Arriving at John O'Groats

10.30pm Monday 13 June 2011

Our 10 hour car ride should have ended at John O’Groats but Al and Mark persuaded themselves that the real starting point was at Duncansby Head lighthouse, 4 miles east of JOG, and that we should reconnoitre it before cycling there tomorrow morning. So we headed down there in a very strong, very cold and wet ‘breeze’ otherwise known as a gale. We were out of the car for no more than 2 minutes before the gale forced us back inside. God help anyone riding in this today.  We then agreed that the start point for JOG to Land End was in fact at JOG and not Duncansby Head Lighthouse as if this were the case the ride would be called something else. This was further evidenced by finding the official starting point in JOG (which to be fair to Al and Mark does look like a very small lighthouse without the lights). We shall head there at 8am tomorrow.

We found our ‘bed and breakfast’ after a few U-turns in the local lanes before heading to the place recommended to us for food, the Northern Sands Hotel at Dunnet. So far as I could see we were the only people eating which probably reflects the foul weather rather than the food which was good.  The highlight was the deep fried haggis, neeps and potato starter which was excellent. The beer, McKewan 80 Shillings, was OK. We got back to the B&B and for some reason the landlord, a jovial 80 year old threatened to shoot me with his shotgun if I didn’t hurry up and order my breakfast.

It is now after 10.30 and it is still light but blowing hard outside. Despite having the wind in our faces for most of next 2 weeks, if the prevailing winds blow, I am glad we are doing it this way around because it would have been very miserable to have arrived in JOG in conditions like today. This is not somewhere you would want to loiter for long (or spend a winter in).

Highlight of day: The gale at Duncansby Lighthouse.

Surprise of day: Meeting Patrick and Jane Bradley at a filling station some 100 miles south of Inverness.

Body report:  Everything in working order given normal wear and tear for a 53 year old.

Expectations for tomorrow: Much better weather and a good ride.