Saturday, 30 April 2011
Day 14!
Day 14 Rosehall to Strathy
When we woke up this morning we couldn't see the hills outside for fog and there wasn't a breath of wind. It is a lovely ride from Rosehall to Lairg on quiet single track roads through forest and over huge quite bleak sections which are still impressive with the mountains in the distance.
We had seen Crask Inn on the map and it turned out to be literally just a tiny Inn with nothing else in sight for miles where we stopped for coffee. We cycled on to Altnaharra for lunch as the people at the Crask Inn had said this might be the last place to get food for a while and stopped at a lovely hotel where we caught the balcony kiss on the TV in the bar.
Until now the weather had been so kind but as we turned the corner out of Altnaharra an Easterly wind hit us head on-the sky stayed blue and the wind was warm but it felt as if stopping pedalling would see us being blown backwards from where we'd come from! Sadly my camera didn't make it through the wind blasting it fell off on one of the hills so the boys are tasked with looking for it as they drive up tomorrow!
The wind stayed blowing particularly hard on uphill stretches it seemed until we reached Strathy on the North coast where we stayed the night at the Strathy Inn-our last stay before we head to John O'Groats tomorrow!
Huge thanks to the propietor at the Achness Hotel in Rosehall and the lady at the Hotel in Altnahurra who both very generously donated to SSNAP.
Last day tomorrow! Hope the winds have died down...
When we woke up this morning we couldn't see the hills outside for fog and there wasn't a breath of wind. It is a lovely ride from Rosehall to Lairg on quiet single track roads through forest and over huge quite bleak sections which are still impressive with the mountains in the distance.
We had seen Crask Inn on the map and it turned out to be literally just a tiny Inn with nothing else in sight for miles where we stopped for coffee. We cycled on to Altnaharra for lunch as the people at the Crask Inn had said this might be the last place to get food for a while and stopped at a lovely hotel where we caught the balcony kiss on the TV in the bar.
Until now the weather had been so kind but as we turned the corner out of Altnaharra an Easterly wind hit us head on-the sky stayed blue and the wind was warm but it felt as if stopping pedalling would see us being blown backwards from where we'd come from! Sadly my camera didn't make it through the wind blasting it fell off on one of the hills so the boys are tasked with looking for it as they drive up tomorrow!
The wind stayed blowing particularly hard on uphill stretches it seemed until we reached Strathy on the North coast where we stayed the night at the Strathy Inn-our last stay before we head to John O'Groats tomorrow!
Huge thanks to the propietor at the Achness Hotel in Rosehall and the lady at the Hotel in Altnahurra who both very generously donated to SSNAP.
Last day tomorrow! Hope the winds have died down...
Friday, 29 April 2011
Day 13!
Day 13 Loch Ness to Rosehall
Loch Ness is huge-we seemed to be cycling alongside it for ages this morning on route to Inverness.
We stopped in Inverness only very briefly then found a farm shop called Stone House just after a bridge on the A9 where they made us an awesome packed lunch which we sat and ate in the sunshine.
We passed Carbisdale Castle YHA on route to our hotel (the YHA was closed) it looked amazing-a proper castle and everything!
As we haven't had much signal it's now Friday and we are now sat outside having a coffee at Crask Inn in the middle of nowhere-we didn't expect this at all in April... Our accommodation for Saturday night has cancelled so we have managed to get a room somewhere else in Callander after a bit of ringing round-thank goodness for mobiles! All sorted now.
The single track roads have started now so we feel like we are getting close!
Loch Ness is huge-we seemed to be cycling alongside it for ages this morning on route to Inverness.
We stopped in Inverness only very briefly then found a farm shop called Stone House just after a bridge on the A9 where they made us an awesome packed lunch which we sat and ate in the sunshine.
We passed Carbisdale Castle YHA on route to our hotel (the YHA was closed) it looked amazing-a proper castle and everything!
As we haven't had much signal it's now Friday and we are now sat outside having a coffee at Crask Inn in the middle of nowhere-we didn't expect this at all in April... Our accommodation for Saturday night has cancelled so we have managed to get a room somewhere else in Callander after a bit of ringing round-thank goodness for mobiles! All sorted now.
The single track roads have started now so we feel like we are getting close!
Day 12!
Day 12 Glencoe to Loch Ness
Today was another brilliant day-we rolled all of 2 miles down hill to Glencoe village before we stopped for snacks and coffee-the sun was just rising over the mountains which was lovely. The couple who took a photo for us at Land's End also turned up a few minutes after us-next time our paths are due to cross is on Saturday at John O'Groats..!
We spent most of the day riding alongside huge Lochs through Fort William past Ben Nevis and on to Loch Ness YHA spag bol, a much needed clothes wash (Be's post cycle clothes didn't make it in to the van with the boys) and bed!
The Highlands continue to be amazing-tomorrow we are off to Rosehall near Lairg via Inverness-then we head North until we hit the sea and turn right!
Pete and Jamie aren't far behind us-they are on route to Glencoe to walk a ridge before heading up to Ullapool-then up to meet us on Saturday! We're very excited about seeing them!
Planned mileage: 60
Actual mileage: 59
Today was another brilliant day-we rolled all of 2 miles down hill to Glencoe village before we stopped for snacks and coffee-the sun was just rising over the mountains which was lovely. The couple who took a photo for us at Land's End also turned up a few minutes after us-next time our paths are due to cross is on Saturday at John O'Groats..!
We spent most of the day riding alongside huge Lochs through Fort William past Ben Nevis and on to Loch Ness YHA spag bol, a much needed clothes wash (Be's post cycle clothes didn't make it in to the van with the boys) and bed!
The Highlands continue to be amazing-tomorrow we are off to Rosehall near Lairg via Inverness-then we head North until we hit the sea and turn right!
