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Sean is a brain tumour survivor of 15 years. Initially being told he only had 11 months to live. An operation saved his life. He still has weakened legs with reduced sensation and mobility. The training for a 16-day ride, an average of 65 miles a day, from Lands End to John O'Groats has been a real challenge in itself.

Terry's Wife, Mandy has a spinal tumour and has recently been through radiotherapy. She continues to make progress as we all wait with baited breath. SDBTT do excellent work so please sponsor us now!

 

Progress

Tuesday 14/07/09 - last day of training today. Really pleased with general progress but have not been able to do enough 60+ miles due to work etc.

 

Wednesday 15/07/09 bikes meant to be picked up today for the journey to Lands End ahead of us. Terry is seeing Harry Potter tonight so bikes now going tomorrow ( perhaps Harry can magic us around ).

 

Thursday 16/07/09 Bikes are off to Cornwall - just to make sure the rooms are ok for us. Packing tonight and starting to get quite nervous. Why am I doing this & how far ?

Friday 17/07/09 - Fantastic, last day of term. Not so good, last day seeing big brother before he returns to the states. All the gear is laid out on spare bedroom floor. No way will it all go into my two bags!

Saturday 18/07/09 finished packing - yes it did all go in but so heavy that I wonder if the bike will move at all.

 

Sunday - up at 5.30 (why?), final touches to packing, loading car and picking Mandy and Terry up at 8.45 for the 5-hour drive to Sennen. Checked weather this morning and it's going to be breezy on Monday and windy on Tuesday. You would think the hills were enough ! Very excited now !!!

 

At long last -- THE RIDE

 

Day 1 - Mon 20/07/09    Lands End to Bodmin 57.7miles

Early Sunday evening we had to fit a quick cycle in to Lands End to get the obligatory photo done. Our room had a fantastic view overlooking the surf at Sennen Bay and later in the evening we met up with Jane and Rob who had brought our bikes down for us a few days earlier. Cheers Guys.  An early night and zero sleep later we attempted to set off back to Lands End at 7.40am the next morning to begin our journey at 8.00am. However I could not find my shorts, lubricant and the all important sunnies and Terry had to sort out his Sat Nav. We finally got underway from Lands End at 8.20am. Today we did 57.7 miles and averaged 11.9. The slightly low average would be due to the massive hills along the way. Come back Isle of Wight, all is forgiven! Along the way we met some fellas who clearly had little to do but talk to us….they were really cool. Weather was overcast, cool and not much wind. Initially we made good time so had to slow down as were meeting Derek, a friend of ours who lives locally for lunch and at our present rate we would get to him for 10.30am. We slowed by having a coffee at MacDonald's and secondly with Terry getting his first flat. The second 30 miles to Bodmin was hard but we made it to the B&B for 3.30pm. Fish & Chips and a bottle of wine in the room followed by R&R ready for tomorrow.

 

Day 2  Bodmin to Tiverton 67 miles

Bodmin - Westbury Hotel, set off at about 8.30. Hotel was lovely, Bodmin not so good. The weather was torrential and the hills were relentless. For a while I thought we were lost in the Alps in a blizzard. Followed A30 to Launceston where we had a coffee and tried to put on some dry clothes. I bought a new back light as the old one had fallen off. At the cycle shop we signed their |LEJOG book ( are we famous now ?). The guy in the shop recommended following the old A30 as it would be much safer.  Admittedly, we had had to remove our glasses due to the rain. However, it came down so hard that it stung our eyeballs, which made the 40-mile an hour downhills very interesting. We followed this to Oakhampton roadside cafe where we met Sam. Sam is doing 130 miles a day to John O Groats - he is now officially my hero. We cycled some severe hills to Tiverton- where I collapsed and obviously died. If I rise again I'll do it all again tomorrow.

