Wanderings of a Farm-boy

To Do

XC race
Build some wheels
Munda Biddi Trail Section 2a
Ride and paddle Avon Valley
Learn to Swim
Offroad metric century
All Perth Hills & John Forrest singletrack on same day
Ride all night
Freo-Scarborough (16km) less than 20mins

Land's End to John O'Groats

Listed below is my daily journal. The most interesting part of the trip was getting to Land's End in the first place. First of all my plane to Plymouth broke down and was replaced by a Sopwith Camel. Half the passengers got booted off the flight and we were 3 hours late (spending most of the evening in Cardiff). By the time I got to Plymouth the youth hostel was shut so I had to stay in a travel inn. Saturday morning was going better, I got the train to Penzance and then cycled the remaining 10 miles to Land's End. However I got a puncture about 500 metres short of the start line. Eventually I was under way.

Day 1 Land's End to Golant (71.5 miles)

After completing the obligatory niceties at Land's End (photo by sign post, sign guest book) I headed back up the A30 towards Penzance. It was only then that it became apparent how strong the head wind was. After Penzance I headed for the back roads, which provided a little shelter from the wind but were much more hilly. Lunch of a enormous pasty the size of an adult seal was taken on the beach over looking St Michael's Mount. Early in the afternoon I caught up with two fellow End to Enders, Joe and Scott from Manchester. They weren't really cyclists and were struggling a bit. Someone had told them that Cornwall was flat. I cycled with them for a while but left them shortly before the King Harry Ferry. From there the hills seemed to get worse and I also made a few minor navigational errors, the worst of which resulted in me dragging my bike across a beach. Eventually I hauled myself into Golant Youth Hostel at about 7pm more than ready for my bed.

At the start

Golant Youth Hostel is a large old manor house in the middle of nowhere. It is also bloody hard to find - well to a confused tired cyclist it was. The place feels like it is falling down and the three flights of stairs up to my dormitory were not welcome. There are no shops or pubs within easy walking distance.

Day 2 Golant to Steps Bridge (68 miles)

The view across Dartmoor

The good news was that the wind had dropped, the bad news that the sun had been replaced by a thick fog and drizzle. With waterproofs donned I set out ready to do battle with the Cornish hills once more. I caught up with Scott and Joe short of Looe. They had got to their campsite at 9pm the night before. After a quick chat I sped on, agreeing to meet that night as we were all in the same YH. After Looe I decided to take the scenic route to Torpoint (more hills). From Torpoint the ferry across to Plymouth and farewell to Cornwall. The main road out of Plymouth was a bit busy but I was soon battling onto Dartmoor up more ridiculously steep hills and in thick fog. However from the top of the moor it was mainly downhill to the youth hostel.

In contrast to last night the hostel at Steps Bridge is a glorified garden shed. That week's volunteer warden ridden the Le JOG the previous year and was able to offer some valuable advice. There is not a great deal in the village (a 1/2 mile walk from the hostel) but the pub served good hearty home cooking. Scott and Joe turned up a couple of hours later, just as the pub was opening so we celebrated the end to the worst of the hills with a slap up dinner and a couple of wet ones.

Day 3 Steps Bridge to Cheddar (76 miles)

A few more steep hills before Exeter but after that I spent most of the day ambling along country lanes, dodgy cattle, getting lost, being chased by farm dogs and generally having a good time. Despite this I still contrived to eat my lunch at a motorway service station. The sun even shone for most of the afternoon.

After production of my passport I was able to use a computer in the library. The youth hostel was modern and efficient. Other than that Cheddar was a bit tacky.

Traffic in Somerset

Day 4 Cheddar to Kinnersley (94.9 miles)

Arrving at Frampton for lunch

Gavin (who I met in Morocco) cycled down from Bristol the night before to join me this morning; some welcome company. Our fist major hurdle was Cheddar gorge which was a long slow slog. I think that we must have been so elated to reach the top that we missed out turn and ended up further South than when we started. Eventually we re-joined our route and made steady progress around the outskirts of Bristol. Here Gavin turned for home and I put my foot down to make my lunch appointment with my dad. With my legs now recovered from Cornwall and a tail wind I was only a few minutes late. After a pleasant enough lunch I gave him my excess baggage and continued through Gloucester.

Shortly after the Gloucester the sight of the Malvern hills spurred me on and by now I was really flying. In the end I reached home well before 5pm despite covering 95 miles in the day. Definitely the best day, as far as cycling is concerned, so far and nice to be visit home.

Day 5 Kinnersley to Stafford (63.4 miles)

After a very relaxing rest day, which was mainly spent buying winter cycling clothing, I set off once more. For the first part of the day I followed the rivers Severn and Stour down quiet country lanes. In fact there were no great hills and the roads were traffic free all the way into Stafford itself. Apart from one short rain shower, a good return to the trail.

No Youth Hostel in Stafford so I stayed in a B&B and ate at a chain Italian resturant. All quite disappointing really.

Preparing to leave Kinnersley

Day 6 Stafford to Glossop (57 miles)

The start of the bad weather that had been predicted. Bitterly cold northerly gales, snow, hale and some massive hills across the Peak District made for a deeply unpleasant day. The shortest so far, in terms of miles, but easily the toughest. Eventually I crawled into Glossop to stay with my friend Heather. Her hospitality was most welcome, particularly the cooking. Vegetarian sausages and red cabbage cooked in Marmite were just the ticket.

