The final part of our route can be found here.
An excellent nights sleep at The Sheiling B&B at Melvich followed by our final cooked breakfast of the trip sets us up for the final push of the ride.
The sun was shining to start the day but the breeze is still with us. We had been warned about the steep climb out of Melvich but the road afterwards was supposed to be 'undulating'. It did seem at times to be much more 'up' than down!
On through Thurso and towards John O'Groats.
Met a guy called Bob Jones who is currently cycling around the entire coastline of England, Scotland and Wales, some 6000 miles. Bob is raising money for the Stroke Association and the Meningitis Research Foundation. http://www.coastrider.org.uk/
Three and a half miles from the end we got hit with massive side wind and a hail storm which was nice!
Just before entering John O'Groats we cycled through the village of Dunnet which we thought was appropriate. Dunnet point is apparently the northern most mainland point of the UK.
We finally made it to John O'Groats - Success!
Many thanks to everyone who has been following our progress and supporting us and sending us text messages of encouragement.
For those of you who have kindly donated on the Just Giving page, a big thank you. We'll try to get round to all of you to say our thanks personally. We'll post some more photos up to the Gallery page when we get a decent WiFi connection just to prove we actually made it!
Just that 12 hour drive home now then...
Friday, 20 May 2011
Day Twelve - Muir of Ord to Melvich
Today's route can be found here.
This morning started bright with sunshine with the occasional showers but very windy. Fortunately the wind was from the West or South West so not directly in our faces.
We left our B&B lodgings and drove back to our finish point from yesterday near Alness.
It was decided to avoid the main road route using the A9 and head north on the B9176 towards Kinkardine and Bonar bridge. This was an excellent quiet road but quite hilly and lots of bends (think Top Gear road tests in Scotland and you'll get the picture).
We then continued to head north along a single track road with passing places which was really really remote with nothing but heather and sheep for miles and miles. We'll upload some pictures but doubt if they can really convey the size of the landscape.
At Altnaharra we turned right and headed along the side of Loch Naver and a very pretty ride following the route of the river Naver all the way to the North coast at Bettyhill.
The final push to the B&B at Melvich was extremely hilly with a nasty side wind. Pete counted 3 hills but the cyclists think there was at least five. (you think they would be used to them by now!)
We found a pub called the Strathy Inn just a couple of miles up the road and guess what? Thursday night is curry night ;). Actually when we arrived we doubled the size of the crowd in the pub and that included the landlord and his wife! We had a very warm welcome and nice food so it was a good end to the day.
Under 40 miles to go now so the end is in site. (Bob says that he is retiring from bikes without an engine after tomorrow!)
This morning started bright with sunshine with the occasional showers but very windy. Fortunately the wind was from the West or South West so not directly in our faces.
We left our B&B lodgings and drove back to our finish point from yesterday near Alness.
It was decided to avoid the main road route using the A9 and head north on the B9176 towards Kinkardine and Bonar bridge. This was an excellent quiet road but quite hilly and lots of bends (think Top Gear road tests in Scotland and you'll get the picture).
We then continued to head north along a single track road with passing places which was really really remote with nothing but heather and sheep for miles and miles. We'll upload some pictures but doubt if they can really convey the size of the landscape.
At Altnaharra we turned right and headed along the side of Loch Naver and a very pretty ride following the route of the river Naver all the way to the North coast at Bettyhill.
The final push to the B&B at Melvich was extremely hilly with a nasty side wind. Pete counted 3 hills but the cyclists think there was at least five. (you think they would be used to them by now!)
We found a pub called the Strathy Inn just a couple of miles up the road and guess what? Thursday night is curry night ;). Actually when we arrived we doubled the size of the crowd in the pub and that included the landlord and his wife! We had a very warm welcome and nice food so it was a good end to the day.
Under 40 miles to go now so the end is in site. (Bob says that he is retiring from bikes without an engine after tomorrow!)
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Day Eleven - Fort William to Muir of Ord (West of Inverness)
Today's route can be found here.
We started the day from the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge where we had finished yesterday.
Occasional rain showers and a very blustery wind to start. At least it wasn't hammering down with rain as it had done in the middle of the night!
