Inverness – Lairg
Total miles 63.86; toal ascent 2634 feet; average speed 9.3mph; max speed 24.3mph; total time in saddle 6 hours 52 minutes.
Today was a miserable day.
When we awoke at around 7.45 it was grey and drizzling. In fact from the moment we set off from the guesthouse to about 15 minutes before we arrived in Lairg is rained, in varying degrees and heaviness.
Everything seemed to take longer than ever. Stocking up in M&S Inverness we met queues. Finding the NCN route 1 out of the city and across the Kussock Bridge to a while and it was almost inconceivable that by 1pm we had barely covered 20 miles.
It’s quite funny really, weather wise it wasn’t anywhere near as foul or dramatic as Monday, but somehow it was more debilitating, more energy and spirit sapping.
I wore the waterproof trousers Anne from the Fort William guesthouse lent me . They kept the rain out for sure and for that I was grateful, but they have thick seams that run right across my knees and peddling constantly rubs against my kneecaps. In the end, with about 10 miles to go, I took them off as I couldn’t bear the uncomfortableness any longer.
We ate lunch sheltering under trees somewhere on a stretch of road that we both agreed was the most trying of the entire trip. It wasn’t particularly hilly, nor was the weather any worse than the rest of the day, I just think that with our ultimate goal now so close, to have to endure a dour, dank characterless section pushed us to the edge of our patience.
My gears keep slipping too. If my chain came off once, it came off 20 times, each time marked by a massive swearing bout from me that must have upset the wildlife no end. I’m not entirely sure what’s causing it - I’m a bit loath to start tinkering too much just in case I do something terminal and jepardise the entire run. Each time I have to put the chain on my hands get oily, I have nothing to wipe them on, not even the water proof trousers which are not mine. My skin is beginning to crack badly now on my right hand, one about 10mm long on my thumb is extremely painful.
The arse cream came back out of the panniers today as well. Whilst we both apply liberally in the morning, it hasn’t needed to be used during the day for the last few days, but today we both needed it.
It’s funny though; literally as we entered Lairg at around 6.15 the sky lifted just briefly and the sun peeked through for only a matter of seconds. It’s amazing what this does for the spirit.
The Guesthouse is unusual. Win, our host, carried our panniers in, made us tea along with buns cut in half and smothered with chocolate spread – all without us even asking. Nowhere to date has this ever happened.
The remoteness and isolation of this part of the world began to hit home today. It feels different, our only company fields upon fields of sheep and small lambs running away from the bikes and cows staring ominously at us. It’s comforting in a way to know that this small island in which we live still has such vast sways of peaceful, unspoiled countryside, remote and yet accessible to those that chose to find.
And so tomorrow is our penultimate day. A leisurely 58 odd miles north up to the top of Scotland, then a right turn and stopping overnight at Malvich, ready for the final 40 odd miles on Saturday. NCN Route 1 runs from Inverness right through to JoG and is very well signposted.
Larri starts her mammoth car trip tomorrow bless her, ready to meet us on Saturday and then transport our bikes and us back to the sweaty reality of our daily drudge. I can’t wait to see her x
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