I'm very apprehensive about today, our penultimate day. Now and again, Reg has warned me about it, so that I can prepare myself,
"There'll be some tough hills on our penultimate day of riding, including an arrow hill."
An arrow hill is one that is almost perpendicular. Our ride today is Scotland's answer to the hills of Devon and Cornwall, and to Shap, in the Lake District.
Nearly all of our ride today is along the A9, apart from the last few miles, which are on the A99. We are cycling on hills overlooking the North Sea on our right. The scenery is spectacular, as if being compensation for the steepness of the climb. For the first few miles, we're on gently undulating roads, in fact until we reach the village/small town of Helmsdale, about 11 miles into our journey. A man smiles and waves to us as we approach.
"Hello! Is there anywhere we can get a cup of coffee near here?"
The man directs us to a street just around the corner - not far off route so it's perfect for us. I get an excellent really hot cappuccino. Reg wants green tea with a slice of lemon; the coffee shop proprietor sends her husband to the little Spar down the road to get a lemon. How's that for service?
Now, Kirsty, I hope you are reading this as it's about sandwiches! We have some different sandwiches for a change today - the coffee shop lady makes them up for us. I have brie and Reg has smoked mackerel with cucumber.
We talk to the lady about where we're going. She knows all about the arrow hill.
"It's on a bend, watch out for lorries. They tend to come out into the middle of the road to go up that hill, because it's so steep." Great.
Fortified by a cappuccino and a green tea, plus the lovely breakfast at the Royal Marine Hotel, we're soon on our way.
The hills are steep, but I find I'm coping with them better than in Devon and Cornwall, and better than climbing up Shap. I do need to stop every now and again for a drink and a couple of minutes break, but I don't have to push my bike up at all. Reg says he reckons it's because I'm getting fitter!
I almost don't realise that I've gone up the arrow hill because the arrow part of the hill is very short. I do stop to take a breather after I've done that section though!
We stop after the first big hill, in a parking lay-by to take photos and have a break. A couple who are already in the lay-by in their car smile and wave to us. A few minutes later the lady gets out of the car with cakes in her hand,
"Would you like a chocolate eclair?" she asks, proffering the said cakes.
Now I don't need to be asked a question like that twice, and am soon munching through a cake, thanking the woman profusely. Reg doesn't have one- he only likes fruit cake and Cadbury's Mini Chocolate rolls. I go across the road to take some photos- meanwhile Reg engages in conversation with the couple, who are from Birmingham, and who he thinks are brother and sister. They are touring the north coast of Scotland by car.
Some where along our journey we see a road sign - "John O'Groats - 47 miles". This is encouraging - the number of miles to John O'Groats is going down!
When we've gone up the two most difficult hills, we find a little area of grass with panoramic views over the North Sea, and enjoy our picnic. Bliss!
The rest of our journey today is hilly, but manageable. As we near Lybster, where we are staying, we turn onto the A99. For the first time ever we have a bit of difficulty finding our B&B. Reg says he made a mistake in setting up the Sat Nav, not realising that the B&B is actually in Occumster near Lybster, not Lybster itself. Reg's planning with the Garmin and Sat Nav have been brilliant - he says he couldn't have done the journey without them.
The B&B is along a lane; the house has magnificent sea views. We receive a warm welcome from our hostess, and the room is lovely. I really didn't expect a bath tonight, but there is one!
"There's some muscle-soak bubble bath on the side," says our hostess. "I'm used to having cyclists here."
When I phoned yesterday our hostess said that there was a local pub which served meals, in the village, just 10 minutes walk away. We ride our bikes; we don't want to get on our bikes again today, but we don't fancy walking either. Reg says his bike is light as a feather without our heavy panniers! Mine too.
We have a lovely meal; the waitress at the pub tells us that a lot of their custom consists of cyclists making for John O'Groats. We chat to 4 people from New Zealand,who are about our age, who are touring Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England.
"Thank goodness we rode our bikes to the pub," I say to Reg, on our way home. "No way is it a 10 minute walk. More like half an hour. It's taken us 10 minutes to ride."