 

Day 3 Tiverton to Bristol 69 miles

Risen from the dead - more zombie than Jesus. New territory today! Neither Terry nor I have done 3 days of these distances in our training. Left Tiverton at 8.30am. Weather and hills much kinder today. Started overcast and fewer hills for the first 50 miles. Got up some serious pace averaging 20 miles. Sun was out and burning the back of our necks. The hills came out to play a bit later and made the final run into Bristol very slow. Biggest problem today was aches and pains. Staying at Bristol Youth hostel but went out for a chinese. Early night and in bed for 9pm, at least I was. Terry went out for a drink.

 

Day 4 Bristol to Droitwich Spa - 71 miles

YHA at Bristol was great but room was quite crowded. Shared with two Malaysian guys who were well established in the room. Left YHA at 8.30 and a very slow start to the morning. Legs tired and so took it easy leaving Bristol. Sat Nav is going mad and telling me I have many more miles to do than expected. The weather today was great and hardly any hills. Only downside is that I had thought it was a 60 mile day so the last 10 were hard going. Met my nephew Steve for lunch just outside Gloucester. It was great to see him as it has been far too long since our last encounter. Sadly, he got lost trying to find us so lunch took a couple of hours. Did some washing in the Express Hotel room.... didn't know socks could smell like that ! Taxi into Droitwich for an italian meal... very nice it was to. Taken serious amounts of meds today so very little pain but I just can't move. All good and ready for day 5 tomorrow. Terry received his new map card for his Sat Nav today so we can fight over directions when our machines don't agree. All good fun !!!

 

Day 5 Drioitwich Spa to Leek - 65 miles

Set off at 8.20am with good weather. Quite hilly to start, especially as we approached Birmingham. I hadn't realised it is the highest city in Europe - seriously! The hill to Bromwich (South Birmingham) was quite a slog so we took a break, I got my haircut and Terry got a coffee. The lady hairdressers were very nice and didn't comment on the fact that I probably smelt. Hair now shorter than it has been for the last ten years! Took A4123 round Birmingham, but was still very busy. After about 25 miles we stopped for breakfast and I invested in some talc (yes for obvious reasons-ouch!). Traffic near Birmingham was very interesting, we did cycle parallel to M6 for a while and at long last we were faster than the cars!

Made good time through Stafford and at sign "Welcome to Staffordshire" we clocked 300 miles!! Carried onto Stone where we watched canal barges past through the lock. Stone is beautiful. Couple of coffees later we headed off into what was now serious rain for the last 12.5miles and yes it was hilly. Did I mention the hills? Arrived at the B&B near Leek at 5pm. B&B was called Prospect House - nice room with lounge and courtyard. Landlord kindly dried my clothes. Seriously recommend this place despite the 30 minute walk to local pub for dinner.

 

Day 6 Leek to Rosendale Valley (20 minutes from Manchester) - 56 miles

Set off a bit later today at 8.40am. The family at the Leek B&B were fab - Rolf, Jackie, Candice and Tilly. The ladies were off to Leek Fair as they are keen advocates of sailing for the disabled. They have set up all the agreements and specialised boats but are having a problem with access to local water so they are off to the Fair to help - we wish them all the luck in the world.

Weather very kind even a little sunburn today. Quite hilly but constant rather than severe. A real benchmark today was getting to the halfway mark from the South of England to the North of England - we even lunched at the halfway house. I found today really hard. My legs hurt as well as my backside but the neck is the real problem. Terry has new legs today and doing so well. We arrived at the B&B at 5pm after doing what the locals call Cardiac hill ( It's actual name is Scholfield Road - sorry Richard). Jackie and Miles are really nice - One 3 One is the name of the B&B in Rosendale valley. They recommended a fab Italian restaurant called "La Veranda" where we all (including Mandy & Neelam who met us today) had a great meal. It was really nice to see the girls - no doubt it helped us make the distance today. The day ended with a couple of bottles of red with Jackie & Miles - a good night had by all.

Day 7 Rosendale Valley to Kendal YHA 59 miles

We left at 10.20am and the girls left soon after. Before leaving there was the usual photo shoot taking pics of accommodation and people. The couple that ran the B&B, Jackie & Miles were really nice. In addition to the fab breakfast they also put £30 onto the website. Many Thanks to you both.

