Back in England

Friday stats and route
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1827389434?share_unique_id=16

Not so much to write about tonight. Slightly odd going over to the motorway  services for breakfast amongst a few early travellers. Up at 247m from sea level the clouds were at ground level, but after an hour or so they cleared away and the mainly northerly wind might still have kept the temperature down, but it enabled consistent speeds of 15 to 20mph and more for mile after mile as the empty B road closely followed and occasionally crossed the M74/A74(M) and encountered the West Coast mainline. The scenery was unremarkable and the gradients kind.

Every silver lining has its cloud, however.......no, not another weather report, but a nasty toothache that progressively worsened through the morning. A while ago with my group of ex-Police walking friends I instituted a 5 minute rule for discussion of medical matters, so suffice to say I found a dentist opposite my lunch stop in Lockerbie who prodded and x-rayed and advised to the extent that I have just eaten fish pie and other 'soft food' without too much discomfort.
Subsequently I stopped briefly at Gretna Green, where the only visible bride was definitely not a 16-year-old elopee, crossed the border and arrived in Carlisle.
Tomorrow sees possibly one if the toughest but most scenic days, and marks Day 7 which I can hardly believe. I will also see an old school friend, and Sue is coming up for a couple of nights, so lots to look forward to to. HIGNFY beckons if it's still on, then an early goodnight.

Dad mastering the selfie...almost

Thursday's route and stats

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1825853284?share_unique_id=14

A day of two parts

It rained all day. Ok, you don't want to listen to me complaining all the time, but...it rained all day.

B&B was on a farm last night and after a traditional breakfast with a couple also staying there it was off into the rain....sorry.

The morning ride was interesting and all off road, firstly down to Balloch at the Southern end of Loch Lomond, then a great cycle path along the Forth and Clyde Canal. It was well surfaced which is important both to maintain a decent average speed and to avoid continual jarring through the handlebars, which apart from simple discomfort also causes you to grip more tightly, leading to tension across the shoulderblades (in my case at least).

If the photos have come through you can see a 'drop bridge', where the water level under a very low road bridge is temporarily lowered to allow boats to pass under the road. A weed-cutting and collecting boat chugged past and later there was a succession of towers clad in corrugated iron, with a small locked door and no openings other than at the top, about 20' high, where a live cockerel was strutting round. I have no idea what these are and didn't see anyone to ask (it was raining so not very busy).

A tea stop at a convenient canalside bike shop enabled me to replace a water bottle that went under a car a couple of days ago. Then the route met the Clyde itself going into Glasgow city centre. The whole quayside has evidently been and is being massively developed - if you've been to Newcastle I'd say it's similar but on a massive scale. (Various pics hopefully)

No time to stop though and a good thing I didn't. Once again (Inverness if you remember) both bike-nav and Google Maps had me going round in circles and doing U turns until I eventually found my way out to the SE. From there it was grinding and rather dreary and wet - did I mention that? - and spirits were only raised at the Route 74 Truckstop for tea and cake - the Englishman 'abroad'! Then the road, following route (M)74, climbed for a few miles into the mist and bleak moorland, a sort of high up Hound of the Baskervilles feeling with almost no cars at all. The rumbling of the motorway half a mile away was quite comforting. Then a fine downhill and a sign reading Abington 1 mile, where tonight's stop in the Day's Inn at said route 74 services was booked last night.

After Harry Ramsdens fish and chips I now need to plan tomorrow as this section is not booked, but I must have gained 10 miles on the plan, even in the weather which wasn't that good today in case I didn't tell you.

Hope James can get the photos up - more ramblings tomorrow, when I reach England!

Son of Nessie found in canal...

You take the high road...

Lawrence W. commented on the blog that I should take the high road to Loch Lomond, and I did, but mainly because there isn't a low road. It was an unrelenting climb from Glencoe through the Great Glen for about five miles up to Rannoch Moor, a bleak rather desolate area I remember from the West Highland Way. It was great to receive an encouraging text on the satnav from Gary F just as I took a photo of the summit sign. Shortly afterwards came a superb three or four mile descent at 20-30 mph, almost no traffic, and the sun even came out for a while.
Gary knew where I was from Garmin as did Sue who texted to ask if I was having tea, which I was having reached Tarbet towards the top of Loch Lomond. If you want to follow in that detail just. send me your email address.
Tonight it was haggis, neeps and tatties and a Balvenie malt or two and as soon as this is done it's bedtime.
Tomorrow: Glasgow.

