Day 18 Fort William to Loch Ness

Miles today 43, running total is now 837 miles

Guess what we saw today? Two Otters!!!

The weather was kind today with a tail wind with most of the cycling on forest tracks or along the towpath of the Caledonian Canal. Where we did have to travel on the main A82 the lasting memory is of completely inconsiderate coach drivers ferrying passengers to the main sights along the Great Glen.

Start of the Caledonian canal at Fort William

It was along the towpath next to lock gates that we were thrilled to see two wild otters frolicking along the towpath. They allowed us to get quite close but unfortunately not long enough to take a photo. Later along the towpath Scottish Waterways had a signboard advising that a healthy and breeding population of otters can be seen along this stretch of the canal.

Our picnic stop was at Loch Oich when Jim decided that now was the time to get his feet wet. (He tells us is not too cold, only about -20C)

Jim having a paddle on the shore of Loch Oich

The next wildlife sensation occurred at our hostel which is right on the shoreline of Loch Ness. Look who is behind Tommy on the shoreline!

Outside the hostel on the shore of Loch Ness

This prompted Jim to make an offering to Mummy Nessie of a bottle of Pinot Grigio (or it could be to cool the wine for some illicit wine drinking tonight in the hostel?)

that was a good bottle of Pinot Grigio he is sacrificing.....

Meanwhile, our mascots - Freddo and Curly Wurly - now have a new friend:

Say 'hello' to Nessie!

Day I7 Oban to Fort William

48 miles today, running total is now 794

Thankfully a better day with the weather, we only had some light rain during the last hour’s run into Fort William.

Day started really well with the staff and their friends at Oban Youth Hostel giving Tommy £30 for his charity after hearing of his exploits from Lands End. The hostel was really fantastic – more like a 4* hotel than something for weary cyclists such as ourselves. The warden at Glen Nevis Hostel (where we are now) told us that the SYHA had spent £1.25M on refurbishing Oban Hostel: it was money well spent!

We set off around 9.45 with high cloud and the Island of Mull ferry just arriving at Oban harbour.

Watching the ferry arrive from Mull

We cycled past some beautiful deserted beaches: this is not like beaches on the south coast!

The beach at Ganavan

The first 30 miles were on purpose built cycle tracks that made very pleasant and safe cycling along sea lochs toward Fort William including passing a quintessential Scottish Castle and tommy spotted some seals basking on the sea rocks.

On the cycle path: check out the castle in the background

A number of the sea lochs now have bridges over them that has cut the journey time northwards.

just cycled over Connel Bridge

 Tomorrow we cycle up the Great Glen crossing from the west coast of Scotland to the east coast to arrive at Inverness on Sunday

Day 16 Lochranza to Oban: a spot of rain or two……..

Todays mileage 62, running total 746

Yesterday’s rain was surpassed by todays, although we had some respite from around midday when the rain relented. We later learned from BBC 2 that the last two days were the wettest on record for August in Scotland!

leaving the Lochranza ferry on Kinytre

We woke with rain, crossed on the ferry to Kintyre in rain and then had a major climb and freewheel down to the pretty port of Tarbet. By the time we reached Tarbet we were soaked to the skin and had to literally change every stitch of clothing.

cycling past Lochranza Castle

We had a two hour wait at Tarbet before the weather relented and enabled us to cycle on towards Oban.

By the afternoon the rain had stopped but we had to negotiate flooded roads and swollen streams

cycling towards Oban

 before we eventually arrived at Oban Youth Hostel where Tommy was piped in by the local piper!

What a welcome at Oban SYHA!

Spending an evening with the staff at Oban SYHA drinking wine!

Day 15 Ayr to Lochranza (Isle of Arran)

Today’s miles 39, running total 684

Yesterday’s headwind was replaced by unremitting rain! From the Ayr Travelodge we had a speedy and thankfully flat 25 mile run to Ardrossan where we were booked on the 12.30 ferry to Brodick, on the Isle of Arran.

Maybe we should have flown up!

The ferry was surprisingly big (reminiscent of a trip from Dover to Calais!).

Disembarked on Arran!

 We all thought the weather at Brodick looked like improving with the sun threatening to come out, but the to no avail.

Corrie: a pretty village on Arran

However, our hostel for the night was on the other side of the island at Lochranza and involved a 200m climb in driving rain over a mountain pass.

