Why Oh Why II – Was It Worth It?

YES DEFINITELY!! The scenery highlights coincided with the hills – Cornwall, Devon, Dartmoor, Cumbria and Scotland.  Meeting up with some great people (and dogs).  An enormous thanks to Mum and Dad for all the running about after us!

I did have FUN thanks to Mum, Dad, Blue and Jamie AND we raised some money along the way!  You can still donate!!

Alzheimer’s Scotland £1,167.50 http://www.justgiving.com/Gary-Roberts0

Guide Dogs £1,576.36  www.virginmoneygiving.com/johnwatt

Pointer Rescue £392.50 Cheques for “The Pointer Rescue Service” can be sent to John Watt, Ladystone Farmhouse, Bunchrew, Inverness, IV3 8TB

Thanks to all who have followed the Blog and donated to the 3 charities and there is still time for anyone who would like to contribute!

John

Day 14 Cycling

Final day, Brora to John O’Groats!!! We expected rain so we were delighted to have a clear morning. Left Fiona and Margaret in the tents so we could get away sharp.

Cycling by 6.15am and the roads were clear. Great cycling by the sea.

Good progress to Helmsdale.

Very long climb after Helmsdale and we still had the infamous “Berriedale Braes” to tackle. We had a long and fast descent but you cant take advantage of your speed to help you up the other side due to a sharp bend at the bottom. Tough climb but no worse than some in Devon, Cornwall, Dartmoor etc – there are a lot of hills in England and Scotland!!

From the top of Berriedale.

Time for a break!  Lucky to find a tearoom just past Dunbeath, beside “Laidhay Croft”. The door wasn’t locked but it doesn’t normally open until 10.00 so we were very grateful to the “kind lady” who took pity on us – we had the usual and Jamie and I sampled the superb baking (obliged??). On to Wick and then the A99 and the final stretch to John O’ Groats.

Not long now!

We made it at 12.15 to a fantastic welcome from Mum and Dad (our invaluable Support Team), Fiona and Margaret in “The Dog Suit”!! Plus a surprise from Moira and John (sister and her husband not long back from cycling in Norway) who took the time to travel from Alnwick, camped at Dunbeath, cycled to John O’ Groats and were there to join the champagne reception. Photographs marked the end of our adventure!

Soup, tea and toasties in the cafe where we caught up with Chris (have a good holiday!) but no sign of Neil and Mick (probably finished earlier). Back to Inverness for showers and a chinese take-away – very nice!!

Statistics of the Day – 63 miles; ave 15.9 mph; 17-22C.

Site – HOME!

John

Day 13 Cycling

Dingwall to Brora – heavy rain kept us snug in our sleeping bags so it meant a later start. The rain stopped for us to get our tent down but started as soon as we set off, 8.15am. The A862 was very busy (bad timing) and it’s narrow for the volume and type of traffic. I couldn’t see through my glasses so had to cycle without them. Heavy rain persisted all morning which meant uncomfortable cycling along the A862 and the A9. It was a relief to get onto the B817 to Evanton (past Jenna’s birthplace near Kildary). Highland wildlife, as usual, caught my eye!

We were ready for a break and the first place we could find was the CO-OP in Tain. Blue had to “prepare” for his radio interview on Radio Shmu with Shona and sneaked off so Jamie and I couldn’t listen in! Shona’s show is highly entertaining and Blue’s interview was surely the highlight.

The rain finally eased around mid-day as we headed up the A9. Got a boost by our first sight of the mileage left!

From Dornoch Bridge.

After the Dornoch Bridge the traffic eased and we decided to aim for Brora for a late lunch where we would be joined by Fiona, Margaret, an extra tent and 3 dogs for the final night. Had lunch, got the tents up, showered and headed for the beach until we got to the tern’s nesting site – too much excitement for the Pointers so time to return.

The Family!!

More “galley kitchen” wizardry by Dad – pasta and garlic bread for 7 in a motorhome! Chief cook and Mum was the bottle washer. No wonder they were looking forward to a rest and a relaxing holiday.

Final day tomorrow – early start!!

Statistics of the Day – 52 miles; ave 13.5mph; 12-15C

Site – Brora – good facilities, scenic and right by the beach.

John

Support Team Final Report

The boys got to John o’Groats on Saturday in time for a late lunch having set off from Brora at 6 am. You’ll get a full report on the last stages from John later. We’ve had a fascinating time. The boys have impressed us greatly in different ways given their different levels of fitness at the outset !
The sites we have stayed in have all lived up to expectation though very different. All sites have “do and don’t signs. My favourite “Health and Safety” notice was this one -

Well that’s it folks. Whatever YOUR next goal is, go for it !

Day Twelve Cycling

Spean Bridge to Dingwall – wet and windy but not as ………….!!! Midges and an uphill to start the day and we slept in! For the first time it was Jamie who mobilised us into action and we didn’t get away until 7.40am. On very familiar territory today – very close to home so it was a bit strange. On the A82 which is not the best of roads to cycle – not wide enough for timber lorries, coaches etc to safely pass cyclists. Scenic by the lochs and canals.

Rita’s Photo of the Day

Stopped at Fort Augustus for a break – usual including empire biscuits. Didn’t want to go back out into the heavy rain!! Guess what – BLUE HAD A PUNCTURE!!! Blue 6  0 The Rest!!!!

I started the puncture thing thinking we would all have some but it now sounds as if I am gloating! Blue was so disgusted he threw his inner tube away. Drumnadrochit for lunch and we met up with 2 guys, Neil and Mick, who we last saw going over Dartmoor.

