Day 1 John O’Groats to Helmsdale

Pete Ferlie from Iron Bridge Runner very kindly flew up with us so that he could drive us up from the airport in Inverness to John O’Groats. We stayed in the Seaview Hotel the night before the off. This turned out to be a very pleasant stay with excellent evening meal and B+B.

John O’Groats is an eerie, bleak and windswept place, the eerie atmosphere was added to by the fact that it hardly got dark at all and was still daylight when I drifted off to sleep at 23-30hrs. Anyway a good night was had by all and after a slap up breakfast the next morning we were ready to assemble the bikes for the start of our journey. Watching Dave put his bike together was great entertainment for a while but after 30 mins we thought it best to tell him that the back wheel is the one with the cassette. Things went together more smoothly then.

After the assembly we lined up at the start line which is by a derilict old hotel and made a toast to Dave’s father. Pete took some photos and then we were off. It was very windy but at least the wind was a cross and not a head wind. To illustrate the strength of the wind, when we turned to the east so the wind was behind us I clocked 35mph on the flat without trying. If only it had turned to chase us south we would have been home in no time!

Pete packed up the hire car and took our bags home whilst we made our way fairly steadily to Helmsdale. On the way we stopped at the Lybster for a fantastic bacon roll. Heartily recommended.

Then it was down the spectacular coast road to Helmsdale. The weather was very changeable. The wind was constant but In the 20 miles before reaching Helmsdale we had freezing horizontal rain and then baking sunshine. Strange place.

Days Stats:

53.9 miles
4hrs 09mins
Av Speed 13mph Max speed 42mph
Max Hr 186 Av. Hr. 136