Getting High in the Highlands

Yesterday we had very high winds and some steep hills to climb so cycling conditions were not to good. The wind managed to bring down a tree across the road. All the cars were having to turn back but we being made of sterner stuff decide to take the challenge head on. I was hopping that the senior doctor would rush up and throw her body across the branches allowing me too push the bike across her prostrate body just as you see in the war films were the lead soldier falls over the barbed wire to allow his mates to run over him and storm the machine gun nest - but no such luck she flatly refused saying it was not here job to play the hero. I had to settle for her pulling back a few of the branches so I could carry the bike across. Another one of my dreams shattered.

 

One of the really great aspects of the journey so far is the brilliant people we are meeting. We stayed with Robrt Howden and his wife Day. They were a fantastic couple. Robert had been an estate factor ( like an estate manager) in his time and therefore knew a lot about the Highlands. Day helps manage the gardens at the Castle of Mey. On the night we stayed they went to a cocktail party at the Castle with Prince Charles. I was relieved to be told the next morning that they didn't have crab as it is still a sore point with the Senior Doctor after what happened in John O Groats - she can be one to hold a grudge as I found out a after the fallen tree affair. On hearing about our charity Robert and Day immediately gave us a donation. It was a real joy to meet them.

 

We  also stayed with Robert Macintosh. The B&B was really his wife's pride and joy but she had been taken seriously ill the week before our stay and was still in hospital. Despite this he honoured our booking and looked after us splendidly, even taking us to a local restaurant for dinner and picking us up afterwards. He also gave us a donation.  Great bloke. You can be proud of him Mrs M. You made the right choice there

 

Back to our travels. We went past the Crask Inn somewhere deep in the highlands. This is somewhat of a revered place to the cycling end to enders so we really felt a sense of belonging as we stopped for a coffee. I finally felt such a deep sense of belonging to the cycling fraternity I could even feel Lycra comimg on.

 

I' m amazed how well the Senior Doctor seems to be standing up to the rigours of the trip. No complaining just concentrated peddle power from the Stoker position (that's the name given to the person on the back seat of a tandem - the front seat is taken by the Captain. That's obviously were I sit!).

We did eventually find a cafe after what seemed like endless pedalling and stopped in for a quick tea. It was packed full of tourists on coach tours. When we left we found several of the afore mentioned tourists taking pictures of our bike. Bit of a let down however when I, as the owner of the bike, volunteered to take the reins to afford a more memorable pic only to be told that I was surpluses to requirements. As they say pride goweth  before a fall.

We have been following the NCN cycle routes some of the way. It takes you somewhat off the beaten track. The Senior Doctor suggested we do a bit of skinning dipping at one secluded spot but she soon came to her senses once I reminded her of the effects of hypothermia on old people, particularly if they occupy the Stocker position.

 

We are now in Fort William having a well deserved day off. Off to Glen Coe tomorrow. I trust all the remnants of the massacre will have been cleared away as the Senior Doctor's not keen of the sight of blood - It reminds her too much of work .

 

Finally thanks to everyone who has made a donation to our charity. If you haven't as yet done so please visit

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/DennisandUrsulasbikeride

To donate.

Mileage

 

Several of our regular readers, well et least one, have requested a list of the miles we have covered so far. So ever one to please my public I publish below the first few days of travel. I will update this as we go.

Day 1. John O Groats to Thurso.                       22 miles

Day 2.  Thurso to Borgie Lodge Hotel.              37.6 miles

Day 3.   Borgie Lodge Hotel to Altnaharra.        25 miles

Day 5. Altnaharra to Inveran                              39.1 miles

Day 6. Inveran to Fort Augustus                         44.5 miles

We're on Our Way

Well we finally arrived in John o Groats. I won't bore you with the travel details suffice it to say that the Senior Doctor and I and the bike all arrived safely with all attachments in place.

We stayed with Gail at the Anchorage B&B. It was a great place equal to any hotel and you also get Gail to keep you entertained. Her husband is a local crab and lobster fisherman so she regaled us with the finer points of de shelling crab.I think the thing is dead before she starts or a least I hope so. In the evening we repaired to the Local gourmet establishment to treat ourselves of some of the afore mentioned crab only to find it had all been hoovered up that day for Prince Charles who was staying at the Castle of Mey. As the saying goes it's the  rich what gets the pleasure and the poor that..........

 

Set out the next day on the epic voyage. Called in initially at the John O Groats finger post just to prove that we did start from the right place. Some consternation however as I think it was the first time the Senior Doctor had actually realised how far it was to Lands End. Soon sorted out however with an extra large Mr Whippy!

 

I don't intend to dishearten you with a blow by blow, turn by turn  description of the route. More just point out the highs and lows of the trip. You will note they are usually lows - such is life.

