End to End (in a year, mostly at the weekend!)

Premise

The frustration and stress of 2020 lockdown. My cycling consisted exclusively of routes within a twenty mile radius of St Albans and one trip out from my parents I wanted to get out and do some proper cycle touring. I had enjoyed watching hours of cycle touring videos on Youtube and wanted to do the same, but with comfy B&Bs rather than camping!

In 2021 I did some serious miles including going from west coast to east coast in four different places. In 2022 I decided to try and do Lands End to John O' Groats, but staying close to the east coast where possible. I also couldnt spare the holiday to do the whole thing in one tour as I had in 2017.

The route

The rides (in geographical order)

Lands End to St Germans

• 

  Catching the newly opened Elizabeth Line

  2022-06-10,  108 miles,  3100m climbing, Road bike
• Day one of my Lands End to Bournemouth ride (day 2 had to wait until October, read on)
• Sleeper from Paddington to Penzance 
• High point: Views of atlantic breakers crashing onto the rocky shore at Lands End.
• Low point: Not knowing where I was going in the pitch black of a Cornish night after 14 hours on the bike.
• Solo

This was by far the toughest ride I did all year.

It was a very long week at work, finished at 4am on Wednesday morning and well after midnight on every other day other than the Thursday when I caught the train. The fun didnt stop there as I had several calls through the night and even a couple whilst I was on the ride.

After a damp start ed Penzance station cycled the ten miles to Lands End where the sun came out. Lands End itself was very quiet. I had a couple of quiet minutes to take in the truly amazing rugged coast and massive atlantic breakers. No way I was paying £14 or whatever it was to have my picture taken by the famous signpost and I was on my way back to Penzance via a different route which hugged the southern coastline. I had my first taste of the challenges to come as the road dipped and climbed at 15%. I tried to take it slowly and actually walked a short section to try and preserve my legs.

After a couple of hours I found myself back in Penzance and heading north west away from the sea. The next fifteen miles were pretty straight forward as the route headed towards the northern side of the peninsula. There was a classic sustrans moment where the road turned into gravel track, and then quickly into a narrow, muddy footpath running alongside a field up a hill. My bike has pretty 28mm tyres but it was not in its element. 

After passing close to St Ives, my route, follow NCN 3 heading inland, and up. I cycled through the old mining areas which had some brutal climbs. My long week at work started to take its toll and by the fifty mile point, I was feeling pretty tired.

The Atlantic!

After reaching the highest point of the day (but far from the last ascent) my route took my down back to the south side and the first of two ferry crossings at Trellissick. From here on in the ride fell into a pattern of rapid descents followed immediately by steep climbs. Typical west coast coastal cycling but man, it hurt.

When I reached Pendower, I was startled to find the road and then the path totally disappear into a beach. I stopped for an ice cream and a chat with a fellow cycle tourer and wished that this was my end point for the day. 

I was tired and behind schedule but notd` worryingly so at Fowey where I made the second ferry crossing of the day. The scenery was fantastic but the climb on the far bank came close to breaking me. 

NCN 2 routes via a, beach...

Ten miles and 300 metres of climbing later I dragged myself into Looe where I got some sugary food before what I hoped would be the last push to the evenings accommodation. 

As I pulled to the top of the insane climb out of Looe everything went wrong. At the time I blamed my GPS but it turned out I had uncharacteristically messed up the route at the planning stage. Instead of picking up the road I expected, I was directed down a back street, then along a footbath and then down a very long, steep flight of stone steps back down to the sea and a private beach. I had run out of energy, was in quite a lot of pain and was quite obviously on the wrong route. 

In the evening light, the GPS cheerfully directed me up an incredibly steep footpath climbing back up the cliff. There was no way I could do this on the bike so I turned around. Then things got really bad. My Wahoo, which has always so reliable I had become complacent, ran out of battery. I got my phone out. Worse news, the Wahoo had drained the battery on that too (it seems to do this a lot when coverage is poor). Usually I have a back up battery and a paper map but in the rush of the mad week, had neglected to bring either. It dawned on me that not only did I have only the vaguest idea of where I should be riding, I didnt have any way of warning my accommodation I would be late. The sun was going down, I didnt know where I was headed and was physically wrecked. I was getting a little worried. I asked some old ladies whether they knew the way to the village I was staying in (I knew the address). The had never heard of it despite being locals. They knew the larger village I remembered being near to where I was staying but ominously thought it was 'miles and miles away'. They passed me a few minutes later as I ground my way up the hill away from the coast and gave me a cheery goodbye. 

