Solo Sept - Oct 2003 End to End

by Ken Middlemiss

Date To Estimated Actual Cumulative Saddletime Av MPH Comments
Sept
22nd Goonhavern
Tremor, Halt Rd,
01872 571287 40 46.7 46.7 4hr 1m 11.3 Arr LE 11am to see gusty and rainy conditions. Nervous. 1st 1:5 after 2m not so bad. Signing at Penzance poor as was routefinding. As wind in NE and strong, difficult cycling in the hills. Arrived damp and should have changed right away. BnB OK, shower as no bath
23rd Holsworthy
Blagdon Moor,
01409 259433
washing done 58 68.8 115.5 6hr 11.1 Cold start-strong N/NE winds, starting at LE was supposed to be a help given the prevailing SW winds. Good cycling out of Bodmin-Week St Mary (go back there) Met Nigel and had good fish supper prior to finding BnB-excellent if fussy. Excellent bath
24th Bickleigh
Willow Grove
01884 855263 50 44.1 159.6 4hr 9m 10.5 Some saddle soreness/rash, due to damp on first day.Cold start and some steep hills-walked up one with N, though managed monster outside Crediton. Lovely cycling most of day along Hogs Back - do again
25th Axbridge
Mereside
01934 732376 58 64.5 224.1 5hr27m 11.8 Lovely flat cycling all day, esp along canals to Bridgewater and beyond-detour to Brent Knoll for N to climb and me to mend 1st puncture. Great welcome from Nigel and Katie
26th Ross on Wye
Wellan House
01989 566500 washing done 67 73.7 297.8 6hr 12.2 Lovely and flat to Chepstow-parted from N when I had 2nd puncture, while he went to Wales. Big hill Chepstow/St Briavels. Headset started to go slack. Found shop at Ross, who promised to fix following morning
27th Much Wenlock
Rowley Farm, Harley
01952 727348 70 72.8 370.6 5hr46m 12.6 Bike mended-headset dismantled, tho' convinced only needed tightening. Difficulty leaving Ross because of one way. Lovely contryside all day. Cool cloudy, overcharged for rolls at Leominster Chinese supper at Much Wenlock, before whizzing down the scarp to Harley
28th Knutsford
Mereheath Park
01565 633596 75 65.1 435.7 4hr 52m 13.3 Put up in (vacatd) bed of the daughter of the house. Host so talkative! Lovely farmers.
29th Clitheroe
Brooklyn
01200 428268 Washing done 55 51.7 487.5 4hr 12m 12.3 V nervous about threading way through Manchester, and found it easier and less risky than anticipated Good CTC route details, tho' unimpressed hitherto-greater use could have been made of road names and designations
30th Culgaith
Shepherds Croft
01768 88484 62 64.5 551.9 5hr37m 11.4 Shock start climb into Forest of Bowland, and another to Gt Harlow. Great coffee shop at Burton Lonsdale. Gorgeous cycling from Casterton
Oct
1st Eskdalemuir
Samyeling Monastry
013873 73232 65 58.9 610.8 4hr 47m 12.2 Cold and misty, clearing to brilliant autumnal sunshine. Great coffeeshop at Brampton. Headset wonky again Eskdalemuir Borrowed an adjustable wrench off the antique shop next to the coffee! Fantastic day, R. Esk footbridge
2nd Peebles
Lindores
01721 720441 Washing done 33 35.6 646.6 2hr39m 13.4 Saddle soreness now really telling and therefore good to have an easy day, doing jobs. Spent time wandering around and on internet, Dreading ride to Peebles, but soon motivated. Lovely shoe shop in P. Haggis and neeps supper
3rd S Queensferry
Hawthorne House
0131 319 1447 32 32.4 678.8 2hr36m 12.3 Lovely cycle friendly host and send off. Easy route finding, against anticipated nightmare-again CTC directions. Roads not even busy! Wandered round Edin, with Chris, Lovely and sunny. Grotty BnB, great caf‚/ coffee
4th Bankfoot
Bankfoot Inn
013873 73232 65 64.4 743.2 5hr12m 12.3 Easy enough cycle ride in windy and wild weather. Sheltered from sleet in Cowdenbeath, in grotty 70's caf
5th Newtonmore
Spey Valley Lodge
01540 673398 Washing done 56 62.3 805.5 4hr56m 12.6 Gorgeous morning at Bankfoot, light S wind against strong N froecast. Some rain over Drumochter Pass, which was easy. Gt welcome at BnB, soup n tea, then supper offered. Log burner too!