All was going swimmingly on the first morning until I turned to check on the Senior Doctor to find her head gently emoting a faintly luminescent  glow in the gloomy weather. All was well however when I realised that we were passing Dounreay. Nothing like a dose of gamma shine to clear out the sinuses first thing in the morning. A few miles further down the road her head returned to it's usual shade of magnolia.

 

As we progressed I was a little perturbed to find the brakes to be less than efficient. Hence we called into the Bike Shop in Thurso and let Sam and Sean sort them out. They did a great job and everything seemed ticketyboo once they'd finished. It's a bit of a black art bike fettling, something akin to voodoo practised with Allen keys whilst getting ritually covered in grease, but job well done. Thanks lads.

 

We stayed in Thurso on the first night. We did find a fish and chip shop that yes did fry virtually everything in batter.  Misplaced your baby  - look no further the've battered it and it's in the fryer!  We restricted ourselves  to Cod and chips and very good it was too. Even the Senior Doctor enjoyed it and she's not a lover of fish. Removed to many fish bones from throats during her stint in A&E.

The next day we rode along the coast. Great views and plenty of sheep. I, residing as I do inHerefordshire, now count myself as a bit of a conasieure of sheep, but the lot we saw today were a bit odd. They all appeared to have massive heads in relation to the size of their bodies - most bizarre, but then as the Senior Doctor opined the North Highlands is a bit like the land that time forget so they probably started out as Wooly Mammoths and have evolved into the creature we see today. I'll be glad to get back home where sheep are warm, round and cuddly and make excellent lamb chops. 

 

The weather was misty and cold. I could really imagine myself rampaging up and down here in a kilt with the Jacobites, but l soon came to my senses when I remembered what happened to them. Not a good idea to abuse a sitting monarch - so forget my afore mentioned comments about Charlie pinching all the crab. I was glad to go hungry (well actually we had a nice stuffed chicken breast) so my liege could gorge himself on the fruits of the sea. Good on you Charlie!

We did have a bit of a scare today as the Senior Doctor came into contact with the infamous Scottish midge. However we plastered her with 100% deet and this, together with the promise of another Mr Whippy, seemed to do the trick. However I think she will have to wait for some time for this promise of a glacial treat to come to fruition as we haven't seen even a small, local shop in over 30 miles - back home  they always seem to be building a Tesco Express 20 yards from your front door whether they have planning permission or not, but if you  expect to see one in the next 200 miles in Scotland - forget it. I'm sure there is a moral in there somewhere.

We'll the Senior Doctor is off to bed so I best go as well. Have to give the posteriors time to reformat before the next saddling bashing tomorrow. We are now one bike, two riders and 839 miles to go and almost certainly more entertaining japes to be experienced. Keep watching........

In The Begining.....

One Bike, Two Riders and 900 Miles.

John O Groats to Lands End  (JOGLE)

On this site we intend to post a few comments about our forthcoming journey.

We are not the usual Lycra wearing, sleek cycling helmet brigade that normally undertake the end to end UK journey in a couple of weeks. I prefer to think of us as more of the “Everyman / woman” type of traveler rather than the ultra-thin speed cyclists with the Adonis body. A quick look at our pic will confirm the veracity of this last statement. Our intention is to meander the 900 miles or so and enjoy the experience while raising some money for the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund.

Why the Royal MedicalBenevolent Fund (RMBF). Well we all know that the urban myths of the consultant on the golf course every afternoon and the overpaid and uncaring GP are just that myths. Most doctors work hard and are well rewarded, but for some doctors and medical students times can get difficult if illness or some other difficult life events occurs. This is where the RMBF can step in and help such individuals come through their crisis. The Senior Doctor (AKA my wife Ursula) and I have had rewarding careers without to many mishaps and so it seems only right to try and do a little bit to help our fellows who have experienced a problem. Here ends the sermon for to-day.

This is where most cycling blogs launch forth on the equipment we will be using and our training schedule etc. but I won't dwell on such things, suffice it to say we do have a bike and we did do some training. Our training programme was not as taut as it could have been and we seemed to spend a lot of training time in the pub having liquid lunches rather than building those quads, but it's the thought that counts.

We are however ready to depart next week and I think we are in pretty good shape both mentally and physically, although the Senior Doctor is a little concerned about how the nether regions will hold up. My advice just use plenty of cream.

So why not follow us as we career through the high ways and byways of Britain. You can experience with us the thrills and hopefully not to many spills as we plot our way from one B&B to the next, with the odd day off.

Finally As any good soap aficionado will know the episode always ends on a cliff hanger. Will his wife return!! How can she explain that away!! Will the Senior Doctor's posterior stand up to 40 miles a day!!

Watch this space for the answer and for the next thrilling episode of One Bike, Two Riders and 900 Miles.