Day 10 - Kylesku

Distance: 34 miles

After yesterday's epic we were very glad that today's ride was a bit less strenuous.

Starting in Ullapool we took the opportunity to visit the supermarket to replenish supplies like concentrated orange juice, shower gel, etc. We also bought breakfast, as the SYHA hostel didn't provide one, and some sandwiches for lunch.

At the supermarket we met a couple from New Zealand who were also cycle touring and we felt much better about our own luggage seeing how much stuff they were traveling with.

We took the road north, with the road climbing underneath us. We immediately felt the fatigue of yesterday's outing, the "glorious" sunshine had already taken on a new less repeatable adjective, and the friendly local horse flies were back.

Rosie resorted to extreme measures and immersed herself in a nearby waterfall to cool down.

Taking a break from the climb we met a friendly local, out on his new road bike, who warned us that we had yet more climbing to do. Silently cursing him and his luggage-free carbon framed bike, with which he was able to simply fly up hills, we set out again.

Climbs always end though, and we were granted a pleasant descent with spectacular mountain views, followed by the chance to stop a tea room for a cold drink and cake.

From here the road was a lot flatter and we were glad of the headwind because it helped to keep us cool and stopped the flues from following us. We knew that we would have one last big climb before the descent down to Kylesku, and sure enough there it was, the line of a road snaking up the mountainside in the distance.

It was at this point that something truely wonderful happened; it started to rain! We were truly exhausted but no biting flies accompanied us up this hill and the cold drops of water were wonderful.

It was painful, but soon enough we had made it over the top of the pass and were able to enjoy the rapid descent to Kylesku, where we were booked into the hotel by the sliproad where the old ferry crossing used to be. We arrived very tired and so glad to be off the bikes.

After we'd arrived the weather improved and we were able to enjoy a nice sunny evening. Also worth mentioning was the food at the hotel, which was superb!

Day 9 - An epic!

Distance: 57 miles

Today was a ride of epic proportions, given the distance we had to cover. It wasn't until we were leaving Gairloch and saw the sign saying "Ullapool 57" that we realised quite what we'd let ourselves in for. This was 5 miles further than the London to Brighton bike ride, with luggage, through mountains.

Climbing out of Gairloch wasn't too bad, and we became well aware of how much fitter we have become over the last week. The road followed the coastline but tended to rise over headlands rather than following the contours, so we found ourselves climbing a lot and then enjoying the roll back down to the sea.

After about 30 miles of this the road turned inland following the bottom of a valley. It was as the road steepened that we began to feel the extent of our fatigue and the climb up to the plateau beyond was arduous.

Once again the weather was incredibly hot, which made climbing a slow and sweaty business. Worse however was the entourage of insects that we acquired whenever our speed dropped in this way. We have yet to see any of the famous highland midges, but we have met plenty of biting horse flies. Worse still, it seems that they have no trouble biting through cycling shorts!

The good news was that once we'd reached the top it was more or less downhill all the way for the last 15 miles. The road was well surfaced and straight enough to keep the brakes open and let us roll freely. I set a new speed record at 46.3 mph!

It was about 5 miles from Ullapool that Rosie started craving chips, so on our arrival we sought out a chippie and sat outside to eat the excessively large portions whilst we waited for the Hostel to open.

Something tells me we'll sleep well tonight! Well we'll have to; more cycling tomorrow.

Day 8 - Beachcombing

Another rest day today, and perfect opportunity to spend all of it exploring the coastline around Gairloch.

As we made our way down the coast on foot in warm weather that was actually more suited to northern France than Scotland I was reminded how long it has been since I was last on a sandy beach in summer.

We waded into the crystal clear water that was as calm as a mill pond and saw fish, crabs and jellyfish. We headed further down the coast and found dinner in the form of hot beef and gravy sandwhiches. Then we gradually made our way back, pausing to draw on the virgin sand left by the low tide.

All in all a wonderful day spent doing not very much.