John O'Groats tomorrow, all being well. Nearly there now!!
"There'll be some tough hills on our penultimate day of riding, including an arrow hill."
An arrow hill is one that is almost perpendicular. Our ride today is Scotland's answer to the hills of Devon and Cornwall, and to Shap, in the Lake District.
Nearly all of our ride today is along the A9, apart from the last few miles, which are on the A99. We are cycling on hills overlooking the North Sea on our right. The scenery is spectacular, as if being compensation for the steepness of the climb. For the first few miles, we're on gently undulating roads, in fact until we reach the village/small town of Helmsdale, about 11 miles into our journey. A man smiles and waves to us as we approach.
"Hello! Is there anywhere we can get a cup of coffee near here?"
The man directs us to a street just around the corner - not far off route so it's perfect for us. I get an excellent really hot cappuccino. Reg wants green tea with a slice of lemon; the coffee shop proprietor sends her husband to the little Spar down the road to get a lemon. How's that for service?
Now, Kirsty, I hope you are reading this as it's about sandwiches! We have some different sandwiches for a change today - the coffee shop lady makes them up for us. I have brie and Reg has smoked mackerel with cucumber.
We talk to the lady about where we're going. She knows all about the arrow hill.
"It's on a bend, watch out for lorries. They tend to come out into the middle of the road to go up that hill, because it's so steep." Great.
Fortified by a cappuccino and a green tea, plus the lovely breakfast at the Royal Marine Hotel, we're soon on our way.
The hills are steep, but I find I'm coping with them better than in Devon and Cornwall, and better than climbing up Shap. I do need to stop every now and again for a drink and a couple of minutes break, but I don't have to push my bike up at all. Reg says he reckons it's because I'm getting fitter!
I almost don't realise that I've gone up the arrow hill because the arrow part of the hill is very short. I do stop to take a breather after I've done that section though!
We stop after the first big hill, in a parking lay-by to take photos and have a break. A couple who are already in the lay-by in their car smile and wave to us. A few minutes later the lady gets out of the car with cakes in her hand,
"Would you like a chocolate eclair?" she asks, proffering the said cakes.
Now I don't need to be asked a question like that twice, and am soon munching through a cake, thanking the woman profusely. Reg doesn't have one- he only likes fruit cake and Cadbury's Mini Chocolate rolls. I go across the road to take some photos- meanwhile Reg engages in conversation with the couple, who are from Birmingham, and who he thinks are brother and sister. They are touring the north coast of Scotland by car.
Some where along our journey we see a road sign - "John O'Groats - 47 miles". This is encouraging - the number of miles to John O'Groats is going down!
When we've gone up the two most difficult hills, we find a little area of grass with panoramic views over the North Sea, and enjoy our picnic. Bliss!
The rest of our journey today is hilly, but manageable. As we near Lybster, where we are staying, we turn onto the A99. For the first time ever we have a bit of difficulty finding our B&B. Reg says he made a mistake in setting up the Sat Nav, not realising that the B&B is actually in Occumster near Lybster, not Lybster itself. Reg's planning with the Garmin and Sat Nav have been brilliant - he says he couldn't have done the journey without them.
The B&B is along a lane; the house has magnificent sea views. We receive a warm welcome from our hostess, and the room is lovely. I really didn't expect a bath tonight, but there is one!
"There's some muscle-soak bubble bath on the side," says our hostess. "I'm used to having cyclists here."
When I phoned yesterday our hostess said that there was a local pub which served meals, in the village, just 10 minutes walk away. We ride our bikes; we don't want to get on our bikes again today, but we don't fancy walking either. Reg says his bike is light as a feather without our heavy panniers! Mine too.
We have a lovely meal; the waitress at the pub tells us that a lot of their custom consists of cyclists making for John O'Groats. We chat to 4 people from New Zealand,who are about our age, who are touring Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England.
"Thank goodness we rode our bikes to the pub," I say to Reg, on our way home. "No way is it a 10 minute walk. More like half an hour. It's taken us 10 minutes to ride."
John O'Groats tomorrow, all being well. Nearly there now!!
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