The journey started slowly due to pain in the rear, tried gel seat and eventually changed seat completely - this helped a little. The usual daily injection of hills and never ending rain, struggled with energy levels but legs were better. Past through the Dales and expected James Herriot to pop out at any minute and shove his hand up my backside. However in his absence a ferret with a mouse in its mouth did run out in front of me - much nicer for my bottom but probably not much appreciated by the mouse! Stayed at the YHA at Kendal, which was pleasant enough but had to share a room with 10 others, one of who was the noisiest sleeper on God's Earth - needless to say I had little sleep. Watched "On Thin Ice" and videos through the early hours, just the rest I needed for the next onslaught!

 

Day 8 Kendal to Gretna Green 59 miles  8.30am to 6.00pm

Earlish start, - set off at 8.30am . Could have left much earlier due to fleeting arrangements but breakfast wasn't until 7.30am. Once again no sun to be seen through the rain and plenty of hills to test the legs. It may interest you to know that our current total ascent is 27,000 feet bearing in mind that Everest is only 29,000 - geek I hear you say.

On any journey like this it is the people you meet that are the real story. There have been the previous encounters mentioned on earlier days. There has of course been numerous minor encounters too many to mention in detail or even for me to recall but they are of the following nature: people who shout well wishes from cars, from the side of the street, shop assistants and waiters who ask after you, old ladies wishing you good weather and apologising for the rain. Of course there are the yobs in their cars deliberately trying to scare you and making rude gestures. If you did not already know, I feel to mention that the small kind word can make a day. Some encounters are just so overwhelming and could almost turn me into Ben Fogle with the tears.

Caroline at Gretna was just so welcoming when we arrived at her B&B, "The Bonnie Prince Charlie". She arranged for her friend Bruce to pick us up in his Bentley, take us to meet a guy called Willie. Willie, a bearded chap who fixes bikes from his garage provided us with new inner tubes (yes I had a flat today) and new brake blocks both of which Terry kindly sorted out for me. Bruce is a local guy who drives a dustcart by day and a fancy fleet of wedding cars that Caroline has on the weekends. Caroline's husband was Bruce's best friend, sadly he passed away at the age of 50. Bruce enquired about the charity and it transpires that he lost his daughter to a Brain Tumour identical to Mandy's. Caroline is trying to run the car Business and her B&B whilst battling with her grief. She also lost her mother to a tumour. She smiles and carries on telling us proudly of her doctor son in Manchester and her daughter with three children just down the road. Caroline and Bruce inspire us on and if that's not enough Caroline only charged us £20 and asked us to put the rest on the website. Many, many thanks to her.

I will finish today with a couple of statistics. We passed the halfway mark at 454.5 miles. We also completed 500 miles and passed into Scotland and of course being in Gretna, Terry and I married.

 

Day 9 Gretna Green to Cumnock - 69 miles

 

I am actually writing this on day 11, as it has been really difficult to get Internet access. Many of the previous days have been done by my phoning or texting the information to Neelam who has kindly written them up for me. I have had a few to drink at this stage so please forgive the many errors there will be.

 

Before starting with day 9, I have forgotten to mention a few people met yesterday. At about half way we encountered a young couple that were heading to Lands End.. It was really nice that they simply shouted "Enjoy" to us. Little did they know they were about to have to climb a massive hill. But good luck to them. We also met Drew who was from Bournemouth, he has raised £5000 for a children's charity. He was on a racer with little luggage and was averaging 22 miles an hour. We kept up with him for about 10 miles but I then got a flat (all good fun). It was interesting to note that Drew was travelling with a friend who was really struggling so Drew had left him to his own devices. People are complex.

Carlisle is clearly an interesting place as we saw a rabbit by the side of the road. So what I hear you cry... However, this was of the sex toy variety.

 

Anyway, we set off from Caroline's a little late as it was just so nice to talk to her and of course very touching when she wanted most of the bill put onto the website. The scenery is absolutely stunning for much of the ride we follow a majestic river ( whose name I am not sure of at the moment). Clearly the beauty comes at a cost... when I had my tumour I lost my sense of smell and on days like today regaining has been a mixed blessing. The country smell from some areas was overpowering.

