Our final day started with a steep climb for a couple of miles, a quick descent and then another climb. The first 10 miles took us 2 hours - would we ever make it? After a snack stop in Lybster at a beautiful harbour, we finally got some good miles done as the hills flattened out. We stopped for lunch just before Wick then had a final Tesco visit in Wick before heading off up to John O'Groats 15 miles north. In good weather we climbed the final hill and saw a stunning view of the Orkneys. We sailed down the hill into John O'Groats for the big finish at the famous sign post and signed our names in the big book in the pub.
It was all over at last - we are all very pleased with the achievement and glad not to be cycling again for a while...
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Monday, 17 August 2009
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Sunday 16th August - Inverness to Helmsdale (71 miles)
What an excellent day! We awoke to the usual cloudy skies and impeding rain. Breakfast was an excellent all-you-can-eat affair at our Premier Inn (which was really good too). Then we were off through an industrial estate and out over the Inverness estuary bridge and onto the Black Isle and along beautiful coast to Cromarty. Alas the ferry to Nigg, one mile away across the Cromarty Firth, had just broken down. Thankfully Barry and Pauline were there too, so we shipped us and the bikes over to the other side in the car (a big detour) and we faithfully started from the ferry ramp on the Nigg side.
We followed the A9 for a while, across Dornoch Firth Bridge (absolutely fantastic) and then took a detour over to Dornoch (beautiful) and saw a load of seals in Loch Fleet. All day the weather was generally good, the scenery fantastic and the cycling generally easy (apart from the last few miles when Hannah and I were very tired).
Helmsdale Youth Hostel is superb.
And so to bed... Last day tomorrow!
We followed the A9 for a while, across Dornoch Firth Bridge (absolutely fantastic) and then took a detour over to Dornoch (beautiful) and saw a load of seals in Loch Fleet. All day the weather was generally good, the scenery fantastic and the cycling generally easy (apart from the last few miles when Hannah and I were very tired).
Helmsdale Youth Hostel is superb.
And so to bed... Last day tomorrow!
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Sat August 15th - Glencoe to Inverness (85 miles)
We woke to grey skies and a light drizzle. After a good YHA breakfast, we set off into the rain, across the Balaculish bridge and along a fast road into Fort William. A good stop for buns followed, then a detour onto a cycle track and up to the Caledonian canal, passing Neptune's staircase of 9 locks on a good if a little bumpy track. After a few miles of track then about 5 of country lanes we then took a forest track which started off well and got increasingly steep and frustrating. Our speed dropped to little more than walking pace, but finally we emerged to rejoin the main road by one of several swing bridges. Here we met up with Barry and Pauline for a quick lunch break, then we were off up the A82 through Fort Augustus, past Urquhart Castle, and past many rainbows, deer and no Nessies whatsoever alongside Loch Ness. The cycling was excellent - fast and with fantastic views all day, of lochs and mountains.
Eventually we arrived in Inverness, stopping at Tesco's for provisions for dinner before getting to our Premier Inn for the night. A really good day - Adam's favourite of the trip so far despite the 85 miles (where does he get the energy from?).
Only two days to go!
Eventually we arrived in Inverness, stopping at Tesco's for provisions for dinner before getting to our Premier Inn for the night. A really good day - Adam's favourite of the trip so far despite the 85 miles (where does he get the energy from?).
Only two days to go!
Friday, 14 August 2009
Friday 14th August - Loch Lomond to Glencoe (66 miles)
What a day!
It started witha light drizzle then by lunchtime became a steady downpour.
The route hugged the shore of Loch Lomond on a great cycle path for 15 miles then along the A82 up to Crianlarich with lots of traffic. At Crianlarich we stopped at. Barry and Pauline's mobile picnic area (ie our car) for a quick lunch before we were off up the valley to Tyndrum then up further and finally down a long descent to Bridge of Orchy for a quick coffee. Here the weather got really wet, just in time for the clumb up to Rannoch Moor and then a dizzying descent into Glencoe. The youth hostel is great and it's dinner time now...
83 miles tomorrow - aaagh!
It started witha light drizzle then by lunchtime became a steady downpour.
The route hugged the shore of Loch Lomond on a great cycle path for 15 miles then along the A82 up to Crianlarich with lots of traffic. At Crianlarich we stopped at. Barry and Pauline's mobile picnic area (ie our car) for a quick lunch before we were off up the valley to Tyndrum then up further and finally down a long descent to Bridge of Orchy for a quick coffee. Here the weather got really wet, just in time for the clumb up to Rannoch Moor and then a dizzying descent into Glencoe. The youth hostel is great and it's dinner time now...