Day 7 - Wind, sun and flies

Another scorcher today, although we didn't feel it at first. We set off east from Torridon into a strong headwind and uphill. Our progress was very slow for the first 10 miles as we battled the wind and gravity all the way inland.

Reaching Kinlochewe was an enormous relief, because here we turned north and the wind would now be behind us. We stopped to buy sandwhiches for lunch, and then stormed onward. The road was level as it followed the banks of a loch and with a tailwind we easily covered the next 10 miles in about 40 minutes.

Realising we'd be arriving in Gairloch very early if we kept going, we pulled off the road and down a track to a signed picnic spot by the loch. It was a beautiful spot to have lunch, and we then killed an hour throwing stones and discovering the remains of enormous crayfish by the waterside.

When we finally rejoined the road it was the hottest part of the day and we soon discovered that a tailwind can also be a curse, as it meant that the air around us was completely stagnant as we laboured our way up out of the valley. As we started to drown in our own sweat we were joined by swarms of flies, eager to keep us company. Half the contents of one of my water bottles ended up on Rosie's back, at her insistence.

The steady roll down to the sea afterward felt really good, as the breeze cooled us down and we rested our tired legs. Showers, dinner and an early bed time awaited us in Gairloch.

Day 6 - Up and over

Distance: 42 miles

Today was hot, very hot. We set out from Plockton with our water bottles brimming and loaded up with fruit and snacks. However, as the road began to undulate and the day got warmer and warmer we realised the water wasn't going to last. I'd gone through two whole bottles in just 10 miles. It was that hot!

Fortunately when we reached Strathcarron we found a hotel with a bar that was quite happy to top them up, complete with ice, which went down very well.

The recurrent theme of the day was climbing up a hill from near sea level, only to descend back down again shortly afterward. Climbing in the heat of the day was definitely a struggle, but breeze during the descent more than made up for it.

Today also felt like our first real taste of wilderness. As we headed north the road narrowed to single track with barely any traffic. No trees, no houses, just bracken and tall mountains to either side.

Torridon was beautiful; a tiny village nestled under a huge mountain. The staff at the youth hostel were very friendly, they gave us a 5 bed dorm all to ourselves and directed us to the nearest place to eat, which was a pub 2 miles away.

We decided to walk, wondering if this was a good idea given the way in which the hostel windows all had midge screens fitted. In the end we need not have worried because the evening was too warm, but that didn't stop us feeling incredibly itchy anyway.

Once again the food was brilliant. Cycle touring is great; you can eat sweets all day, gorge yourself in the evenings on delicious local food, and still lose weight!

Day 5 - Seals and other aquatic creatures

A rest day today, which we feel is well earned. We had a nice large breakfast at the B&B, followed by a gentle stroll into town.

In the morning we took a boat trip to see the seals out in the bay. Mum and Dad had recommended this, and the guys running it told us it would be free if we didn't see any. They needn't have worried, seals there were aplenty, wonderful views too.

We had a light but delicious lunch on the waterfront and then spent the afternoon exploring the shallow water in the harbour. The tide was out, and wading through the calm water on the beach revealed no end of interesting sea life. We saw hundreds of hermit crabs (including one that was enormous!), crabs, fish, crayfish and even a large flatfish that sped off at a rate of knots from its hiding place in the sand as I approached.

On any other kind of holiday a day like this might feel wasted, but we really enjoyed having a lazy day in one place to get some rest.

After dinner we headed back to the B&B, and an early night. More cycling tomorrow!

Day 4 - Isle of Skye

Distance: 28 miles

Well, what a contrast in the weather today! We stepped out of the Bed and Breakfast we were staying at in Mallaig to glorious sunshine and not a cloud in the sky.

We bought ourselves some sandwiches to have for lunch and headed down to the quayside to catch the ferry to Armadale, which is on the Isle of Skye. The sea was really calm and the views we had from the deck of the ferry during the 30 minute crossing were amazing.

