The following is an account of an adventure I will never forget....
7/04/09 - After 8 hours on the train and delays galore, I finally arrived in Penzance....
....to find torrential rain and the hour of 10 pm. No chance of getting to Land's End that night, no sir! I met Smiler at the station and he’d managed to find us a pub for the night. Much was said over a pint of beer and then we tried to get some sleep.
8/04/09 – The journey begins Penzance to Land's End to Okehampton.
And so it was we set off at the crack of dawn for…...Land's End, 10 miles in the wrong direction!!!
After 20 miles we found ourselves back at Penzance and so we soldiered on. Through Cornwall being forced to stick to the A 30 due to lack of roads. We made it to Devon and decided to head for Okehampton.
We arrived at 18:00 and decided to head for the hostel as we knew heavy rain was forecast for the night. The hostel was located uphill from Okehampton (damn hills), which finished us for the day!!! 112 miles done.
09/04/09 – Going Solo, Okehampton to Bristol
The day began with, the soon remembered, sore bottom at the first touch of the saddle. We headed on through the rolling hills of Devon. It soon became apparent that Smiler had a knee problem, more than just the aches. After miles of trying to continue and fighting immense pain, the stubborn Smiler realised that something was really wrong and although he did not want to stop, he had to. It was at Taunton where we had to sadly go our separate ways. I then had to carry the whole tent and borrow other bits we were sharing, meaning my bike weighed as much as 7 horses.
And with the parting came the rain!! It absolutely chucked it down. Cheddar, cheered me up with it’s cheesy ways as did Bristol with it’s cycling geared road networks. Drenched, I found a hostel called the Full Moon.
10/04/09 – Bristol to Shrewsbury, 2 countries and 5 counties in one day
After getting lost trying to get out of Bristol I gave up talking to people as they all seemed to be farmers?? Soon enough I found a bakery for breakfast, and the Severn Bridge. This was crazy and I broke the 15mph speed limit a few times!!
Smiler had rung and told me his twisted knee would have caused permanent damage if he had of continued. It’s a good job he stopped, and I’m pleased to say he has already booked his train tickets to do it again in July. Good man Smiler!!
Beyond the Severn Bridge, the Wye valley was absolutely beautiful, and here I met Pat Mcgee, I cyclist on his way to Exeter, only to get a ferry to France to cycle to Norway!!! Wait there’s more….
….From Norway he was heading for Beijing, a cycling guru, this guy rocked!!
I pedalled on and on and on…. All the way to Shrewsbury and found a campsite some 4 miles out of the way. Great place, lovely people and beautiful sunset. My knees were acheing again sometimes clicking and getting better sometimes getting worse.
11/04/09 – Shrewsbury to Burton Le Sands
This day found acheing knees in the morning and continued throughout the day. I managed to get through the horror of all the built up areas. Had some fun here, going in to petrol stations to ask for tap water got interesting…
“Hi I was wondering if you had a tap that I could fill these water bottles up with I’m doing a sponsored bike ride,”
The attendant looked bemused and said “what?”
I said, “I just need to fill these up with drinking water?”
Now, bearing in mind I still had my cycle helmet on, the attendant said….
… “No, you cannot put Diesel in there!!”
This happened twice!!
I cracked on aiming for Lancaster, looking for campsites on the way. Sure enough there were loads!! So I thought well the sun is shining I will carry on.
After 4 miles of no campsites there was not one all the way to Lancaster. I phoned a few friends in Lancaster to try and find a bed, but no joy. I had to carry on until Burton le Sands where I found a campsite. Time 21:00!! A late finish and 118 miles in one day!!
12/04/09 Burton Le sands – Carlisle
A freezing cold night meant sleeping fully clothed with all my layers on. Nithered I woke up to find Ice all over my tent. Only one thing for it, get back on the road!!
Shap summit came along and what a climb!! Burning sunshine and the ascent meant going from freezing cold to boiling hot. On the summit I met John Furness and his support team, John was cycling from John O Groats to Land's End, aiming for 7 days. Raising for a children’s charity. Good man.
At Shap I went to see my Grandma who I gave an Easter Egg to and she gave me 2 easter eggs back!! She also gave me lunch and made me chuckle, she’s ace!!
I then headed for Carlisle. When I got there I stayed at my dads and arriving at 16:30 meant I could do laundry, dry out my tent, sleeping bag and carry matt and get a bath.
This was a treat and was needed in preparation for Scotland!!!!
13/04/09 Carlisle – Auchenbowie (just short of Stirling)
Got off to an interesting start, Did an extra 7 miles to avoid the new motorway only to find out I could have gone down a track near the motorway when I got to Gretna. 7 miles wasted!! Oh well. My Dad kindly cycled out to Gretna with me which was great after being solo for a long time now.
