Day 16 - 1st August 2002

With the group splitting into two I'll document the rest of the journey on from the point of view of Mark and myself. The rest of the group followed the same route but stopped overnight at Bettyhill and bipassed Dunnet Head. We reunited at the John O'Groats Youth Hostel.

Tim at the falls

For once an early start, but not before filling up on the all you can eat breakfast that is provided by the hostel in their impressive dining room. It's a lot easier to get two people on the road. Again the weather was dull but dry as we carried the bikes over the footbridge and hit the road. We decided to take the lesser road via Shin Falls (although I don't expect either road has much traffic) before getting a snack in Lairg and heading north.

The isolated Crask Inn

An enforced stop when Tim got a flat saw the midges feasting on succulent cyclist flesh but at least the day had brightened around Lairg. It was murky at higher altitude as we climbed gently crossing largely featureless peatbog towards Altnaharra but we got some views over Loch Naver and conditions were warmer and much more pleasant as we joined the river in Strath Naver. This valley is a lot more hospitable than the surrounding moor and was once home to a sizeable population; however they were forcibly evicted in the early part of the 19th century during the "Highland Clearances" to make way for the more profitable sheep whose descendents still inhabit the area.

The valley was easy biking and we sped quickly to the coast, enjoying being able to set our own pace, even though there was still a long way to go. At Bettyhill we filled up with a few calories before setting off back into the mist: much of the coast was enveloped in cloud. For the next 15 miles we climbed onto the moor and dropped again to the sea many times, twisting and turning in a most disorientating way in the poor visibility before the road finally flattened out towards Thurso. The women will enjoy this section!

The road continues flat to Thurso, although a stiff northeast wind makes the going more difficult than we would like. We pass the Dounreay nuclear power station complex which seems out of place here (but judging by the number of cars it's the major employer) and are soon in Thurso feeling in need of food and a rest. We are still making good time but can't afford to waste too much of the day as there's still many miles to go and the wind isn't going to drop.

North coast cliffs

A chip shop with a neighboring park fits the bill and we relax for a while: the chippy is attached to a hostel which gets a recommendation in the visitors book of John O'Groats hostel but we have to move on. I guess a lot of people have to overnight here to co-incide with the ferry to the Orkneys. The wind doesn't relent but the weather is brighter and we see sun shining on the sea cliffs and we head for the junction with the Dunnet Head road. It's about 5 miles north to reach the northernmost point of mainland Britain, but well worth the visit with some great views over cliffs and the Scottish coast, even if we could barely make out Hoy in the mist. It's an easy enough ride out there but there's some climbing in the last mile before you arrive at the lighthouse sat on the clifftops.

We talk with a solo biker touring Scotland who's come over the north coast road and is heading to John O'Groats, then take a walk to look at the cliffs and enjoy the views. The route back to the road is really easy: downhill with a tailwind. This gives us hope for the ride south to Wick but it's tough when we turn back into the wind. It seems to take forever to get to John O'Groats: this is like the last day of the trans-US ride in Florida with a slow slog into the wind. hen we finally arrive pretty much everything is shut as it's 7pm so we don't hang around long: we snap pictures and the official signpost and head back south.

The biker at Dunnet Head said the next part of the ride is easy with only one hill and we fly over that with the wind at our back. A quick stop for a sugar infusion and we continue at a good pace on the flat road over another stretch of empty moorland puntuated by the odd house and ruin. We're in Wick by 8.30 and head first for the station so we can find it in the morning, then bike the nearby streets to find a B&B. A passer by points Mark down to the harbor and we find the Quayside B&B which luckily has 2 singles left and a yard for the bikes. The rooms are small but comfortable and good value and the owners are happy to keep our bikes until we get back with a van. We'd certainly recommend the place but book ahead as it seems justifiably popular.

We shower quickly and head into town for a quick pint and stop at the Indian takeaway en route home for food. the curry is excellent and Tim enjoys the rare chance to watch cricket on the TV (ironically from a warm sunny Taunton, seems along time since we were zig-zagging around the back lanes of Somerset to avoid the place). it felt good to get to Dunnet head, John O'Groats doesn't add much but there isn't real excitement about completing the ride.