The first part of the route is downhill towards Loch Lochy and Invergarry. Then following the A82 north eastwards along the side of the lochs.
The guys made good time to Fort Agustus where they met a cyclist who had spent some time cycling around Ireland, was now spending a couple of weeks in Scotland before taking the ferry over to Denmark and heading back home to Lithuania! He had all of his camping kit with him and made our little jaunt with support seem very trivial!
Heading up the side of Loch Ness (keeping an eye out for Nessie) we made our lunch stop in Drumnadrochit and after looking at the maps and talking to another cyclist we decided to continue alongside Loch Ness all the way to Inverness and then see if we could push on to Alness some 20 miles further on.
When the team met up just before the North Kessock bridge it transpired that Karl may have been lucky enough to get a photo of Nessie so we will upload this to our Gallery along with some other recent shots for you to make your own minds up.
The side wind on the Kessock bridge was really hard work to cycle through having to lean the bikes into the wind just to stay in a straight line. The radio reports mentioned closures and restrictions on a number of major bridges in Scotland.
The A9 lived up to it's reputation of being very busy (we did reach it just around the evening rush hour though).
We eventually made it to our planned stop at Alness and managed to load the bikes onto the car just before a major rain storm which lasted until we reached our B&B accommodation at Muir of Ord.
We started the day from the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge where we had finished yesterday.
Occasional rain showers and a very blustery wind to start. At least it wasn't hammering down with rain as it had done in the middle of the night!
The first part of the route is downhill towards Loch Lochy and Invergarry. Then following the A82 north eastwards along the side of the lochs.
The guys made good time to Fort Agustus where they met a cyclist who had spent some time cycling around Ireland, was now spending a couple of weeks in Scotland before taking the ferry over to Denmark and heading back home to Lithuania! He had all of his camping kit with him and made our little jaunt with support seem very trivial!
Heading up the side of Loch Ness (keeping an eye out for Nessie) we made our lunch stop in Drumnadrochit and after looking at the maps and talking to another cyclist we decided to continue alongside Loch Ness all the way to Inverness and then see if we could push on to Alness some 20 miles further on.
When the team met up just before the North Kessock bridge it transpired that Karl may have been lucky enough to get a photo of Nessie so we will upload this to our Gallery along with some other recent shots for you to make your own minds up.
The side wind on the Kessock bridge was really hard work to cycle through having to lean the bikes into the wind just to stay in a straight line. The radio reports mentioned closures and restrictions on a number of major bridges in Scotland.
The A9 lived up to it's reputation of being very busy (we did reach it just around the evening rush hour though).
We eventually made it to our planned stop at Alness and managed to load the bikes onto the car just before a major rain storm which lasted until we reached our B&B accommodation at Muir of Ord.
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Day Ten - Crianlarich to Fort William
Details of today's route can be found here.
Today dawned cloudy but thankfully dry. The road surfaces towards Fort William are a definite improvement on yesterday and all this cycling seems to be paying off as Bob says that the hills seem more rideable. (He must be feeling fitter!)
The cloud got lower as the day went on and it was definitely feeling colder in the wind. The clouds were obscuring the tops of the mountains but the scenery was impressive none the less.
In the excitement of reaching a 'Welcome to the Highlands' sign Karl started the guys on an impromptu highland dance much to the amusement of passing traffic!
There were intermittent rain showers during the afternoon but the team made good time to Fort William so decided to push on another ten miles and cycle the hill up to Spean Bridge and the Commando monument. It certainly was a sobering moment to view the memorial garden with many current entries.
Whilst we were loading the bikes onto the car to drive to the B&B back in Fort William (I really don't know why they didn't cycle back ;) ) a guy from one of the visiting coaches asked if he could make a donation to the charity we are supporting and gave us a Scottish £20 note. What a really nice chap!
All this high speed riding has burned out Karl's other tyre now so we headed back to the bike shop in the town for two brand new tyres so that he could finish the trip confidently.
Karl spent a happy 30 minutes in the rain fitting his new tyres before we sorted ourselves out at the B&B and went in search of dinner.
Still on track to arrive at John O'Groats on Friday all things being well.
