It seems wierd that you can be at home near London with all the mod cons in the morning and camping on a field on the far north coast later the same day. But you can, just, as I have just proven.
The flight to Inverness went without a hitch, the bike intact and even some sunshine to greet me. It was a pleasant 10 mile ride to the town where I easily found somewhere to buy gas and lunch before catching the train to Wick.
Worryingly there were about a dozen of us keen bean cyclists but the somehow found space for all the bikes and off we went.
It was a very scenic trip passing smaller and smaller stations, some request stops apparently populated only by red deer.
After hugging the coast past Lairg, Tain and the Cromity Firth where dozens of oil drilling platforms are incongruously parked we headed inland to the empty landscape of the Flow Country.
After around four hours of beautiful countryside we finally rolled into Thurso on the North coast, only for the driver to change ends and reverse back out to take the branch line to Wick.
Not much of a place, Wick, so a quick fish and chips and I am on my way. I start off trying to find a backroad route but I need not have bothered as when I join the A99 again it is deserted.
A light but relentless headwind and some rolling hills mean it takes a while to ride the 18 miles to John O'Groats, but it is a gorgeous evening. The headwind will be a tailwind tomorrow!
The campsite is wonderfully situated with a view of the abandoned houses of Scoma. There is just time for the obligatory signpost photo then it's bedtime.
Miles today: 29. Total so far: 29.
Feet climbed today: 1290. Total so far: 1290.
I'm amazed how light your belongings are. Memories of Loic and his lightly packed european tour :)
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