Day 15

Saturday, June 24
Bettyhill to John O'Groats
104km

We made it.  Arrived safely in John O'Groats.

It was clear skies but cool as we left camp for the last day of cycling.  The first half of the ride was pretty hilly, as we rode up and down the moors along the coast.  There were several lovely views of cliffs and a couple of quick decents too.

It rained hard for about 1 minute mid-morning; just enough time for Roe to put on all of her rain gear in a bus shelter.  The rest of the day was dry.

My back felt a lot better this morning.  Still a little sore, but noting too bad.  By the end of thr ride I did,jt even notice it.  I'm sure that with a few days of non-cycling rest it will be as good as new.

We had lunch in Thurso at 50km.  We had sandwiches and deserts in a little bakery and the Roe looked around for a phone card to call home.

After lunch, we reached Dunnet Head at 70km.  This little peninsula is the most northernly point of mainland Britain.  There were some steep moors to climb before reaching a lighthouse and lookout point at the end.  There were nice views of the Oakney (sp?) Islands which are just off the coast and also part of Scotland.  They were long, flat, green islands, with tall brown cliffs dropping into the ocean.

After Dunnet Head, it was a short ride to John O'Groats, a little bit of civilization that sits on the end of the ocean and hosts a small ferry dock, some campsites and B&Bs, and a few "top of Britain".related attractions.  We met the other riders at the camp site, and ate our customary tea before I rode the one last stretch of road available.  (Roe wasn't interested in any post-tea cycling.)

I rode 4 more kilometers to Duncansby Head, the Northeast tip of Britain.  Again there was a bit of a climb up to a lighthouse, but there were also great views of the Stacks of Duncansby.  There are cliffs that feature a few columns of rock rising out of the ocean.  The cliffs themselves were really stiunning, as there is grassy grean field (complete with grazing sheep) right up to the lip of the cliff, which then drops hundreds of feet to the ocean.  That climb and view were a nice way to end the trip.

We had some group photos, packed up our bikes and then a group meal at the local pub before calling it a night.

I'm surprised to report that I didn't have any flat tires all the way from Land's End to John O'Groats. Roe also did well, with only one front and one rear flat.

Someone at dinner passed around a list of total vetical climbing distance (in feet, by day) for the trip.  It was as follows:

Day 1 - 4,200 feet
2 - 7,660
3 - 4,880
4 - 4,280
5 - 4,480
6 - 2,860
7 - 3,640
8 - 6,140
9 - 3,020
10 - 3,680
11 - 3,360
12 - 2,860
13 - 3,500
14 - 2,720
15 - 3,060

Total - 60,340 feet