Ten Bob Britain

Thursday 2nd April

A wonderful stay was rounded off by a smashing breakfast and a tour round the boat shed in Wick harbour. James showed me all the photos of the boats that he had turned out and pointed out the ones in the harbour that he had produced. A few are still around the area but his boats can be found as far down the West Coast as Mallaig. It was fantastic to see an operation like this and see one of the boats in production. To meet someone so passionate and so skilled (as well as a superb host) was extremely uplifting and a real joy. James was also one of the last people to have been born and lived on the island of Stroma and is a man that has this part of the world in his blood. He truly was Mr Wick!

James and Isobelle                                       Another beauty in the making

As the destination neared, I started to see signs of some of the end to enders that frequent this north-east corner of Scotland (support vans, lycra clad machines whirring past) and was glad that I could take things a little easier. Then all of a sudden I could see John o' Groats, Stroma and the Orkneys. What a picture it looked!

As I came into John o' Groats I met Dave who stopped for a chat. Soon we were eating cake and drinking tea and chatting away. I was so glad to have met Dave because it gave me the chance to share my trip with someone at this 'pivotal' moment of the journey. Pictures were taken by the sign (which by the way is owned by someone and costs a small fortune for a photo - although on this occasion the fee was generously waived). We said our goodbyes as David powered off back to Thurso and I slowly started to make my way to the true northerly point of mainland Britain - Dunnet Head. John o' Groats is what I'd expected in a way, a rather run down place with not much happening. But when there are views looking out to the Orkenys and the camaraderie amongst cyclists, the place doesn't need to be special. I cruised past the Castle of Mey (again a victim of my timing - shut) on my way up to Dunnet Head and on the way overtaking not one, but two tractors! One arriving at Dunnet Head I bumped into an old friend - Dave! I was most touched when he said that I had inspired him to come up tp Dunnet Head and as we sat looking out over the magnificent view, eating some lunch at the top of mainland Britain, I felt on top of the world.

At the sign                                                  Dave and the bikes

Dave and I said our goodbyes for the final time and he powered off, leaving me to travel the last few miles of the day in the pleasant afternoon sunshine to my next port of call. I passed through Thurso and headed down to Halkirk to Marjorie and Nick (mother and brother of my cousin's boyfriend!) for a nice relaxing evening after a splendid day. The topic of discussion over dinner was all about the development of the Highlands (Nick works on development in the Highlands and Islands) and the need to raise John o' Groats to the ground and start again!

East and North done. Two to go!

Wick to Halkirk, 56.51 miles, £3.70

Wednesday 1st April

I was still feeling a little down as I returned to the road this morning. As I left Helmsdale, bound for Wick, one spoke broke on my back wheel. Another ten miles later two more went and I began to wonder if I was ever going to make it round Britain with a bicycle that seemed, since Yorkshire at least, to be falling apart underneath me. I passed into Caithness and having enjoyed the steep, twisting descent at Berriedale, I was soon off the bicycle and pushing up the other side. The ruggedness of the Langwell Forest on my left and the beautifully calm sea to my right made for a rather peaceful morning. My mood started to lift as I bore down on Wick. One of the brilliant things about Scotland is that there is a lot of European money swilling around that has been invested in the roads. As such the A9 was a pleasure to cycle along. The road is well graded - nothing too coronary but enough to keep it interesting, in good condition and wide. Couple this with the breathtaking scenery and near desertion and the result is a most pleasurable experience for the pedal powered.

Looking back on the descent into Berriedale

I arrived in Wick and after some lunch basking in the spring sunshine, turned my attentions to the need to get Cupid mended. I found the repair man in the toy shop. Once I'd wheeled Cupid through the bakery (owned by the repair man's father) and into the toy shop, he set to work mending my spokes. We chatted about the big business of shipping bicycles home for all the end to enders who finish their journeys 20 miles up the road at John o' Groats. As it turned out the baker knew my hosts for the evening (because of course everyone knows everyone in Wick) and so was able to give me directions to my bed for the night. At the home of James and Isobelle (built by James himself) I was treated to a wonderful evening of home cooking and wonderful hospitality. It was interesting to hear how Wick had changed over the years and the way that the fishing industry had been virtually annihilated (something that James had seen first hand as he has been building fishing boats in Wick for over 40 years). I went to sleep in the very north of Scotland feeling happy once again and most excited about reaching John o' Groats the next day.