Just as though it was trying to tell me something just as we'd wheeled our bikes off the ferry my rear tyre went flat again. This time the inner tube had failed at the valve and was beyond repair, so I had to break out a spare.

We headed north from Armadale, finding the road to be very well made, the scenery beautiful, and the traffic incredibly light.

Stopping for lunch by the side of the road we saw our first tick of the holiday. Rosie pointed to a tiny bug crawling across her hand, "a little insect" she said. "How many legs does it have?" I asked. "Eight" she said, "it's a little spider". I had a look; it was 2mm across with a fat body, eight short legs, and a pointy head. "That's not a spider". "Oh!" Rosie flicked it away.

Dramatic views and empty roads were the order of the day until we reached the road east to the Skye bridge, which was a little busier but still very comfortable for cycling.

We crossed the Skye bridge and headed north again toward Plockton. Here the road undulated a bit, but whilst the climbs were quite exhausting in the heat it was always great to cool off on the descent. I need to stop mentioning the incredible scenery, but Plockton itself was no exception to the wonderful landscapes we've been travelling through for the last few days. It's a village looking onto a harbour in a small secluded bay with high peaks on the horizon in all directions.

After settling into our accommodation we had a look around and went in search of dinner. When we found nowhere was open yet, at about 4:30, we got ice creams instead, went to explore a small island reachable across the beach, nearly got cut off by the tide, and in the end resorted to crab spotting by the slipway.

Dinner was fish and chips. I see a trend emerging!

Day 3 - The Road to the Isles

Distance: 48 miles.

Our first day of proper cycling today. Pausing only to stop off at Fort William to visit its small clone high street we set off westward on the road to Mallaig and the Isle of Skye ferry, hot on the heels of the Jacobite steam train, which we'd just seen leaving Fort William station.

The road and railway follow a very similar route along the banks of a Loch and then up over a low pass. We were happy; the road was well surfaced and the gradients were gentle, the traffic was light, and we had but scratched the surface of our Kendal mint cake supply.

It didn't even bother us when it started to rain; it was a nice temperature.

Our first stop was Glenfinnan, where we found a car park and a small visitors centre and received funny looks in our short sleeved jerseys off the multitude of tourists wrapped up in their anoraks against the incessant drizzle.

Glenfinnan viaduct, which we could see from where we'd stopped, is in fact the one regularly featured in the Harry Potter films. Glenfinnan station, which we also passed, features in the films too, as Hogsmeade station. It's easy to see why; I think if Hogwarts did really exist this is definitely where it would be found.

West of Glenfinnan the scenery changed from beautiful to stunning. The rain got heavier but we really didn't care, we were enjoying the ride too much. High peaks on either side were hidden in cloud, and we could go 5 miles without seeing so much as a house.

Eventually as we turned northward the undulations of the road started to tire us out, but the route had one more treat in store for us. About two miles from Mallaig we stopped to watch the Jacobite chuffing past on its way back to Fort William. The enthusiasm of the train crew waving to us from the footplate making up for that of their passengers.

Mallaig itself is a small fishing village complimented by the end of the railway and a pint-sized ferry terminal. The rain had stopped by now and we found plenty of options for dinner; most of them fish. We found a nice pub and chose which aquatic species we'd like on our plates. I couldn't choose, so I went for the fish pie. It was delicious!

Day 2 - More trains, further north!

Yesterday little did I realise that I would find myself the spectator of some kind of all-night snoring competition. The SYHA hostel in Glasgow is unable to provide small rooms, so Rosie and I found ourselves in bunkrooms. There were five other occupants to my room and I swear all of them were trying to claim the title of Scotland's loudest sleeper! It reached the point where my best chance of sleep was to put my headphones in and play some music loud enough to drown out the sound of the windows rattling.

Suffice to say I slept very lightly last night.

The good news was a gentle start to the day and a large continental breakfast. We were safely able to kill most of the morning because our train departed just after mid day.

