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!

Day 9

47 miles, 2100 feet, 3 hours 45 mins Plus 30 mins breaks. Not a great day for luck. Train an hour late due to some sort of incident that required a posse of police to search the train twice for a suspect. Picked up the bike and set off only to realise 10 mins later that I had forgotten helmet. Then it started to rain which continued on and off for the rest of the trip. Reached Scotland. Took photos of Gretna green chapel.Not a great cycle way thereafter as one of those where the cycle way is merely a marked part of the normal road. Last 30 mins very nice as raining finally stopped and I went off the cycle way onto a minor road to Moffat. Seems quite prosperous. Pub fairly full of diners.

Final legs

Getting ready for the final push. Get the train to Carlisle tomorrow morning, then an easy ride 50 miles to Moffat.
Then Thursday to just north of Glasgow, Friday to Loch Rannoch, Saturday to Inverness, Sunday to just North of Lairg, then Monday to John O'Groats.
Don't be concerned if I deviate off the published route as I am detouring to stay with a friend near Glasgow.
450 miles to go!

Day 8

A fast run down to Carlisle. 28 miles and supposedly 2800 ft of ascent with 3200 of descent, but felt easier than that. Only took 2 hours 20 mins. Bike in the bike shop by the station for a service. Sounds like a good idea as starting to rattle a bit. Very nice run this morning on a series of minor roads mostly designated as cycle ways. great views of the hills. Now on the train on the easy back for the weekend to moral support for the A levels before resuming next week to the finish.

Day 6

90 miles and 4100 feet in 8 hours cycling but with 2 hours breaks as well. I learnt today that cycling is like golf - not a pastime to do in the rain. It tipped down for about an hour. I tried sheltering under a tree but decided after a bit that I was getting wet without making any progress, so i carried on. Getting obsessed about eating enough. Today: full English, four rounds of toast, cereal and banana, mid morning pastie, tomato and energy drink, lunch chicken baguette chips and salad, dinner  brushetta, tagliatelli carbonara plus added garlic bread, tiramisu . Plus by way of snacks, 2 bananas and 4 energy bars. Don't feel all that full. Forcast for tomorrow is more rain so a tough day ahead as a lot of hills as well.

Day 7

<p>&lt;p&gt;Poured with rain after 5 mins as i was struggling out of preston, but after that things improved to the extent that it was the best day so far. 90 miles, 9500 ft in 8 hours 30 mins cycling. Had to walk for the first time after my short cut turned out to be a rock strewn slope. Lakes were very beautiful some lovely bits along deserted minor roads that had been recently resurfaced, no government spending cuts in evidence here.
So over half way and feeling not too bad.

Day5

This is the first blog using voice to text app. Today 97 miles in 8 hours cycling with a further 1hour 20 in breaks 6100 feet. Easy first half across the severn glacial plain then more tiring after lunch. Had lunch in an idyllic pub in a small village in the middle of nowhere. They only did sandwiches and the only type available today was cheese so unsurprisingly I was the only customer. Only injury todate is trapped ulna(?) nerves in my palms through leaning on vibrating handlebars so trying to ride slightly differently. £575 further donations in the course of the day total now £3,375

Day 4

99 miles and 4800 feet on 10 hours 30 mins. Long amd a bit slow but not exhausting. Spent a lot of the day on cycle routes. Confusing around Bristol as a lot of cycle routes which were not all that well marked. One that was very nice was the Strawberry Line from.Cheddar to.Congresbury. I then joined another cycle route that went over the main motorway bridge over the Avon very scarey  being stuck between jugernauts and a 100 feet  drop. Hot today at one stage the bike thermometer got to 82. Special thanks to Shirley Park who managed to track my progress and wait in a layby near Cheltenham to encourage me for the last 10 miles and was then rather unfairly hugged by a sweaty cyclist. A week off now before resuming the trip to Carlisle. 336 miles done, 700 or so to go.

Day 3

86miles, 5600 ft in 9 hours 40 mins. Got to Wells where a warm welcome awaited from our friends Lynne and Bob. Today didnt seem so tiring so maybe I am getting the hang of this. Got lost in Taunton due to relying on cycle signs better to trust my trusty Satmap GPS. Finally left the hills of Devon behind to get to the Somerset levels which have lived up to their name. Obsessed with getting enough to eat so time for steak.

Day2

A slow day but not so tiring. 86.7 miles and 7600ft of ascent. 10 hours door to door. Including one hour of breaks. To begin with there were more of the cornish river valleys, down 100 feet so steep that you have to brake then grind back up the other side. Then a delightful run on the camel trail which as a disused railway line is very flat. Then onto dartmoor which is also fairly flat after the initial ascent. At one stage a stand off between me and 100 sheep who coming in the other direction would not pass my yellow jacket, solved by the sheep dog biting a few by way of encouragement. Finally having left cornwall on to devon and its version of the river valleys, as cornwall, but if anything steeper. Staying in hatherleigh in a delightful B&B - Raymont House. Tomorrow with friends in Wells

Day 1

Arrived at the Victoria Inn at threemilesstones just outside truro .it seems vey nice just the job. Pretty tired by today. Up at six to catch the 722 from chelteham to penzance under way at 105. It would have been 100 but for the embarassing revellation on penzance station that i was wearing normal.boxers not my cycling shorts under my jeans. Then cycle to lands end back to penzance then on to truro

55.1miles and 5164ft of ascent in 5hours 40 mins includibg 20 min stop at lands end

time for  steak and chips

Training

This has been going well with nearly 900 miles completed.
Bike has gone in to Cheltenham cycles for a pre trip inspection.