950 Miles Done!

Last blog today! Just to say that Pat has cycled 950 miles to date. He has only one or two days to go. We shall let you know when we arrive at John O Groats. The photos show him taking on necessary sustenance at lunchtime and after THAT hill.

Scenery en route

I am getting a bit carried away with this unlimited access to the B and B wi fi and am making the most of it! These are some pictures I took en route showing the different kinds of landscape.

Lovat Arms in Fort Augustus

The reception staff in this hotel were so gracious and generous , that I said to them that I would mention the hotel on my blog. They allowed me to spend well over an hour in their lounge using my computer and their wi fi. It seems to be an hotel where the service is neither faulty nor "Fawlty."

A Heavy 90 Miler!

The day was heavy NOT the rider. If anything he is probably lighter but he is eating huge amounts voluntarily without coercion. The photo at Golspie was taken half an hour ago when I picked him up at the end of 91.3 miles. In the morning he rode from Invergarry to Beauly and I happened to pass him as he toiled up to the summit of one of the worst hills yet; hence the action shot! Pat says it was such beautiful scenery as he rode alongside Loch Ness though the headwind made riding conditions less pleasant. I stopped a few times to take photos but the loch was slightly shrouded in mist and the water quite choppy. We met at Beauly for our lunch and then Pat had a long hard ride. The landscape changed dramatically - more windswept and flat and sometimes quite bleak alongside the Cromarty Firth. The A9 was extremely busy with several huge vehicles. Not a great drive particularly if you are anxious about the cyclist following in your wake. I kept praying for his protection.

We are now both in Brora and about to go for a meal.

P3s I heard Alan Bennett reading Winnie the Pooh meets a Heffalump when I was driving and thought that you might like to ask Miss Fleming to read it to you. I wonder if her Piglet voice will be as good as his?

If I have time later I shall do some more blogging.

The Commando Memorial and Ben Nevis

Pat cycled past this lovely view and this very dramatic memorial yesterday. I am typing this in an absolutely superb B and B (so much nicer than some others!) in Brora and about to fetch Patrick as this is literally a bridge too far for him today! So glad they have Wi Fi!! It is 6.15pm on Tuesday 6 June. Will fill you in on the cyclist's progress later.

The Cottage and Loch Garry

Thank you to Karen for the cottage . We enjoyed being there and I cooked Scottish Oats for breakfast.

Even Hotter

1.06.09

It was even hotter today. Pat's temperature guage on the bike reached 93 degrees!So he was very tired at the end of the 71 miles he did today. From Oban to Fort William the road wound round the edge of Loch Linnhe and between tree clad hills profuse with purple rhodedendrons in full bloom.The scenery is stunningly beautiful. After Fort William he cycled on a minor road above the Caledonian Canalwith several hard hills. Then passing the memorial to the Commandos which overlooks Ben Nevis, he got back onto the busy A82. I met him at Fort William for our picnic having visited Morrisons supermarket to buy provisions.Then again he had some steep climbs before arriving at Invergarry.

From there we drove to this lovely little cottage where we were to stay. It is on the shores of Loch Garry in a very quiet and remote place with marvellous views and where the only sound is the bleating of sheep. The use of this cottage came as a gift. After I had spoken to a St Andrews womens' group in Oxshott about the GRCT and had mentioned Pat's impending cycle ride, the owner of this cottage approached me. She felt it was a God-instance and not a coincidence that she could offer it to us for 1 June! So good to have a place to oneself to do washing and to generally catch up with things (we were totally incommunicado there so I wrote this in note form and am now typing it in the Lovat Arms in Fort William where the reception- both staff and wireless- have been most welcoming- I have bought a coffee!).

We had a meal in avery quaint and isolated wee hotel, Tomdoun. It was the original Coaching Inn on the road to Skye. Afterwards we walked down to the loch below the cottage, where even at 9.30pm the light and the view was amazing. Pat has 150-200 miles to go depending on which route he takes. The body is holding up well!!