John O' Groats
Kieran_Burns
Posts: 9,757
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:
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:
Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
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Comments
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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."Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"0 -
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:Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
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....."Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"0 -
Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
Kieran_Burns wrote:
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."Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"0 -
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.0 -
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"Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"0 -
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.0
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Iain Banks mentions Stromferry Noferry in one of his novels, can't remember which one. Why did I bother posting that?FCN 5 belt driven fixie for city bits
CAADX 105 beastie for bumpy bits
Litespeed L3 for Strava bits
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.0 -
Pretty sure it was 'Complicity' that Stromeferry gets the mention. Great book0
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SimonAH wrote:Iain Banks mentions Stromferry Noferry in one of his novels, can't remember which one. Why did I bother posting that?
Complicity."Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"0 -
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:You've no won the Big Cup since 1902!0 -
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.
-Spider-0 -
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 MayYou've no won the Big Cup since 1902!0 -
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.0 -
I will bring my new Aldi winter cycling jacket...."Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"0
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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.0 -
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/0 -
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.Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
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!0