83 miles tomorrow - aaagh!
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Thu 13th August - New Lanark to Loch Lomond (55 miles)
We woke up to bright sunshine which was with us for most of the day. My knee had improved overnight thanks to a bandage strapping so we started off in pretty good spirits.
The first mile was steeply up hill so we pushed the bikes rather than stood on the pedals. There followed approx 10 miles of fast undulating road following the River Clyde through a number of pretty villages.
Soon we were entering the outskirts of the greater Glasgow conurbation, going through Hamilton (looked very pleasant), then Uddingston (fantastic bakery).
We then picked up the number 74 cycle path following closely to the Clyde as it snaked it's way past abandoned factories and wasteland and then finally right into Glasgow. We stopped for lunch from Tesco Express in Argyle St, eaten on the riverfront, then set off again along the cycle route (number 7 now) through estates and past shopping centres, then along a canal, and finally up through Dumbarton and along the banks of the River Leven (flows from Loch Lomond into the Clyde) up to our Youth Hostel, a beautiful castle-like place (see below) with views over the Loch and over to Ben Lomond. Dinner in the restaurant was excellent. Bed now - big (and expected to be wet) day tomorrow, along Loch Lomond and up to Crianlarich then over Rannoch Moor and down to Glencoe.
The first mile was steeply up hill so we pushed the bikes rather than stood on the pedals. There followed approx 10 miles of fast undulating road following the River Clyde through a number of pretty villages.
Soon we were entering the outskirts of the greater Glasgow conurbation, going through Hamilton (looked very pleasant), then Uddingston (fantastic bakery).
We then picked up the number 74 cycle path following closely to the Clyde as it snaked it's way past abandoned factories and wasteland and then finally right into Glasgow. We stopped for lunch from Tesco Express in Argyle St, eaten on the riverfront, then set off again along the cycle route (number 7 now) through estates and past shopping centres, then along a canal, and finally up through Dumbarton and along the banks of the River Leven (flows from Loch Lomond into the Clyde) up to our Youth Hostel, a beautiful castle-like place (see below) with views over the Loch and over to Ben Lomond. Dinner in the restaurant was excellent. Bed now - big (and expected to be wet) day tomorrow, along Loch Lomond and up to Crianlarich then over Rannoch Moor and down to Glencoe.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Wed 12th August - Gretna to New Lanark (69 miles)
A day of mixed weather and generally rather dull cycling, following the old A74 as it snaked it's way around the hills of Southern Scotland. A brief stop for coffee in Lockerbie, and a very late lunch in Crawford, were the main food highlights. The other excitement was provided by a shepherd expertly herding his sheep, and a lot of cows including some described to me by Adam as Chevrolets!
My right knee struggled all day but seemed to get no worse, which is ok as long as everyone else doesn't mind Hannah and I holding them all up - a magnificent average of 10 miles an hour today.
Tomorrow through Motherwell and right through Glasgow and out the other side, to Loch Lomond and the prospect of real hills the next day!
My right knee struggled all day but seemed to get no worse, which is ok as long as everyone else doesn't mind Hannah and I holding them all up - a magnificent average of 10 miles an hour today.
Tomorrow through Motherwell and right through Glasgow and out the other side, to Loch Lomond and the prospect of real hills the next day!
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Tuesday 11th August - Kendal to Gretna (57 miles)
After a typically huge youth hostel breakfast we set off on the climb of the day, 10 miles up hill to Shap summit at 1400ft. It was pretty hard work, but worth it for the 5 mile downhill at the other side down into Shap itself. It had been misty all the way up, but after the summit we past into warm sunshine. We stopped briefly in Shap to administer ibuprofen cream on Mike's knee which was very painful (more later).
After Shap we followed the A6 for the rest of the morning up to Penrith for lunch from a beautiful old grocers\deli shop. After another brief stop for more knee treatment on Mike's knee, Adam then heroically took the panniers from the tandem and set off, leaving Hannah and Mike blissfully without added weight. This meant that with Mike pedalling largely on one leg and Hannah pushing with all her might, they could just about keep up. The weather turned wet about 2pm, and was showery for the rest of the day, up to Carlisle (a bustling city with a goodlooking centre). After a horrendous few miles on the A7 out of Carlisle we then took a cycle path down farm lanes for the 5 miles into Longtown, then finally back onto the main road for a couple of miles up to our B&B, which is very comfortable, but alas just the English side of the border.