Tommy had bought himself a Eye-Spy book on Scottish Nature at Brodick and was not disappointed when we arrived at the hostel. These are wild red deer, not tame ones!

They might be wild....but still cute!

Day 14 Auldgirth to Ayr

Today’s miles 52 miles, running total 644

Yesterday’s relentless headwind was repeated today. The weather stayed dry, however with sunny periods.

cycling through the Galloway Hills

This was a quite gruelling day caused only by the north- westerly headwind that blew for the whole day. 

'Elevenses' at the  Tolbooth at Sanquhar

Coupled with two major climbs over the Southern Uplands meant that today’s average mileage was the lowest of the tour so far.

Despite the weather conditions we had some lovely views over the Galloway Hills.

Galloway Hills

Lunch break was at New Cumnock a village immortalised by Robert Burns (Sweet Afton, etc, etc)

The fact that we were also on the saddle for longest period of the tour so far told its own story as we wearily arrived at our lodgings at Ayr at 7.15pm

Leaving the Borders Region and entering Ayrshire

Day 13 to Auldgirth (north of Dumfries) and into Bonnie Scotland!

Today’s miles 45; running total 592

A momentous day when we can report that at 10.15am Tommy was the first of  our party  to cycle across the border from England to Scotland and thus completing  the 558 mile ride from Land’s End to the Scottish Border – pretty impressive for an 11 year old!

The day started at Carlisle with still the threat of the rain we had yesterday which fortuitously did not materialise. Leaving our overnight stop at the University Halls of Residence we cycled past Carlisle Castle.

A castle to keep the Scots out of 

England

It was a short 11 mile ride to the border when the usual photos were taken:

Welcome to Scotland with Gretna's 'First and Last House'  opposite: anybody want to get married?

I am pleased to report that both Freddo and Curly Wurly got in on the act too.

All we need now is to catch a haggis and we will have a threesome of  mascots

The cycle from Gretna was, on paper, an easy day but despite the sun coming out we had a strong headwind for the whole day that sapped everybody’s energy. Tommy said this was his most exhausting day in the saddle and was completely ‘dead beat’ at the end of the day.

The day ended at the village of Auldgirth, 11 miles north of Dumfries meaning we have shortened out arduous day over the Southern Uplands tomorrow. A welcome pint in the Auldgirth Inn.

A welcome pint at the end of an exhausting day

 The two other chaps in the picture are also cycling LEJOG: indeed we met others at the border too. It looks like most cyclists we now  pass seem to be doing LEJOG or JOGLE.

Day 12 Grasmere to Carlisle on a blustery day

Miles today 37, running total 547

A comparatively short day in terms of mileage, but two quite arduous climbs before a cruise in to Carlisle.

Despite in being Sunday (or because it was Sunday), traffic in the Lakes was still quite heavy but as soon as we turned north past Blencathra and travelled along the rural roads to Carlisle the roads were as quiet as they have been on tour.

Heading towards Blencathra

We met an interesting chap by Lake Thirlmere, cycling fully loaded and heading south. He too had a young son and was envious that we had persuaded Tommy to cycle on the LEJOG tour.

A chatty cyclist from York who tells us he is planning a cycle tour  the length of the Americas

Jim got lost once again, when we raised him on the mobile he said he was heading towards Keswick which is fine but for the fact that it was the wrong direction. Without a map, he used the trunk and A roads to get to Carlisle.

Meanwhile the main party stuck to some pretty rural lanes leaving the Lakes behind us and trying to avoid the 4 legged natives.

Quiz Time: What is the sheep on the left saying to Thomas?

 Everything was going fine until a torrential downpour caught us as we reached Carlisle.

Mid Term Bum Report:

Alastair: Absolutely no complaints in that department

Tommy: Started whinging about bum complaints on Day 3, he puts on Anti-Sore Bum Cream in the morning and Jim’s Mumbo Jumbo Oil in the evening: seems to do the trick.

Sarah-Jane: Had “issues” on Day 5 but advsises she is fine now

Jim: Slathers Pre-Bum and Post Bum cream daily and only complains about a sore bum late pm at the end of the ride.

Pauline: if you seriously think I am going to ask her about the state of her bum you must be mad!