Land's End to John O'Groats

As you might have guessed from reading this blog, I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. I met some kind, interesting and helpful people and saw parts of the country I may not have otherwise seen and certainly not from a bike angle.

It was a lot of fun and mentally relaxing for two weeks. At times I did remind myself to enjoy it, to remember why I was doing it and to take in the experience. I was fortunate not to experience any saddle sores but good hygiene and padding assisted here. I was also fortunate with the two week weather window where sunshine prevailed for the most part, however I did have a lot of headwind but I think every End to Ender will tell you that!

Preparation helped and I've identified the following points which personally stood well for me:

1) Having a decent touring bike with drop handle bars to vary the riding positions with a great saddle, once broken in.
2) The training ride to Milton Keynes and back on the Sunday/Monday of the last B/H weekend. 116 miles each way on consecutive days taking me through the Meon Valley and the Chilterns.
3) Having a destination goal each day, knowing that the accommodation was pre-booked.
4) The Rest Day in the Lake District.
5) Cutting up several O/S Maps into 26 uniform sizes with a blue line inked in to show my route.

Doing the ride solo and unsupported, can make the ride harder but I believe this is dependant on your mental strength. I did get a boost every time I overtook a cyclist who was part of a group or had no luggage but had to remind myself this was not a race, although I did give myself some timings to aim for in order to keep motivated.

My photos have been developed today but it will take a week for the photo lab to convert the negatives onto a CD so I can put some of these up.

My trip highlights are numerous but ones that stand out include:

- The Camel Trail between Padstow and Wadebridge
- The B&B experience in Highbridge (Day 3/4)
- The Wye Valley between Chepstow and Monmouth
- Seeing Helen and Brian in Oswestry
- Morecambe and then the beautiful Lake District
- Loch Lomond and the stunning Scottish mountains

The stats are as follows:

Distance: 991 miles
Avg. Speed: 12 mph
Punctures: 1
Broken Spokes: 3
Other: Slighly buckled back wheel (too much luggage)

I'm pleased as punch to raise almost £3,000 for CMH and I've achieved a good fundraising amount and completed a personal goal at the same time. Good luck to anyone who attempts this - you won't be disappointed.

I would like to sign off with a Big Thank You to everyone who has had any involvement in my venture. The list of people to thank is fairly large and if I have missed you off from the list then please accept my apologies:

Thanks to:

Lynn
Kat (Head of FundRaising at CMH)
Helen and Brian (putting me up on Day 5/6)
Julia and Paul (picking Lynn and I up from the airport)
Friends, Family and Work Colleagues (sponsoring me and sending me supportive/encouraging text messages)
Norwich Union esp. Lee Roberts, my boss and Internal Press Agent(!)
Readers and contributors to my Blog
Sivyer Cycles in Havant
Mastercraft Cycles in Hereford
Off Beat Bikes in Fort William

After sending home a 4kg parcel from Hereford, I travelled quite light, although I could have economised more. But for interest, here's a list of what I carried with me:

4 pairs of padded cycle undershorts
2 pairs of leisure cycle shorts
2 Charity t-shirts
2 cycle tops
1 fleece (mostly evening wear)
3 pairs of socks
1 waterproof jacket
1 high visibility waistcoat
1 pair of battered trainers
1 pair of waterproof trousers (only used on Day 1)
1 pair of waterproof overshoes (only used on Day 1)
1 collared shirt (evening wear)
1 pair of linen trousers (evening wear)
1 pair of smarter trainers (evening wear)
Short fingered gloves

1 travel towel
1 washbag
26 8" x 6" cut out O/S maps showing the route
3 inner tubes (only 1 required)
1 can of lube (GT85)
1 puncture repair kit
1 pump
1 cloth
2 Allen keys and a crosspoint screwdriver
2 spare spokes
1 front bike torch (rear ones fixed on bike)
1 disposable camera
1 temporary mobile phone and charger
1 lock
2 water bottles
Ipod
Spare battery for cycle computer
List of accommodation and booking print outs
1 Puzzler magazine
1 Notepad and pen
2 Plastic bags
Wallet

After meeting up with Lynn the afternoon before, I then faced one of the biggest challenges of the whole trip - how to get the bike home. After phoning DHL, the notion of couriering it back to Portsmouth didn't seem cost effective. They wanted a whopping £245!

