The victorious team are homeward bound for tea and medals - approximately 500 miles

Steve sent me a final photo from yesterdays journey

a nice picturesque small hill with an emergency trap for out of control cyclists !

 

The boys had a conversation in the vehicle en route to Inverness and their beds, 'I asked Pete if he would do it again his reply was a definite NO. Myself and Ian were a well possibly but not next week.'

 

here's an idea

 

 

OMG the final leg Golspie to John O’Groats approximately 70 miles.

Wow great effort boys. They left Golspie this morning and arrived at John O' Groats at around 455pm having travelled all day in glorious Scottish sunshine !

some 70 odd miles to conclude their journey of nigh on 1000 miles

Steve said they were just having a wee dram of champers to celebrate

 

to

 

Good luck on your last day

well this is the last day so best of luck.

 

 again here's a reminder of the cause the team has chosen to support in their journey.

 www.cancerresearchuk.org

 

This is a charity which is close to the hearts of the team due to a mutual friends condition.

 

You can donate to their charity via BT's mydonate using the following link, if you do please use gift aid

          https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/stevehart1 

 

With BT mydonate all of your donation goes to the charity!

Steve's site alone has donations in excess of £650 he has a target of £1000 so if you can and haven't already donated please give generously to this worthwhile cause.

And here are some of their photo's along the way !

 

Day 11 Fort Augustus to Golspie approximately 83 miles

Today saw the team start off up the banks of Loch Ness at around 915am

 

 

they kept their eyes peeled for any sightings of the famous Scottish legend.....

 

 

oooops sorry no wrong one !

 

 

........Wee Nessie, but to no avail !

 

Their journey would see them cover some 83 miles to Golspie although the roads have seen better days !!

 

 

Steve sent me some photo's and a message, seems a jovial atmosphere is being had in the saddle ! Steve said,

'a picture looking up loch ness looks beautiful'

 

 

He added ' Our landlady recommended the scenic route, she did not mention the five mile climb straight after the full Scottish breakfast when we started. Long ride 83 miles I can't believe it will be all over tomorrow. Would have been in sooner but we took yet another scenic route and a short ferry across the Cromarty firth only to discover that Ian had left his day rucksack on a bench before the ferry so he had to go back for it. We did the decent thing a waited we did laugh when they charged him a further £5 each way!! '

Jokes aside, life must be getting hard for the boys.

They found this stating 'Its amazing what you find in rubbish bins in Scotland.' 

 I ask the question why were they looking in bins........................       

 

 

      

 I suppose everyone needs a hobby !

Tonight will be the last night to prepare themselves for one more day in the saddle, Steve decided it was about time he shaved off his lucky beard !

 

 

Day 10 '..a Great Day' - Crainlarich to to Fort Augustus approximately 85 miles

Today saw the team arrive in Fort Augustus at 630pm having passed through Glen Coe

Just two more sleeps boys and it will be done !

 

The journey was a long one of about 85 miles, all was good apart from some local sending them 

4 miles down a rough towpath,

 

'FREEEEEEEEDOM !!!!!............'

 

 

Passing the Commando memorial in the Highlands, very fitting tribute ' united we conquer !'

 

and travelling through the picturesque Glen Coe the temperature dipped and yes that is snow on the tops!!!! brrrrrrrr.....

 

Only one slight incident to report from Steve,

'We are all doing well. Only thing missing is Pete's sunglasses which fell off his head and then got run over. We didn't laugh.......well not much anyway!'

 

sleep tight guys, Nessie bound tomorrow !

 



 

 

 

Day 9 of Paisley to Crainlarich approximately 55 miles

Well the boys woke up in Paisley and............

...........miraculously the bikes were still in one piece !

 

Today would see the team start their cycle at 915am and they did a gentle 55 miles at least half of which was on the cycle path up to and round loch Lomond.

 

 

Steve sent a photo from their route around Loch Lomond.

 

They all took it easy today and got in to their digs at 430pm.

Apparently they had to take it easy as the refreshment bike was with them all the way !

or should that be all the way hey !!

 

 

 

Looking forward to the 90 miles and the mountains of Glen Coe tomorrow!!

Day 8 - getting there - Lockerbie to Paisley some 80 miles

The day started at 9am and after 9.5 tough hours into a gale the team reached Paisley at 8pm!