One of the two ferries of the day

I picked up the main road I knew was heading in the right direction and set off. I was totally beat by this point and very concerned I wouldnt be able to locate where I was staying. It wasnt too cold but it wasnt warm enough sleeping rough. The very serious prospect of an utterly miserable night sleeping in a field was seriously worrying me now. I was utterly spent, very hungry and thirsty.

I passed several places to stay but they were all booked up. Even more worrying, since I figured I must be within five miles (which still seemed like an insurmountable distance at this stage) nobody had heard of the pub I was staying in. One publican gave me directions to a pub that might have heard of the pub I was actually trying to get to. Not encouraging. 

It was dark by this point and crawling along a winding A-road in rural Cornwall did not feel safe at all. Cars gave me a wide berth but I felt very exposed even with my lights full on.

Not quite road bike optimised cycle path

Eventually I came to a pub, not the one I was looking for but the one that 'might' have heard of the pub I was aiming for. It was heaving busy and I could barely drag myself into the bar at this point. To my utter relief, one of the people at the bar had heard of where I was staying. The directions were a bit worrying and they mentioned that the pub wasnt in the village I was aiming for, more like on the other side. They thought I still had about five miles to go which sounded like five hundred to me. It was actually more like three miles which was far enough!

The words slowest bike ride continued until, until the pitch black I realised I had passed a right hand turn. It felt awful to go back even a few metres but I turned around and shone my headlight at the road sign. Success! Crafthole (odd name!) was on this side road. One more epic hill and I was in the village and then through it. I had no idea what I was about to find since I was about four hours later than last check in!

I arrived at another sign which upon inspection with the now flashing low battery headlight turned out to be my location. I was so happy! I scooted down a sharp drop to a very fancy farm / pub complex which was utterly dark. I got off my bike and tried a door which sort of looked like it might be the way in. I entered a dark hallway and met a surprised looking hotel owner!

I was saved! The family running the small hotel were so so helpful and sympathetic. After a pint of lemonade they showed me to my room. Such a relief. I plugged in my phone and received a deluge of texts from my wife whom had worked her way through worry, then panic, then grief and eventually acceptance of my certain demise and then into a near panic about hosting relatives for the funeral. She seemed more relieved she didnt have to arrange the post-funeral buffet than anything else.

After assuring my family I wasnt dead I tried to get up off the floor because my short charging cable meant I could only use the phone with my head about 10cm from the floor. The worst cramp I can remember kicked off. I had to bite down on the corner of the duvet to stuffle my screams and desperately massage my leg muscles which were spasming uncontrollably. It took me forty minutes to get off that bloody floor and I spent the whole night trying to not to set it off again.

The last miserable ten miles had taken over an hour to cover. One hundred and seven miles and a massive three thousands metres of climbing in total since I had left Penzance fourteen hours before!

I was supposed to be cycling another hundred miles and similar level of ascent the next day. I knew this wasnt going to be possible. I skipped the next stage and caught the train to Axminster ready to complete day three. I had to wait until over four months until I was able to come back and complete the missing stage in mid-October.

St Germans on a hot June morning as I bail and catch the train

St Germans to Buckfastleigh

St Germans on a damp October morning as I return to deal with unfinished business

High point: The little ferry at Cawsand (or maybe the warm cabin on the sleeper)

Low point: The unmistakable fizzing of a slow puncture in the rain

2022-10-14,  33 miles,  1,099m climbing, Brompton

A three day trip in October to go back a fill in the 100 mile long gap I left between St Germans near Plymouth and Axminster in the summer (see Lands End to Plymouth). I had arranged trip as I was recovering from COVID and my confidence in being able to do any sort of distance was low, hence three days.

Sleeper to Liskeard and then train to St Germans (in vain attempt to kill some time before dawn).

Solo.

I arrived at the familiar St Germans station I had left in June just after dawn in fog and pouring rain. Some small boys were sampling apples from a huge box on the platform and comparing the relative merits of different varieties with great enthusiasm. I headed off into the painfully undulating hills I remembered all too well from my trip in June. The weather was appalling and I could hardly see where I was going and the back roads were deep in debris, which I had cause to regret later. Tough going for the first nine miles up and down sharp hills and I had to resort to pushing the Brompton almost immediately. 

I got to Cawsands which looked beautiful, even in the pouring rain and mist. After a short wait a small ferry pulled up at the beach (the tide was out). I had to very carefully walk up a very narrow gangplank whilst dangling the Brompton in the air to one side.

