John O' Groats

Kieran_Burns

No. I didn't cycle - I took a driving holiday to Scotland (visiting friends in Lossiemouth and the like) so decided while I was 'nearby' I'd get to JOG (and Dunnets Head) just so I know I'd been there.

Imagine my delight while sat in the car in the worst bloody downpour and gale force winds, a group of LEJOG cyclists came in

Honestly the weather was atrocious and there's this small group of utterly soaked guys (with support car) leaping and whooping for joy. I'm not sure they even noticed the weather, but at least they got the best wind direction - they would've been blown along by that Southerly gale... evil, evil weather.

I must admit to being more than a little jealous at that point, and at all the other cyclists (and there were many) touring 'round the roads - there is some stunning scenery up there :shock:

Wallace1492

There is stunning scenery up here, and it gets better on the west coast.... From Durness down to Ullapool.

You should have brought your bike and done some cycling.

Kieran_Burns

I did the roads down there as well - I have a photograph of the Applecross pass that has blown my mind. I can't actually believe I took such a good picture AND the road.... wow :shock:

Oh yeah. We had snow between Ullapool and Inverness. :shock: :shock:

Wallace1492

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I did the roads down there as well - I have a photograph of the Applecross pass that has blown my mind. I can't actually believe I took such a good picture AND the road.... wow :shock:

Oh yeah. We had snow between Ullapool and Inverness. :shock: :shock:

I have cycled that road. And.... I am going to do it again next Friday.... the route of the Bealach Mor, 90 miles of pain, pleasure and stunning scenery. At night Phil and Aly in Lochcarron. Cant wait!! Just hope weather is decent.....

Kieran_Burns

You mean this pass?

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z146 ... asstop.jpg

Wallace1492

Kieran_Burns wrote:

You mean this pass?

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z146 ... asstop.jpg

That's the boy. Will be puffing and panting my way up that next Friday. Done it from the other side, up from Applecross, but not from the Loch Kishorn side.

wgwarburton

Hi,
JoG. "Winner" of the 2010 Carbuncle award for the most dismal town in Scotland:

http://www.thecarbuncles.co.uk/

...arrive with low expectations: The journey is better than the destination, as they say.

Cheers,
W.

Wallace1492

WGWarburton wrote:

Hi,
JoG. "Winner" of the 2010 Carbuncle award for the most dismal town in Scotland:

http://www.thecarbuncles.co.uk/

...arrive with low expectations: The journey is better than the destination, as they say.

Cheers,
W.

Its not the best.... My favourite though is the small road down to a place called Stromeferry near Kyle of Lochalsh. Below the name Stromeferry on the sign, it says in small writing "(No Ferry)" below that someone has written "No hotel, no shops, feck all" It has a burnt out hotel, falling apart pier and not a lot going for it. Cant quite see it or it has been cleaned off:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stromeferry&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=19.458573,39.418945&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Stromeferry,+Highland,+United+Kingdom&ll=57.348524,-5.553074&spn=0,0.07699&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=57.348436,-5.553218&panoid=fHsOmn7yugyWqf1IRxnc2Q&cbp=12,24.88,,2,7.09

corona

Ah the Stromeferry hotel, legendary nights there back in the eighties. Passed that way this summer, great memories. If I ever won the lottery, I would bring it back to its glory days.

SimonAH

Iain Banks mentions Stromferry Noferry in one of his novels, can't remember which one. Why did I bother posting that?

corona

Pretty sure it was 'Complicity' that Stromeferry gets the mention. Great book

Wallace1492

SimonAH wrote:

Iain Banks mentions Stromferry Noferry in one of his novels, can't remember which one. Why did I bother posting that?

Complicity.

thecrofter

I remember crossing with the ferry at Strome, when I was wee. The building of the new road and subsequent closing of the ferry has led to the long slow death of the village.

W1492, I did the Bealach Mor back in the begining of May, just before we met for the Caledonia Etape. Hope you get a decent day, see if you can beat my 45mph on the descent towards Applecross :shock:

-spider-

Only done the Bealach from Kishorn. It is better to finish in Applecross as the pub is superior.

Plenty of great routes round here but don't go to JoG unless you have to.

thecrofter

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q219 ... 10W585.jpg

That's me at the front of this little group on the yellow Giant, weather was particularly kind in May

wgwarburton

thecrofter wrote:

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q219/thecrofter/BB10W585.jpg

That's me at the front of this little group on the yellow Giant, weather was particularly kind in May

Potential visitors to Scotland should note that the weather may be more likely to be kind in May than other months of the year.

No promises, though. Bring a coat.

Cheers,
W.

Wallace1492

I will bring my new Aldi winter cycling jacket....

El Gordo

WGWarburton wrote:

Hi,
JoG. "Winner" of the 2010 Carbuncle award for the most dismal town in Scotland:

http://www.thecarbuncles.co.uk/

...arrive with low expectations: The journey is better than the destination, as they say.

Cheers,
W.

It is however considerably nicer than Lands End.

wgwarburton

El Gordo wrote:

WGWarburton wrote:

Hi,
JoG. "Winner" of the 2010 Carbuncle award for the most dismal town in Scotland:

http://www.thecarbuncles.co.uk/

...arrive with low expectations: The journey is better than the destination, as they say.

Cheers,
W.

It is however considerably nicer than Lands End.

Really? So, if you set out to do a JoGLe you leave from the most dismal town in Scotland, ride 800 miles into the prevailing wind and arrive somewhere that's even worse!

It's not a geat pitch, is it?

Cheers,
W.

PS If you fancy a challenge, have a look at this: http://www.northsea-cycle.com/

Kieran_Burns

thecrofter wrote:

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q219/thecrofter/BB10W585.jpg

That's me at the front of this little group on the yellow Giant, weather was particularly kind in May

Wahey! That's the exact same spot I took my photo from!

For the record - mine is completely unmodified - that's how it looked when I took the photo at 11am. I drove into clouds and couldn't see a blasted thing at the top, so turned and came back rather than chance a blind bend.

UpTheWall

I did lejog a fwe weeks back. I found Land's End to be a lot nicer than JOG.

That said, JOG it was cold, pissing it down, and I'd just cycled over a thousand miles with kit, so that might have affected my mood.

LE was warm, sunny, and relaxed. But it was a bit of a tourist trap - I mean, a giant tardis? What's that got to do with Land's End.

And a couple of placards there really encouraged us: they were commemorating people that had died attempting LEJOG.

Gulp!