The question was asked when I returned to work.
My summer holiday was a solo attempt at the End to End, ridden as an AUK Dart Series (7 x 200 km legs in a 10 day time limit, each leg limited to 14 hours). The plan was for 7 consecutive days.
The journey from Edinburgh to Penzance was the only part of the whole trip about which I was concerned, having not taken my bike on a train for nearly 30 years. My cheapest and in the end only option, proved to be Edinburgh to Kings Cross followed by Paddington to Penzance. Despite having a bike reservation for each train, I received lots of grief at Paddington from one member of staff from Cross Country Trains when I tried to put my bike on the train. I eventually did get on (and for what it was worth, I later received a written apology from the customer relations people). Penzance was eventually reached in the late evening. The local Co-Op provided my tea and I rode to the Sunny Bank Hotel in Sennen as darkness began to fall.
Day 1 Land’s End to Exminster, ExeterI planned to leave each morning before 08:30, so breakfasted early and set off to Land’s End. The place was deserted, but the hotel receptionist stamped my card. There is much debate about charging quickly up the A30 or choosing a less busy, more scenic route either side. As I was going to Exeter, I chose the scenic option, (via Marazion) before heading through Truro, St Austell, Liskeard and Tavistock. My diary entry for that day reads; “Hills were relentless; short and steep; long and less steep. Used granny ring lots”. On the previous day, heavy rain had fallen in the South West and I feared another day of the same. However, with the exception of the briefest of showers in Redruth, the day was hot and sunny with a very favourable tail wind. Late afternoon, I left Tavistock feeling good, but was soon grovelling for a low gear again as the road climbed upwards into Dartmoor National Park. I wondered what I had let myself in for by heading directly over Dartmoor. The road junction with Princeton was eventually reached as was an extremely necessary refuelling stop by the side of the road. I soon found out what I had let myself in for with a superb roller-coaster ride off the moor, which took half the time as it did to climb. A penultimate control in Morehamptonstead was made, before taking to the lanes to navigate my way to Exminster. Having spent some time in the area around Exminster, my spirits lifted and I felt quite buoyant cycling on these familiar roads. The evening was spent in the convivial company of my brother-in-law and his family. After a glass of home brew and a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, I slept very well.
Start: 08:15 Finish: 18:44 Distance: 206km Ascent: 3463m.
Garmin data Day 1Day 2 Exminster, Exeter to Callow End (nr Worcester)Rain was forecast for later in the day, but it caught me a couple of hours after starting as I reached Taunton. This was a good reason to indulge in my second breakfast of the day in Tesco and it went down a treat. I was chased by the rain clouds for the rest of the morning which was disappointing, so my waterproof was always close to hand. It was, however, still warm, so didn’t take long for me to dry off between these showers. After Cheddar, I chose the ‘Strawberry Line’ to get me to Yatton, after which superb, flat, fast lanes towards Clevedon and the approach to the Avon Motorway Bridge crossing. On the whole, the Strawberry Line is an excellent cycle path, but some of the non-road sections joining the old railway could be improved. Thornbury was reached by late afternoon and another favourable tailwind allowed me to make up time along the A38 to Gloucester. However, that was all lost and progress delayed for thirty minutes when a very severe thunderstorm and flash floods had me seeking shelter under a flyover on the A38 outside Quedgeley. On the opposite side of the carriageway, there was a group of club cyclists doing exactly the same. We waved greetings. The day finished with an easy ride in the evening sun to Callow End and an excellent B & B. Twelve hours today and I was sore to prove it, which was not normal and annoying. More chamois cream tomorrow?
Start: 08:11 Finish: 20:08 Distance: 240km Ascent: 1639m.
Garmin data Day 2Day 3 Callow End to ScortonThis was probably my worst day all round. The urban section through Warrington, Wigan and Preston was particularly tedious and wearing. I also had two mechanical incidents which I fortunately managed to clear: the right hand ergo jammed and didn’t want to change down to a lower gear and the rear brake cable became mysteriously (and worryingly) loose – after I had stopped! The wind direction also changed today, now coming NNW. My sore bits were sorer and I feared a full-blown saddle-sore. More cream. Consolation at the end of the day was The Priory in Scorton; an excellent, very cycle friendly hotel. It was also good to finish the day again on familiar roads I had cycled on previous tours and Audaxes.
Start: 08:22 Finish: 19:16 Distance: 233km Ascent: 1655m.
