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Day 14 - Carbisdale Castle to John O'Groats
Saturday
The end. A long day but at last the adventure is over. There's nothing particularly interesting or nice about North East Scotland. At least not this far North East. Even the Castle of Mey keeps itself hidden from the road and quite why the Queen Mother spent her summers here is completely and utterly beyond me, unless she was trying to send a message to her friends :- "don't come and visit".
But if you like birds, and I do mean the feathered variety, then this may be the part of the world for you as the RSPB have a big centre in the middle of Europe's largest peat bog. There. I've really sold it to you now. Don't bring wellies, bring waders!
At John O'Groats there are a couple of cafe's and nic-nac shops but nothing more. Apart from the obligatory sign-post marking the start and finish line for the challenge. While I was lining up and having a photo against the post there were literally tens of other cyclists doing the same. I'll come back to the reason why, but during the course of the afternoon I must have seen about 30-40 cyclists come to the sign-post. More extraordinary were the number of motorcyclists also coming to commemorate either the off or the end of an adventure. Does it still count if you have a farm full of horses to pull you along!? Admittedly, some of the gentlemen on bikes rather looked as though they needed the horses! And I'll admit I was rather envious. I'd love to do it again on two wheels, so long as I'm not having to turn them.
Having arrived, had my record sheet stamped and been photographed I pedalled off to the Youth Hostel in Carnisbey. 2 miles and in the wind and driving rain. Yes, day 14 clobbered me with the weather. It had to arrive at some point. The hostel, and this didn't come as a surprise, knowing this particular hostel, was locked and bolted until 5pm. As there wasn't any other shelter around and no pubs, I cycled back to John O'Groats and sought shelter back in the cafe.
Shortly after arriving back at the finish line Rob & Dan arrived. So we got to celebrate together and then get out of the cold and wet and into the cafe! They'd made an unbroken journey of 14 days and 1030 odd miles to my 1007. (They got lost more often then me! :-)
Then again, I'd had a rest part way through so my milage was actually a combination of this year's and last year's journeys. Still, it was one hell of an adventure!
Would I do it again? I think you know the answer to that one.
So that's it. I'm waiting for a cab to take me to Thurso and from there it's a train to Inverness, another to Edinburgh an finally the night sleeper service to Euston. Oh and it's raining again up here. Like cats and dogs. So the £40 for 20 miles taxi to Thurso will feel like the best money ever spent. Oh to be home, in the mild and flat land that is London.
I'll see you all soon. Thanks for reading and thanks for sponsoring! I've raised over £1700 plus gift aid so far. Can't quite believe it. So thank you. Tom and I may have pedalled but you all made the donations so thank you!
Will
- comments
Jimmy Bravo bravo both of you. More epic than we imagined. Again I say, bravo!