Route and stats
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1824286424?share_unique_id=12

Lots of lochs

All photos are currently being uploaded by son James as I can't on the phone for some reason, hence the disconnect between words and pictures.

The Whitebridge  Hotel served up a Highland burger last night, venison with a layer of haggis and then bacon and a side order of whisky sauce. Not what Rabbie Burns would have recognised but an interesting meal. The beer in Scotland has improved greatly with a reasonable range of local real ales available.
This morning started with some climbing that led to a superb run down past little Loch Knockie to Fort Augustus. I could have topped 40mph but a wet road and bends kept the maximum speed down to 39. At the end of Loch Ness I had to use the busy A82 to Loch Oich. At Bridge of Oich a couple of large passenger boats were going through, causing the swing bridge to be closed and I saw an old railway line now converted to foot- and cycle path which was a peaceful route to Laggan and Loch Lochy. Not the most original of choices, making me wonder if whoever thought up Boaty McBoatface hails from these parts.
After viewing the well known Commando monument, a pleasant detour from the A82 ended at Neptune's Staircase, a busy set of locks on the Caledonian Canal where I had lunch and watched the boating activity. Then through Fort William, passing the photostop at the end of the West Highland Way which I completed a few years ago.
Back on to the A82 which by now had a cycle path in places much better surfaced than the main road, along Loch Linnhe and briefly Loch Leven before reaching the village of Glencoe and its youth hostel. Dinner in the Clachaig Inn in the hills above the village with a retired Naval radio engineer rounded off the day. Hopefully the clothes washed in the hostel machine and currently in the drying room will be ok tomorrow as they are all I have!
Tomorrow - the bonny banks of Loch Lomond.

Tuesday's route and stats

http://livetrack.garmin.com/session/23ef8ebd-3cc0-4865-a341-09b5b2859d7f/token/40284EBF64F3D3A3A5966AB2A26A48

Corrrection - this link should go to Monday's route

Check out my road cycling activity on Garmin Connect. #beatyesterday https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1820319928?share_unique_id=8

Monday's route and stats

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1818450940?share_unique_id=6

Who pays the ferryman? In the steps of kings

Enough of the A9, today I wanted some quieter cycling. The wind had dropped to almost nothing (see photo taken from the Dornoch Firth bridge) as I left the excellent Auchlea BnB and dropped down into the town. Dornoch is a lovely little town with a Church of Scotland cathedral (pictured yesterday), a jail museum and an internationally renowned golf course. An almost traffic free lane takes you to the bridge but once across the Firth a minor road leads down to Tain. From there I followed National Cycle Route 1 through quiet roads round the peninsula to Nigg. Expecting nothing there I was surprised to find a huge oil depot beyond which was my goal, the Nigg ferry. Dating back to William I, for whom it had strategic importance, it was used subsequently by James IV to visit a nearby shrine. My £5.50 as the only passenger would hardly pay for the fuel let alone the two crew (Pic of jetty with ferry arriving). Route 1 took a fairly circuitous route across the Black Isle to North Kessock where the A9 was the only option to cross the Moray Firth to Inverness, but a segregated cycle path was provided.
Stopping to offer help to a stranded lone cyclist with broken spokes and a misaligned wheel, I asked where he was heading. "Well I was hoping to get home to Germany" came the reply. I left him folding his bike - yes really, a high end commuter cycle it looked like - and trying to stop a vehicle going to the nearest bike shop at Dingwall.
After following both the Garmin and then Google round in circles in a busy industrial area of Inverness I followed my nose and after a sandwich by the River Ness / Caledonian Canal headed along an almost deserted east bank of Loch Ness, a very pleasant ride. Registration number of the trip so far, on a late model Range Rover no less, NE55BNB, so tourism must be doing ok.
After a stop by the water (see selfie) I left the loch and headed up a two mile climb and a ridge ride to my destination. By the loch was a procession of vintage Citroens, up on the hill the German Porsche Owners' Club came screaming by before I reached the isolated Whiteridge Hotel (pics of/from bridge alongside). As it's five miles from the nearest pub I'll be staying here - with the quiet road detours I clocked up 78 miles today. Tomorrow my route crosses the country to Fort William and Glencoe which should be a great day but the weather may not be as good as today, clear although still only about 12 degrees.

Todays route and stats

Check out my road cycling activity on Garmin Connect. #beatyesterday https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1818450940?share_unique_id=2