We rendevoused with Barry and Pauline who ferried Amanda into Gretna to find food - picnic in the room tonight...
Really into Scotland tomorrow - knee permitting!
After Shap we followed the A6 for the rest of the morning up to Penrith for lunch from a beautiful old grocers\deli shop. After another brief stop for more knee treatment on Mike's knee, Adam then heroically took the panniers from the tandem and set off, leaving Hannah and Mike blissfully without added weight. This meant that with Mike pedalling largely on one leg and Hannah pushing with all her might, they could just about keep up. The weather turned wet about 2pm, and was showery for the rest of the day, up to Carlisle (a bustling city with a goodlooking centre). After a horrendous few miles on the A7 out of Carlisle we then took a cycle path down farm lanes for the 5 miles into Longtown, then finally back onto the main road for a couple of miles up to our B&B, which is very comfortable, but alas just the English side of the border.
We rendevoused with Barry and Pauline who ferried Amanda into Gretna to find food - picnic in the room tonight...
Really into Scotland tomorrow - knee permitting!
Monday, 10 August 2009
Mon 10th August - Preston to Kendal, 55 miles
What to say about today - WET!!!
It rained constantly from 8am to about 1pm, during which time we got absolutely soaked.
I am sure on a good day the views over Morecambe Bay would have been fantastic - as it was we saw none of it.
There were some highlights though - meeting up with Amanda's parents in a rain-soaked wind-torn village for a cup of coffee and a warm-up in the car, plus an attempted fix of the tandem's bottom bracket. Barry and Pauline went into Lancaster in search of a tool to help fix it whilst we pedalled on northwards. Barry managed to administer a fix over the phone from the chap in a bike shop and the tandem was as good as new.
Next highlight was the rain stopping. By this time we were into Cumbria, and we found a fantastic tea shop for a late lunch (in Beetham) with great toasted tea cakes (see picture below).
Finally we got to Kendal Youth Hostel for a well-earned rest.
For those of you from Tesco, we also saw the Tesco train ("Less CO2" is the logo in Tesco style) travelling up to Scotland.
We also we past our half way point of the ride!
Tomorrow starts with a 1300feet climb up to Shap Fell. Joy! Then it's through Penrith and Carlisle and into Scotland at Gretna.
It rained constantly from 8am to about 1pm, during which time we got absolutely soaked.
I am sure on a good day the views over Morecambe Bay would have been fantastic - as it was we saw none of it.
There were some highlights though - meeting up with Amanda's parents in a rain-soaked wind-torn village for a cup of coffee and a warm-up in the car, plus an attempted fix of the tandem's bottom bracket. Barry and Pauline went into Lancaster in search of a tool to help fix it whilst we pedalled on northwards. Barry managed to administer a fix over the phone from the chap in a bike shop and the tandem was as good as new.
Next highlight was the rain stopping. By this time we were into Cumbria, and we found a fantastic tea shop for a late lunch (in Beetham) with great toasted tea cakes (see picture below).
Finally we got to Kendal Youth Hostel for a well-earned rest.
For those of you from Tesco, we also saw the Tesco train ("Less CO2" is the logo in Tesco style) travelling up to Scotland.
We also we past our half way point of the ride!
Tomorrow starts with a 1300feet climb up to Shap Fell. Joy! Then it's through Penrith and Carlisle and into Scotland at Gretna.
Sunday, 9 August 2009
Mon 10th Aug
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Sat Aug 8th - Chester to Preston (64 miles)
A very varied day.
We set off at 8.15, after another hearty YHA breakfast, first through Chester and then out on a canal towpath with more gates than necessary for a cycling route. We followed small lanes whilst playing "Just a Minute" then came across a calf who'd escaped from his field. With help from a passing motorist we got him back to his mooing mother.
We then descended through leafy suburbia, then to red brick terraces and into Tranmere to the ferry across the Mersey.
Whilst waiting for the ferry we saw a large fire start on the Liverpool side of the river - a photo sent to the BBC got them quite interested.