Pete and Jamie aren't far behind us-they are on route to Glencoe to walk a ridge before heading up to Ullapool-then up to meet us on Saturday! We're very excited about seeing them!
Planned mileage: 60
Actual mileage: 59
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Day 11!
Day 11 Callander to Glencoe
We had a brilliant day-the views have been amazing and the sun has been out all day. It's still a bit chilly on the descents but we are so lucky that the wind has dropped-Scotland is fantastic!
We rode through the Trossachs National Park-the views are huge and the ride down to Glencoe was spectacular. We stopped and had something to eat at the Kings House Inn just at the foot of Buachaille Etive Mor and saw a family of deer wander over and eat crisps offered by the people sat outside.
This is the best days riding we've had-I'm looking forward to the next few days in the highlands. Beth's cough is ever present-we've dosed her up with anything we can get our hands on-we should have been sponsored by Beechams. She doesn't feel unwell but doesn't sound too hot in the mornings.
Tomorrow we're off to Loch Ness!
We had a brilliant day-the views have been amazing and the sun has been out all day. It's still a bit chilly on the descents but we are so lucky that the wind has dropped-Scotland is fantastic!
We rode through the Trossachs National Park-the views are huge and the ride down to Glencoe was spectacular. We stopped and had something to eat at the Kings House Inn just at the foot of Buachaille Etive Mor and saw a family of deer wander over and eat crisps offered by the people sat outside.
This is the best days riding we've had-I'm looking forward to the next few days in the highlands. Beth's cough is ever present-we've dosed her up with anything we can get our hands on-we should have been sponsored by Beechams. She doesn't feel unwell but doesn't sound too hot in the mornings.
Tomorrow we're off to Loch Ness!
Monday, 25 April 2011
Day 10!
Day 10 New Lanark to Callander
Today we deviated from the plan! Rather than staying at the SYHA in Stirling we cycled another 16 miles to Callander. This means tomorrow we will be cycling 65 miles rather than 80 which seemed to make more sense than having a mega short day today.
The hill out of New Lanark wasn't so bad after all! We set off a little later than normal after a cup of tea and bowl of porridge. After Lanark we headed to Airdrie and on to Stirling for lunch.
Past Stirling the skyline started to look like the part of Scotland we were looking forwards to with the mountains in the distance. We are headed for Glencoe tomorrow so will keep the camera at the ready.
Our change of accommodation turned out to be a brilliant move! The Annfield B&B is fantastic! We are both sat here in robes sipping sherry... Good times...
Planned mileage: 43
Actual mileage: 57
Today we deviated from the plan! Rather than staying at the SYHA in Stirling we cycled another 16 miles to Callander. This means tomorrow we will be cycling 65 miles rather than 80 which seemed to make more sense than having a mega short day today.
The hill out of New Lanark wasn't so bad after all! We set off a little later than normal after a cup of tea and bowl of porridge. After Lanark we headed to Airdrie and on to Stirling for lunch.
Past Stirling the skyline started to look like the part of Scotland we were looking forwards to with the mountains in the distance. We are headed for Glencoe tomorrow so will keep the camera at the ready.
Our change of accommodation turned out to be a brilliant move! The Annfield B&B is fantastic! We are both sat here in robes sipping sherry... Good times...
Planned mileage: 43
Actual mileage: 57
Day 9!
Day 9 Carlisle to New Lanark
We're in Scotland! The 'Welcome to Scotland' sign suddenly appeared out of the mist this morning and all of a sudden we were over the border and outside the Gretna Green marriage house things-bizarre!
We spent the day making our way along a cycle path which ran along side a motorway which was lovely and hill free but was an odd lumpy affair which rattled us till our teeth shook.
We dined out at service stations sticking to our traditional mid-morning Costa stop and kept going to Lanark about a mile away from the YHA. When staying at hostels we have been buying food at a supermarket on route and cooking it ourselves this has meant piles of pasta or a jacket potato but tonight we found a paella pack at Morrisons which was lush we dined in style.
New Lanark is as the bottom of a long steep hill so we rolled down it complaining all the way that we would have to ride back up it in the morning but it was grand to have an easy end to the day.
We are meant to be doing 43 miles tomorrow then about 80 the next day but we are hatching a plan to do a few more miles tomorrow to reduce the 80 miler slightly...
It feels good to finally be in Scotland! It has been suprisingly flat so far (hope that continues...) and is a little chillier now-we have our waterproofs on just to keep the wind out.
Onwards and upwards tomorrow!
Planned mileage: 78
Actual mileage: 76
We're in Scotland! The 'Welcome to Scotland' sign suddenly appeared out of the mist this morning and all of a sudden we were over the border and outside the Gretna Green marriage house things-bizarre!
We spent the day making our way along a cycle path which ran along side a motorway which was lovely and hill free but was an odd lumpy affair which rattled us till our teeth shook.
We dined out at service stations sticking to our traditional mid-morning Costa stop and kept going to Lanark about a mile away from the YHA. When staying at hostels we have been buying food at a supermarket on route and cooking it ourselves this has meant piles of pasta or a jacket potato but tonight we found a paella pack at Morrisons which was lush we dined in style.
New Lanark is as the bottom of a long steep hill so we rolled down it complaining all the way that we would have to ride back up it in the morning but it was grand to have an easy end to the day.
We are meant to be doing 43 miles tomorrow then about 80 the next day but we are hatching a plan to do a few more miles tomorrow to reduce the 80 miler slightly...
It feels good to finally be in Scotland! It has been suprisingly flat so far (hope that continues...) and is a little chillier now-we have our waterproofs on just to keep the wind out.
Onwards and upwards tomorrow!
Planned mileage: 78
Actual mileage: 76
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