Day 1
Penzance - Lands End and return to Penzance. Slightly delayed on journey down to Penzance due to engineering works on the trains. However, worth the delay when I arrived at Lands End, which was really lovely. Spent the night at Penzance ready for a long ride tomorrow.Day 2
Penzance - Golant/Fowey. Struggled against the elements today. Strong winds and rain made life very unpleasant and the going very slow. Took 11 hours to cover the necessary miles today. Ready for a meal and a couple of pints when I arrived at Golant.
Day 3
Fowey - Bellever (Dartmoor). A lovely start to the day weather wise, but this only lasted until lunchtime and then the wind returned - gale force this time! Covered over 60 miles, but stopped short of my goal and decided to stay in a very welcome Youth Hostel in the middle of Dartmoor. Very beautiful but very isolated.
Day 4
Bellever - Marsh
55 miles and quite hard going but lovely views.
Day 5
Marsh - Honiton
54 miles today.
Day 6
Wells - St Braivels
Crossed over Severn Bridge today which I had been worrying about but which was actually good fun. Almost as good as crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Day 7
St Briavels - Mordiford
Only cycled until lunchtime as Anne arrived so took afternoon off and we went to visit a preserved steam railway!
Day 8
Mordiford - Longville in the Dale (Old station worth a vist)
50 miles and a nice day despite two punctures.
Day 9
Longville in the Dale - Chester (bought new tyres to stop punctures)
Visited my uncle during ride today, he lives in Gresford near Wrexham. Most of ride today was on main roads and so not brilliant, but glad to have made it to Chester after 74 miles.
Day 10
Chester - Blackburn
Another 76 miles today and my leg is hurting will be having a break in a couple of days.
Day 11
Blackburn - Kendal
Hard work today, and the back of my knee is playing up.
Day 12
Day off to rest my leg and do a bit of sightseeing. Went to Lake Windermere by bus and then took a ride on steamer across the lake before taking a ride on the steam railway.
Day 13
Kendal - Gretna Green 63 miles. Very difficult to get across Bridge into Scotland due to road works. Very pleased to see hotel.
Day 14
Gretna Green to Warnlock 55 miles (highest village in Scotland (which is easy to realise if you are cycling. Fascinating village, excellent Youth Hostel (newly refurbished) and welcoming pub. Village contains a Narrow guage railway, Lead mines / museum and oldest subscription library in UK
Day 15
Warnlock to Loch Lomond 68 miles. Long ride today but what a place to finish at. Youth Hostel is an old mansion and overlooks the Loch
Day 16
Loch Lomond to Glencoe 66 miles. Another long day up and over the hills. Mainly on main roads today (very few side roads in this area) but final ride down to Youth Hostel takes you past Glencoe ski area (with Snow in May!) and a bit of a chill in the air.
Day 17
Glencoe to Loch Ness 64 miles. Today took in the road to Fort William (not the main road but the one the other side of the estuary - only problem was that i had to wait for 2 hours for the ferry to come back!!Then onto Forest tracks alongside the Lochs and finally onto Loch Ness. Youth Hostel sits on the side of the loch where you can just walk down to the water - I was the only resident this night and had a very enjoyable evening cooking and eating.
Day 18
Loch Ness to Golspie - due to accomodation being fully booked on planned route I diverted to the east coast.
Day 19 (18 days cycling)
Golspie to John O Groats 70 miles today but the bike was flying, Past Dunrobin Castle, Wick and onto JOG with a fantastic view over to the Orkneys. Total disbelief that i have just cycled 1046 miles in 18 days.
Spent a day in the Orkneys - visited the Churchill Barriers, Standing stones, Stromness, Kirkwall and Catherdral ..... i will be back for a longer tour around the Islands (i've got an idea for next years cycle ride!!!!)