Later in the evening John arrived by train from Darlington to join in the fun over the weekend.

Day 7 Glossop to Slaidburn (51 miles)

Big hills and rain

A slightly brighter start than yesterday but the rain soon set in. The morning was spent fighting traffic around Oldham and Rochdale. The afternoon brought less cars, but more rain and some huge hills. Thankfully the last couple of miles to Slaidburn were all downhill.

Facilities in Slaidburn consist of an old rambling youth hostel, a post office come village store that never seemed to be open and a good pub. Despite the protestations of the landlady a starter and the "massive" bangers and mash were not too much. In fact we had a side order of chips as well and sticky toffee pudding to finish.

Day 8 Slaidburn to Carlisle (82.6 miles)

Less rain today but more hills, more miles and still the same head wind. The 6 mile uphill slog at the start of the day nearly finished us off, but we survived through to Kendall. Over lunch it was decided to take the A6 over Shap pass, as it was slightly more direct and less hilly then my original planned route. It also proved to be quite quiet as most of the cars were on the adjacent M6. The sun even came out and shorts were seen for the first time since Monday. John took the train from Penrith and I span into Carlisle at about 1745, tired but not beaten.

The Youth Hostel in Carlisle is only open during the school holidays so I stayed in a seedy guest house. I spent the evening lying on my bed in the tiny room eating fish and chips.

Day 9 Carlisle to Wanlockhead (70 miles)

Finally the South-Westerly wind that I had been craving. Unfortunately I had 20 miles of cycling almost due East to Dumfries today so it was a headwind anyway. After lunch in Dumfries I turned north onto the A76, which twisted and turned alongside the river Frith. The B road to Wanlockhead was 6 miles of hard climbing. Then again I would be staying in highest youth hostel in Britain. When I got there I was thankful that I had bought some food in the previous town as there were no shops and the pub was shut, as it is every Monday.

NB. Wanlockhead Youth Hostel has now been closed. This is no great lost as it is a pretty bleak place on top of a bruddy great hill.

Nearly there...

Day 10 Wanlockhead to Loch Lomond (70.9 miles)

An early start to get to Glasgow to meet Tarry. The previous afternoon's climbing was repaid with 10 very fast miles down to the M74. Here I took the parallel B road, which was completely traffic free but hadn't been re-surfaced since the motorway was built. On occasions I had to cross onto the other side of the road just to avoid the potholes. When I met Tarry he wasn't feeling too well, so we steadily made our way out to Loch Lomond along the Clyde cycle path avoiding the broken glass, hale stones and winos. Loch Lomond youth hostel is a large castle so I took the chance to do some laundry and send some emails whilst Tarry got some rest.

Day 11 Loch Lomond to Glen Coe (65.5 miles)

Tarry eating lunch on Rannoch Moor

After extracting ourselves from the advances of the 6 foot, blond German supermodel who was taking some time out to work at the hostel we set out nice and early. Progress was halted when I had a big puncture. Something very sharp ripped open the side wall of my rear tyre with a big bang and a hiss. The initial prognosis was not good, the tyre looking like a write off. However we managed to fashion a gaiter on the inside from a large repair patch which seems to be holding up ok if you ignore the bulge. The rest of the morning was spent spinning along the banks of Loch Lomond. I had been fully expecting to get a drenching on Rannoch Moor and I wasn't disappointed. As the gradient increased so did the rain. I expect that the snow topped hills of Glen Coe are full of majesty and grandeur, but we couldn't see them for the driving rain. A warm shower later and it is all forgotten.

Day 12 Glen Coe to Culloden (89.9 miles)

Our only blessing today was no rain. However a steady head wind made for 89 very tough miles indeed. I was able to get a new tyre in Fort William. Some hard work meant that we had reached Fort Augustus by lunchtime. With only 30 miles left to Inverness we took some time out for a mammoth feed. Re-fuelled, we commenced battle with the elements once more, taking the slightly more sheltered road along the North side of Loch Ness.

I stayed with Tarry in Culloden, just outside Inverness. Doreen, Tarry's wife, fed us with her ever excellent cooking.

Day 13 Culloden to Lairg (54.3 miles)

Battling the wind

David took over as my pacemaker for the rest of the trip. His train didn't arrive at Inverness until late morning so I was able to have a lie in. The Kessock bridge was very windy but after negotiating some road works we were soon Kite spotting on the Black Isle. We then dropped down to the A9 again to cross the Cromarty Firth before taking the back roads to Lairg. Despite being windy and cold a pleasant enough afternoon was spent ambling along and stopping in cafes for large periods of time.

In contrast to my previous experiences the B&B in Lairg was superb. Highlights were the home baked short bread in each room and the choice of butcher's sausages for breakfast. The chip shop was not so great. Apart from the fact that it was closing at 7, they had run out of fish and the portions were tiny.

Day 14 Culloden to John O'Groats (95.2 miles)

We knew that it would be windy today but a fairly sheltered, flat morning was no preparation for the blasting that we would get long the north coast. After battling a couple of hills between Bettyhill and Melvich we met up with Lynda who had cycled out from Thurso to meet us. And so the three of us fought on into the now very strong, cold wind reaching Thurso at about 5 pm. With Sunday's forecast even worse it was decided to push onto John O'Groats that evening. So re-fuelled with chocolate and energy drinks we set off for the remaining 20 miles. The sugar and adrenaline did the trick and at 7 pm we spun into the deserted John O'Groats.