Spring in Wick

Helmsdale to Wick, 35.58 miles, £4.87

Tuesday 31st March

After an enjoyable time at home I arrived back in Inverness by plane the day before. Monday afternoon was spent checking Cupid over and packing things up again. After a quick breakfast I said my goodbyes to the family, with talk of a meeting on the West coast to look forward to. For the second time on my trip I headed north over the Kessock Bridge. The weather was perfect for cycling as I journeyed north up the A9 and then onto a pleasant back road on the other side of the Cromarty Firth. Lunch was enjoyed looking over towards the Black Isle from the beach by Saltburn. As I passed Tain and the Glenmorangie distillery before crossing the Dornoch Firth, I suddenly felt very far north and really quite lonely. I was cheered slightly by the brightening weather and the news that I was less than 100 miles to John o' Groats. I treated myself to an ice cream in Dornoch in the hope of making myself feel better, and for a while it did as I watched a coal delivery being unloaded at the Dornoch Hotel. I took in the fine stained glass windows of the impressive Dornoch Cathedral and carried on up the A9 taking in the scenery and enjoyable road.

In the middle of summer this part of the A9 would be hellish for a cyclist, but on the last day of March there are times when the road is almost yours. It's probably a good thing as, with the sea to my right and sloping hills to the left, my eyes were on anything but the road. Helmsdale was the stop for the night and by the time I fell asleep, my bad feelings from earlier had only been slightly soothed by the good distance I had made.

Inverness to Helmsdale, 80.27 miles, £2.21.

19th March - 30th March

19th March

My cousin and I went for an enjoyable cycle ride down to Dores today. It was nice to take the load off and just to have a short trip with company. We sat by the beautifully still Loch Ness with a pint in hand
and caught up. Can't really believe that I've cycled all the way to Inverness!

Inverness round trip to Loch Ness, 12 miles, £5.20

20th March

Today I made the short journey from Inverness over to the Black Isle. It was a gentle afternoon cycle on another magnificent day, passing the Black Isle brewery on the way. I stayed the night with my aunt in Fortrose. We went down to Chanonry Point and looked out over the Moray Firth before a very nice evening meal.

Inverness to Fortrose, 16.02 miles, £5.18

21st March

Very sadly my aunt's (in Inverness) father had died overnight. This meant that plans for my cousin and uncle to come cycling on the Black Isle were understandably put off. I decided to carry on and let them have some time together. My aunt (in Fortrose) cycled with me to Rosemarkie and then I carried on to Cromarty at the end of the Black Isle. A very strange little place really, a complete dead-end. I met up with another cousin in Cromarty who had come over with her husband and daughter and we had a fine meal in a local restaurant. Squid pasta! Then the journey back to Inverness in the afternoon. I caught a Six Nations game in a pub before heading back to the house. In the evening we went to a concert at Eden Court in Inverness and it was nice for all of us to sit there listening to the music and to reflect.

Fortrose to Inverness (via Cromarty), 39.22 miles, £6.86

22nd March

My uncle left early for Edinburgh with my aunt to get a flight to the Netherlands and my cousin and I stayed in Inverness. I went to a very good local bike shop and got the pannier rack fixed before spending a day in front of the fire.

Inverness (rest day), 0 miles, £4.63

23rd March - 30th March

Today I headed home on the sleeper to surprise my parents and sister who were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and 18th birthday respectively the next day. It was a great surprise for them to see me and we had a very nice evening in Sherborne. I then spent a week at home before flying back up to Inverness on 30th March. I prepared myself for the next leg of the journey and enjoyed some final 'family' time.

