Today was a completely different kind of day. A beautiful sunny morning, even if I was expected to get hit by some rain later according to the radar. The b&b I found in Alness was brilliant. A lovely friendly couple, and a nice large room. And breakfast was great, a nice choice of cereals, main courses, fry ups, drinks. Just what was needed. Met a nice trio of walkers on their way up from Lands End. Comical bunch but seem to be enjoying their trip.
Waving each other off I venture off again up Route 1. It leaves the main roads and actually can if you choose to avoid the minor back roads take it into the forests and fields. Ohh what fun, it was just single track! Very much like the first part of Whinlatter’s blue trail mountain bike route at home. Great fun, even got a little air over one yump. Think I scared the daylights out of the guy with the GoPro on his helmet coming the other way. LM loved it also, gave her a chance to show her cyclocross pedigree over that of pack mule. Sadly though it didn’t last and I was soon back on the road grinding my way up the hills towards Inverness.
It rained, it stopped. It went cold, it went scorching. It did it over and over. I think I changed my kit about seven times before giving up and just going with what I had on. Sadly though LM wasn’t in the happiest of moods. It may of been the single track action, but all she did on the grind up to Inverness was groan, rattle, clank, and generally give lots of not usually very good sounds from a trusty steed. A pitstop for a good check over, oil everything, tighten a few things up. And we were back in track and running along smoothly and silently which was much better.
Inverness was a mess. Bike track after bike track being closed for maintenance. Went round and round looking for alternatives which made slow going… And then there it was. The Kessock bridge.
Mr Vertigo here wasn’t having any of it. I got chatting to some local bikers who helped me through the mess of the local bike tracks, but they flew over the bridge. The low sides, and riding along it was too much for me. In the end I got off and walked the thing against the inside barrier looking over the road at the cars. Took forever but made it eventually.
Over the bridge, the bike track again was closed, so had to take more random routes though some oil depots before rejoining the route and getting on again, only to have yet another road closed, thus needing a trip into the centre of the city on a busy Sunday just to get around the closed area. Eventually I managed to escape though. But the slowdowns by this point where already hurting my progress. My blood
levels weren’t playing ball either. The morning they were great, almost perfect with a 6.3 (114) but come lunchtime, although the fear and panic over the bridge might of played a part, they sky rocketed up into the 14’s (250’s). Never feel good when high so not helping making up time either.
Loch Ness was unfortunately hidden for the most part anyhow behind trees. I enjoyed the trip, but it was sadly barely visible for most of the afternoon. A couple of fire engines, coast guard and mountain rescue all flew part down the road at one point. Which turned out to be a young girl had got trapped down Foyers Falls. She was alright though luckily once they got her back up. The road along the side of Loch Ness was beautiful as well, with the trees skirted by bluebells for much of the route which brought some colour to the woods.
Leaving the Loch I continued on, but by Whitebridge my levels had gone though the floor. I parked up, raided my chocolate stash, and took some snaps of the amazing bridge. Read the history board. And the village notice board. You know, they have a roadside egg drop off. Someone (I couldn’t tell who) puts fresh free range eggs in this old ammo box for anyone to take and they leave the cash in the box. Amazing trust just leaving the box of eggs/cash on the roadside.
And then came the hill. Talk about a climb, mile after mile of slog. And then the descent down into Fort Augustus. The shimmering of Loch Tarff as I came down looked fantastic. gone though the floor. I parked up, raided my chocolate stash, and took some snaps of the amazing bridge. Read the history board. And the village notice board. You know, they have a roadside egg drop off.
Someone (I couldn’t tell who) puts fresh free range eggs in this old ammo box for anyone to take and they leave the cash in the box. Amazing trust just leaving the box of eggs/cash on the roadside.
Fort Augustus was probably the most touristy place I’ve seen so far. Bagpipes being played. Lots of shops and people everywhere. Every nationality going, getting pics with the piper. And then a ship came, and the lock slowly filled with water and the main road spun around. It made a great sight as I got a proper meal finally from a nearby cafe and watched as the ship progressed through into the Loch. The bread pudding was so thick, I originally mistook it for flapjack. But wow was it awesome.
Time was skipping on, and after looking for rooms in Fort William, then trying all the towns closer I had to opt in the
end to settle for a place in Fort Augustus. I found a lovely place in the forest on the edge of town. I may not of put in the range I wanted to get in today. But with the climb into Fort Augustus I am quite pleased. Tomorrow I do the Caledonian Way, and head south again. Legs are still feeling great and want to put in the miles which is good. But I need to smooth my levels a bit more really and up my speed and cut out all the slow down stops. But that’s for tomorrow.