3.5 miles
Total trip miles: 276
Hills climbed: too many
Euston at 7.50. Have to get the bikes through that lot....
Sally
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Inverness to Ivinghoe
Wednesday
3.5 miles
Total trip miles: 276
Hills climbed: too many
Euston at 7.50. Have to get the bikes through that lot....
Sally
3.5 miles
Total trip miles: 276
Hills climbed: too many
Euston at 7.50. Have to get the bikes through that lot....
Sally
Gairloch to Achnasheen
Tuesday
29 miles
Dry, even saw sunshine this morning.
Not even too windy. Stopped at a cafe that isn't open until Thursday, but the woman who runs the shop next door made us a lovely cup of coffee- much needed caffeine, as we then had our biggest climb of the day. A tough hill with a newly surfaced road of the worst type. I think they just chucked loose chippings all over it to make it tough. Also a strong headwind appeared from nowhere to make us work. Rewarded by a lovely freewheeling for about three miles afterwards. Then a lovely cafe next to the station.
Train to Inverness, luxury seating:
Italian meal in Inverness:
Sally
29 miles
Dry, even saw sunshine this morning.
Not even too windy. Stopped at a cafe that isn't open until Thursday, but the woman who runs the shop next door made us a lovely cup of coffee- much needed caffeine, as we then had our biggest climb of the day. A tough hill with a newly surfaced road of the worst type. I think they just chucked loose chippings all over it to make it tough. Also a strong headwind appeared from nowhere to make us work. Rewarded by a lovely freewheeling for about three miles afterwards. Then a lovely cafe next to the station.
Train to Inverness, luxury seating:
Italian meal in Inverness:
Sally
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Monday, 16 May 2011
Ullapool to Gairloch
What a wet day!
Wester Ross was full of water falls as the ground gave up all the rain that's fallen in the last 48 hours. Coming across from Braemar Junction over to the coast the road fell through a canyon, with water gushing from streams by the side of the road to join the raging river and one really high water fall - the highest I've seen in this country. Any one of the hundreds of water falls would have been a major draw in a less remote part of the country.
Arrived very cold and wet at a hotel where Antonio, a Spaniard with very little English, was very kind and put a heater on to dry our sodden clothes. I poured water out of my left shoe!
Later on we caught up with John and Ann, who we had last seen in Durness and spent an enjoyable afternoon together riding the (extreme) hills to Gairloch and eating the heaviest lemon drizzle cake ever baked at a tea shop. The last hill was the worst with a climb from sea level to 350m where it rained heavily for one last time before we reached our rather lovely B&B.
Ullapool to Gairloch
Monday
59.5 miles
After our wet 25 miles followed by an hour drying out, we carried on in drier weather. We hadn't gone far when we met up with John and Ann, two of the cyclists from Devon we'd met at Tongue youth hostel. We cycled with them for the rest of the day, which got us through the next thirty hilly miles.
Amazing waterfalls everywhere- no shortage of water up here.
Now staying at another comfy B&B.
Sally
59.5 miles
After our wet 25 miles followed by an hour drying out, we carried on in drier weather. We hadn't gone far when we met up with John and Ann, two of the cyclists from Devon we'd met at Tongue youth hostel. We cycled with them for the rest of the day, which got us through the next thirty hilly miles.
Amazing waterfalls everywhere- no shortage of water up here.
Now staying at another comfy B&B.
Sally
Drying out at the Broombeg Bar
27 miles done, total drenching. As we arrived at the bar, the bar man bought us a towel each.
Almost feel my toes again.
Sally
Almost feel my toes again.
Sally
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Achmelvich Beach to Ullapool
Sunday
35 miles today.
Friendly start to the day with breakfast at the hostel. All the other cyclists are going north- so managed to get some reports for our route today. Sounds good. Start off in drizzle with waterproofs on (they stay on all day). Lovely Coastal ride, but wet for photos. We stop for an unusual second breakfast of yellow split lentil soup.
The cafe is at one of the most remote bookshops in the country near Inverkirkaig.
So we pedal on through alternating rain and drizzle.
Third breakfast:
Spicy butternut squash pie lunch:
Afternoon tea in Ullapool:
At a warm and comfy B&B drying out. Dinner soon....
35 miles today.