Wednesday 18th March

I couldn't quite believe that less than a week after leaving Edinburgh I would be arriving in Inverness. Traveling by train it feels that there is an almighty distance between the two places (the journey time is about the same as London to Edinburgh) and so to have achieved this in six days, I felt rather chuffed. I was treated to a breakfast befitting a man cycling round the world and felt rather embarassed as I sat there eating by myself at the vast table in front of Alistair and his mother. I had intended to be in Inverness for a late lunch but Mrs Leslie took me into Nairn to have a look round and see the view across to the Black Isle. Then we returned to Cairnfield and had a pre lunch drink before venturing down to Grantown-on-Spey for lunch. I was really glad to do this becuase it gave me the chance to have a little taste of the Cairngorms and see a bit further inland. I was treated to a very good lunch in Grantown and then we headed back to Cairnfield. As we crossed the moor, there were shreaks of excitement from Mrs Leslie who (despite being the driver) had spotted a capercaillie (a huge black bird - a bit like a huge grouse). They're apparently very rare, and rarely seen, so I felt honoured to have seen one (my hosts had never seen one despite having lived in Nairnshire all their lives).

I changed back into my cycling things and left Cairnfield to make the short journey to Inverness very grateful to my hosts for the relaxing and enjoyable time that I had there. Unfortunately I was rather feeling the wine from lunch and as such the 20 mile journey into Inverness felt rather further. It was a nice back road that I took and I passed Cawdor Castle and Culloden battlefield (thankfully not having to stop as I had already been!). Coming through Cawdor there was a rather large hold up caused by an escaped sheep that was making life very difficult for the cars. I cut through the traffic and Cupid and I cleared the sheep away much to the delight of many frustrated drivers! The roundabouts of Inverness were negotiated and I reached my uncle's house just after six. It was great to be there and enjoy some time with family. Capercaillies were the topic of discussion over dinner!

Littlemill to Inverness, 29.31 miles, £0.

Tuesday 17th March

I washed my clothes last night and they hadn't dried by the morning. What had been an intended early start became an hour spent drying clothes on the Aga! The sun shone as I left Portsoy and carried along the A98 through the Scottish countryside. I was keen to stop at Brodie Castle and so making good time was imperative. After a couple of hours, the A98 joined the horribly busy A96. This really wasn't a pleasant road and I didn't enjoy cycling along. Although not as fast as the A92, it was all single carriageway and this does not make for pleasant cycling. The upside was that I put my head down and made good time through Elgin and onto Forres. I bought some lunch and progressed the last few miles onto Brodie Castle. Arriving at Brodie was a relief as I was hungry and had done the best part of 40 miles along a horrible road. I had done it in good time though (just over three hours) and was able to enjoy a leisurely lunch sitting under a great solid oak tree by Brodie.

After Brodie I had about ten miles to cover to Littlemill and I was able to really enjoy myself in the late afternoon sun. The road was deserted and showcased the beautiful Scottish scenery, with some nice rolling country to keep the ride interesting. I put my ipod on and enjoyed the ride to the sound of some of my favourite music. The last part of the day erased all the memory of the earlier cycle and brought me to Cairnfield in a very contented state. I was welcomed in by Alistair (a friend of my mother from Edinburgh) and his mother. After a G and T on arrival, I showered and changed for dinner before a very enjoyable evening at Cairnfield. By the time the brandy was finished I was more than ready for bed and I went to sleep with the sound of the wind running through the Nairnshire countryside.

Portsoy to Littlemill, 58.61 miles, £7.43

Monday 16th March

Sleeping in a tent is akin to sleeping under a corrugated iron roof. I woke up this morning and there was an absolute monsoon falling down on the tent. I sat there listening to the radio wishing it would stop. Eventually nature called and I had to exit the tent. Of course, the 'monsoon' that had been falling was merely some very light drizzle amplified by the canvas of the tent. What a fool! I had a good laugh at my stupidity. I carried along the now quite quiet A90 (a lot of traffic comes off at Aberdeen to go along the A96 west) and then came off to take the back road into Fraserburgh. Annoyingly, it was closed and by the time I got to Fraserburgh, I was hungry and wet. Luckily though I was still in action, unlike this fishing boat in Cairnbulg harbour.