Leaving Drumnadrochit it’s a relief to get off the A82 but not to be going up the very steep hill past Milton.  I am now into training territory close to home. A quiet, scenic cycle on the A833 and then on to the A862 through Beauly and on to Dingwall.  We made good time and arrived at 4.45. Had time to update the Blog with a reasonable WIFI connection. Margaret and Fiona arrived and Flynn and Bella.

I thought they would be pleased to see me but I didn’t get a look in with all the “tame” rabbits dotted around the grass!

Night out at the Cafe India for a superb curry – enjoyed by all!

Ready for tomorrow – a short run to Brora but we may go a bit further to make our last day shorter??

Statistics of the Day – 66 miles; ave. 14.3 mph; 13C (cool, wet and windy)

Site – Dingwall Camping and Caravan Club

Support Team ready for bed!! Night, Night.

John

Day Eleven Cycling

Photos added for Day 10!!

Luss to Spean Bridge – I said Day Eleven might not be as easy and I wish I had been wrong – HORRID!!  Overnight heavy rain and wind. 7.10am start and immediately we had rain and were cycling into a strong wind – very hard work.

Loch Lomond near Tarbet

Stopped at Crianlarich station, bedraggled, for our pitstop! Jamie and I have now added empire biscuits to our Tea and bacon/egg roll. A scenic area over Rannoch Moor but today we weren’t taking in the scenery.  Still managed to take some photos, mainly to get our breath back! Rita’s photo of the day captures the mood of the day!

 Hills, wind and rain – sorry to moan but it was a tough day!  Had a surprise outrider in the form of Sandy who had camped in Glencoe in wild conditions and met us on the road looking for a cup of tea. Cycled a few miles and joined us in the motorhome for our lunch break where we were “treated” to some “Sandy stories/myths/legends” (he wont mind me saying that??).

Sandy headed off and left us to head towards Glencoe and we started to get some long downhills and even some better weather from mid-afternoon! On to Ballachulish and then Fort William where we met up with the motorhome for another cup of tea. Gave us the incentive for the final push to Spean Bridge (10 miles) and then the final 2 miles to the site at Gairlochy! A long and very hard day.  Fiona, Margaret and Jenna met up with us for the evening for some fish and chips in the motorhome.

Statistics – 90 miles; ave 13.2; 12-15C

Site – Gairlochy Holiday Park. Midges in the morning as we took the tent down!!

John

Support update

Lunch at Drumnadrochit after 40 min. delay due to 6th puncture. Just after 2pm journey about to continue after much chat with other cyclists en route.

Support – Thursday morning

Yesterday was a good day in that the objective of getting through Rannoch Moor and Glencoe to Spean Bridge was achieved. It was also good in that en route the team were met by Sandy, a friend and neighbour of John’s, and , at the destination by Margaret and Fiona who had driven down from Inverness. It was hard work though, with a fair bit of rain but worst of all a really nasty wind which was “in your face” no matter which way you turned. However cyclists got to the site, 2 miles or so north of Spean Bridge, at about 6 pm. The van oven worked overtime to produce fish & chips for seven and the girls left to drive back to Invernesss about 9.15pm. We all meet up again for a curry in Dingwall tonight.
Boys left this morning at about 7.30 am. It’s damp but no wind thankfully.
I’m typing this at 9.30am before leaving Spean Bridge and hoping to get an internet connection to actually post it later in the morning. Hope you get a genuine cyclists update with pictures later in the day.
Now at Fort Augustus where boys had bacon butties earlier. This posted from there at 11.30. Now after them for lunch

Support Team – Wednesday Morning

I have jsut posted John’s offering of yesterday. Sorry no photos but wifi connection wouldn’t take them.
Weather this a.m. not good. Rain and worst of all wind. They left Luss about 7.15 am, had breakfast at Crianlarich and we have met up with them at Tyndrum at 11.15. They are now heading across Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe. We hope to catch up with them again shortly and provide lunch. They are in good heart. This is the last really long day. Dingwall, Brora and John O’Groats to come !

Day Ten Cycling

Day Ten Cycling

Mauchline to Luss – 7.15am start which was good considering the nighttime noises! Large freezer unit 5 yards from the tent and a randy/in-season cow eclipsed the snoring and birdsong. Good progress and weather reasonable but definitely cooler overnight and early morning now that we are in Scotland!! Passed the Rabbie Burns memorial in Kilmarnock (I think).

A76 and A735 not too busy early on. Stopped in Barrhead at “The Snack Box” for tea, bacon/egg rolls and Giant Empires (not for Blue). Even got a donation for our charities!

View from the Erskine Bridge

Over the Erskine Bridge and stopped at Alan and Franci’s for lunch. That is the fastest I have seen Blue cycling so far (seriously)! Soup, rolls, tea and a doughnut – thanks to both of you!
Franci dishing up lentil soup with a smile (surprising given the smells that accompanied us into the flat).

Offered us a bed for the night and a bath ?? but with about 87 miles to do tomorrow we thought we better not stop short and add to Wednesday’s mileage.
Alan then took on the role of outrider to show us on our way.

He led us to the cycle path to avoid the A82 for a while. Rita’s photo of the day is of Alan giving Chris directions. We first met Chris cycling to Gretna on Monday afternoon and will probably see him again!

Statistics of the Day – 64 miles; ave. 13.2 mph; 24-26C.

We all agreed it was the easiest day so far.

Site – Luss site by Loch Lomond. Beautiful situation and good facilities. A good hot power shower – just what you need after a day’s cycling! We managed to cycle along without taking any photos of Loch Lomond or of Ben Lomond.
Tomorrow may not be so easy – 87 miles along Loch Lomond and then through Glencoe. Hilly and long mileage!!

John