6th Inverness
Crathie
Old Edin Rd 60 58.3 863.8 4hr 59m 11.7 Again unexpectedly good weather until Boat of Garten, then we got the previous Old Edin Rd two days bad weather in one afternoon. Late lunch to dry out at Tomtatin Inn remaining 20m only terrible v str NW winds as foecast-with sleet. Poor BnB, mean!
7th Lairg
Ambleside
01549 402130 54 54.1 917.9 4hr 36m 11.7 N winds again, adequate lunch at Alness, after horrible crossing of Cromarty Firth Nigg Ferry not working as as poor weather. Thankful not taking A9 N.
8th Bettyhill
Dunvedin
01641 521273 46 45.2 963.1 3hr55m 11.5 Stronger N winds to Crask, uphill 12m too. Swoop to Altnaharrah, good fireside lunch. Then gorgeous ride, F6 wind following round Loch Naver and thro most of Strath Naver. 70's style BnB, well used to End to enders
9th John o'Groats
Sea View Hotelr
01955 611220 53 58.6 1021.7 3hr55m 15.3 F5 winds following made the first two climbs out of B. easier. After Armadale, scenery flat, a total surprise. Grotty hotel.
10th Inverness
River View
013873 73232 - - - - - caught 16.45 to Inverness, arr 20.00
11th (from inverness) - - - - - Catch 7.55am train to Exeter, via York, arr19.45pm

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Date	To	Estimated	Actual	Cumulative	Saddletime	Av MPH	Comments
Sept 22nd	Goonhavern Tremor, Halt Rd, 01872 571287	40	46.7	46.7	4hr 1m	11.3	Arr LE 11am to see gusty and rainy conditions. Nervous. 1st 1:5 after 2m not so bad. Signing at Penzance poor as was routefinding. As wind in NE and strong, difficult cycling in the hills. Arrived damp and should have changed right away. BnB OK, shower as no bath
23rd	Holsworthy Blagdon Moor, 01409 259433 washing done	58	68.8	115.5	6hr	11.1	Cold start-strong N/NE winds, starting at LE was supposed to be a help given the prevailing SW winds. Good cycling out of Bodmin-Week St Mary (go back there) Met Nigel and had good fish supper prior to finding BnB-excellent if fussy. Excellent bath
24th	Bickleigh Willow Grove 01884 855263	50	44.1	159.6	4hr 9m	10.5	Some saddle soreness/rash, due to damp on first day.Cold start and some steep hills-walked up one with N, though managed monster outside Crediton. Lovely cycling most of day along Hogs Back - do again
25th	Axbridge Mereside 01934 732376	58	64.5	224.1	5hr27m	11.8	Lovely flat cycling all day, esp along canals to Bridgewater and beyond-detour to Brent Knoll for N to climb and me to mend 1st puncture. Great welcome from Nigel and Katie
26th	Ross on Wye Wellan House 01989 566500 washing done	67	73.7	297.8	6hr	12.2	Lovely and flat to Chepstow-parted from N when I had 2nd puncture, while he went to Wales. Big hill Chepstow/St Briavels. Headset started to go slack. Found shop at Ross, who promised to fix following morning
27th	Much Wenlock Rowley Farm, Harley 01952 727348	70	72.8	370.6	5hr46m	12.6	Bike mended-headset dismantled, tho' convinced only needed tightening. Difficulty leaving Ross because of one way. Lovely contryside all day. Cool cloudy, overcharged for rolls at Leominster Chinese supper at Much Wenlock, before whizzing down the scarp to Harley
28th	Knutsford Mereheath Park 01565 633596	75	65.1	435.7	4hr 52m	13.3	Put up in (vacatd) bed of the daughter of the house. Host so talkative! Lovely farmers.