We had coffee at Dumfries where I also bought some new gloves and borrowed an ancient foot pump from a local cycle shop. We met a couple of guys doing the South Scotland Circular who warned us of severe weather heading our way... you do surprise me ! We moved onto Sanquhar and ate at the only place open. We met a mature couple that were keen cyclists back in their home of York. They personally know the End-to-End record holder who did it in 46 hours. Clearly the guy has no body and is just legs. Jeff and Yvonne very kindly donated £5 - Thanks Guys !.  We arrive at Cumnock at 6.30. At this stage I was feeling very unwell - my throat was sore and I was burning up. We quickly headed to a near by hotel for a fab meal. Upon return to our own hotel - The Mercat ( is that an advert.com) I wisely decide the best cure is whisky ( my mum will be so proud). 8 double whiskeys later I find myself being thrashed at pool. Jane ( recently qualified architect & daughter of landlady) serves drinks until 12; Gordon ( silvered haired pool expert ) and Shorley ( local mechanic and all round top guy) have a great evening. Terry doesn't understand a word said but is greatly enjoying his vodkas. Terry and I retire at 12 with no cold in sight !

 

Day 10 - Cumnock - Helensburgh 65 miles

Spoke to Sadie in the morning. She and her partner own The Mercat Hotel. They have only had it 3.5 years but have already completed huge amounts of work on it. It's a massive building and been a huge undertaking but I have no doubt the end product will be stunning. Our stay was very pleasant and comfortable. Sadie very kindly donated £5 to the charity. Thanks Sadie, much appreciated ! Set off at 9.30 with no cold in sight. Yay, a sunny day ! The scenery is stunning despite the hangover. Coffee stops & lunches are few and far between but we can't argue with the western coastal road we are on. If you have not been this way the views are to die for with spectacular views of the islands. It turns out to be a long day and my rear is giving particular concern today, every pedal hurts and slows me down. We got a late evening ferry across to Helensburgh, which offers up even better glimpses of the western islands. Arrive at Hotel Braeholm at about 8. The place is an absolute mansion and bargain at £50 for the room and breakfast. We go Italian for the evening, enjoying banter with Jenny an Australian waitress who is from Sydney but worked in Kalgoolie prior to marrying a Scot. Needless to say the wise chap said nothing of the weather before bringing her over here. We get the speediest taxi in the world for an early night. The room is the first with a bath so I do have a soak and dream of surgically removing a bike from my arse.

 

Day 11 -  Helensburgh - Kings House Hotel in Glencoe Valley - 59 miles

 

Breakfast was a military affair at Helensburgh, which is not surprising as Braeholm Hotel is set up for support of the armed services. We sit next to a mature military couple that are touring the area looking for a new home. There are some amazing houses with fantastic views up here and I find myself listening to their story with a hint of envy. 

We set off at 10 and soon find ourselves cycling along the edge of Loch Loman. Today is all about the Lochs and it never ceases to leave me spellbound when I see those mountains rising out of the great waters. However, I do think Loch Lochy's mum could have been more imaginative when it came to naming her children ! The road around Loch Loman is single track and often quite narrow so it is inevitable that we soon encounter a traffic jam. The road is blocked for miles. Of course this does not stop our bikes and our only problem is dodging the car passengers who have gotten out of their cars. We attempt to look cool cycling passed everyone and only occasionally stop to smugly tell some poor souls how long the queue is. The cause of all this is a mini-bus that has completely turned over, I throw up a quick prayer for them and feeling sad continue on.

 

A warning to all smug gits out there that God does not look kindly on you. A few miles down the road I get a flat tyre and upon closer inspection find that my rear tyre is completely shredded. I knew I should have lost some weight ! Terry again rescues me by changing the inner tube and we put bright yellow sticky patches all over my outside tyre in an attempt to hold it together. This superb workmanship only has to hold out for a day and a half through the remote Highlands until the nearest bike shop in Fort William. No worries there then ! My smugness is quickly put into my back pocket as all the cars we passed earlier smile on past.

