End to End 2010

We made it! The first few days were lovely days after clear frosty mornings across Cornwall and Devon, steep hills and many of them, but it did allow me a personal record – 47 mph. Dartmoor was beautiful in the sunshine. Then all the way up north the wind was due south. We had a bit of trouble finding accommodation near Bristol – would you believe everywhere was booked up because of Cheltenham races – so we ended up at Chepstow after 70 miles, the last bit being on a busy main road in the dark which Luisa hated. Up the Wye valley was really attractive. Continued on the A6 which wasn’t too bad, over Shap in the rain albeit with a following wind. We stayed in Shap village after a short day because Luisa had to be in London the next day. So another short day, we left our bikes in an hotel next to Carlisle station and had a night at home. After Gretna we turned left and the wind turned to the east! Up the coast to Gourock, ferry to Dunoon avoiding Glasgow completely. Up the west coast of Scotland in good weather and great scenery, made more dramatic by all the snow. Then the weather God turned against us. As we cycled up the Great Glen the wind turned to the NE and we battled along Loch Ness in two days of continuous blizzards, at one point it was touch and go – the road was completely snowed over, compacted in parts, and almost un-cycleable. (Mitigated by a night at Invergarry Castle Hotel which was lovely). Then up the east coast. The last day was Good Friday, which I understand was grotty down south, but for us was a brisk southerly wind, sunshine sparkling on the sea to our right, snow-covered hills to our left. We whizzed along with no effort, cycling doesn’t get better. It was just short of 1,000 miles and 20 days cycling, or 18 if you allow for truncated days to catch the train at Carlisle and for blizzards in Scotland. No mishaps, no punctures. Regards Bernard