Category: Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 25: Aberfeldy to Dalwhinnie, 74.9k, 955m climbed
What a difference a day makes. If someone had told me this morning that I’d be singing to myself as I pedalled happily up the Pass of Drumochter this afternoon, I wouldn’t have believed them. Full disclosure: this morning I felt terrible – exhausted, crashing headache, fighting a cold. I didn’t know how I was…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 24: Callander to Aberfeldy, 77.8k, 1148m climbed
It was a beautiful morning – mist cloaked the lower slopes of Ben Ledi, directly behind my hosts’ house – but another few degrees cooler. Time for the padded gilet and winter gloves. The knees braved the chill again: we’ll see how long that lasts. I started the day riding north with the sun on…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 23: Glasgow to Callander, 85.9k, 1192m climbed
After the rather torrid journey into Glasgow, I wasn’t much looking forward to the journey out. I needn’t have worried: it turns out there are cycle paths after all, provided you don’t want to ride through the city centre. Through the slit masquerading as my bedroom window, I was pleasantly surprised to see blue sky,…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 22: R&R in Glasgow
Overnight I learned that, just like the window and the WiFi, a full-size duvet does not come as standard in this all-expense-spared accommodation. It’s hard to imagine the procurement process: “Yes, that’s right – we’d like to order 200 duvets that are a foot shorter than usual.” I suspect only the most petite guests come…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 21: Moffat to Glasgow, 96.8k, 904m climbed
Due to a particularly dreich weather forecast, our expectations for today were low, but the heavy rain never materialised and after a grey start… … we rode for much of the time under blue skies with warm sun on our backs. The wind swung in our favour and positively blew us north, so despite the…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 20: Carlisle to Moffat, 73k, 536m climbed
There’s been an element of Schrödinger’s cat about my approach to this bike ride, because I’ve always held two entirely incompatible thoughts in my head at the same time: first, that I would do it, and second that I couldn’t possibly. The latter has prompted many ‘I can’t believe I’m here’ moments, none more so…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 19: Appleby to Carlisle, 66k, 666m climbed
If yesterday was all about the views, today was all about the wind, the low cloud and the ‘not very nice out’ (cf ‘Day 5: cyclists’ terms for rain). Happily, today also featured excellent coffee and pastries – c/o Saddlebacks, a converted horse box (geddit?) on Langwathby village green. It had been recommended to us…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – PS: The Gremlins Fight Back
You’ll have noticed that the photo shuffling gremlins continue to evade the best endeavours of Weebly’s engineers to zap them. From my perspective it’s really quite annoying, but hopefully for you it just adds a frisson of uncertainty to your experience: will the banana reappear? Or will it be Rob and the quinoa again? Will…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 18: Kirkby Lonsdale to Appleby in Westmorland, 75.2k, 1,416m climbed
My latest ride companion was so committed to the cause that she left home at 4.30am so we could be on the road by 9.30. Chapeau Diane. Glad to have you with me till Glasgow. The theme for today was spectacular views – we found one round virtually every corner. Obviously, obtaining spectacular views on…
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Land’s End to John O’Groats 2021 – Day 17: Kirkby Lonsdale – rest day
A gate without a bike propped against it – must mean a rest day. Given my legs are screaming at me just going upstairs, I think it was necessary. Kirkby Lonsdale sported some excellent art on their public toilets – to which everyone is welcome provided they have a credit card to open the door.…
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