Dunnoon to Killin - Friday 7th September

One more day. Odd how on the last day it is possible to rise to the challenge and do it just one more time. I was also looking forward to it. Another day in Scotland, another ferry and quite roads.

I was off fairly early and into light rain. It stayed with me all day, sometimes light, sometimes heavy but always there. It was the only day of rain. Front light and rear lights on and flashing to warn of my presence and wake up the odd motorist from their day dream.

Dunoon looking North

I headed north first up the same route as the SEWN up ride then right, climbing slowly. Not far to the ferry, but it comes slowly. I recall the route in my head, but the miles pass much slower on the road than they do in my head, and landmarks I see masquerade as those on the maps. I drop back to the sea and through a small village. There is a sign for the ferry, good not far, but it is another 6 miles on. Finally I drop down to the sea and see the ferry coming, I push on and beat it to the slipway.

 

 

The route the Sat Nav thinks I took.
The dotted line over sea is what I did.

I put the bike on the roof of the car and turn the GPS off so not to claim non cycled miles. We arrive at Tarbet and turn the GPS on. 5 Miles later up a surprisingly busy road I realise the GPS is not recording the distance. If you look on the map above it appears that I went north up the sea loch, but instead I did go to Tarbet, and I claim my 100miles plus for today.


I turn to ride along the road beside the Crinan Canel, a delight and meet the support in one of the car parks. It is a short ride across the promontory and I turn north again by the Atlantic. Flat and straight is the theme until I rejoin the main road for a short section then climb over to Loch Awe. I am expecting miles of views across the loch, but instead spend 23 miles of deciduous tree cover and very little loch views. It is still raining and road side waterfalls sound very much like cars in the rain, so every now and then I am surprised to find there is a car behind me. I can tell as waterfalls don't generally follow me up the road.

Canel on the left, sea on the right

Finally I break out of the trees and onto the main road. The traffic is light, and there is one 1000ft of hill left. The GPS is sulking and whilst is will tell me where I am, is protesting but not helping me with any elevation. The road surface is so variable, rarely smooth, usually rough with the stones standing proud of the worn tarmac, sometimes the stones are gone and I am running through small potholes. So tiring, can't swing round them in fear of being taken out from behind. My rear light guards me and cars pull over and give me room, but I am not going to take any liberties.

The last hill steepens, I climb slowly , alternating standing and sitting, not far now, a blind bend, a car behind, he slows and follows me. I ride on the white line, then on the edge of the tarmac. I am so slow and I want to let him go. The road opens up, he passes and I get a cheery double toot on the horn. He knew what I was trying to do and thanked me. I too was grateful.

Then the descent. I had tailwind, some wind and the desire to finish. I pushed on, as hard as I could. It was late, the traffic light and I bounced through the holes.

Finally I was there, surprising the support who were inside and not expecting me yet.

There I was, finished. Happy but finished.



756 miles in 7 consecutive days, each with over 100 miles a day and over 37,000 of climbing

Well done me.

Lochmaben to Dunoon - Thursday 6th September

The route replanned to the most direct option whilst avoiding major hills and roads was still over 100 miles. Hay Ho, it seems far less hilly and maybe the wind will at least not be in my face today.

Out of the hotel and turn off the B road onto a rolling section which I balanced against additional mileage. It is the wrong road, but before I turn I see a red squirrel appear at the base of the tree, run into my path, then beat a retreat back up the tree. U turn back up the road and then back on the next side road 30 yards on. This one has Highland Cows.



Short section of cycle way

I come down to the A76, and I am due to travel a mile up it then turn off onto side roads to run parallel to the A road, but in a more up and down way. The road is much quieter than expected, lorries yes, but not many. I’ve been on busier B roads. I decide to stay on it, use the tail wind and hope for a better road surface, I could always opt out later.

I climbed slowly, and with the top came a head wind, poor roads and then a junction with the A70 to Ayr. The road remained poor, the traffic more intense and more lorries, but I was rolling down hill, and went with it.

I rolled on into Ayr. The people of Ayr, judged by their driving seem angry and impatient. Perhaps it was the wind, or the desire to leave that drove me on, but I left heading north as 20mph +.