As I re-assembled the bike on the pier I heard a nasty fizzing sound from the front tyre. Tyre felt okay but I knew I was kidding myself. I was freezing cold, tired and wet and now I had to change a Brompton tyre in the rain. I did the only sensible thing and had a massive second breakfast, full on English this time. After breakfast I confirmed that the tyre was softer but certainly not flat so decided to ride onto Buckfastleigh with a slow puncture which I would top up.

The weather and my concern about my tyre was a distraction but it was a very pleasant route after Plymouth, slowly climbing up through Ivybridge to the edge of Dartmoor and Buckfastleigh. Hill climbing on the Brompton with a heavy front pack is something I seem to be getter worse at (blame COVID and lockdown weight gain) so I managed a pitiful average speed of only 8mph. This is pretty funny because I was only a little bit slower in June on my nightmare ride in the dark last time I was in in the South West.

I got to Buckfastleigh after a slow, damp but other than a couple of tyre top ups, uneventful ride. 

I was staying in a pub which was okayish but predictably noisy until 1am. I carefully changed the front tyre's inner tube in my room (careful to avoid getting any oil or grease on the carpet). The front tyre had a massive slash in it, presumably from some of that debris on the road in the first nine miles. The inner tube itself was just grazed, hence the very slow leak. 

Buckfastleigh to Exmouth

• 2022-10-15,  29 miles,  814m climbing, Brompton
• High point: Climbing up onto the edge of Dartmoor (no pushing!) 
• Low point: Crappy B&B
• A three day trip in October to go back a fill in the 100 mile long gap I left between St Germans near Plymouth and Axminster in the summer (see Lands End to Plymouth). I had arranged trip as I was recovering from COVID and my confidence in being able to do any sort of distance was low, hence three days.
• Started in Buckfastleigh where had stayed night before.
• Solo.

Reasonably civilised start time because it doesnt get light that early, I wanted to have a proper breakfast and did not want to arrive to early on the other end. 

This was a pretty great ride. The climbing started straight away and continued to get steeper for the first five miles. The road was pretty quiet and surrounded by beautiful woodlands at I climbed up to towards the moor. It felt more like early spring than autumn. 

After a great ride upto Bovey Tracey I then followed a couple a decent cycle trails which had some excellent traffic free sections. After a pleasant ten miles of downhill and dead flat sections I started climbing again above Teignmouth. After doing a three mile climb, there was then a very fair three mile descent followed by another couple of flat miles along the coast until I got to the last ferry of this trip at Starcross. The ferryman made some disparaging comment about my 'toy bike'. Unfortunately, although the Brompton might look like something a child might ride, it weighs far more than any other of my bikes. Add the 15kg pack to that and you have to put some effort into getting this toy onto the roof of your ferry! I took the pack off and folded up the bike.

To kill some time as I was too early for the B&B I had a very expensive fish and chip lunch which kept me going until lunch the next day!

Exmouth to Axminster

High point: The sea at Sidmouth

Low point: The climb out of Sidmouth!

2022-10-16,  29.7 miles,  856m climbing, Brompton

A three day trip in October to go back a fill in the 100 mile long gap I left between St Germans near Plymouth and Axminster in the summer (see Lands End to Plymouth). I had arranged trip as I was recovering from COVID and my confidence in being able to do any sort of distance was low, hence three days.

Started in Exmouth where had stayed night before.

Solo.

Early start just before dawn after a cereal bar for breakfast. Another day, another climb! A gradual climb with some beautiful views of the dawn until just before Sidmouth and then it was down a very sharp ascent down to the sea.  The sea and cliffs at Sidmouth were spectacular in the early morning light so I had to stop for some photographs. The climb out of Sidmouth quickly erased all those pleasant feelings. Just over half a mile long but with sections topping out at 17% the Brompton and I were out of our element!

After Sidmouth there were some beautiful rolling wooded valleys with the occasional nasty short climb. It was great cycling. As I approached Axminster I recognised the road from the summer trip as it wound through the Axe valley surrounded by steep, heavily wooded, hills. I made a meal of the final hill that I remembered flying down going the other way in the summer. Quick visit to a garage for a water top up and the closet they had to (sort of second) breakfast before I finally pulled into Axminster station for the long train ride back to London.

Axminster to Bournemouth

High point: Climb up to and view from the Hardy Monument 

Low point: Long, crowded train home

2022-06-12,  79 miles,  1331m climbing, Road bike

Day three of my Lands End to Bournemouth ride (day 2 proved too much until October)

Started near to Axminster where had stayed night before.