Garmin data Day 3Day 4 Scorton to CrawfordThere are two big climbs to look forward to today: Shap Fell and Beattock Summit. The start couldn’t have been any better either, as a huge tail wind and more flat, fast roads saw me reaching Lancaster and Carnforth very quickly. After Carnforth, I followed the road signs for Kendal, instead of following the highlighted pink route on the GPS map in front of me. This was okay until the A6 disappeared and turned into the A591 dual carriageway. I was glad to reach Kendal. Shap Fell next. I didn’t know what to expect, but the gradient suited me and I was surprised how quickly I climbed to the summit, where I stopped to take few photos. The descent however was disappointing. Penrith was reached, followed by rolling roads to Carlisle and finally Scotland via the back door at Gretna. Typically, the weather changed and a soaking drizzle enveloped the area. I stopped to put on my rain jacket and lifted my bike (using the rear of the saddle) off the road. Disaster. There was a crack and the saddle felt floppy in my hand. One of the saddle rails had sheared behind the seat post clamp. What to do? I decided as I was going to be going home the following day (Dunfermline), I would risk riding. If the saddle collapsed completely, I would face that obstacle if it happened. National Route 74 can be ridden all the way from Gretna to Crawford. Unfortunately, most of it is on a road which on the whole, can only be described as not cycle friendly due to its extremely bumpy surface of large granite chips. Road surfaces like this are slow going on 23mm tyres and combined with the gradient to Beattock Summit, I struggled to maintain any sort of pedalling rhythm, having to drop a gear or two. With the exception of a few unexplained sections of perfectly smooth tarmac, this was the norm all the way to Crawford where thankfully I was welcomed at yet another excellent and cycle friendly B & B (Holmlands Country House); I even had my kit washed for me.
Start: 08:20 Finish: 18:11 Distance: 212km Ascent: 1739m.
Garmin data Day 4Day 5 Crawford to Drumochter MoorToday I was going home. Which was just as well, as it gave me the opportunity to replace my broken saddle. Again I managed to set off before 08:30, sporting very clean (rather than just clean) kit, including ‘washing-soap-perfumed’ mitts. Rapid progress was made to Biggar before a cross country leg and a long, fast descent through West Lothian towards the Forth Road Bridge. 90km to Dunfermline: home comforts and danger. Would I want to go out again? I changed my saddle, dropped off some unused items, picked up a new supply of energy bars and gels, refilled my bidons and had some lunch. In-and-out in an hour and off to Perth. The tailwind from the morning had swung round to the north-west and I found the section between Perth and Pitlochry particularly slow and tiring. The last section of the day would take me to the highest point of the whole End to End cycle: in my opinion, the climb to the Pass of Drumochter actually starts in Perth at just above sea level and reaches 460m (my GPS actually recorded 465m – corrected to 463m) after 51 miles. Later that evening, someone quipped, “well it’s all downhill now!” Ha! Ha! I used the cycle path from Calvine as far as Dalnacardoch Lodge, but gave it up as a lost cause (and a disgrace) thereafter. The A9 here is dual-carriageway and as it was just after 7pm and the roads relatively quiet, I opted for the faster road. The last thing I wanted was a ‘visitation’, on a rough, pot-holed track, especially as I was tired. For reasons I cannot remember, I started to count the snow poles at the side of the road: but don’t ask me how many there are. Coming off the summit was bliss and I raced the last couple of miles to my accommodation. This was the Balsporran B & B (the white cottages on the left as you head North). When I booked a few weeks previously, I was asked if I wanted an evening meal and within 45 minutes of arrival and having showered and changed, I was sitting down to an excellent venison casserole followed by a huge bowl of home made rice pudding.
Start: 08:23 Finish: 20:00 Distance: 231km Ascent: 2202m
Garmin data Day 5 part 1Garmin data Day 5 part 2Day 6 Drumochter Moor to DornochA slightly later start this morning (no breakfast before 07:30) and I continued North, this time staying on the cycle path running parallel with the A9, before soon joining the road through Dalwhinnie, turning onto the Crubbenmore Road and ultimately the old A9 to and beyond Newtonmore. The Crubbenmore Road is quiet and easy and I have ridden it numerous times as part of Steve Carroll’s Newtonmore based events. I did think today was going to be an easy one and when I reached Aviemore mid-morning I stopped for a leisurely morning coffee at the Active Sports café – only the second morning coffee of the whole ride – and consumed a doorstep of a bacon sandwich. However, morale took a turn for the worse at Tomatin when the heavens opened and the rain fell in bucketfuls. Fortunately, it remained warm, so the downhill into Inverness was bearable. A pre-arranged lunch stop with my aunt and uncle in Inverness was enough time for the rain to cease and the skies clear. In order to achieve 200 km today, my route north of Inverness took the scenic coastal routes to Dornoch through Beaully, Muir of Ord and Dingwall before hitting the A9 again (and the rain) then Ardgay and Bonar Bridge. I had last ridden this same section between Inverness and Bonar Bridge as part of a 12 hour time trial at which I had achieved a respectable 250 miles. Perhaps it was this reason that had me thinking ‘easy day’ earlier in the morning. It wasn’t to be. The soreness and discomfort I was suffering earlier in the week had now festered nicely into what I can only call a red, raw mess. The rain was not helping matters nor the normally soothing Assos chamois cream I use. I was constantly out of the saddle trying to gain some relief to the extent that there were symptoms of a strained left Achilles tendon. Ibruprofen became my friend. I reached my B & B for that evening after another 11 hour day. My room was comfortable, but after on-suite facilities for the last few nights, I had to slum it with a shared toilet and shower room. Dinner tonight was a shop bought sandwich, some peanuts and all the room’s ‘courtesy’ biscuits. In hindsight, this was probably the day I found most difficult.
