Day 12
The Pedal for Parkinson's Double End-to-End Cycle Challenge
Inverness to Helmsdale
59 miles scheduled, 69 miles on the clock
Posted by the Secret Secretary
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The Pedal for Parkinson's Challenge Route and Maps
The 12th day of the Pedal for Parkinson's Double End-to-End Challenge took the Team on a pleasantly undulating, coastal ride north of Inverness to Helmsdale, from where Les texted a report early this morning whilst standing outside the hostel where the Team has just spent the night; standing outside, contemplating life, the universe and just the occasional Eddie Stobart truck trundle past, maybe coming back from the ferry port at Thurso with a charge of Orkney Highland Park whisky.
Les reports:
"Monday 27th June, 09h15: an early start under cloudy skies, we set off north out of Inverness across the Kessock Bridge on the A9; we would be following the NE coastline the whole way. The North Sea on our right, it would be a straightforward route. Unlike further south, where even in Ripon was hot and sticky, we heard, it was chilly - about 10°C max. It did however gradually brighten to give us a few sunny intervals but we kept our arm warmers and wind jackets firmly on.
Lunch was a picnic at the Loch Fleet nature reserve*, where we were privileged to witness close-up an Osprey defending its nest from a flock of gulls. The reserve is near Tain and the Glenmorangie Distillery and any wobbles yesterday can definitely be attributed to the intoxicating smell in the air of fermenting barley and peaty water!
We finished the day with something of a flurry: a gallop over the final, relatively flat, dozen or so miles, much of which we rode at 20mph, which pushed our average for the day over a very respectable 14mph. Ever the showman, I finished the ride with another of my flamboyant dismounts (just the one, no need to exaggerate) right outside the Helmsdale hostel** where we were staying the night. The hostel is well-maintained and comfortable with just the one inconvenience - just one convenience to share between the 7 of us (the 6 Riders and Viv in the support car - Liz and Geoff have been opting for the home comforts of their caravan) plus one other. Just one shower and a toilet between 8: yet another Challenge for the team to surmount!
And finally, I even have news to report on the Pudding Front! Supper last night was at the Bannockburn Inn*** in Helmsdale. Run by a landlord originally from Plumstead (a South Londoner like me), the pub serves very good home cooked food, including a selection of STICKY PUDS (so many puddings, so little time).
Back at the hostel dormitory, it was lights out (for me at least) before 22h30 but I was awake again by 04h30 - to bed and awake again in full daylight - we're in the land of the Midnight Sun. The morning has dawned mild and sunny, could the final stage of the first leg of our two-wheeled Odyssey be our first cycling day of fine, warm weather? I say 'cycling day' because predictably our day-off in Inverness was dry and sunny! Today we are riding to Dunnet Head / Thurso, the most northerly point of mainland Britain. We may however make a detour to John O'Groats so that Chris too can say he's a fully paid-up member of the LeJog club (he warmed up for the first day of our Tour by riding from Land's End to Lizard Point - nearly a fortnight ago!)."
So today, Tuesday 28th June, the Team completes the first phase of its Double End-to-End Challenge with a 65 mile ride to Dunnet Head (and for some, a detour to John O'Groats) on the north coast of Scotland. Any further and they'll topple off the edge!
*To find out more about the Loch Fleet nature reserve, click here:
***There's more information about the Bannockburn Inn at:
Lunch was a picnic at the Loch Fleet nature reserve*, where we were privileged to witness close-up an Osprey defending its nest from a flock of gulls. The reserve is near Tain and the Glenmorangie Distillery and any wobbles yesterday can definitely be attributed to the intoxicating smell in the air of fermenting barley and peaty water!
We finished the day with something of a flurry: a gallop over the final, relatively flat, dozen or so miles, much of which we rode at 20mph, which pushed our average for the day over a very respectable 14mph. Ever the showman, I finished the ride with another of my flamboyant dismounts (just the one, no need to exaggerate) right outside the Helmsdale hostel** where we were staying the night. The hostel is well-maintained and comfortable with just the one inconvenience - just one convenience to share between the 7 of us (the 6 Riders and Viv in the support car - Liz and Geoff have been opting for the home comforts of their caravan) plus one other. Just one shower and a toilet between 8: yet another Challenge for the team to surmount!
And finally, I even have news to report on the Pudding Front! Supper last night was at the Bannockburn Inn*** in Helmsdale. Run by a landlord originally from Plumstead (a South Londoner like me), the pub serves very good home cooked food, including a selection of STICKY PUDS (so many puddings, so little time).
Back at the hostel dormitory, it was lights out (for me at least) before 22h30 but I was awake again by 04h30 - to bed and awake again in full daylight - we're in the land of the Midnight Sun. The morning has dawned mild and sunny, could the final stage of the first leg of our two-wheeled Odyssey be our first cycling day of fine, warm weather? I say 'cycling day' because predictably our day-off in Inverness was dry and sunny! Today we are riding to Dunnet Head / Thurso, the most northerly point of mainland Britain. We may however make a detour to John O'Groats so that Chris too can say he's a fully paid-up member of the LeJog club (he warmed up for the first day of our Tour by riding from Land's End to Lizard Point - nearly a fortnight ago!)."
So today, Tuesday 28th June, the Team completes the first phase of its Double End-to-End Challenge with a 65 mile ride to Dunnet Head (and for some, a detour to John O'Groats) on the north coast of Scotland. Any further and they'll topple off the edge!
*To find out more about the Loch Fleet nature reserve, click here:
http://www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/loch-fleet/
**The Helmsdale Hostel. Click here for more information:http://www.helmsdalehostel.co.uk/
***There's more information about the Bannockburn Inn at:
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