The ferry (running on one engine rather than two as one had just broken) took us over to Liverpool, with the skyline of the two cathedrals and the Liver building dominating the view. Getting off the ferry (bicycles last off please) we saw a large crowd outside the Liver Building, and stopped to see what was going on. A TV programme was being shot for James May's Toys - and there was James May, much to Adam's delight (a big Top Gear fan).
We set off through the run-down Liverpool streets on a dual carriageway, thankfully with little traffic, then via a few detours eventually out onto a bumpy path from Crosby to the outskirts of Southport. Here we followed the edge of the dunes, on a dutch-like cycle path alongside the road all the way onto the seafront at Southport (with no sea of course, it being out at the time - half a mile out).
After a frustrating cycle along the seafront cycle path avoiding sunbathers we stopped in Southport town centre at an excellent Tesco Express for provisions for a very late lunch at 3pm.
We then had twenty miles of cycling through fen-like lanes, past fields of salad vegetables more reminiscent of Holland or Cambridgeshire than Lancashire.
Finally we arrived in Preston, a dismal place, with a largely boarded-up town centre, and a huge Travelodge next to the prison (location, location, location!). The room is big enough for the four of us and our bikes thankfully.
Dinner was a combination of Travelodge bar meal and Lidl food. And so to bed - rest day tomorrow to go to a wedding party near Crewe. We're getting the train!
We set off at 8.15, after another hearty YHA breakfast, first through Chester and then out on a canal towpath with more gates than necessary for a cycling route. We followed small lanes whilst playing "Just a Minute" then came across a calf who'd escaped from his field. With help from a passing motorist we got him back to his mooing mother.
We then descended through leafy suburbia, then to red brick terraces and into Tranmere to the ferry across the Mersey.
Whilst waiting for the ferry we saw a large fire start on the Liverpool side of the river - a photo sent to the BBC got them quite interested.
The ferry (running on one engine rather than two as one had just broken) took us over to Liverpool, with the skyline of the two cathedrals and the Liver building dominating the view. Getting off the ferry (bicycles last off please) we saw a large crowd outside the Liver Building, and stopped to see what was going on. A TV programme was being shot for James May's Toys - and there was James May, much to Adam's delight (a big Top Gear fan).
We set off through the run-down Liverpool streets on a dual carriageway, thankfully with little traffic, then via a few detours eventually out onto a bumpy path from Crosby to the outskirts of Southport. Here we followed the edge of the dunes, on a dutch-like cycle path alongside the road all the way onto the seafront at Southport (with no sea of course, it being out at the time - half a mile out).
After a frustrating cycle along the seafront cycle path avoiding sunbathers we stopped in Southport town centre at an excellent Tesco Express for provisions for a very late lunch at 3pm.
We then had twenty miles of cycling through fen-like lanes, past fields of salad vegetables more reminiscent of Holland or Cambridgeshire than Lancashire.
Finally we arrived in Preston, a dismal place, with a largely boarded-up town centre, and a huge Travelodge next to the prison (location, location, location!). The room is big enough for the four of us and our bikes thankfully.
Dinner was a combination of Travelodge bar meal and Lidl food. And so to bed - rest day tomorrow to go to a wedding party near Crewe. We're getting the train!
Friday, 7 August 2009
Fri 7th August - Clun to Chester (71 miles)
Another good weather day, and thankfully no hills, so it was generally easy riding, on small back roads through the Shropshire and Cheshire countryside.
We stopped in Shrewsbury on the way, to get some running repairs to the tandem's rear wheel bearings (done at Stan Evans Cycle Shop - excellent).
Then we met up with Mike's Mum just North of Shrewsbury (she's on holliday there) for a well-earned snack and a rest, then ploughed on, stopping for a late lunch next to a mere (see below) and finally arriving in Chester, to stop at another bike shop (The Bike Factory, again excellent) for a check of Amanda's rear mech (now fixed) and a new seat for her bike too. Now at the youth hostel, an imposing building on the edge of the city, thankfully within walking distance of food...
Tomorrow - a ferry over the Mersey and a ride along the prom at Southport...!
We stopped in Shrewsbury on the way, to get some running repairs to the tandem's rear wheel bearings (done at Stan Evans Cycle Shop - excellent).
Then we met up with Mike's Mum just North of Shrewsbury (she's on holliday there) for a well-earned snack and a rest, then ploughed on, stopping for a late lunch next to a mere (see below) and finally arriving in Chester, to stop at another bike shop (The Bike Factory, again excellent) for a check of Amanda's rear mech (now fixed) and a new seat for her bike too. Now at the youth hostel, an imposing building on the edge of the city, thankfully within walking distance of food...
