2009/06/20 - Day 15 - Bettyhill to John o'Groats - 63.15 miles in 6:06

What a difference a day makes. It set before we went to bed, and dawned before we woke up, and hadn't got dark all night. THE SUN WAS SHINING.

For the first 19 miles the road had long ups and downs and felt hard work, but the sunshine and views of the Orkneys and rolling countryside kept us going.

We stopped at the Reay village store for Irn-Bru, coffee, caramels slices and a bag of fruit jellies, sitting on a bench outside by the petrol pumps.


Bliss. We were almost there. Then past the decommissioned Dounreay nuclear power station, with contrasting wind turbines in the background. The road was flatter and easier. Lunch at a coffee shop in Thurso (quiche and pie) where the waitress who cleared the tables was very grumpy and banged all the crockery onto her tray. She, like most of Thurso, was rather too large.

A side detour to Dunnet Head light house, the most northly point on the british mainland. 13 miles to go. Lots of cows, horses and sheep and surprisingly many habitations.

Then we rolled into John o'groats. An anti-climax almost as it wasn't the effort of finishing a marathon exhausted, each day had started afresh. We went to the signpost for pictures and we suddenly surrounded by 20 merry (i.e. drunk) young attractive slim girls on Sarah's Hen Party. They were from Thurso so they were unlikely to stay that slim for long. They clambered over us and the bike and many pictures were taken. Congratulations all round.

Peter and Steve breezed in and we took each others pictures, including one by the Finish line by the boarded up old Hotel. To adjacent campsite for bubbly and cakes and more mutual congratulations.

To finish off the ride, 6 extra miles to Duncansby Head for the most easterly point (JOG is the most inhabited NE point) where we met the "Three Musketeers" and their rubber swords bought in Fort William, and the off rode tandemers who the Crask Inn had told us about. They were serious riders and made us feel amateurs.

Back to JOG for final group photos.

(the rell ball between Big Carl's thighs must be due to either chafing or anticipation).

Evening was a group meal in Seaview Hotel, served efficiently unlike the previous night. I couldn't break with tradition and went to bed before 10. Fell asleep straightaway despite the noise from the bar below where the locals were celebrating JOG beating St Andrews 4-0. No idea at what. Coach comes at 8am to take us to Inverness.

Garmin says we logged 1,053.7 miles in 104 hrs 20 mins on the road. Our average speed increased throughout the week.