Putting it on the plane back to Southampton was another alternative, and Flybe would only charge £25 but a) could only offer on a standby basis, b) wanted the bike packaged in a certain way and c) would not accept liability for any damage to the bike. Given the way I've seen baggage handlers throw suitcases around, I wasn't keen on this option.

Our last hope therefore appeared to be the Royal Mail. so we walked the bike down to a cycle shop, obtained a disused cardboard box, got the pedals loosened and walked back to the Post Office where we spent the best part of 2.5 hours dismantling the bike and packaging it up so that it would not infringe on any postal Health and Safety matters. If ever the Krypton Factor makes a reappearance on television then I suggest the parcelling of a bike would be a credible exercise for the Intelligence round. After several metres of packing tape, two rolls of bubble wrap and a smaller box for the protruding handlebars we had a fine, strong parcel complete with lifting holes and we were very pleased with our efforts. Taking it to the counter after waiting in a long queue was another matter though and we were informed by a very officious gentleman that we were 2 cms longer than the maximum parcel the Royal Mail could take (150 cm being their maximum) and they were not going to budge, literally an inch. Nonetheless, being very kind people they did pass through a Yellow Pages so we could phone other couriers with a good recommendation for AJG Parcels. This turned out to be a great result as AJG charged us only £20 to courier it to Portsmouth! I carried the parcel a back breaking mile to the nearby Industrial Estate to drop it off and OK, the proof in the pudding will be that it turns up but I've got all the paperwork. I would rank this as one of the biggest achievements of the last fortnight.

Hired a car for the rest of the afternoon to leave at the airport the next morning, and I drove Lynn to Glen Coe retracing my route on the bike and showed her the sights of Loch Ness and Ben Nevis boring her with "look how hilly it was here" etc.

Route Miles: 41.6 (inc. 20 miles to Thurso)
Total Miles: 991.1

Another lovely B&B which at £23, appealed to my thrifty nature. Never overfussed on comfort (because it comes at a price), I'll be happy as long as there's a bed and running water.

Walked into Wick the previous evening and had a reasonable curry in Weatherspoons before dictating Days 12 and 13 over the phone to Lynn so that she could update this blog.

Departed Wick at 08.45 for the last stretch to John O'Groats and the land was quite exposed with strong cross winds. Before the end there was a small hill which afforded wonderful views to the Island of Stroma and the Orkney's and I freewheeled down this to the finishing point. Before going to the signpost though, I diverted off and cycled 2 miles up to Duncansby Head and the lighthouse on the edge of a cliff which is the most north easterly point of mainland Britain and has to be the real End. John O'Groats is just the nearest village, so in my detailed world you can't complete the End to End without visiting Duncansby Head!

Anyway, I got back to John O'Groats and met a couple of fellow finishers who also declined to have their photo taken next to the 'official' signpost for a princely sum of £7.50 (I didn't ask if a Cornish pirate had also robbed them at Lands End), so we just took photos on behalf of each other at a John O'Groats sign on the dock wall. Disappointed to see that JOG was quite touristy. From previous photos I'd seen, I imagined a derelict hotel, the last house and the signpost. In fact there's also a shopping arcade, Costa coffee outlet and a foot ferry going to Orkney.

Didn't have any sense of real euphoria when I arrived, just quiet satisfaction. When you spend days trying to achieve something but know for the last two or three that you are going to make it, then the final arrival doesn't feel like such a huge achievement. I was a tiny bit underwhelmed and looking forward to catching the train to Inverness and seeing Lynn. This feeling evolved a bit later and I texted people whilst cycling to Thurso to announce my LEJOG completion.

Route miles: 54.6
Total Miles: 949.5
Miles to go: 17 (plus 20 to Thurso)

Legs were quite leaden leaving Dornoch this morning but I always find the first 45 mins tough until the lactic acid kicks in.

A relatively short day leaving at 10.15 and arriving in Wick at 16.00 only troubled by the very steep hills at Helmsdale and especially Berriedale. The latter causes consternation for motorists let alone a cyclist with laden panniers and I have no shame in admitting that I pushed the bike up this section. Creation was perverse when they designed this contour and if the local authorities want to build a bridge over Berriedale then I'd gladly make a contribution.