 

In truth, today is all about the scenery. Too amazing for words and whilst a picture may paint a thousand of them I am unable to place pictures here, so I will just give these truly profound words. Scenery ! Scenery ! Scenery !

 

Due to punctures ( yes I had another one - front tyre - Cheers Terry !! ) we didn't arrive at The Kings Hotel, Glencoe Valley until nearly 8 pm but what a place to stay. Right in the Glencoe Valley, mountains and brooding skies all around. Only to be met by grazing deer near the trickling brook that runs in the hotels grounds. We are allowed to put our bikes into our room but agree to leave them attached to an outside fence. My combination lock is 2354 in case anyone wants to steal it. Please!

Only milestone to mention today is that we just pass the 700-mile mark ( 702 to be exact).

 

Last orders for food is at 8.30 so we get a move on, especially as a drink is needed first. Meet a couple whose names we never did get but they made a living out of breeding snakes and selling them in Germany. I'm sure there is lots of mileage there for attempted humour but I left it at being pleased to meet someone who I can bore with my Aussie Spider Catching days.

 

The hotel is fantastic and recommended, especially for walkers - no not the crisps !   

 

 

Day 12 - The Kings Hotel, Glencoe Valley - Fort Augustus - 60 miles

 

The Kings Hotel doesn't include breakfast in its cost, so Terry and I take the opportunity to get a few miles under our belts before food. Unfortunately, my bike is still against the fence so off we go at 10 am. After about a mile, there is a superb 7 mile downhill into Glencoe. Great fun ! Just before the descent we passed a young women coming the other way She smiled sweetly and said a cheerful hello.... despite just having climbed 7 miles. I think Sam's crown as my hero might just have been taken.

Knowing how tedious cycling can be the military decided to put on some entertainment as two contouring jet planes flew by overhead and in case we were unsure of whether we were in Scotland or not we passed a gentleman playing the pipes by the roadside. ( Another clue is all the Iron Bru cans on the roadside). We have breakfast at Glencoe, which was a bit tricky as I still had my fingers crossed that we would make Fort William before my tyres realized that they were indeed dead and should be taking things a lot easier.

Fort William for new tyres ( armadillo tyres - no more punctures for me ) and a quick bite to eat. Sitting in a cafe next to the bike shop we are quickly adopted by two old dears who also give us a pound each for the charity. Not to be outdone an elderly couple join in the conversation and also pass us a couple of quid.... thanks to you all ! The bike repairs take some time as the shop also hires out bikes and two American chaps are very slowly taking advantage of this service. Disaster averted we set off for Fort Augustus. Passing Loch Lochy we have the most expensive lunch on God's earth but must admit the views are breath taking. Whilst lunching a wedding party arrive in prep for their wedding the following day and they rightly can't get enough of the backdrop they will have. Makes Neelam's and mines snooker hall look a little shabby. Sorry Dear... perhaps next time ( only kidding).

 

We arrive at the B&B in Fort Augustus at 6.30. Scotty the owner is a perfect Scots gentleman with a poetic accent, which he uses to quote verse to us. Very well travelled and superbly educated he also clearly delights in the beauty of F William and gives us all the best places for food, drink and local music.

 

Terry and I enjoy a good meal at The Bothy and a chap behind the bar thrusts a tenner into our hands for the charity.. Cheers to you ! In search for the promised music we head over to The Loch Inn ( which I thought was a lock in so quite disappointed ), it is a quiet friendly pace but it seems the music is elsewhere. After a quick whisky we head over to The Poachers, which is very lively with people jamming local songs.

We quickly strike up conversation with two bikers and their partners who had passed us on the road earlier that day. They are on a mission to reach a quiet cottage on the beech where they will celebrate a momentous occasion for the week. It's a very personal affair so won't divulge their cause for celebrations here. A nicer bunch of people you couldn't wish to meet and here's the thing ... it turns out that two of them are Willie's neighbours from Gretna and they all know Caroline. Go figure, eh!  Neil, Sheena, Graham and Sandra it was nice to meet you and all the best for the future.

