The Journal

Go to the link to see the full journal interposed with pictures.
link to journal pdf

Epilogue

1113 miles in 101 hours cycling plus quite afew feet - 75,000 or so. Cycled in 12.5 days in 3 sections with breaks between. Would I do it again - yes but not tomorrow. Highlights of the trip are the spectacular scenery in the lakes and the Scottish hills. Also the interesting paths along old railways and canals. Daily mileage was about right and it was good for the body to have to only do a maximum of six days on the trot. Choice of route was right for me very little on main roads and lots of cycle paths. These were slower but much more enjoyable. As I had planned my own route, I also included  some bits on farm tracks and bridle ways. These were generally hard and some too hard. Doing it on my own was probably a bit harder psychologically, but probably quicker as I only stopped when I wanted to. Doing it without a support vehicle was a bit tougher as I had to carry my own luggage but not too much of a disadvantage as my luggage was only 7 kilos including spare tubes, lights etc and the panniers. About the same as the weight i lost in training. The cycle way route was definitely longer and harder but also definitely worth doing. Bike was pretty much ok. I needed more hand positions which could be solved with bar ends. Injuries: sore knees - no real solution beyond less miles per day, sore bottom - should have used more cream and perhaps the cause was not wearing clean shorts on two occasions due to spares not drying overnight. Main injury was to my hands from the canal path vibration - more variation in handle bars needed. Let me know if you want more information and I would be up for doing at least part again, but I think next will be something different but similar - Lowestoft to St David's?
Finally thanks to all those who have donated, and encouraged me I think nearly £5,000 will have been raised, Alec and Shirley for sorting the website and meeting me on the way; Wallace for bringing my bike back and encouraging me along the way; Cheltenham Cycles for their helpful advice; Ben, Paul, and Wallace for the inspiration to do the trip; Bob, Lynne,Phil and Sue for putting me up, Phil, Sue, Catrina and Lynne for cycling with me but most of all to Helen for her understanding and support. ILYVM

Day 14

80 miles, 6350 feet in 6 hours 45 mins Plus 1 hour15 mins breaks. First a special mention to the B&B in Altnaharra. A great welcome with a cup of tea and unsolicited help offered to dry clothes, delicious cooked dinner and breakfast comfortable bed all for £30. The day started with a pretty and fast run along the loch and river - over14 miles in the first hour only small ups which you could power up no traffic to speak of. Then it got a bit tougher once the coast was reached, longer climbs but then some good descents on excellent road surfaces. Top speed for the trip of 43.6 mph reached. Got to Thurso in one piece. Booked into hotel and left my luggage for the final 20 miles to jog. Head wind meant a bit slow on some remarkably straight roads. Fuel for the final  2 hours purchased from petrol station - tuna sandwich, pack of jaffa cakes, 2 snickers all eaten by 3 quarter mark. Went to Duncansby Head considered the purists end then back to Jog harbour. This pretty dire reminiscent of Lands End. Loads of tourists taking photos and tatty gift shops.  Finished. Body creaking somewhat so summoned taxi to thurso. Need food and beer, more tomorrow by way of epilogue on train home.

Day 13

79 miles, 8750 feet in 6 hours 30 mins Plus pp 90 mins breaks. Great start to the day along the estuary North of Inverness. A minor road on which one car passed me in 30 mins.Then heavy rain for a couple of hours. Then another pleasant spell high above the Dornoch Forth. Great views and an exhilarating run down to lairg. Then phone packed up so no more photos. Then more rain for the final 21 miles. This was more or less dead straight gently rising up about 800 feet then an adrenalin rush down. That's the difference from Cornwall where the descents were hard work as they were so steep and the ascents were so much tougher. Here ascents not too shattering and downhill great. Warm welcome at the B&B in Altnaharra and phone now working but no signal. Breakfast tomorrow will have haggis and black pudding. A full Scottish breakfast is a full English breakfast plus one or more of black pudding, haggis, extra egg. 75 miles to go before back to normality, enjoying it so much that I will have to plan the next trip on return.

Day 12

94 miles in 7 hours 20 mins plus 2 hours stops and supposedly 9500 feet but again this looks overstated. Met my first fellow lejogger, Phil. He is going slightly slower so finishes the day after me at lunch time. We pedaled along together for an hour including an exhilarating run on the A9. We were on cycle ways or minor roads for most of the day. The A9 where it is part of the cycle route has proper dedicated cycle tracks. They were resurfacing the carriageway and this involved closing the cycle way.A service was available to transport bikes the 3.5 kilometers of the closure. As it was slightly downhill with a tailwind we decided to go on the main road, which was reduced to single carriageway with no overtaking. We flew down the stretch with a queue behind us but no real pressure as there was a 30mph limit which we were breaking on and off. I  then stopped for a bowl of soup and he carried on. About an hour later I caught up with him having a cuppa with his wife who was his support vehicle and they made me one. Another great day. No rain apart from some early mist as I ascended out of Loch Rannoch. Three tough climbs to 1400 feet but rewarded with some exhilarating descents. Worth coming back to do some more trips round here. Not the same country pubs as in England but plenty of tea shops. Greeted with a warm welcome by Fred in the Atholdene B&B in Inverness and have now dealt with a substantial portion of haggis. 150 miles to go in two days. Apologies to those following my progress on the map but phone reception is poor, I will try the GPS version tomorrow until phone battery gets low as out is more draining on the battery life.

Day 11

94 miles, supposedly 17000 feet in 9 hours 15 mins plus 1 45 breaks.  Probably the best day yet. stunning scenery interposed with very nice cycle ways on a mixture of old railways forestry tracks and minor roads. Had Phil, Sue and Catrina for company which was very nice, I can see the attractions of doing it as a group. With their guidance we started on the water route named because I think they said because it was the track along the water supply from the reservoir to Glasgow. Not on any bike maps. Then onto some minor roads. Passed the oldest pub in Scotland the Clachan. Later in the day I saw the oldest Inn in Scotland which seemed 200 years older. The railway track was a fantastic example of Victorian engineering, cut out of the hillside by hand. Then the final ascent of the day a 900 foot climb up to the pass into loch rannoch. On the food front had my first ever steak and haggis pie.

Day10

Today was an odd type of day. 86 miles. 6400 feet in 8 hours 20 mins plus about 2 hours stoppages. These were mainly for navigation. First 20 miles were nice, quite good paths alongside the B roads plus some where the path is just marked on the road. Then a rather depressing bit through the industrial heart of the central area. Then a very nice stretch on the Clyde cycle way that goes right into the centre of the city avoiding virtually all the roads. Then an equally nice route out on the Kelvin. But then a bit more stretching. The map showed the cycle path continuing but in reality it did not. I ended cycling through a muddy field, then carrying the bike over a style and up some steps. Getting a bit tired when met by Sue who had come to guide me the last few miles to there house. I may eschew off road from now on!