Month: June 2016

“Taps on .. Taps off”

Anyone from Glasgow will know that “taps” is the colloquial term for “tops” (in our case waterproof or something warmer) and that’s how we spent the majority of the day. Start. Rain. Stop. “Taps on” Start. Rain stops. We stop. “Taps off”. Repeat this at least 20 times and you get the picture. We got our 2nd puncture today (this time me) but ‘Puncture boy’ flew into action and remedied it straight away. Well he has to have a purpose in life….. So today we cycled 86 miles. The first 20 miles from Kyleakin to Strathcarron VERY hilly and I was plotting all sorts of ways to kill Bruce (as he chose the route) but he rescued himself just in time by buying me coffee and cake at the Strathcarron Inn. Next 3o miles to Garve relatively easy with a nice tail wind and then 32 miles into a headwind torwards Ullapool. Both our arses suffering bouts of numbness by the time we got there. The lovely ‘Ullapool Craig’ is collecting some of our baggage so we will have less to carry tomorrow to Tongue. (81 miles) Though Bruce ‘hardcore’ Mitchell has agreed to carry both of our stuff in his 2 panniers. I have offered to carry the infamous ‘heavy padlock’. Currently enjoying a meal at The Ceilidh Place, Ullapool and the alcohol is flowing….

Puncture boy in action


On the way to Garve. Quick rest and stretch


Never been so relieved to see this sign .. 

Not impressed.. 

Have cycled 20 miles from Kyleakin to Strathcarron. Feckin HILLY! WHO CHOSE THIS ROUTE??? And it’s about another 62 miles to cycle….Bruce is trying to make amends by stopping at the Strathcarron Hotel and placating me with coffee and cake. Where’s that wooden mallet???? 


Mood improving…

Unexpected blog from puncture boy. 

Normally we alternate blogs one night fit bird and one night puncture boy, but fit bird has had a relapse and can’t blog tonight. 

Left Fort William in the sunshine, and surprise surprise it stayed nice all day. 

Lunch in Arisaig, lovely wee place with beautiful sandy beaches, not that we saw them, as we had a ferry to catch so it was head down and full speed to Mallaig to catch the ferry to Armadale (on Skye) Fit Bird spent the entire sea crossing snoring in the passenger lounge. 

25miles accross Skye and we arrived at Kyleakin, tonights overnight stop, checked in at Saucy Mary’s which turned out to be a really nice B&B, never judge a place by its name. 

Had a really nice meal in a pub/restaurant near Saucy Mary’s, sadly I can’t remember it’s name, and for pudding a Magnum ice lolly whilst walking back to the B&B, yum in my tum. 

Tomorrow it’s a looong day to Ullapool. 

Bruce. 

Fort William B&B had a really nice garden. 

Glen finning monument. 

​​Harry Potter train steaming past. 

Stopped to enjoy the scenery. 

Quick snooze while waiting for the ferry. 

Quick snooze on the ferry. 

£1.2m Porsche 918 on the ferry, probably worth more than the ferry itself. 

Arrived. 

Tonights accommodation. 

Rachel trying to break into her purse. 

That’s a lot of salmon for a starter. 

Barf

Totally sick of fried breakfasts now after 12 days of them. Opted for eggs on toast today. Bruce is still going strong with them… 

Somewhere in a galaxy….

Far far away, the weather is better than it is here. 

Left Arrocher in drizzly wet rainy type rain, a few fast (ish) miles, then a quick photo stop at The Drovers Inn and the weather started to improve (for a few minutes) hot chocolate at The Green Welly Shop then accross bleak, rain swept and barren Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe and the weather finally started to improve, nice lunch in Glencoe village and on to Fort William for the overnight stop in a very nice B&B (owner did our washing, I think we must have smelt bad!) 

Tonights meal is at Fort Williams finest Chinese restaurant, which has the worlds smallest wine glasses! 

Tomorrow it’s north west to Kyleakin. 

Bruce. 

Rachels new man. 

That’s a big welly! 

Not going to write the name of this mountain because I don’t know how to spell it, and none of you English readers would be able to pronounce it. 

Looking West through Glencoe, note it’s not raining!!!

Welcome to The Highlands. 

For the English viewers. 

And for the Scottish viewers. 

Dumb and dumber. 

Teeny weeny little wine glass, I want big big BIG wine glass. 

Where’s my pocket air pump? 

I need it to bludgeon Bruce to death. He’s like the bloody prophet of doom. Just told me the good news … “hey guess what?” he says “every day now will be heavy rain” yeah right… So I needed to hear that like a hole in the head… I have suddenly found a new use for his handlebar tape (which I am sure he has packed a roll of in his panniers) 

Dodging the showers

So friends .. today started off with the usual big fried breakfast (have to say we are both getting pretty sick of them now) Destination today is midge infested Arrochar. Decided to go a different route as didn’t fancy cycling through Glasgow so took coastal road to Gourock where we boarded a tiny boat to Kilcreggan. Met by Barney the dog  (see picture) My right shoulder is very painful but I have found cider or vino helps .. Weather today – sun, showers and very breezy. Most of day cycling into a headwind. Sapping. Quite a hilly route too (see profile) with one particular nasty climb and too breathless to even say  “f##k that’s steep” ‘Puncture boy’ meanwhile just charges up them effortlessly like a bloody terminator, carrying the heavy padlock and everything but the kitchen sink in those panniers of his. Feeling quite feeble myself and today was quite draining after yesterday’s hellish ride. 

Ps. Tried to upload pictures but internet here is as slow as an asthmatic snail. Will try tomorrow… 


Setting off from Stair Inn, near Mauchline in the rain. 

​​ ​​

our boat from Gourock to Kilcreggan


Barney


Hooray arrived at midgey Arrochar


Today’s profile


Important to hydrate


View from the pub