 

Day 13 Fort Augustus - Alness - 52 miles ( sorry for delay but no access to Internet)

At breakfast Scotty is in a poetic mood ( I just want him to put warp engines on my bike but I'm sure he would not be able to do it in the time we had ( a trekkie joke - yes geek!)) - I just make these brackets up as I go along. Grammar, what grammar ?

At breakfast there is a young couple. Andrew is from Birmingham and does something with beauty products and Gelareh is Iranian born, lives in South Africa and studied in America - am I the only boring person on this planet ?

Today we set off at 10.40. All morning was very much about Loch Ness. Once I managed to fight past all the monsters I managed to get into a good stride. I did actually encounter a dragon ( yes I know Nessie is not necessarily a dragon ). A dragonfly the size of the earlier jet planes decided to make fun of me for a while. It danced in the air only feet away from my head and for a distance of about 300m. Then realizing I was absolutely no fun at all it darted off and just missed the oncoming traffic.

 

We stopped at Drumnadrochit (spelling?) , the weather was glorious so we sat outside watching the world go by. Fully rested (yeh, right!) we set off for the biggest hill outside The Himalayas. It was 1.5 miles long but 3/4 of a mile of 15%. This is the only hill on the whole trip that beat me. I didn't give up but simply came to a stand still and if I didn't put my legs down I was going to fall over. I was gutted ! I still cycled every inch as a waited until I could set off and then continued cycling. Terry made it all the way... very impressive !

 

Beauly was our lunch destination, a lovely deli type cafe. Very modern in an old fashioned looking town. Refreshed we continued onward to Alness. En route we took a little break along the coast. In the lay-by we pulled into was a German couple that were using binoculars to look out over the water. They kindly passed the binoculars over and pointed in a general direction. It was fab to see some basking seals. None of them were balancing balls or clapping but it was all good. It wasn't long after this that I saw a darker side to Terry. Happily cycling along (now you know I'm not being honest when I say 'happily'), I just miss a small rabbit that had clearly just been hit and was struggling. Yes, The Terrorist of Watership Down, aka Terry, had run it over. Clearly no rabbit was safe from this point on and Terry never heard the end of it. Marnie, Terry accepted you would not forgive him.

In the habit of taking breaks we stopped only a few miles on at The Stone House for coffee. This offered beautiful coastal views and a fine range of local artwork.

We hadn't booked at Alness so pulled into the first pub that let out rooms. We were lucky because being a weekend day the normal oil workers were away and so there was space. I forget the name of the bar... sorry.

 

It wasn't long before we discovered the real reason oil workers didn't stay on the weekends. Hoards of young people started to turn up in their cars. There had been a local football match and .. Let the celebrations begin. The noise spilled out into the streets until the small hours. In addition the room was like a sauna. Neither of us got any sleep that night.

Milestone - passed the 800-mile mark today ! 

 

Day 14 Alness to Dunbeath - 62 miles

Breakfast at The Alness Hotel was a quiet affair as it's only continental and self-service.  After a hot sleepless night a quiet time was what the doctor ordered. We set off at 10.15 and our spirits are high, not least of all because if all goes well then we will be in John O Groats the following day but also because the weather is by far the best we have had. Additionally, the plan for today is to get to Helmsdale, which is only 47 miles away.

 

We stop for our first coffee at in Tain, a very quaint village that has a cafe called The Sunflower. I have a good friend ( Hi Smu) who is mad keen on sunflowers and they featured heavily in her recent wedding. Taking this as a sign we stop for a pleasant half hour. If you are a keen sunflower person the huge range of sunflower images and items in this place will not disappoint you. If not a fan of the big yellow one then the very friendly staff will still make you feel welcome.

