Jo and Ronald’s Journey frae Lands End to John O’ Groats

 

Day 1 – 

Day 1 started 3 days later than planned due to a kidney infection and having to wait for antibiotics to kick in. On the morning of the 6th July we biked down to Bristol Temple Meads railway station and even during this small trip we were to experience the generosity of fellow cyclists as we were guided by one cycle commuter (Irishman by the name of Keith Beattie) straight to the station! Just as well because within minutes of arriving at our platform the Penzance train rolled up. 4½ hours later we were deposited at Penzance and spent our first 5 minutes looking out of the entrance to the station waiting for the torrential rain to stop! So from the start we had our new capes out flapping in the gale force winds. After cycling12½ hard miles, we arrived at Lands End and had our obligatory picture taken, setting off on our adventure at about 4pm. Now and again we got glimpses of the rugged coastline and the surf.

We met a guy who was cycling round the UK coast – after the first two days of our challenge we actually began to realise what a challenge this is because most of your time is spent climbing steeply out of coves and immediately sinking into the next one! 

Anyway we made it through St Ives and onto our first campsite after picking up a curry for supper. The rain and gale force winds meant we had to pitch our tent close to shrubbery for shelter. It was great to hear the surf roaring away as we lay in our cosy (polite word for tiny!) lightweight two person tent.

Day 1 – Penzance to Lands End through St Ives to Gwithian Farm Campsite (First Class) -  27 miles

 

Day 2 –

Went through St Agnes, breakfasted at the side of a small burn running thro the village, took time to watch some small brown trout making a living. Had to take a detour into Newquay to get a replacement gear changing wire, this added a couple of hours to the trip and meant we were back in the steep coastal ups and downs. Good to see the surfers enjoying the breakers though. Gear changing capability rather important in these hilly areas! 

Through Mogenporth, then onto Padstow where we took the ferry across the river Camel to Rock.

In this area it was difficult to find a suitable quiet spot for our daily ritual which involved getting the “pocket rocket” stove out to make a brew and refuel the legs again.

Waybridge, Davidstow, Laucenston and onto our campsite at Bridestowe on the side of Bodmin Moor. Arrived late having completed 90 miles, max speed of 33mph going into one of the many coves shortly followed by min speed of zero walking up the other side!

 

Day 3 – 

Started with a civilised run along a disused railway track to Oakhampton – I think I wouldn’t mind doing challenges along railway lines and canals as opposed to coastal routes any day! Had a great breakfast of chicken drumsticks, cheese and oatcakes, tray bake etc outside a superstore and stocked up with snickers bars, peanuts etc, for later as one of the BEST bits about the challenge is you can eat what you want at every opportunity to fuel those legs. The route took us through Crediton, Columpton, Wellington and to Taunton. Here we went along a canal path for a wee while and Jo fell in the canal. My fault (of course) for not informing her of the hazardous loose gravel which got in her way. Lost more brownie points because I went to rescue the bike first and then extract Jo from the canal second! Anyway up from canal and onto the road and off Jo went! I am better at the hills but Jo just burnt me off on the Somerset flats which made a nice change from the previous coastal topography. We spent the night with Carolyn and Jon who picked us up at Shapwick and dropped us off again next morning refreshed, fed and watered!

 

Day 4 – 

Carried on along the flats to Cheddar and joined another disused railway line – this involved cycling in a long dark tunnel – fortune favours the brave so we just cycled along it heart in mouth and with screams from Jo! Then to Clevedon, Bristol, the Avon and Severn Bridges (felt like a bit of a landmark going into Wales briefly) then Chepstow where we benefitted from some marital advice from a couple of inebriated guys who came out of a pub to mediate our current negotiations about which way to go! Running along the River Wye was a real pleasure and we eventually camped at a site in the middle of Monmouth, again well placed close to an Indian takeaway! 

 

Day 5 – 

Set off early about 6am in a misty morning to Skenfrith, Grosmont, Abbey Dore riding along the Golden Valley which is true to its word, full of orchards and rich fertile land. During the day we met an elderly couple on a tandem (Anne and Mike) and they took us along some of the back routes to avoid some climbs and set us off on the right direction for the rest of the day. On to Peterchurch, crossing the River Wye to Eardisley, Bucknell, Bishops Castle finishing off at Minsterley where we were picked up by Griff and Pat Jones for the night. 89 miles in just over 8 hours on the saddle.

 

Day 6 – 

Set off, well watered and slept up, to Shrewsbury, Ellesmere, Whitchurch where Jo’s cycle needed some attention to fix the “granny gear” selector. Fortunately, a lady (Carol James) out walking her dog came to our rescue and kindly took Jo and the bike in her car the 8 miles to the cycle shop, extremely good and quick service. This meant a stop at a café in Malpas (every cloud has a silver lining!). Then off to Beeston where we had one of our 10 minute water and snicker stops in Cockshutt – there was even a double glazing van with “Cockshutt Windows” blazoned across it which was a welcome source of merriment. I was also told to be quiet by a 101 year old lady when she was giving us directions along some of the back lanes - she turned out to be correct as well! Beeston led to Frodsham and the dreaded Mersey Crossing going through Runcorn, Widnes and along the canal to Warrington. Distinct lack of signposts in this area so lots of different directions were received including “follow your nose along there”! Anyway circa 10 pm fast loosing light we found a Premiere Inn just south west of Orrell. 96 miles with 8hrs 42 mins on the saddle.