As soon as I started approaching Glasgow my day got horrible. Scotland is so beautiful and I love it, but seems on this afternoon, I cycled through the worst place in Scotland. Litter lined the roads, boy racers filled the roads and miserable people filled the rest of this horrible place. I was cursing at everything and finding it hard, especially on my own. The toughest day so far by a long shot. It was horrible. The day ended however on a brighter note, the campsite let me stay for free and I met a fantastic family who were really interested in what I was doing and gave a donation.
14/04/09 Auchenbowie – Calvine
Stirling was a nice City and beyond there came the true Scotland that I know and Love. A welcome relief to the crap of the day before. Cycled to a Place called Killin and gained some really height. From there, Loch Tay and its river were beautiful; with so much game around I saw Deer, Partridge, Pheasant, Grouse, Pigeons, and Rabbits etc. Beautiful!!
And so, I descended down the river before ascending again towards the Cairngorms!!
I decided to get to the very last point of civilisation on that day. It was late but here I found a signpost for a campsite and a pub, brilliant.
They were both closed!!! And there was nothing. I had no food and only some water and new I was going to have to rough it for the night in the woods. I carried on down a cycle track seeing no one or nothing for miles.
I then saw a house and decided to try my luck with the hospitality of the Scottish and to see if I could get some food.
I knocked on the door and was greeted by 4 dogs barking and a man. I explained my situation and asked if I might be able to buy some food. To which he invited me in…. Derek and Liz Lawson gave me Haggis with mashed potatoes and vegetables, they gave me wine and apple and rhubarb crumble, they gave me great conversation, then they gave a me a bed in a cottage for a night and milky coffee. They were brilliant, they even gave a donation. I will be writing to them soon with a bottle of wine to say thank you.
I started thinking man I could make this trip in 9 days if I continue on track……
15/04/09 Calvine – Tain
After a fantastic trip through the Cairngorms, past the still open ski slopes, with the cold air but bright sunshine I dropped down into Inverness. All of a sudden, it got cold!! It was Freezing fog, I hit at Inverness and a wind in my face. Horrid.
I had my spiderman buff all over my face and was well wrapped up. Heading into wind I started sweating and from Inverness to Tain I really struggled. When I got to Tain, knackered cold and lonely, my bike broke!!!! My rear mechanism cable snapped. I asked in pubs about bike shops and there wasn’t one for 15 miles!!! Oh No!!! my idea of 9 days went out the window.
I got fish and chips and tried to bodge the cable but no joy. I needed a new one. I decided to get a B & B after being offered a bed by a strange man in a pub. I phoned family and got some reassurance. I managed to tie my cable of into my 5th gear.
16/04/09 Tain to John O' Groats
I cycled fifteen Scottish miles into the wind and freezing fog with 3 gears. Arriving in Golspie I found a brilliant Hardware/ Cycle shop setting up at 8:15, they were great, I got my new cable and fitted it, and the guy checked and tuned the gears for me. £2.00 !! ace. I could still make in 9 days. I soldiered on. The freezing fog got colder and the wind got really strong in my face. The weather combined with this hilly area of Scotland made things very tough. Nine days Ha not a chance!! This was not going to be easy and I came to the conclusion that this challenge had only just, really been made a challenge by forces far greater than you or I.
Hills went up and I went slow walking was a must on occasion although I hated walking. The flat was a steady 7 mph if that because of the wind. I started aiming for the next town as a milestone and nothing more. Everytime, just trying to reach the next town. Lunch time came and I needed some hot food. Two pots of tea and some sausage and mash did the trick. I could do it!!
But then I got on my bike again my knees were killing, my left hamstring was tweaking and I was really worried that I was going to fall at the last hurdle. The wind was really bad and even going down hill I had to pedal against the strong wind. Man this was tough. Tougher than many things I have done. If only I could get to Wick!!!
I did eventually but it took a lifetime. I was really getting exhausted. I stopped in wick and ate loads of chocolate and bad things to comfort me. This didn’t work.
The wind continued and the people in this area also seemed miserable. Everything was against me; I had to keep stopping to stretch my ham string out. 15 miles to go. Come on!!! I have to be honest the last 10 miles were horrible. I just kept on turning the pedals, into wind getting a max of 7 mph. I then got my first wave of encouragement as people started to recognise where I was heading. This lifted me. There was chalk writing on the road from the person who had cycled before me. Encouraging words like it’s just round the corner and there is a pub!!
As I was coming over a last massive hill when a VW camper went past and tooted me encouragingly, I saw the top of the hill and a tear rolled down my cheek. I was there!!! I was so relieved.
9 days, 939 miles
Average 104 miles per day
Max speed 45 mph
Max mileage 118 in one day
0 punctures
1 mechanical fault
If you do not know, all money raised is going to Keswick Mountain Rescue who saved my friend Simon Miller after he fell over 100 feet off Blencathra Mountain. See details.
Thanks for reading this,
Jim Bird
23/04/2009