Start: 08:38 Finish: 19:39 Distance: 214km Ascent: 1344m
Garmin data Day 6Day 7 Dornoch to Lybster (via John O Groats)Is this really my last day? (Not quite.) When I submitted my route to Bill Weir, I asked immediately if the ride actually had to finish at John O Groats. He replied that that question had never been raised, but allowed me to continue planning as though John O Groats was an intermediate point. Home lay to the south, so why not start cycling in that direction? And that is why my 7 x 200 km Dart Series finished in Lybster. It was a fine morning: bright and sunny, but with a moderate north-westerly wind (one cannot have everything one’s own way, can one?) My route today would take me to Helmsdale with a left turn up the Strath of Kildonnan, down Strath Halladale and with a R at T sp Thurso, along the north coast eventually to John O Groats (160 km). I struggled up the Strath of Kildonnan having to continually move into passing places on this single-track road to allow mainly 4 x 4s decorated with fishing rods to pass. The climb is long, but the gradient gentle. My backside was no better and comfort was not an option. Slow progress. I was beginning to wonder where I would get a control stamp on this section, so stopped a few times to photograph letter boxes with their unique identification number. (Or perhaps it was just an excuse to dismount and relieve the discomfort.) However the village of Reay had a shop and provided a control stamp and lunch: cold Scotch Pie for the main course washed down with black fizzy stuff, followed by ice cream on a stick and a couple of Ibruprofen. I know how to eat well. The wind was favourable again so I knuckled down, picked up some speed and the miles quickly passed. Through Thurso, past the Castle of Mey and eventually the signpost directing me left and down the hill to John O Groats. I had actually arrived. I free-wheeled into the car park and made my way to the ‘sign post’. With an expectant look from the duty photographer and a quick reading of his blurb, I shuffled off and took a few candid shots of my own. The Journey’s End Café beckoned and I refuelled whilst signing the register. I’m still not sure why I did not feel a sense of elation. Perhaps knowing my ride was not actually complete and I still had about 50km to go. And so it was I turned South at last towards Wick; and a headwind; and the rain. This last section was largely uneventful and I gladly reached Lybster and a clearing sky. I sailed right past my Bed and Breakfast (inadvertently), turned into the village, found ‘the shop’ and obtained a receipt as my last proof of passage. One of the items listed on the receipt was a bottle of Cumberland Ale which I would drink later in quiet reflection and self congratulation. A circuit of the village and a phone call later and I was safely ensconced in yet another terrific B & B; the Acarsaid B & B. Acarsaid is a Gaelic word meaning “anchorage” or “harbour” and comes from the old Norse,
akkarsaeti, meaning literally "anchor-seat". How suitable can a name be?
Start: 08:23 Finish: 18:48 Distance: 210km Ascent: 1505m
Garmin data Day 7FootnoteMy summer holiday ended the following day with a hundred mile ride to Inverness, an overnight stop with my aunt and uncle (and some of his best malt whisky) then a train home the day after. Riding the End to End as a Dart Series was not as hard as I expected. It was not easy though. I have not ridden any event above 600km and was concerned pre-ride about putting in successive 200 km days over a long period. My average speed did drop over the course of the week, but I’m not sure how much of that was due to the saddle soreness or general fatigue. I would like to think the former as I always slept well and woke easily next morning not feeling tired. I was very fortunate and extremely pleased with my choices of B & Bs and would recommend them all. My chosen Controls were on average 50 to 60 km apart which equated to a break and a refuelling stop every two to three hours and helped split the day up nicely. I was definitely lucky with the weather: the wind was more favourable than not and the amount of precipitation not too bad. Yes it rained, but it could have rained all day, every day. It was also warm without being too hot, but noticeably cooler as I came north. Would I ride the End to End again? Undoubtedly yes! Next time perhaps as a tourist, reducing the daily mileage and taking time to look at and absorb some of this country’s wonderful scenery, architecture and heritage. A different route would be ridden, but that wouldn’t be difficult to work out.
TOTALS
Time 7 days
Distances to John O Groats: 1,499 km
to Lybster 1,549 km (end of the 7 x 200 km legs)
Ascent 13,547m