 

Day 7 – 

Finally got back on the “yellow brick road” to Upholland, Appley Bridge, Preston (where Jo managed some shopping!) Onto Leyland to visit a bike doctor to get a slow puncture fixed and Jo’s granny gear fixed once and for all before entering the Lake District which meant another sit down outside a café for 30 mins! Along to Garstang and then Lancaster – we were just wondering where to go on the outskirts of Lancaster at a roundabout when a kind cyclist (Phil Thornton a prison physical fitness instructor) came alongside us, took a look at the “straw” in our mouths and said “follow me” he was cycling home to Kendal from his work in Liverpool (60 miles!) so he was going our way and he led us through some tricky bits, including a 3-lane roundabout! He set us on our way to Kendal and eventually finishing off at a campsite (if you can call it that!) after a steep climb up to Shap. This cyclist got us back on track and gave us the confidence to tackle more adventurous roads and we never really looked back after that. Anyway, dodgy campsite next to noisy motorway, railway line and enthusiastic cockerels meant Jo didn’t get much sleep while the deaf one snored through it all. 81 miles in less than 8 hours on the saddle. I should have guessed the fish wouldn’t be that fresh in Shap but so hungry after the day’s events it went down well. Scotland beckons!!

 

Day 8 – 

Set off for Penrith and thought I didn’t need to do any more map reading so off with the reading glasses and on with the shades and then got lost immediately! Phone call to Grampa Scott got us back on the A6 to Carlisle and A7 to Longtown and the border where we met up with lots of family and friends which gave us a big lift. 

Then onto Langholm for a Pelosis ice cream (kindly donated by the proprietor) then up to Eskdalemuir and on through to just north of the Gordon Arms Hotel so managed Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway and Lothian and Border Regions all in 1 day. 

87 miles in 8 hours on the saddle. Stopped off at Grampa Rose’s for the night – just thought in the morning about having kids -  things never change- even at 51 years old I turn up, eat him out of “hoose and hame”, then bugger off again!

 

Day 9 – 

Thanks to dad’s neighbour Marjorie for getting up early and getting us back to our stopping off point for 8am. Nice to see the monkey flowers looking so good! Anyway off through Innerleithen, Peebles, Edinburgh, Forth Road Bridge, Inverkeithing, Cowdenbeath, Kinross, Perth and just 4 miles further north to our own abode in Stanley for the night. Not sure we were going to be able to leave our creature comforts in the morning!

 

Day 10 – 

Up at 5am and away for 6:15am up the A9 by Pitlochry and stopped off at Blair Atholl where the stove came out for a brew and breakfast using goodies bought from the local shop. Brief toilet stop at Bruar (not for shopping thankfully!), then on up the A9. Tried the cycle path a couple of times when the traffic got bad but the path treats cyclists like second class citizens so not long before we were back on the busy A9 over Drumochter, by Dalwhinnie, Kingussie, Aviemore and to the top of the Slochd summit.

Nice to get the odd water and fuel-up breaks, especially if it was away from the constant noise of the A9.

Tried a few of the back roads especially as the rain had started. Eventually into Inverness for a Harry Ramsden`s (fish and haggis suppers – excellent) and then onto Molly`s for B&B and her famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. 

Broke record for miles in one day – 110 miles with 9 hours in the saddle! 

 

Day 11 –

Crossed Kessock Bridge and watched an otter feeding below us. Up the A9 to Tain was relatively easy despite wind coming from the north. Then as we went by Dornoch and onto Golspie, Brora, Helmsdale the terrain started to take on that coastal up and down thing again topped off by the Berriedale Braes! The forecast rain and strong winds from the north took their toll and this was probably the hardest day so far. 

Decided to set up camp at the Inver camp site, Dunbeath. Leaving an early start to finish off at JOG (John O`Groats) in time to catch the only train going south that day. Glad we had the “large chip” from the chippy at Helmsdale and glad of the use of the boiler room to warm up and dry our clothes for the final push. Really nice campsite.

 

Day 12 – 

Up at 5am again starting off with dip and climb at Latheron, then Lybster, Thrumster and into Wick for 8am. All quiet on a misty Sunday morning which meant we didn’t get much of a glimpse of the sea all morning. Fuelled up with snickers and the new fashioned treat - Double Deckers at the local garage, off again arriving at John O’ Groats at 10am for the photo finish etc.

Experienced more trouble trying to get back home on the trains than for the whole of the rest of the trip put together! Finished off with a short leisurely cycle ride home from Dunkeld Train Station to Stanley and a well deserved malt for me and some pink fizz for Jo!

11 days riding (one day shorter than originally planned, but don’t tell Jo!), 944 miles in total.

So lucky with the weather (sun burned legs and arms to testify to this), wind from south for most of the time, the small amount of rain we encountered fell mostly at night whilst we were snuggled up in the tent. Only encountered midges briefly at Eskdalemuir (where else!). Not too many cycle breakdowns, kept good health, sput the dummy out only a few times in equal proportion between the sexes! In retrospect we had great faith in our ability to get up and do it and to deal with any problem that came our way, maybe a little naive but luck favoured the brave in this case.

The best bits were the Somerset Levels for Jo and riding the Golden Valley for me, the toughest bits were our ride from Penzance to Lands End.

 

Would we do it again?

 

Ronald - Yes, just to be able to eat everything and anything (including fat, chocolate and butter etc) more than compensates for any trial and tribulation encountered.  

Jo – Yes, brilliant experience and loved the challenge, although a bit concerned to discover my thighs were looking more and more like Chris Hoy`s!

 

Donald, our nephew, came to meet us as we crossed over the Border into Scotland. Donald and his family have been well supported over the years by the Scottish Spina Bifida Association and the money we can raise will go towards helping other families throughout Scotland.

 

To all those who have kindly donated already we thank you very much for your support, it is greatly appreciated. 

Anyone still wishing to donate can do so through the just giving website by googling “Ronald and Jo cycle challenge” or alternatively donate at any branch of Royal Bank of Scotland. 

 

Thankyou

 

Ronald and Jo Rose July 2011