Bettyhill to John O'Groats! - 86k - Thurs 12 July

We woke in our upstairs room at the Bettyhill Hotel to rain and cold conditions outside. The mist had rolled in from the west, giving very poor visibility in any direction. It was a cold and bleak departure from this tiny village perched on a craggy hilltop on the rugged northern coastline of Scotland.

At 10am we rolled away, and immediately the road plummeted back to the bottom of a very steep hill. The book told us we would have 6 very steep climbs in the first 17 miles (25k). This was to get us at a sea level start for the first one, which started at the bottom, and immediately went up. It was a tough climb, but not as bad as we've had. Julie went straight up and over the top. She is doing extremely well on the bike now. I suspect also she is scenting the salt air of John O'Groats just down the road, and the achievement of something that just started as a dream - to ride her bike from 'End to End'.

We climbed to great heights with staggering scenery despite the very wet conditions and low misty cloud. The coastlline is extremely rugged, and the hills have dramatic drops which give the place a lot of character. We were meeting loose sheep along the roads, who also grazed on the very steep slopes away from the road. It was startling to look down into the valleys, and especially back towards Bettyhill down the valley which was just a picture. It would have been quite startling in good weather and bright sunshine.

We climbed the 2nd of our long climbs and over the top, and were on a very fast descent before the third, going down into the little village of Armadale. It was a long open sweeping descent, and we were doing 40kph with Julie just in front of me. With wet road and the kind of descent we were doing, your eyes just watch the road. We didn't see the sign - they are always so well signed, but we both saw it in front of us and there was nothing we could do - certainly couldn't brake - but a cattle grid had suddenly loomed into our path. Julie hit it first with simply a 'blip' and then I did the same - I think our hearts stopped beating for a few seconds wondering what would become of us - but we went over it just like a car would - actually we hardly felt it. But when you condider its made of parallel railway tracks about 6'' apart, it is quite an obstacle for a bike! We always walk across them.

We did the third long climb - none of them being too tough for Julie. She is really impressive today. We passed through the village of Strathie, and then the turn off to 'Brawl' - wondering what it was that gave its name! We were counting off the climbs, and I think we got to four, wondering where the final two were, because we were running out of distance. The fifth one loomed into the picture somewhere before Melvich, and for some reason we couldn't find the 6th, or we had climbed it and not counted it because it didn't seem like such a tough climb.

The rugged coastline and solid hills turned into flat farming country after about 39k, and it was like this all the way to John O'Groats. We picked up the speed, and flew the long flats and gentle downhills, stopping a fair bit to take photos. We had crossed the border from County Sutherland with its strong gaelic influence, into County Caithness with its strong influence from the Nords. The place was rather rocky, and there was incredible evidence of the early Nordic settlements, with especially the formations and constructions that they did with the unique slated rock that is prevalent throughout Caithness.

Caithness used to belong to the Norse Earldom under fee to the King of Norway along with the Orkneys, until 1266 when it was ceded to the Scottish Crown in the Treaty of Perth. We passed through Thurso (named after Thor the god of war by the Nords) eventually coming across the Dounreay Nuclear Power Station, which seems to be a blight on this otherwise beautiful and natural countryside.

Somthing for Grandad Stewart to research - the Power Station is built on an old WW2 airfield which you may wish to follow up. The runway is now used as the carpark, and looks incredible from a heighted distance. We passed the Queen Mother's former residence, the Castle of Mey at the village of Mey, with Dunnet Head the northern most point of British mainland now very prominent. We had been able to see the shadowy Orkney's for quite some time, in which was also Scapa Flow.

We were able to use the big gears a lot now, and enjoyed the cycling. The rain had cleared and the roads were rather dry now, but the sky still mostly overcast. We were keen to get to John O'Groats before 5pm so we didn't miss the little man who takes the official photos!

We had lunch in any case at Thurso, then set off for the final leg. It was 3pm and we had 32k to go, and we rolled into the long straight into John O'Groats at just after 4:30pm, having done remarkably well given the heavy loads we carry. I sat behind Julie all the way. Being the unit's official photographer, I have to keep stopping while I tell Julie to keep riding and I'll catch her. I am sure she rides faster so making it harder for me to catch her again!

The area around JOG is very flat farming land. Many might say its unspectacular, but I didn't think so. We were quite keyed up, having come this far and to finally reach this great milestone. The first thing that came into view was the Seaview Hotel with the official welcome sign to John O'Groats township. We stopped for our own photos here, first I took Julie's photo, then I had to line up beside the post for Julie to take. In juggling the heavy bike into position, it overbalanced the wrong way, and I went down with the 'ship', sprawled on the road intertwined in the bike, making a great spectacle for passers by. Having ridden all this way, I fall off the bike at the John O'Groats welcome sign!

We rolled down to the dock where the TIC was located, along with the John O'Groats hotel and several other touristy shops. It is a really lovely sight, We lined up for the official photo and happily paid the man his few pounds, and he also happily took further free ones for us on our camera.

So folks - after nearly 3,000k from Paris, and 2,000k from Land's End - WE MADE IT - in one piece with very few mishaps and all healthy and happy.

We are at Beauly today (15th Sun) just a few miles from Loch Ness on our final few days, before reaching Stirling next Saturday. Getting access to email is alsways difficult, so uif we can't get access before Stirling - we've had a great run back down the east coast. It poured rain most of yesterday, we had some very steep climbs the day before, but today the sun is out and the sky is all blue, and we are doing fine.

Until then - love from us. K&J