Scotland in June can either be very hot (last week apparently) or almost like winter. Today it was the latter. It didn't get much above 8 degrees centigrade and for the first part of the day there was light rain and the mountains were shrouded in mist with snow on the tops. But hey the light wind was behind us and helped us along.
We sent Phil up Glen Coe to put in some extra miles and climb to wear off some excess energy and to enable Chris and I to get a head start. In the end we arrived well over an hour and a half ahead of him at the B&B so perhaps the handicap was too great?
A good nights sleep makes all the difference. I felt strong today and the miles clicked by relatively easily.
The first half of the route were on roads I know very well from frequent trips to Scotland when I was climbing the Munros with my brother in the 1980s and 1990s.
Fort William came and went and the first stop was the former Little Chef café at Spean Bridge now an independent.café and selling good quality coffee. I always remember Little Chef coffee and tea as being pretty grim.
https://www.facebook.com/BridgeCafeSpeanBridge
We stopped at the commando memorial for a quick photo but no views today of Ben Nevis
Cycling through the Great Glen from west to east felt strangely like it was predominantly down hill. The Caledonian Canal is an impressive piece of engineering linking the various lochs. It was designed by another of my heroes Thomas Telford. But even he couldn't bring it in on budget nor fulfil its original objectives. It was meant to cost £474,000 and ended up costing £975,000 . It was supposed to provide employment for the Highlanders ( the English having a guilt complex after inflicting so much devastation with the Highland clearances) but it ended up being built by Irish labour.
Fort Augustus is a pretty village and Urquhart Castle sitting by Loch Nevis played a role in the wars of the Scottish independence in the 14th century. I wonder whether there are plans for a new role for it shortly?
There were no sightings of Nessie today just the monsters in my head of the possibility of being clipped by a dreaded wood carrying lorry or coach which were in abundance.
We stopped at Drumnadrochit (great name) for a late lunch. A baked potato, baked beans and cheese (my tour favourite) coming in at an expensive £6.75 compared with £4.50 in Market Drayton. Clearly the impact of the potato famine is still being felt in Scotland.
Then came a huge hill, Cul na Kirk which topped out at 20% and was 8% average. Polka dot shirt Chris powered his way up leaving me to struggle not to get off and push.
We were now out of the Highlands and the landscape was much more fertile and prosperous. It even felt a bit warmer. Beauly was an attractive village with some well designed new housing.
We hit Inverness commuter traffic on the A9 so quickly got off it onto a quieter parallel road. One more climb ensued to our overnight stay at Sittenham a tiny hamlet above Alness.
So one more day to go to John O Groats. Bill Leason a good friend from Glossop texted me this evening warning me of the dire consequences of raising my arms in victory on the finishing line. Lizzie Armistead did it yesterday on the finishing line of the Women's tour and hit a spectator and hurt herself badly. Mind you there is still another 100 miles to ride first- must remember the old cliche - one stage at a time!
We sent Phil up Glen Coe to put in some extra miles and climb to wear off some excess energy and to enable Chris and I to get a head start. In the end we arrived well over an hour and a half ahead of him at the B&B so perhaps the handicap was too great?
A good nights sleep makes all the difference. I felt strong today and the miles clicked by relatively easily.
The first half of the route were on roads I know very well from frequent trips to Scotland when I was climbing the Munros with my brother in the 1980s and 1990s.
Fort William came and went and the first stop was the former Little Chef café at Spean Bridge now an independent.café and selling good quality coffee. I always remember Little Chef coffee and tea as being pretty grim.
https://www.facebook.com/BridgeCafeSpeanBridge
We stopped at the commando memorial for a quick photo but no views today of Ben Nevis
Cycling through the Great Glen from west to east felt strangely like it was predominantly down hill. The Caledonian Canal is an impressive piece of engineering linking the various lochs. It was designed by another of my heroes Thomas Telford. But even he couldn't bring it in on budget nor fulfil its original objectives. It was meant to cost £474,000 and ended up costing £975,000 . It was supposed to provide employment for the Highlanders ( the English having a guilt complex after inflicting so much devastation with the Highland clearances) but it ended up being built by Irish labour.
Fort Augustus is a pretty village and Urquhart Castle sitting by Loch Nevis played a role in the wars of the Scottish independence in the 14th century. I wonder whether there are plans for a new role for it shortly?
There were no sightings of Nessie today just the monsters in my head of the possibility of being clipped by a dreaded wood carrying lorry or coach which were in abundance.
We stopped at Drumnadrochit (great name) for a late lunch. A baked potato, baked beans and cheese (my tour favourite) coming in at an expensive £6.75 compared with £4.50 in Market Drayton. Clearly the impact of the potato famine is still being felt in Scotland.
Then came a huge hill, Cul na Kirk which topped out at 20% and was 8% average. Polka dot shirt Chris powered his way up leaving me to struggle not to get off and push.
We were now out of the Highlands and the landscape was much more fertile and prosperous. It even felt a bit warmer. Beauly was an attractive village with some well designed new housing.
We hit Inverness commuter traffic on the A9 so quickly got off it onto a quieter parallel road. One more climb ensued to our overnight stay at Sittenham a tiny hamlet above Alness.
So one more day to go to John O Groats. Bill Leason a good friend from Glossop texted me this evening warning me of the dire consequences of raising my arms in victory on the finishing line. Lizzie Armistead did it yesterday on the finishing line of the Women's tour and hit a spectator and hurt herself badly. Mind you there is still another 100 miles to ride first- must remember the old cliche - one stage at a time!
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