Tomorrow - a ferry over the Mersey and a ride along the prom at Southport...!
Thu 6th August - 74 miles
Severn Bridge to Clun.
Early start (at 7.20am), then off over the Severn Bridge - fantastic! We then travelled up through the edge of the Forest of Dean with commanding views of the Severn Estuary until a bun stop in Coleford. The weather was excellent all day - cool and partial sunshine.
After the heights of the Forest of Dean we plummetted down to Symonds Yat on the River Wye, then onto A roads for the rest of the day - thankfully not too busy ones.
We stopped in Hereford for provisions for lunch and travelled another 10 miles until Adam would let us eat it (we had to get to 50 miles before lunch). We were passed soon after by a couple on a tandem the same make as ours, doing LeJoG too! The were also going to Clun.
We arrived in Clun at 4.50, got provisions for tea from the single shop and garage, then found the youth hostel - a beautiful old mill, with a good 10 cyclists staying, including a couple of young lads from St Albans... Small world.
A good bike cleaning session either side of dinner, with the unpleasant discovery of bearing noise in Amanda's back wheel and the tandem. Noise is ok as long as the wheel keeps going around...
And so to bed.
Early start (at 7.20am), then off over the Severn Bridge - fantastic! We then travelled up through the edge of the Forest of Dean with commanding views of the Severn Estuary until a bun stop in Coleford. The weather was excellent all day - cool and partial sunshine.
After the heights of the Forest of Dean we plummetted down to Symonds Yat on the River Wye, then onto A roads for the rest of the day - thankfully not too busy ones.
We stopped in Hereford for provisions for lunch and travelled another 10 miles until Adam would let us eat it (we had to get to 50 miles before lunch). We were passed soon after by a couple on a tandem the same make as ours, doing LeJoG too! The were also going to Clun.
We arrived in Clun at 4.50, got provisions for tea from the single shop and garage, then found the youth hostel - a beautiful old mill, with a good 10 cyclists staying, including a couple of young lads from St Albans... Small world.
A good bike cleaning session either side of dinner, with the unpleasant discovery of bearing noise in Amanda's back wheel and the tandem. Noise is ok as long as the wheel keeps going around...
And so to bed.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Wed 5th August - 55 miles
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Tue 4th August - 67 miles from Okehampton to Bridgewater
Blimey - it still doesn't get any easier. Another soggy day, somewhat improved by driving down a closed A road for a couple of miles without any traffic, then a great bun shop in Crediton. We also had a trip to cyclists' mecca at The Bike Shed in Crediton where we bought new brake blocks to replace the ones used up on yesterday's hills - at the shop the chap offered us water for our bottles, a foot pump for our tyres and jaffa cakes too! We followed his directions to Tiverton along the Exe valley, for another great bakery for a late lunch. Then onto the grand western canal towpath for about 5 miles - lovely canal, muddy path. A few huge dual carriageway miles brought us to Taunton, around which we cycled unintentionally (past a Tesco Extra twice!). Finally, at 7pm we got to the joyous Travelodge at Bridgwater services on the M5. And so to food and bed.
Monday, 3 August 2009
Aug 3rd - summary of the day 49 miles to Okehampton
Wet
Hilly
Foggy
Nice cafe
Wet
Hilly
Wet
Tired
Food
Bed
Hilly
Foggy
Nice cafe
Wet
Hilly
Wet
Tired
Food
Bed
Sunday, 2 August 2009
Sun 2nd August - 57 miles of Cornish hills
Beautiful sea views and, more importantly hearty National Trust cream teas kept us going. When we got to the closed road at 50 miles the workman's instructions to "just go back up the hill to the top and turn left" were not welcome. However, we all stuck together and all made it to our destination. Huge pizza then bed...
Saturday, 1 August 2009
First day 19 miles
We set off at 7.15 as planned and both the car team (Mike, Adam, Barry and Pauline) and the train team (Hannah and Amanda) arrived in Penzance within two mins of each other at 2.30pm. A quick drive to the )outh Hostel and a change and we were off down to Land's End for the big photo at the start. Lots of other people were there, three of whom had just finished. We duly had our photos taken and set off in the beautiful afternoon sun back to Penzance. We said goodbye to Barry and Pauline and settled in to the youth hostel for much need food. 50+ miles tomorrow.
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