Solo.

This was supposed to be an epic three day ride but day 1 was so tough (see Lands Ends to Plymouth) I had to skip a section and train to Axminster where I stayed in a B&B. I was up very early to take advantage of quiet roads and the best part of the day so was on my bike by 05:45. My legs were still very sore from day 1 so I was very apprehensive about the two climbs I had to do.

After some gentle undulations the first climb up to Monkton Wyld on NCN2 was very gradual, so much so that I wasn't convinced I was actually doing the ascent until I hurtled down the much sharper route down the other side. It was perfectly quiet and the rolling hills and heavily wooded valleys as I entered Dorset were amazing. It was dry and bright but cold in the early light. Perfect.

After the first big hill the NCN2 route followed a undulating route along quiet roads through the woods until we came to the second climb that I was quite nervous about. The climb up to Black Down and the Hardy Monument was initially very steep and I had to walk for a few hundred metres but then it settled down into something even my wrecked legs could manage. The views as I climbed were fantastic as the whole south coast spread out before me. I saw several weasels chasing rabbits as I approached the top and one weasel being blocked by a mother rabbit as it stalked her babies. The view from the top was spectacular across Lyme Bay and down to Chesil Beach and Portland Bill. I stopped for a drink before starting the rapid decent down to Dorchester.

After Dorchester it was sort of down hill all the way and getting busier all the time. I started to see more and more cyclists and even small peletons the closer I got to Poole. I stopped for a very pleasant late breakfast at The Walled Garden in Moreton and ended up chatting to other cyclists out for their Sunday ride.

After breakfast I pushed on east, leaving NCN 2 at Stoborough to go around the north side of Poole Harbour. I think originally I was concerned that I would be pressed for time and waiting for the ferry at Sandbanks was a luxury I couldnt afford. As it was, I was well ahead of schedule and could have made this very interesting detour.

Bournemouth had a couple of sharp climbs and dips before I finally pulled into the station and started a fairly tedious and uncomfortable (and expensive!) journey back to Waterloo.

Bournemouth to Ryde

High point: Ferry crossing to Yarmouth 

Low point: Cowes, unfriendly place!

2022-01-29,  45 miles,  670m climbing, Brompton

Two day trip from Bournemouth to Brighton via the IoW

Trained it down to Bournemouth first thing Saturday morning.

Solo.

Trained down to Bournemouth and pleasant cycle down to Lymington where I caught the ferry. Bit surprised there were lads on a booze cruise weekend on the ferry, arsing around and being loud. Saw some spoonbills in the harbour. 

Yarmouth to Cowes was very nice. Quiet roads through rolling countryside. Cowes was a dump. Last push to Ryde. Lots of faded Victorian splendor on the IoW.

Ryde to Brighton

High point: NCN 2 keeps you very close to the sea, almost on the beach 

Low point: Very crowded, even on a cold January morning

2022-01-30,  59 miles,  174m climbing, Brompton

Two day trip from Bournemouth to Brighton via the IoW

Started at Ryde where had stayed night before.

Solo.

Ferry from Ryde across to Portsmouth and then a long day on the Brompton following the excellent NCN 2 along the coast. Very busy.

Brighton to Dover

High point: Hard to call, so many great sections, maybe clear views of France? 

Low point: Super busy on train back and no real provision for bikes on South Eastern.

2022-08-27,  95 miles,  1126m climbing, Road bike

Single day long ride

Got the 04:25 from St Albans to Brighton

Solo.

Dover to Canterbury

High point:  Views across the channel 

Low point: That climb as soon as you get out of the station was a nasty wake up call to my loss of fitness post-COVID.

2022-08-05,  33 miles,  360m climbing, Brompton

Short post-COVID ride, first of two days across Kent

Reasonably early train from St Pancras down to Dover

Solo.

Canterbury to Strood

High point:  Views across salt marshes in early light 

Low point: Road closures that required detour thru field

2022-08-06,  41 miles,  501m climbing, Brompton

Short post-COVID ride, first of two days across Kent

Started at Canterbury where stayed night before

Solo.

London to Strood

High point:  Going from dawn in the heart of the city of London to wide open thames estuary in just over an hour 

Low point: Having to retrace my steps and fight through brambles when path totally closed with no warning

2022-08-12,  43 miles,  340m climbing, Brompton

Short post-COVID ride, first of two days across Kent

Train at half six in the morning down to Blackfrairs. One of the few sections I did in the 'wrong' direction.