 The way now became a combination of cycle tracks and minor roads to avoid the principle dual carriageway up the coast. I would have stayed on the Sustrans route but as ever it is not that direct, running around the promanades and promintaries,

Golf Course

I passed some golf course at Troon. Doesn’t look that special. Then a lady on the path, Golden Retrievers, 7 of them. I stop and we chat. The dogs show their character. 3 want to say hello, one have a lie down, 3 others are eating grass, chewing sticks and sniffing.

　

Denise had been off to meet a friend at her house during the day. On her way up the coast she had been stopped she thought by the police. Turns out it was the Council’s Environmental Health officers, four of them, testing the diesel car for smoke. We passed. 15 mins of panic and bewilderment she was back on the road chasing me

The tailwind stayed with me up the coast, but presented a challenge coming into Ardrosson. The sea wall one side, the railway embankment the other, the tides in and it has a tail wind. The waves are confused, but not enough to stop the odd one smashing into the wall and sending water over to the embankment. I proceed with caution, watching the waves and avoiding the worst of the spray. A car driver sees me coming and points the camera my way. I aim to spoil his fun. One mightly wave comes over the top, time to push on, I see a couple of inches of water and sea weed, great lumps of kelp on the road. I pause and wait for the water to run back, and I’m off to safety.

Finally I find Denise, parked facing the sea in a layby. Food and off north. There is a tail cross wind and it is flat. It’s panning out to be another 110m mile day.

It’s getting late, I hope the ferry will still be running. It is clear there is industry here, I pass main gates to factories, but I am running so late I only have cars and regular buses to contend with, but all is well.

I arrive at the ferry and hide in the bus stop waiting for Denise and watching the ferry run in. Denise arrives as the ferry does. Great timeing as the next one is an hour away.

Today was far longer than expected, so much for going the short route. At least it was flater, and their was a tail wind. The route could have been more pleasant, but it was pragmatic and I overall it was ok, except of Ayr, I would skip Ayr.

Today I crossed for the second time my SEWN up route and took the same ferry, tomorrow is another day.

Carperby to Lochmaben - Wednesday 5th September

Today was always going to be a hard day, today I had enough.

Castle Bolton, Wensleydale

Looking south in Wensleydale

The day started well, bit of a brisk breeze in Wensleydale, but light winds were forecast so I left going east initially to Castle Bolton and then up over the hill to Swaledale and Reeth, turning east to ride the length of upper Swaledale. This is a beautiful valley, but the road hugs the lower slopes and consequently bumps up and down 50 feet or so. Towards the end the climbing accelerates until it ramps up over the top. As it did so I could see a yellow top in the distance. It took me some time, but I caught the fellow cyclist who I shocked as I pulled along side and said hello. I think he was in his own private hell. At least we could see the top. The wind grew stronger as we reached the summit. It had been there all the way up this east-west orientated valley coming down from the west, but at the top it was really quite strong. The descent was fantastic, 35mph, a faster speed tempered by the winds blowing me about.

 

Reeth in Swaledale

Upper Swaledale towards Gunnerside

Upper Upper Swaledale beyond Keld

 

Hello Sheep

I have taken to saying hello to all walkers and cyclists I see. Most say hello, some blank me. The walkers doing so is odd, they really don’t see me as existing. Cyclist’s do generally acknowledge each other, but their has been a change from a gesture with the hand to an exaggerated sideways nod of the head, the sort that is often accompanied by a wink, but I see no wink from behind those shades. I also grin madly at dutch cars and I usually get a wave, and on the more scenic roads motorcyclists often nod to a mad grin. I do enjoy trying for some reaction!

View Down to Kirby Stephen

As I headed north towards Penrith the wind turned to the north, and the light, 5mph, winds forecast remained moderate and at times fresh. I battled on, into the wind, and the rolling countryside until at 45miles I had enough. I started a climb and my body said to get off and have a sit down. There was nowhere to sit, but my head liked the idea. I decided this was not the time or place and rode on slowly and nursed the dilemma to Temple Sowerby where I sat out of the wind in the bus shelter, ate and sent plaintive texts. Denise had already text me and was waiting for me, on the wrong route, she was on the 2010 SEWN up route, but that was soon corrected and we were to meet in 15 miles.

I rode on, deciding that 500m in 5 days was enough, but that I wanted to ride on, and I really did want to ride across to Ptilochry. My body is hurting, my knee, my arms, my feet. So the plan at present is to ride to the ferry tomorrow, in as short and easy way as possible, which could still be 100miles, I will check shortly. Then shorten the final two days and do less loopy bits later. This may well change!