The afternoon was pretty tough. After an enjoyable lunch at the beach in Rosehearty and some struggled attempts to understand the Aberdeenshire accent, I opted to take the coast road along to Banff. It was a road that didn't disappoint for hills or for views, with the latter certainly making up for the former. With about ten miles to Banff, an awful squeaking started up shortly followed by the front right pannier and rack falling to the road. Oh well that's my bad luck for the day. Then came the fog. I could barely see the road beneath my feet and for the rest of the journey I was truly scared that some great metallic beast would come roaring out of the fog, not see my puny lights and smash me into oblivion. Thankfully those fears were unfounded and I passed through the very bleak Macduff before arriving in Banff. It was a nice little place but I didn't linger. The last few miles went on and on and when I arrived in Portsoy I was soaked to the skin and exhausted. I found the house and after getting the key, gratefully sank into a nice warm bath. The house belongs to the mother of my sister's godfather's wife! I certainly have made the most of some connections. After a very wet day, I treated myself to a highly recommended fish and chips from the local shop. It felt quite surreal to be walking through Portsoy late on a Monday evening in a full length green waterproof and beanie hat whilst carrying a large portion of fish and chips. I wolfed the meal down and feeling that Inverness (and the prospect of some rest) was in touching distance, went to bed in a rather large bed in very wet Portsoy.

St Fergus to Portsoy, 56.37 miles, £11.90

Sunday 15th March

Today worried me. I didn't know where I was going to stop for the night and looking at the map, the only real choice of road I had was green and called the A92/A90. I went into the house and got myself ready for the day, had a nice chat with Sandy and then said my goodbyes. Soon after Montrose, I crossed into Aberdeenshire and had a wonderfully pleasant morning cycle along the A92. My fears had been unfounded. It was a superb road - not too hilly, nice and wide, quiet and stunning sea views. Lunch was got in Inverbervie and good progress was made along the A92 up to Stonehaven. It was coming up to elevenses and the wind was picking up so I took shelter in a bus stop just south of Stonehaven. Just as I sat down with doughnut in one hand and map in the other, I saw another heavily laden bicycle coming towards me. What stood out the most about him was his great big beard! I offered him a doughnut and he offered his name (Peter) and soon we were chatting about life, cycling and stoves. He told me he had been cycling for years (beard was evidence of this) and that because of this he was officially a 'hermit'. After about an hour I became conscious of time and when he told me the story of hitching a lift with Peter Mandelson which soon took him onto the economy and his view that workhouses should be brought back, I was increasingly aware that I was trapped in the bus shelter with him blocking my escape! Eventually I managed to get back on the bike and my only regret is that I didn't manage a photo of him because he was one of the true characters that I've met on the road.

After my delayed pit stop, I went down a lovely winding hill into Stonehaven and then joined the rather horrible A90. Although it would have done next to nothing against the might of an enourmous HGV, my helmet was hugely reasurring as I pedalling along in the one meter on the side of the two/three laned carriageway. Lunch was taken sheltered behind a dry stone wall before Aberdeen. The city itself was very busy and it took me over an hour to navigate my way through all the Sunday traffic. The sun started to come out and the wind dropped back and soon I was off the awful 'A' road and onto coast road. I passed the beach and dunes of Newburgh where I had enjoyed a barbeque with friends the previous summer. There I started to damn my stupidity for not contacting my friend who lived barely ten miles away (with whom I had stayed the previous summer). I carried onto Peterhead and taken aback by the darkness of the place carried on through, only stopping to get a bit of food. The light faded and still I hadn't found a good spot. Headlights were out in full force and they made my little lights seem small and insignificant by the time I eventually decided on a spot. Waiting for a break in the traffic so as not to be seen I hurried into the woods and after a ten minute walk came across a good spot in a clearing.

I particularly impressed myself today for conquering such an awful road and not worrying myself about finding a place to camp. It was a hugely enjoyable day - for the morning and evening cycle and for the distance that I had covered. Furthermore, meeting a fellow touring cyclist for the first time had given me encouragement and as I fell asleep to the radio I looked forward to the next day with renewed energy!

Kirkton of Craig to St Fergus, 77.65 miles, £6.05

Saturday 14th March

It took some people rather longer than others to wake this morning due to the effects of the previous night but I was happy to have the excuse to lie in bed for a little longer and do anything that kept me from the road. The wind rattled the large bay windows of the room in the annexe of Regs and I pulled my sleeping bag tighter around my head hoping for anything to prevent my journey continuing. Eventually sore heads woke and we went out for a coffee before my departure. It showed me what a strange (although very nice) place St Andrews is and it really must be a place that one either loves or hates! Cupid had survived her night tied up round the back of Regs and she was loaded up again. A few people had a ride on her to feel the weight and (very impressively) despite a lot of wobbles, no one fell off!