 

At this time of the year many Scottish towns are preparing for their Galas which are often a lead up to local Highland Games. Golspie, where we lunched at a local pub, is no exception. I have my hundredth baked potato, followed by my thousandth Yorkie Bar. Ok I exaggerate a little on the potato front. Another pleasant hour is spent reading through the gala itinerary and set off for Helmsdale, only sorry not to have the time to participate in some of the local celebrations.

 

The weather continues to be amazing and the terrain is easy going. Feeling quite safe on the road I don my headphones and blast away. Due to the damage to my neck muscles during the tumour operation I am unable to wear a helmet as it makes my head tilt so far forward that I can't see. Hence, this is my first day with the music. Listening to some up-beat tunes we make even better time and arrive at Helmsdale for 4 pm. The sun is still strong with many hours of daylight left. We haven't actually booked any accommodation for the evening so over scones and coffee we agree to get another 15 or so miles under our belts. This would have the added advantage of reducing the mileage on our last day to about 40 miles thus enabling us to truly savour the day.

Leaving Helmsdale a little after 5 we set off straight into two very serious hills. They do put a little dampener on my spirits but I must confess I would rather tackle them now than first thing in the morning so I don't regret the decision to continue on. My hands have not been working well since day 2 and now they are particularly bad. This makes changing gears and breaking very interesting but currently Terry has the downhill speed record so on these roller coasters I really go for it on the reverse side. On the second hill I manage 54.2 mph and only break to not hit Terry or go over the edge on a bend. Unfortunately, Terry managed 54.7 mph but I'm not giving him any coloured jersey.

Perfectly at 6.30 and 15 miles further on we arrive at Castle View B&B in Dunbeath. It's an absolutely gorgeous place with a 'to die for' view of the coast and a large coastal castle on the other side of the bay. It had once been the local surgery but the current owners bought it in 2004 and have done wonders with it. Paula & John, the owners, are originally from Merseyside and are very welcoming. Paula takes one look at us and directs us to the showers whilst she puts on a pot of coffee for us. For a brief moment I thought the views had actually killed me and I was in Heaven. I jumped in the shower first and Terry wrote his diary ( often the way of the day). In the shower I realize I had left my shampoo outside so try to open the shower door to get it. The door moved only a fraction and then completely shattered. Glass went everywhere; I had no option but to walk on glass to get out. Putting on a tee shirt and a far too small a towel I sheepishly head downstairs to give them the good news. It is taken well but I could have just died (again). Perhaps not Heaven but Hell is my destination.

 

Despite there being absolutely nothing else around, right next door is a restaurant. From the outside it looks a little shabby and I enter by the wrong door. This door took me into the bar where a very drunk local questioned my good nature by calling me something unrepeatable. In a friendly manner I pointed out how astute he was to know this about me at a glance. My wit was as wasted as he was. His head just slumped back down and the young lady with him looked as embarrassed as I had been over the shower door. Finally, ending up in the correct room for food we are treated to some superb dining and the same great view as the B&B. Terry partakes of the local whisky liquor (Poultney) and a pleasant evening was had by all.

The B&B has an Internet set up for guests but the remote connection was weak and kept closing down on me. There is absolutely no phone signal so resign myself to getting my head down for the final day.

 

Day 15 - Dunbeath to JOHN O GROATS - 39 miles

 

Breakfast was excellent, full Scottish and done very well. Would have included haggis but Paul had picked up white pudding by mistake. I didn't mind as love both. It seems the replacement door is going to cost £200 pounds and I can hear Paul tell the chap on the other end of the phone that the door only looks silver. I would have offered to pay but I legitimately had done nothing to cause the breakage so sat quietly and tucked into the food.

 

We set off at 10.30 and I took the day really slow. Weather was good; terrain not bad and we had plenty of time to cover the short 39 miles. I wanted to savour things. Not really sure how Terry felt about this as he stayed ahead for much of the day.

 

We stopped at Wick in a café called 'Lunch Box'. We had a coffee but only stayed for about half an hour. We didn't lunch but I took the opportunity of a good phone signal to get some messages off to people who had texted the night before. Their messages were only just coming through because there is a phone mast near Wick.