Carlisle Castle

Carlisle eventually came and I found the cycle route I missed last time, complete with a curious bridge to cross a main road with steps and a lift either side. This sustrans route took me up a one way street the wrong way, and instructed me to walk 50m along a road. I am a cyclist, not a walker, these shoes are not designed to walk in!
I headed on north to Gretna (don’t bother, really don’t) and was now in Scotland. It was flat to Annan, but climbed slowly on quite roads to the pub/B&B. Wifi is laid on, but my PC can’t see it. So hopefully I will get 4 blogs posted tomorrow, when I have a more reliable wifi and more time to lie in. Now to replan tomorrows route.

Hubey to Carperby - Tuesday 4th September

Today was an epic day. I was keen to leave at least on time, with no dawdling, and did get away at 9.15. The route started flat and with a brisk cross wind. I could see the North York Moors ahead of me.

 

 

I skirted around to the south past Byland Abbey, and then climbed up to Helmsley, where we meet and I gave Denise my wallet in exhange for a Belgian Bun and a bottle of water, and then it was off again climbing slowly out of Helmsley north, taking the sustrans route across to Ostmotherly. Which included a great descent. Part way down I came acorss sheep in the road, and sheep being non to clever started going down the road, rather than sideways back into the woodland. Couple of hundred yards later, as I was trying to decide if it was wise to get past them, a la collie dog, or should I shepherd them back to their farm, they gave up and jumped into the woodland.

 

 

 

I now turned west into the wind, and zig-zagged through the lanes, sometimes catching the wind full on, sometimes hugging hedges to find shelter. Oddly the wind was back in the west where it started. On top of the moors it was a Northerly in the face job. Something about winds and relief comes back to me, but that degree was a long time ago.

Bedale

As I came to cross the A1 there was another closed road. 3^rd of the trip. As is the tradtion, I pushed on, I can walk through most things. In this case I was foiled, the bridge over the newly widened A1 was missing. Retracing my steps I found a totally new underpass and roundabouts and all sorts, and eventually rediscoverd the sustrans route now on a closed road on the other side leading me traffic free to Bedale.

Cart Track Passing for a Cycle Way

The way forward

Now the flat interlude between national parks was over, and the climbing started. 25 miles of it generally up. This was not helped by the sustrans planner taking me down a cart track. I like getting off main roads, but when the grass down the middle is knee high. The surface is marble sized lumps of stone and there are puddles up to 6” deep I do protest. Still it helped get the bubbles out of the Sprite fizzy drink that I had put in my water bottle at the last shop. Oddly there had been a strange noise coming from somewhere on the bike,which turned out to be the valve on top of the bottle venting the gas shaken out

Through Middleham and the climb started in earnest. I had already done 4000 feet of climbing and here comes the second batch. I caught a bloke on a mountain bike, fully knobbly tyres in the dale. He too had ridden miles, and was going to Kettlewell Youth Hostel. I think he deserves a medal, heavy bike and wheels. Mad. I hope he go there. There was a nasty sting towards the end, a 100 foot drop down and over the stream as the road crossed to the south side of the valley. A 20% climb soon retrieved the height, but did elitic my first squeak/groan of the day. I had done well only to have my body have enough at 85 miles this time. Another energy gel bribed it to go on.

First Summit looking back

The top came about 1640 feet. I stopped, put my gilet on, and tore down the 1000ft descent, chasing a car, and brakeing where necessary. Which turned out to be very necessary on the 25% hairpins where the back wheel skipped around even at walking pace.

Down Part 1

 

Down Part 2

Kettelwell, where Desise feed me with cake and I was off with another gel to push me on, to climb the end of Wharfdale back up to 1400ft. The descent was sublime, straight and fast, I out paced a van through the bends and he caught me a mile later, giving a cheery wave (really) as he went by.

Looking back on last ascent



Me on last climb

Two last short climbs up to Aysgarth and then to Carperby didn’t seem that bad, though in reality they were steeper than 1 in 10.



I enjoyed the day, it was epic, but I feel the need to moderate tomorrow. I don’t think I have another one of those in me, not after 400 miles in 4 days in the bag already. I got to personal records today. Four consecutive 100 mile rides and most time on a bike, the previous being 7h57m doing 130 miles.

Aysgarth Falls

I would tell you about me studies of road kill, but that is a story for another day.