Friendly start to the day with breakfast at the hostel. All the other cyclists are going north- so managed to get some reports for our route today. Sounds good. Start off in drizzle with waterproofs on (they stay on all day). Lovely Coastal ride, but wet for photos. We stop for an unusual second breakfast of yellow split lentil soup.
The cafe is at one of the most remote bookshops in the country near Inverkirkaig.
So we pedal on through alternating rain and drizzle.
Third breakfast:
Spicy butternut squash pie lunch:
Afternoon tea in Ullapool:
At a warm and comfy B&B drying out. Dinner soon....
Scourie to Achmelvich Beach part two
We had a great day of cycling- the weather was much kinder than the forecast. A good coffee/early lunch stop:
Meant that we had plenty of energy for the three mile climb. We met some other cyclists who had come over from Durness yesterday. They shared our pain, but I think our pain was worse. They had a support vehicle for their luggage.
The climb was worth it. We did take the flatter route today, slightly inland. This paid off with a nice tailwind for half the ride.
A beer for Andy in Lochinver, then we are off to a good food shop next door before the final four miles to our basic hostel.
We suddenly remembered we hadn't had much lunch....
Hostel is more like a proper hostel than the last:
We have a room with two bunk beds to ourselves.
Sally
Meant that we had plenty of energy for the three mile climb. We met some other cyclists who had come over from Durness yesterday. They shared our pain, but I think our pain was worse. They had a support vehicle for their luggage.
The climb was worth it. We did take the flatter route today, slightly inland. This paid off with a nice tailwind for half the ride.
A beer for Andy in Lochinver, then we are off to a good food shop next door before the final four miles to our basic hostel.
We suddenly remembered we hadn't had much lunch....
Hostel is more like a proper hostel than the last:
We have a room with two bunk beds to ourselves.
Sally
A wet day in Assynt
Have arrived in Ullapool. Pretty wet but scenery was amazing on tiny road from Lochinver to Ullapool.
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Scourie to Achmelvich Beach part one
Saturday:
Looks wet wet wet today in addition to the usual twenty mile an hour winds.
A good breakfast, ten miles to the next food stop. A basic hostel tonight (no wifi or phone signal) so probably no posts until tomorrow evening. Hopefully we'll be dry by then!
Sally
Looks wet wet wet today in addition to the usual twenty mile an hour winds.
A good breakfast, ten miles to the next food stop. A basic hostel tonight (no wifi or phone signal) so probably no posts until tomorrow evening. Hopefully we'll be dry by then!
Sally
Durness to Scourie
Friday
Great breakfast, porridge then bacon and eggs. Set foot out and realised it would be a hard day. Strong headwinds.
A Durness highspot:
The John Lennon memorial gardens at the village hall. He used to come here for his holidays as a child.
Our aim was to get to Tarbert by 12.30, have lunch at the Seafood Cafe, then catch the ferry to Handa Island to see birds and Puffins. Easy, only 25 miles and we set of at 9 am. We could even be late, allowed 4 hours. Last ferry at 2 pm. Sadly we missed it. When we realised we weren't going to make it, we thought we could just have lunch- but cafe closed for three days!
It was some of the hardest cycling we've done, into strong winds that didn't ease up at all. Very remote and wild:
For breaks, we had to hunt for spots out of the wind. The windchill was so harsh that it was unpleasant stopping otherwise.
Andy sheltering from the wind:
OK, so it doesn't look hard work there.
Andy at lunch:
Settled into a comfy B&B, lovely dinner in the conservatory with views of the sea. Fresh langoustines, sea trout mousse, medallions of pork with black pudding, bread and butter pudding. Wonderful cooking.
Homemade sweets- all that was left when I got the camera out!
Sally
Great breakfast, porridge then bacon and eggs. Set foot out and realised it would be a hard day. Strong headwinds.
A Durness highspot:
The John Lennon memorial gardens at the village hall. He used to come here for his holidays as a child.
Our aim was to get to Tarbert by 12.30, have lunch at the Seafood Cafe, then catch the ferry to Handa Island to see birds and Puffins. Easy, only 25 miles and we set of at 9 am. We could even be late, allowed 4 hours. Last ferry at 2 pm. Sadly we missed it. When we realised we weren't going to make it, we thought we could just have lunch- but cafe closed for three days!
It was some of the hardest cycling we've done, into strong winds that didn't ease up at all. Very remote and wild:
For breaks, we had to hunt for spots out of the wind. The windchill was so harsh that it was unpleasant stopping otherwise.