Today dawned cloudy but thankfully dry. The road surfaces towards Fort William are a definite improvement on yesterday and all this cycling seems to be paying off as Bob says that the hills seem more rideable. (He must be feeling fitter!)
The cloud got lower as the day went on and it was definitely feeling colder in the wind. The clouds were obscuring the tops of the mountains but the scenery was impressive none the less.
In the excitement of reaching a 'Welcome to the Highlands' sign Karl started the guys on an impromptu highland dance much to the amusement of passing traffic!
There were intermittent rain showers during the afternoon but the team made good time to Fort William so decided to push on another ten miles and cycle the hill up to Spean Bridge and the Commando monument. It certainly was a sobering moment to view the memorial garden with many current entries.
Whilst we were loading the bikes onto the car to drive to the B&B back in Fort William (I really don't know why they didn't cycle back ;) ) a guy from one of the visiting coaches asked if he could make a donation to the charity we are supporting and gave us a Scottish £20 note. What a really nice chap!
All this high speed riding has burned out Karl's other tyre now so we headed back to the bike shop in the town for two brand new tyres so that he could finish the trip confidently.
Karl spent a happy 30 minutes in the rain fitting his new tyres before we sorted ourselves out at the B&B and went in search of dinner.
Still on track to arrive at John O'Groats on Friday all things being well.
Day Nine - Glasgow to Crianlarich
Today's route can be found here.
Today started windy and wet and just kept raining! We left Glasgow and headed into the area known as Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. The plan for today was basically to follow the A82 up the side of Loch Lomond and get as far as we could.
In the end after two punctures on Karl's front wheel we discovered that his front tyre was deformed (he must have been riding too fast ;) ). (Yes, we did use the wheel which you lent to us, Pete! - Thank you Mr Penwarden!).
Lunch courtesy of Greggs the bakers was had sheltering from the rain under some nearby trees at the village of Tarbet situated on the edge of Loch Lomond.
We had decided to look for accommodation near Crianlarich and then see how far we felt like cycling. All of the B&B's were full and the only option was a shed with three sets of bunks in it which the pub laughingly called it's 'Bunkhouse'. In the end we decided to send Karl into the posh hotel in the village looking like a drowned rat. Result! One family room and extra bedding for the same cost as the 'bunkhouse'.
Tomorrow is forecast to be better weather so the plan is to head to Fort William (or further if Pete can get the guys out of their room and on the road early enough).
Scotland is big and wet! Very wet!
Today started windy and wet and just kept raining! We left Glasgow and headed into the area known as Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. The plan for today was basically to follow the A82 up the side of Loch Lomond and get as far as we could.
In the end after two punctures on Karl's front wheel we discovered that his front tyre was deformed (he must have been riding too fast ;) ). (Yes, we did use the wheel which you lent to us, Pete! - Thank you Mr Penwarden!).
Lunch courtesy of Greggs the bakers was had sheltering from the rain under some nearby trees at the village of Tarbet situated on the edge of Loch Lomond.
We had decided to look for accommodation near Crianlarich and then see how far we felt like cycling. All of the B&B's were full and the only option was a shed with three sets of bunks in it which the pub laughingly called it's 'Bunkhouse'. In the end we decided to send Karl into the posh hotel in the village looking like a drowned rat. Result! One family room and extra bedding for the same cost as the 'bunkhouse'.
Tomorrow is forecast to be better weather so the plan is to head to Fort William (or further if Pete can get the guys out of their room and on the road early enough).
Scotland is big and wet! Very wet!
Monday, 16 May 2011
Day Eight - Carlisle to Glasgow
Today's route can be seen here.
Sunday morning dawned overcast and trying to rain. The outside temperature was 10 degrees but fortunately only a light breeze. As the guys got kitted out and left Sue's Mum and Dad's house it started to rain, so extra layers and rubber pants were in evidence.
Weather permitting a long day of cycling is planned today so we were all thankful for the good nights sleep courtesy of Sue's parents last night.
After about 45 minutes or so the rain eased off to just occasional light showers. Team Monday entered Scotland and continued towards Glasgow on the B7076 which shadows the route of the A74(M).