 

Steve has had a Redgrave moment and said
' if I ever do this again make sure I do it in the summer ! '
I pointed out to him that this is summer, he was not convinced -
they haven't yet needed any sun cream !!!!!

The passed through some great British scenery this picture was from near to Strathavan

 

  One of our office Scottish contingent advised Steve to have the team preserve their energy for when they hit Paisley. He suggested this because when they arrive in Paisley they'll have to peddle like the clappers to evade the locals.
He also suggested they sleep with the bikes as they will certainly disappear !

 

 

Again lets remind ourselves why the lads are putting themselves through this cycling hell

 they are raising money for 

 

 www.cancerresearchuk.org

 

This is a charity which is close to the hearts of the team due to a mutual friends condition.

 

You can donate to their charity via BT's mydonate using the following link, if you do please use gift aid

          https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/stevehart1 

 

With BT mydonate all of your donation goes to the charity!

 

Steve's site alone has donations in excess of £650 he has a target of £1000 so if you can and haven't already donated please give generously to this worthwhile cause.



 

 

 

Day 7 - Kendal to Lockerbie around 80 miles and now over half way !

That's the mid point reached and surpassed a big well done to all !!

By the end of the day the team will have clocked up around 550 miles since leaving Lands End, LeJog is well and truly on !

 

 

The Lake District shows the team why they are so called, as the rain follows them up the route. Passing through Shap the weather is awful and blowing a gale, they can barely stand. (I have good memories of Shap Wells Hotel and an unconformity hahahahaha - private geologists joke !)

 

the weather improves towards Carlisle where the boys have a nutritional meal at one of the nations best restaurants, oh wait a minute....

 

 

some pictures from the journey

 

somewhere near ShapPenrith castle in the rain

 

 

As the team have entered Scotland they decided to adorn themselves in the national dress, they are hoping the weather stays warm as the clothing is a wee bit draughty around the Trossachs !

 

 

 

They arrived in Lockerbie at 615pm for a much needed pint ! Steve needed to buy a new waterproof as his had worn out. He also said its down hill from now on..............apart from the HIGHLANDS !!!!!

 

 

Day 6 on the road - Newton Le Willows to Kendal approx imately 75 miles

Wow, now the countryside is passing them by and it looks like progress is being made. The halfway mark is in sight !

Todays stage saw the boys enter the lake district, I can recommend the chocolate covered Kendal mint cake for a boost !!

 

 

They left the hotel at about 9am (lie in ???!)
The weather on the trip up to Kendal was quite nice dry and warm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2645826

 

the weather for Saturday looks a bit less favourable.

Support driver and chef de mission is pictured here apparently burning lunch near Garstang ! mmmmm

Here are the boys pictured in the sunshine with the Lake District in the background somewhere near Carnforth.

Steve commented on the day by saying ' Arrived at Kendal 70 miles in nice weather. I can't believe we are halfway through and move into Scotland tomorrow. We will have to keep an eye out for bandits. We all had a good days riding but all have various aches but still enjoying the adventure.'


 

Day 5 in the saddle Stokesay to Newton Le Willows

Today was a marathon of a stage, by the close of play the boys had notched up 96 miles. Thankfully the stage was relatively flat, if wet.

The route saw the team cycle through the best county in the UK - Cheshire! and the passed through my birthplace Nantwich.

 

The first 20 miles were done in absolute torrential downpours. Steve commented that they found the best cycle paths in Shrewsbury, maybe he meant psychopaths ? but that Nantwich has the worst road signs hence the mileage increased slightly as they went round and round in circles. You'll never leave..................

Although it stopped raining in Market Drayton for 2 minutes today was quite a wet stage. However rain makes for lush green grass in Cheshire the county of the dairy farmer, so you can't have it both ways and the people are very friendly !

They safely arrived at their digs for the night at around 630pm for a well earned pint.



Day 4 - Cromhall, Wooton Under Edge to Stokesay approximately 65 miles

The Welsh were most upset to find the team were not to venture into Wales. The cultural attaché had been herding sheep for a tradition Welsh welcome. Apparently though its not a problem, most of the British and Irish Lions Welsh contingent will be home soon.

 

The cycle up the Wye Valley was enjoyable passing Tintern abbey en route

 

 

Steve said the second half of the 65 miles today fro Monmouth to Stokesay was somewhat hilly but nothing like Devon !!