Andy sheltering from the wind:
OK, so it doesn't look hard work there.
Andy at lunch:
Settled into a comfy B&B, lovely dinner in the conservatory with views of the sea. Fresh langoustines, sea trout mousse, medallions of pork with black pudding, bread and butter pudding. Wonderful cooking.
Homemade sweets- all that was left when I got the camera out!
Sally
Smoo Caves, Smoo Cave Hotel
The largest cave mouth in Britain:
Then a surprisingly satisfactory meal at the local hotel. Langoustines, local salmon, then treacle pudding for Andy. All full up!!
Off to look for puffins at Handa Island tomorrow.
Sally
Then a surprisingly satisfactory meal at the local hotel. Langoustines, local salmon, then treacle pudding for Andy. All full up!!
Off to look for puffins at Handa Island tomorrow.
Sally
Thursday, 12 May 2011
Tongue to Durness part two
Met up with a group of six cyclists from Devon who were staying at the same hostel as us last night. They are off to Scourie which is where we are going tomorrow night. Some of them will be quite late getting there I think!
Remote cafe:
Some lovely beaches, this is the one at Durness:
Mad bird:
Now at comfy B&B, Andy catching up with work:
34 miles today.
Great riding here Jack, you'd love it. Hannah, look up the Cape Wrath challenge http://www.capewrathchallenge.co.uk/ -the couple who own this B&B came up to do it a few years ago, then moved up here and now they organise the event! It starts this weekend.
Sally
Remote cafe:
Some lovely beaches, this is the one at Durness:
Mad bird:
Now at comfy B&B, Andy catching up with work:
34 miles today.
Great riding here Jack, you'd love it. Hannah, look up the Cape Wrath challenge http://www.capewrathchallenge.co.uk/ -the couple who own this B&B came up to do it a few years ago, then moved up here and now they organise the event! It starts this weekend.
Sally
Location:Lairg,United Kingdom
Tongue to Durness
45.8 miles yesterday.
Damp start this morning, waterproofs on. Bought emergency lunch from Spar shop- macaroni cheese pie. Last resort food. Rumours of a cafe somewhere.
Cafe found- baked potato beans and cheese with fentimans ginger beer.
Sally
Damp start this morning, waterproofs on. Bought emergency lunch from Spar shop- macaroni cheese pie. Last resort food. Rumours of a cafe somewhere.
Cafe found- baked potato beans and cheese with fentimans ginger beer.
Sally
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Lairg, The Crask Inn and on to Tongue
Wednesday 11th May
Arrived at Lairg:
Done fifteen rolling miles watching rain on the mountains, but so far missed them.
Then stopped for lunch at The Crask Inn. Celery soup and a sneaky beer (need those calories).
Fantastic 7 mile descent from The Crask Inn to Altnahara followed by a 7 mile climb. Lovely ride, missed the rain.
Great youth hostel room. This is our bedroom:
Got a hill to cycle up to go out for dinner tonight.
Rubbish phone signal, but hope to post this with free wifi at dinner.
Sally
Arrived at Lairg:
Done fifteen rolling miles watching rain on the mountains, but so far missed them.
Then stopped for lunch at The Crask Inn. Celery soup and a sneaky beer (need those calories).
Fantastic 7 mile descent from The Crask Inn to Altnahara followed by a 7 mile climb. Lovely ride, missed the rain.
Great youth hostel room. This is our bedroom:
Got a hill to cycle up to go out for dinner tonight.
Rubbish phone signal, but hope to post this with free wifi at dinner.
Sally
Inverness breakfast
We were a bit late getting to the restaurant car last night, so missed out on haggis. Instead we had an indescribable hot filled roll- it had been microwaved in a plastic bag, barely edible. Half a bottle of wine helped a bit, along with the company of a Canadian brother and sister on a family history tour. We were a little worried when he started reciting poetry he had written in the style of William Mcgonagal (no idea how to spell that!).
A little sleep on the train, now a two hour break before our train to Lairg. Then 40 mile cycle to Tongue.
Sally
A little sleep on the train, now a two hour break before our train to Lairg. Then 40 mile cycle to Tongue.
Sally
Location:Inverness,United Kingdom
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
On train
In the cell on the train. Restaurant car full at the moment, but quite happy after a drink at the station. Haggis take-away?
Sally
Sally
Location:London,United Kingdom
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