Bob had our first puncture in several days. Unlucky as the roads are pretty good at the moment. A quick tube change and onwards. Pete can patch the tube whilst the guys continue onwards.
Lunch outside Annadale services. (Morrisons French stick sarnies and a shared hot chocolate) and then on again. Just as they were leaving Trudy noticed that her tyre was flat (only at the bottom though) so it was on with a replacement tube and business as usual.
The feature of the afternoon was a strong headwind, taking our 10 degrees down to more like 5. Persistent intermittent rain and poor road surfaces (making Bristol's roads look like a bowling green) - Bob is thinking of writing to Sustrans to complain! After all, a cycle track should be more than just a white line on the road! After such a tough day, we were pleasantly surprised to realize that we had achieved in excess of 100 miles in one day! (Good job we brought the bike lights!).
Rain forecast for tomorrow We plan to head along the side of Loch Lomond and into the Highlands.
Sunday morning dawned overcast and trying to rain. The outside temperature was 10 degrees but fortunately only a light breeze. As the guys got kitted out and left Sue's Mum and Dad's house it started to rain, so extra layers and rubber pants were in evidence.
Weather permitting a long day of cycling is planned today so we were all thankful for the good nights sleep courtesy of Sue's parents last night.
After about 45 minutes or so the rain eased off to just occasional light showers. Team Monday entered Scotland and continued towards Glasgow on the B7076 which shadows the route of the A74(M).
Bob had our first puncture in several days. Unlucky as the roads are pretty good at the moment. A quick tube change and onwards. Pete can patch the tube whilst the guys continue onwards.
Lunch outside Annadale services. (Morrisons French stick sarnies and a shared hot chocolate) and then on again. Just as they were leaving Trudy noticed that her tyre was flat (only at the bottom though) so it was on with a replacement tube and business as usual.
The feature of the afternoon was a strong headwind, taking our 10 degrees down to more like 5. Persistent intermittent rain and poor road surfaces (making Bristol's roads look like a bowling green) - Bob is thinking of writing to Sustrans to complain! After all, a cycle track should be more than just a white line on the road! After such a tough day, we were pleasantly surprised to realize that we had achieved in excess of 100 miles in one day! (Good job we brought the bike lights!).
Rain forecast for tomorrow We plan to head along the side of Loch Lomond and into the Highlands.
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Day Seven - Lancaster to Carlisle
Today's route can be found here.
After another full English breakfast we set off in good form whilst it wasn't raining! We reached Kendal with no problems, however, wondering where our support car had got to for topping up our supplies, we learnt that he was running late due to having been locked in at the B&B by mistake! He'd been engrossed in updating our blog, and the owners had forgotten he was there and ended up going out and locking all the doors behind them! After a hunt for an appropriate key, a safe escape was made!
We climbed numerous challenging inclines en route to Shap... Highest climb was almost 1400 feet in one go! It was very windy (north westerly) which meant even harder cycling, and it was bitterly cold too. Our reward after the tough climbing, apart from lunch, was some much deserved Kendal Mint Cake! Bring on those calories!
Further hills en route to Carlisle were made even more tiring as the north westerly cold wind continued. A hot cup of tea was welcomed on arrival at Sue's mum and Dad's house in Carlisle - thank you for making us feel so welcome!
After another full English breakfast we set off in good form whilst it wasn't raining! We reached Kendal with no problems, however, wondering where our support car had got to for topping up our supplies, we learnt that he was running late due to having been locked in at the B&B by mistake! He'd been engrossed in updating our blog, and the owners had forgotten he was there and ended up going out and locking all the doors behind them! After a hunt for an appropriate key, a safe escape was made!
We climbed numerous challenging inclines en route to Shap... Highest climb was almost 1400 feet in one go! It was very windy (north westerly) which meant even harder cycling, and it was bitterly cold too. Our reward after the tough climbing, apart from lunch, was some much deserved Kendal Mint Cake! Bring on those calories!
Further hills en route to Carlisle were made even more tiring as the north westerly cold wind continued. A hot cup of tea was welcomed on arrival at Sue's mum and Dad's house in Carlisle - thank you for making us feel so welcome!
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