Overtook three stocky lycra clad cyclists who on first impression looked like they were wearing wet suits. Had a chat with one of them and they were just coming to the end of an 8 day LEJOG trip. To be fair they had no luggage and were escorted by a support vehicle but personally I see no fun with a target of 125 miles a day. They looked absolutely spent and hasn't a support driver role got to be incredibly boring? Anyway I left them behind and focussed on Wick. Whenever cycling I always need to be thinking and regular mileage signs give me the opportunity to crunch some numbers and give an indication of when I may reach the next village or my final destination. Of course, map reading also helps focus the mind. Rhythm is really important too and in a good phase my legs just keep automatically turning with seamless effort. There are bad phases as well but knowing they will disappear, helps.

Tomorrow is my last day with 17 miles to John O'Groats before cycling 20 miles to Thurso to catch the 13.00 train to Inverness to meet Lynn who has just finished her Masters dissertation. Given the time and opportunity I would quite like to cycle home via the east coast of Britain but not sure that will go down well with work or Lynn. Another time perhaps.

Route Miles: 110
Total Miles: 884.9
Miles to go: 79 (est.)

My last night in a YHA on this trip didn't yield much sleep. Had the bottom bunk in a twenty bed dorm., with lots of noisy comings and goings and the human background music again played its part. Half asleep I stumbled into the shower room the next morning, passing a girl coming out. Wrongly assumed it was unisex and got showered and dried with no interruption. As I came out I took notice of the sign and to my horror saw it was female only. Oh well, the girl I passed must have given notice to others as there were no embarrassing moments.

Did the morning routine bike check i.e. rubbing down with a dry cloth, ensuring all the bolts especially the pannier ones are tight with an allen key, lubricating the chain, sprockets, brake cantilevers and front/rear mech. with GT85 spray, checking the brakes then finally inspecting the tyres to make sure fully inflated and nothing sharp on the treads, also feeling the spoke tension. On the last job I discovered a broken spoke and cursed. Couldn't take the chance of riding my longest stage with a weakened back wheel so I found a bike shop in Fort William who had it all fixed and true by 10.45. I had hoped to get away 2 hours earlier to make Dornoch (at least 100 miles away) in good time. However, it wasn't to be and I put down a fast pace only stopping at the Commando Memorial in Spean Bridge and also at Fort Augustus for food. The road alongside Loch Ness was undulating to say the least and I got to Inverness at 16.15 just as rush hour was starting on the A9, still with 40 miles to go. Took a couple of minor back roads going through the Black Isle but had no choice but to return to the A9. Had a challenging couple of hours deciding whether to break off before Dornoch but after switching on my lights at 18.30 got into a good rhythm and made my destination for 19.45 in near pitch black and stayed in a room above a pub.

With the delayed start and the long mileage, I found this the most difficult but satisfying day. I was also able to draw upon my training ride to Milton Keynes and back.

Route Miles: 87.5
Total Miles: 774.9
Miles to go: 200 (est.)

Boy, last night was hot. All ten bunks were full and the window could only open so far, leaving a meagre three inches of fresh air to be circulated. I benefited the most being closest, but the room was putrid the next morning.

Due to the number of foreign students, breakfast for 'normal hostellers' was off so I bought some croissants and a banana in a nearby shop.

The A82 alongside Loch Lomond was extremely busy with cars, lorries and tourist coaches speeding through. For a single carriageway and in places quire narrow at that, the drivers were considerate to my space. Again, sensational scenery and the sun was in full splendour.

At the top of the loch, I started my first gradual climb of the day to Crianlarich, 33 miles in. Stocking up on provisions I encountered more ascents into the Grampian Mountains and stopped for a breather at the Bridge of Orchy. Coming into Rannoch Moor, the landscape could have been lunar. Random boulders and water filled craters lay all around. Whilst the sun was warm, the strong wind was chilly and I made my way down to Glencoe via the Glen Coe pass and although descending, the wind resistance was too strong to let me freewheel which was disappointing after investing lots of energy going up.

Made the YHA here in Glen Nevis, 3 miles south of Fort William at 17.15 and planned my route for tommorrow which will be in the region of 110 miles to get to Dornoch. Guess which nationality are here in their droves again and no, it's not the same bunch!