The ride down to Glasgow Queen street station revealed the shocking state of Glasgow's roads, which were full of pot holes and incredibly rough. It made me consider that the couple of guys we'd chatted to yesterday getting off the train with their bikes weren't on mountain bikes because they were headed for the Hebrides, rather that they'd been to Glasgow before and knew what to expect.

Rosie wished she'd brought her mountain bike too.

Our train pulled out of Queen Street at 12:20 and headed north west onto the West Highland line. Once again the cycle storage facilities on the train were excellent, which allowed us to sit back and enjoy the views. This was certainly the most picturesque train journey I have ever been on, with sections boasting views where the only thing in sight that told of human presence was the railway. No roads, no tracks even, just marshes and mountains.

We arrived into Fort William mid afternoon. We're now installed in a room to all to ourselves, fed, watered, and hoping for a good night's sleep.

The cycling holiday begins tomorrow!

Day 1 - Trains, scrabble and robots.

Well, the first day of our Scottish adventure finally dawned. Today has been a very long day and finds us in Glasgow.

Tumbling out of bed at stupid o'clock in the morning to catch a train for London was a necessary evil in order to catch our train to Glasgow from Kings Cross. So after a quick ride across central London, bizarrely much of which was spent following in the sweet smelling wake of the same dustbin lorry, we easily got our bikes onto the train into their 1st rate bike racks, and our backsides into our 1st class seats.

This left us with over five and a half hours of train journey time to kill. We spent much of this playing the "pocket" scrabble game I have bought along specially. For the first time I lost horribly to Rosie, and I'm going to plead tiredness as an excuse.

On arrival north of the border we started this cycling holiday as we mean to go on. I got a puncture 20 metres from the front of Glasgow Central station and had to pull over for repairs, right in front of a bus queue. Fun!

Having gotten ourselves installed in our accommodation we thought we'd do a bit of exploring. Having already sampled the delights of central Glasgow we thought we'd try going further afield. There's an X-scape leisure complex at Braehead, so we thought we'd check it out and try to find some dinner. This involved sampling the Glasgow underground (aka the "Clockwork Orange" - because it's, err, orange) which feels like a toy version of the London underground, with its tiny trains.

Braehead turned out to be a cloned shopping centre, and a nice reminder of the world we will be leaving behind us for the next two weeks. Crowds of recreational shoppers, rows of identical fashion shops, chain restaurants and mindless consumerism at its zenith. This didn't stop us shamelessly having dinner at Frankie & Benny's however, as we doubt we'll be seeing one or its like in the Highlands.

The highlight at Braehead was the awesome robot arm ride in the entrance way to X-scape. It's basically a pair of seats on the end of a maniacal flailing robot arm that moves in the most unpredictable way. We couldn't resist giving it a whirl, literally, and I have to say it was definitely one of the most intense fairground rides I've ever been on. My head was full of blood and spinning for about 5 minutes afterward.

Best of all was the ride attendant who, on seeing my t-shirt, gave me half our money back and told me that Monty Python fans ride half price! I love this t-shirt.

The Scottish Adventure

A lack of blogging recently. Mostly this has been down to using the time I'd usually spend writing this on planning a Summer holiday.

Rosie and I had a cycle touring holiday in the Lake District last year, which we enjoyed immensely, so we decided that this year we'd like to do more of the same. Ultimately we would like to ride from John O'Groats to Lands End, but we felt that might be a bit too big a leap from the short distances we were riding last year. A couple of weeks riding up the west coast of Scotland seemed much more sensible.


So here's the route we'll be cycling. It's about 340 miles in total. Daily distances being 30-55 miles, and with a few days off, so not too strenuous.

Needless to say we've got it all booked up now. We're staying in a mixture of hostels and B&Bs, and we're travelling up and back by train. Of course the only thing one can't book is the weather, but hopefully that will be good!

Not long now! I'm really looking forward to it!