Solo.

[St Albans to London]
Ely to St Albans

High point: Ely Cathedral or maybe the rapid pace through the flat lands 

Low point: Realising I had over cooked it in the last few miles

2022-05-08,  83 miles,  760m climbing, Road bike

Impromptu single day ride post epic Scottish trip (was feeling a bit down about not cycling) 

Cycled to Welwyn early one Sunday morning and caught the first train to Ely.

Solo.

Ely to Boston

High point: The many cathedrals 

Low point: Some of those towns are rough! 

2022-05-21,  62 miles,  67m climbing (yes, little more than one metre climbed for every mile cycled, have seen steeper pancakes), Brompton

Part of two day trip from Ely Cathedral to Lincoln Cathedral 

Cycled to Hatfield early one Sunday morning and caught the first train to Ely.

Solo.

A different country

Flat

Agricultural

Rough looking towns

Big brown rivers

Pretty perfect for Brompton touring!

Boston to Lincoln

High point: Riding along the River Witham or maybe peregrine falcons at Lincoln Cathedral 

Low point: Some of those towns are rough! 

2022-05-22,  35 miles,  107m climbing, Brompton

Part of two day trip from Ely Cathedral to Lincoln Cathedral 

Started in Boston where had stayed night before. Trained it back from Lincoln.

Solo.

Another flat day

Lots of traffic free trails along massive river

Thought I was in the Netherlands

Lincoln to Hull

High point: Several, great roads, the Humber Bridge, cracking brunch at cafe 

Low point: Infamous back wheel Brompton puncture 

2022-08-21,  50 miles,  441m climbing, Brompton

Part of two day trip from Lincoln York 

Trained it up to Lincoln on Friday night, stayed in B&B

Solo.

Roads in north Lincolnshire surprised me, smooth, fast and quiet

Top notch bruschetta brunch at the March Hare in Market Rasen

Crossed the Humber Bridge accompanied by charity walkers singing YMCA

Saw the bit of the bridge I had seen hanging by a thread forty years before

Paid what felt like a small fortune to stay in a very sweaty hotel in an industrial estate.

Hull to York

High point: View across the Humber from Elloughton Hill 

Low point: Not being able to find anywhere to buy breakfast until almost in York

2022-08-20,  41 miles,  312m climbing, Brompton

Part of two day trip from Lincoln York 

Stayed in Hull overnight, trained it back from York

Solo.

Rubbish hotel consistently rubbish, in house starbucks not open as advertised for breakfast and they wanted 20 quid for what I suspect would be a mediocre full English I didnt want.

Amazing views across the Humber after short climb

Very pretty villages west of Hull

York always a joy, sat by river and enjoyed an ice cream

First class back from York :) 

York to Darlington

High point: Riding through fields of spring flowers at York

Low point: Realising that summer hadnt quite reached York and I was woefully underdressed

2022-05-28,  62 miles,  367m climbing, Brompton

Part of two day trip from York to Newcastle

Train before 6am on Saturday morning to York

Solo.

Great riding on the cycle path along the Ouse flood plain, surrounded by yellow flowers.

Great breakfast at the Holly Cottage Farm cafe in Tollerton. Super friendly proprietors and clientele. Procession of animals including a friendly half blind dog, a cat and a pet owl.

Nice to be cycling through the North Yorks countryside back to where I grew up.

Darlington to Newcastle

High point: Darlington at 05:30am.

Low point: Cold and wet in the rain. 

2022-05-29,  40 miles, 633m climbing, Brompton

Part of two day trip from York to Newcastle

Stayed overnight in Darlington and trained it back from Newcastle

Solo.

Great to cycle through Darlington before it woke up, went past my old schools and the house I grew up in.

Rural undulating roads north of Darlington. 

Up and down the hills past Durham, Great Lumley and Chester-le-street before hitting tyneside. Detoured past my grandparents old house.

Angel of the North.

Pain navigating the one way system in Newcastle.

Amble to Newcastle

High point: Riding along Druridge Bay

Low point: Overrunning engineering works resulting in an awful journey back

2022-09-11, 45 miles, 422m climbing, Road bike

One of the rides in the 'wrong' direction! Part of three day trip from Edinburgh to Newcastle

Stayed overnight in Amble and then (miserable) train journey back Newcastle.

With Dan!.

Set off from Amble very early and enjoyed quiet of the Northumbria coast before we hit the bustle of Tyneside.

Even the post-industrial sections were enjoyable.

Past the priory at Tynemouth down onto Hadrians way that I cycled in 2021.