Route Miles: 82
Total Miles: 687.4
Miles to go: 312.6

At breakfast this morning, I got talking to a lovely couple from Lincoln who kindly sponsored me £5 which was very nice of them. Thank you Mike and Jan.

Left a bit later than I usually do and until I got to the outskirts of Glasgow the journey was pretty mundane. Another fine and slightly cloudy day but the headwind was quite strong. Legs feeling great for the Day Off.

Bought a Glasgow city map and I took a bit of time navigating through Britain's third most populous city. Rode the 20 mile cycle path from the centre of Glasgow along the north bank of the Clyde, opposite the docks of Govan, onto Dumbarton and then into Balloch, the start of Loch Lomond.

The YHA here in Balloch has great views of the Loch and is a converted country house. The Rough Guide advises "Scotland's most beautiful Hostel..a turreted building complete with ghost." Well staying in a dorm with 6 German students should keep any untoward spirits away. The Hostel is completely full and there are a 100 more of our Teutonic friends (the place can hold 153 visitors). Although there are no sunloungers to lay towels on, I have my alarm set early to make sure they don't lay claim to the breakfast tables in a similar manner!

Only three and a half days left and tomorrow I'm off up the A82 up to Fort William via Glencoe. I may not update this again in depth until I finish Thursday.

Route Miles: 80.3
Total Miles: 605.4
Miles to go 394.6

Cycling out of Patterdale alongside Lake Ullswater was spectacular this morning. The scenery was unbelievable and a mix of different brown and green shades coloured the surrounding hillsides whilst the lake itself was flat and serene. I'll definitely be coming back to this part of the world again.

Had a peaceful sleep in the dorm last night and I met a few hill walkers at breakfast who trek from YHA to YHA in the District. It's interesting that in the 3 YHA's I've stayed in, the average age is far from youthful - I'ld put as prime SAGA material or mid 50's!

Went through Carlisle today where Leeds were the visiting team for the early kick off. Plenty of foot and mounted police escorted the hordes of travelling fans and I heard sirens in the distance as I left the city centre. For any Saints fans reading this, Carlisle is a very nice town to visit next season. This is on the basis that a) Carlisle stay where they are and b) Saints remain in business.....(For non-football fans, Saints are struggling in the Championship and Carlisle are in the next league down).

I made Gretna and therefore Scotland at 13.00 and took a picture by the first Scottish house etc. Lots of 'Original Blacksmith Wedding Venues' but I saw no marital ceremonies where I thought there would have been several for a Saturday.

Pressed on the B7078 which snakes round the A74(M) and it was completely free of traffic. Diverted off at Lockerbie to have a look around but was disappointed to see a virtual ghost town. Lots of closed and boarded up shops and hardly anyone on the street. Very eerie. Out Of Lockerbie I caught up with a fellow cyclist called Mark who is an Audax (National long distance cycling club) member. He was great company to Moffat and gave me some very helpful hints and tips re the rest of the journey north.

The B&B in Moffat overlooked the local rugby club and I watched the home team score a last minute try, only for the fly-half to hit the left hand upright with his conversion attempt from just to the side of the posts. I found out later that they only lost by 1 point from the facially bruised prop who served me some pasta in a nearby Italian. Suffice to say he wasn't happy with his teammate. Moffat are in the National South West League 2.

Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who has sponsored me to date. I've been amazed by how many and how much, people have given and to achieve two and a half thousand pounds so far is brilliant. I suppose the size of the challenge, the worthiness of the cause and the small number of random online acquaintances I have, have all contributed.

Today was just taking a step back, evaluating my route for Scotland, doing a much needed wash and above all relaxing and taking in the wonderful scenery. It feels good to be just over half way and I'm savouring every minute of this fantastic experience.

My original plan was to have Helmsdale as the last stop before JOG but that would leave it tight to cycle 40 miles to JOG then 20 miles to Thurso to catch the last train to Inverness at 13.00. So instead, I've lengthened my Fort William day to stop at Dornoch, then cycle to Wick leaving a more reasonable 16 miles to the end.

Missed not cycling today and I'm looking forward to getting back on the saddle tomorrow.