beat the rest!
If you want to look at the route more closely, check it out below