 

One of the most exciting texts I received was from an old friend Sam Swain, she was asking how I was doing and wanted to tell me that her and her husband (AK ) had just had a little daughter, Flo. Mum and baby doing well. I actually remember the day Sam was born. God, am I that old ?

 

We pass the 900-mile mark and soon see a sign for 13 miles to John O 'Groats. I send regular texts to Neelam giving her the countdown, as I want her to feel a part of it. Final stop, text and look was at 3 miles to go. You can look down from this point and see JOG itself. Turning to Terry (he had waited for me to catch up), I ask if that's it? If it is lets go back. There are only about 5 buildings !

 

For the last 3 miles we cycle in together and finally complete our journey !! I spent a few minutes sending a text to people who had been enquiring along the route. The text read something like .. 'On top of the world, or at least we climbed higher than Everest. One small step for man and one giant leap for Sean & Terry, or at least we are over the moon. More simply put , we are in John O Groats.

 

Terry and I are keen to get the official photo done and this can now be seen as the first picture on this site. Keener than the photo is our desire for a quick beer so head off to the bar. Whilst ordering our beverages Steve arrives. Sadly, he just missed our arrival. A few minutes earlier and we would have had someone to welcome us. Steve is an old friend of Terry's who now lives near Wick and we are going to stay at his place for that evening and the following day. Whilst Steve and Terry catch up I go for a wander to 'buy the t-shirt' etc and a small gift for Neelam. I bought her a chain in Lands End and was looking for a pendant from JOG to go on it. Whilst walking about a guy called Pete stops me. He and several other people passing by offer their congratulations. It turns out that Pete is from Perth, West Australia (where I went to school) he took 56 days because he was WALKING. He had done it the other way when he was younger and now in retirement had come over to finish the job. NOT sure I will be repeating the experience. Well done Pete !

 

When we were planning this trip we read many other peoples diaries and read with keen interest how people had gotten back so this next bit is for anyone else interested in the same.

 

Steve drove us and our bikes back to his place. We had booked flights from Inverness for ourselves and left our bikes with Steve. At time of writing these last pages I am at home in Southampton and the bikes and gear are still at Steve's. Terry is taking Mandy up to Scotland for a break in a few weeks and at this time he will pick everything up. We had a full day at Steve and Laura's. It's a beautiful place where we met locals such as Dave Sutherland who maintains the 'Whaligoe and it's Steps'. These are steps that lead to a harbour where fishermen of old (including Dave's Grandad) used to risk their lives to bring in the catch. It's a fascinating place and a must see if you are in the area. There is a good website showing the place if you have the time. Despite it only surviving on donations Dave quickly disappears only to return later with a £10 donation for our charity and he refuses all efforts for us to put money into his charity box. Terry took a picture of Dave and I on his phone but it hasn't come out. Gutted !

We also visited Betty Hill where there is a truly secluded beach with a few coastal cottages. If I ever was to write a book (don't panic it will never happen) it would be written here.

 

The following day Steve drove Terry and I down to Inverness before work. We arrived very early and spent far too much money killing time before our evening flight. We flew Flybe on a split flight. Manchester first and then to Eastleigh, where the wives picked us up.

 

 

 

This just leaves me with a couple of things to say.

 

Thanks to Terry for all his support. Couldn't have done it without you!

 

Thanks to all who have given to our charity, Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust. I know they will use it wisely. Thanks Gary for giving twice !

 

Thanks to all those we met on the journey whether a brief or longer encounter. Whether a nod of support a kind word or much more.

 

Thanks to Neelam & Mandy for their visit, constant support and help.

 

Final thanks to those who had to put-up with us going on & on about the trip. Special thanks to Ant & Marn in this regard.

 

I have described several encounters with people. Some of these wonderful folk have taken the details for this website. I was often tired, under the influence and simply have a poor memory so if any details are wrong please contact me on neelamrannoch@aol.com to put me right. This site will only last a few more weeks but I am happy to correct any errors.

 

Finally…. 'Does anyone want to buy a BIKE' ?