Down into Newcastle where were slightly disconcerted to find the Great North Run was on but think we were on the train before finishers started making their way home.

Rotten journey back. 

Berwick to Amble

High point: Views of Holy Island

Low point: Not really a cycle path and deep mud on some sections between Berwick and Holy Island.

2022-09-10, 61 miles, 970m climbing, Road bike

One of the rides in the 'wrong' direction! Part of three day trip from Edinburgh to Newcastle

Stayed overnight in Berwick.

With Dan!

Very pleased to leave our terrible B&B at Berwick.

Nice ride down to the sea and then spectacular coastal ride slightly diminished by being suitable for a MTB only which meant you needed to concentrate on the ride not the views.

Great second breakfast / early lunch at Holy Island. Lots of OAPs having glasses of lager at 11am.

Lots of amazing castles but was feeling the distance by the end of it.

Amazing hotel in Amble and a great dinner.

Edinburgh to Berwick

High point: Cycling round Arthurs Seat

Low point: Tough day, strong headwind, cold, driving rain, awful B&B at the end of it

2022-09-09, 59 miles, 925m climbing, Road bike

One of the rides in the 'wrong' direction! Part of three day trip from Edinburgh to Newcastle

Sleeper to Edinburgh.

With Dan!

I was cold and wet last year when I did this section in reverse. Ah well. Least they have massively improved the cycle path around Dunbar. Some arse in a HGV was shouting abuse and blowing his horn in righteous indignation that we were cycling on the pavement. We weren't, it was a purpose built cycle path alongside a dual carriageway keeping us safe from wankers like him. What a dick.

Quite a lot of climbing in the nasty weather and I wasnt able to keep up with Dan.

Edinburgh to Pitlochry

High point: Crossing the Forth

Low point: Hard to think of one, special day

2022-04-28, 78 miles, 1421m climbing, Road bike

Part of four day trip from Edinburgh to John O'Groats

Sleeper to Edinburgh.

With Dan!

Amazing day at the start of a special trip.

Only time I think I managed to get a club class ticket on the sleeper this year.

Cycling through Edinburgh was okay, the cycle paths keep you away from traffic which is nice but also means you dont see much of the city.

Crossing the Forth was something special.

Slowly making our way from the central belt, through the moorlands until we could see mountains.

Fantastic fish and chips in Pitlochry.

Pitlochry to Conon Bridge

High point: Seeing the snow on the mountains as we climbed the pass of Drumochter 

Low point: Having an allergic reaction to my new wool buff 

2022-04-29, 102 miles, 1315m climbing, Road bike

Part of four day trip from Edinburgh to John O'Groats

Stayed overnight in Pitlochry, where we started.

With Dan!

Another amazing day riding firstly through the pass of Drumochter and then through Speyside and then over Slochd and down to Inverness. Across the Kessock bridge and then a miserable few miles to my parents with my throat so swollen from an allergic reaction I had to undo my chin strap and found it impossible to swallow. One antihistamine when I got to mum and dads then ten minutes later I was totally fine. 

Conon Bridge to Altnaharra

High point: Seven mile downhill to a warm reception at Altnaharra 

Low point: Shaking with cold at lunch 

2022-04-30, 63 miles, 886m climbing, Road bike

Part of four day trip from Edinburgh to John O'Groats

Stayed overnight at mum and dad's, where we started.

With Dan!

Superb day and amongst my favourites of this fantastic trip despite the weather. 

We went over Struie but the mist prevented any sort of a view. The downhill section on Struie with surface water and debris was 'special'.

Freezing cold and concerned nothing would actually be open we were overjoyed to get to the Pier in Lairg where I had the best soup and a sandwich I could ever remember

The long drag up from Lairg to the Crask Inn was tough but not too tough and kept us warm. The bike computer recorded five degrees in the pouring rain most of the day. Excellent finish with a seven mile downhill to Altnaharra where we experienced the warmest welcome I have every enjoyed the eponymous hotel.

Altnaharra to John O'Groats

High point: The ride through deserted glens from Alnatharra to the sea 

Low point: Miserable drudgery of lasy forty miles to John O'Groats 

2022-05-02, 82 miles, 1349m climbing, Road bike

Part of four day trip from Edinburgh to John O'Groats

Stayed overnight in Altnaharra, where we started.

With Dan!

Started great. The glens after Altnaharra were beautiful, the road quiet. 

Road to John O'Groats has a rotten surface, is boring and is too busy to enjoy. It shouldnt be but it is.