29th	Clitheroe Brooklyn 01200 428268 Washing done	55	51.7	487.5	4hr 12m	12.3	V nervous about threading way through Manchester, and found it easier and less risky than anticipated Good CTC route details, tho' unimpressed hitherto-greater use could have been made of road names and designations
30th	Culgaith Shepherds Croft 01768 88484	62	64.5	551.9	5hr37m	11.4	Shock start climb into Forest of Bowland, and another to Gt Harlow. Great coffee shop at Burton Lonsdale. Gorgeous cycling from Casterton
Oct 1st	Eskdalemuir Samyeling Monastry 013873 73232	65	58.9	610.8	4hr 47m	12.2	Cold and misty, clearing to brilliant autumnal sunshine. Great coffeeshop at Brampton. Headset wonky again Eskdalemuir Borrowed an adjustable wrench off the antique shop next to the coffee! Fantastic day, R. Esk footbridge
2nd	Peebles Lindores 01721 720441 Washing done	33	35.6	646.6	2hr39m	13.4	Saddle soreness now really telling and therefore good to have an easy day, doing jobs. Spent time wandering around and on internet, Dreading ride to Peebles, but soon motivated. Lovely shoe shop in P. Haggis and neeps supper
3rd	S Queensferry Hawthorne House 0131 319 1447	32	32.4	678.8	2hr36m	12.3	Lovely cycle friendly host and send off. Easy route finding, against anticipated nightmare-again CTC directions. Roads not even busy! Wandered round Edin, with Chris, Lovely and sunny. Grotty BnB, great caf‚/ coffee
4th	Bankfoot Bankfoot Inn 013873 73232	65	64.4	743.2	5hr12m	12.3	Easy enough cycle ride in windy and wild weather. Sheltered from sleet in Cowdenbeath, in grotty 70's caf
5th	Newtonmore Spey Valley Lodge 01540 673398 Washing done	56	62.3	805.5	4hr56m	12.6	Gorgeous morning at Bankfoot, light S wind against strong N froecast. Some rain over Drumochter Pass, which was easy. Gt welcome at BnB, soup n tea, then supper offered. Log burner too!
6th	Inverness Crathie Old Edin Rd	60	58.3	863.8	4hr 59m	11.7	Again unexpectedly good weather until Boat of Garten, then we got the previous Old Edin Rd two days bad weather in one afternoon. Late lunch to dry out at Tomtatin Inn remaining 20m only terrible v str NW winds as foecast-with sleet. Poor BnB, mean!
7th	Lairg Ambleside 01549 402130	54	54.1	917.9	4hr 36m	11.7	N winds again, adequate lunch at Alness, after horrible crossing of Cromarty Firth Nigg Ferry not working as as poor weather. Thankful not taking A9 N.
8th	Bettyhill Dunvedin 01641 521273	46	45.2	963.1	3hr55m	11.5	Stronger N winds to Crask, uphill 12m too. Swoop to Altnaharrah, good fireside lunch. Then gorgeous ride, F6 wind following round Loch Naver and thro most of Strath Naver. 70's style BnB, well used to End to enders
9th	John o'Groats Sea View Hotelr 01955 611220	53	58.6	1021.7	3hr55m	15.3	F5 winds following made the first two climbs out of B. easier. After Armadale, scenery flat, a total surprise. Grotty hotel.
10th	Inverness River View 013873 73232	-	-	-	-	-	caught 16.45 to Inverness, arr 20.00
11th	(from inverness)	-	-	-	-	-	Catch 7.55am train to Exeter, via York, arr19.45pm