The journey to Dundee was awful. Some very hard turning of the pedals was seeing very little reward and the wind sapped the little spirit left in me. It took me almost two hours to cover the 13 miles to the Tay Bridge. The cycle path on the Tay Bridge is raised between the two carriageways of traffic. It is only just wide enough for two bikes to pass comfortably and on a windy day like today it proved narrow for me and my wide load. I was determined to cycle over it and even when my speed dropped to 6mph I struggled on. About half way there was another bike barely ten yards away, I pulled right in to the side and forgetting about my width, clipped the railings and fell into his path. Luckily he was on the ball with his brakes. He helped me up and we had a wind-affected discussion that meant one of us might as well have been speaking eskimo. I did manage to catch the recommendation of the cycle path through the docks and what a cycle path it was. The rather stern looking sign telling me of the need for photo ID, was furthered by the electronic gates remotely opened by the security guard from his watch tower and then the ten foot high fence that made sure that I kept to the cycle path that cut alongisde the edge of Dundee docks.

The path continued all the way along the seafront to Broughty ferry. Lunch was got in Monifieth and taken huddle on a bank. I was already starting to flag and so I decided that the quick route would be the order of the day and so I went onto the A92. It really wasn't busy and there was plenty of room for me and my load on the side of the road. I got some good speeds up and progressed very well along to Arbroath with the wind up my tail. After a spot of tea by the beach in Arbroath, I got myself onto a wonderful back road that was deserted. Brilliant views were had looking out over Lunnan Bay and along the coast. A recently ploughed field brought up a lot of dust and as such a 500 yard stretch of road became akin to being in a dust storm (Britain has everything!). I came out the other side brown from head to foot and with a mouthful of dirt! Arrived at Sandy's house in Kirkton of Craig just as the sun was going down over Montrose and pitched my tent in a very sheltered cornern of the walled garden. Got changed and went down into Montrose for a pizza. Rather typical Saturday night in a Scottish town! As I pushed Cupid along the high street whilst waiting for my pizza, I was met with shouts of (no attempt will be made to convey any accents in prose, just imagine them!),

'You're stabilisers have fallen off laddy!'

and

'Is that a racer? It looks like a racer. Have you been in a race? Can I race you? Let's race.'

Alas no racing was done, but pizza was eaten and a very sound sleep was had.

St Andrews to Kirkton of Craig, 45.50 miles, £10.39

Friday 13th March

Saying goodbye to Edinburgh was rather hard after five days of relaxation and good company. However, another hearty breakfast at the JMC ensured that I was able to get back in the saddle and make the short journey across Princes Street to see Rosemary. I loaded Cupid up and after another large tea, I bid farewell to Edinburgh and started out on the road north again. Edinburgh's a smashing place - one of those really fun cities that has a proper buzz about the place. Shame I didn't manage to capture any of that buzz with my camera...

Passing over the Forth Road Bridge was a satisfying achievement after what was a slow and tedious departure from Edinburgh. It was rather worrying to feel my little bike based world bounce around with such vigour everytime a lorry drove past. As with all these large bridges, cyclists are provided for very well and as such I was able to dawdle as I crossed the bridge taking in the view and the rather large drop. Immediately after the bridge I found myself on a wonderful cycle path that took me along the edge of the Firth of Forth. Lunch was taken far too early in Inverkeithling Bay looking back on the bridges but the wind was taking its toll on me after an extended break in Edinburgh. Things soon picked up and with the satisfaction gained from paying homage to Gordon Brown in Kirkcaldy I headed for St. Andrews with renewed energy in my calves.

It was a great relief to reach St Andrews in the early evening on Friday. It had been a tough day due to the break in cycling routine and made tougher by the strong head wind. Fred made me very welcome and it was nice to see more of St Andrews than I had done before. I enjoy being in a student environment and the buzz that comes with the place. As ever, I was amazed to hear of the adventures that people had undertaken - a kayak journey down Loch Lomond, epic bike journey and plans for an eight day (!) Land's End to John o' Groats. Again, I was among friends and glad to be so!

Edinburgh to St Andrews, 52.77 miles, £9.13