LEJOG day 17

Lejog Day 17: Evanton to Dunbeath - 65.07miles, 3550ft of climbing

We decided over breakfast to ride farther than originally planned today. The weather forecast wasn’t that nice for the evening so we thought we’d stay in another campsite (with showers, electricity etc) rather than wild camping somewhere. The only place we could find though was 65 miles away!
We left at 9am though and set off. Straight onto a hill and into a headwind which was pretty much the theme of today’s ride! Actually, the wind became a gusty cross wind at times so wasn’t all headwind🙄😜. We were due to be cycling up the east coast all day.

Lots of wind coming off the sea today

It felt like a real slog this morning. We passed a sign at one point that said 85 miles to John o’Groats. We rode for what seemed like ages and the next sign said 84 miles to John O’Groats!

First sign to John O'Groats that we've seen

We started off as usual on quiet roads parallel to the A9. But then had no other choice but to join the A9. Most of the time we didn’t even have the cycle path so just had to cope on the main road for 35 miles! The A9 is the only road heading north so all traffic goes on it. Sometimes it is duel carriageway, but mostly today it was a windy country road with lots of ups and downs including two switch-backs - lorries travel on this road! - Thankfully there are regular laybys for us to stop in if traffic gets stuck behind us.

Stopped in a layby

Some of the views from today - not the blues skies we've been used to!

A quad bike would have been easier getting up the hills!

That's me in the distance!

We planned to meet mum for lunch at 1pm but they had a problem with the camper so didn’t catch up with us until 2pm. We were starving and had ridden 43miles! But the sun came out and for a while, the wind died down a little too.

Stone commemorating the last wolf to be killed in Sutherland around the 1700s!

After lunch we almost immediately got to Helmsdale (where we’d originally planned to spend the night) and then the real hills started! One really long, slow one into the wind and then the really horrible steep one with switchbacks which was probably as bad as anything we came across in Devon. We couldn’t even have fun coming down the hills as the wind was so strong. Quite a few times we were blown towards the side of the road by gusts and lorries going past fast on the other side of the road did the same.

You can see the road we had cycled in the distance and in the foreground one of the switchback climbs.
Pictures never do the steepness justice though!

Another switchback!

Having a quick rest - Newport is a long way from home!

Finally, we could see the caravan park over on the other side of the valley so one more hill and thankfully, it wasn’t too steep.
Mum was really pleased to see us, it had been pretty hairy driving the camper in the wind too (and I think she was worried about us). Pasta for tea (what a surprise!). The showers in this site were lovely too! Dad and I are both feeling tired but the advantage of riding extra distance today is that we have a shorter day tomorrow and we won't have to do those huge hills! We are hoping to go inland off the A9 tomorrow so avoiding the traffic and the high winds which again are forecast for our last day of cycling..... ONLY 38ish MILES TO GO!!!!! SO EXCITING!