Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

I had a great evening last night at the Crask Inn. Given that the hotel is some 15 miles from the nearest alternative bar or restaurant all the residents tend to eat together. So last night I found myself sharing a table with couple of cyclists who are also doing LEJOG and a German couple who were touring by motorbike. The meal was excellent (home made steak pie) and the conversations continued well into the bar after dinner! The Crask really is a special experience.

After an equally good breakfast this morning I set off bound for the north coast in a hail of midges. After a brief climb most of the first 30 miles was gently downhill through barren but beautiful countryside. At Altnaharra I turned right onto the less hilly route through Strathnaver. This is Highland Clearances country, and the interpretation boards at the side of the road marking villages that once were served as a sober reminder that this place wasn’t always so deserted.

I reached the coast at Bettyhill, where I stopped at the hotel for a cup of tea and a cake. I then made my way along the coast to Thurso. This section was fairly lumpy, although I have come to expect climbing is inevitable when cycling along a coast! At Thurso I had planned to have a coffee, but it seems Sundays defeat the place and not a thing was open. Undaunted I cracked out the emergency Mars Bar and headed east. The last 20 miles were actually fairly easy going, except for the inevitable headwind, which had upped its game for the last hurrah.

The experience has very much been about the journey and not the destination, so arriving at John O’Groats was never going to be Champagne corks and fireworks. As it panned out, I arrived, took my place in the queue to have my photo taken with the sign and then made my way to the hotel happy that the job was done.

The last 2 weeks has been an extraordinary experience. Watching the country morph through all its forms has been a privilege and an education. I enjoyed meeting the people and hearing their stories. If you are ever fortunate enough to have 2 weeks to spare this is a great way to spend them.

And finally, thank you. Thanks to all who donated, all who supported me daily and all who joined me or met me on route. Thanks for all your support for my charities (you can still donate!). You have raised £1400 (so far) and every penny of it will change lives. Thank you most of all to my very understanding family; without your support this would not have been possible.

Tomorrow – Yes I am getting on the bike again, 17 miles to Wick to get the train south!

Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

It was noticeably cold as I saddled up this morning and headed north out off Inverness past the football stadium and over the bridge. I followed the A9 and the A835 to Dingwall where I stopped for a bacon roll; the tradition is two days old now and I worried it would be unlucky to break it! I particularly appreciated the cup of tea that went some way to thawing me out.

From Dingwall I headed north again on the inland route to Bonar Bridge. The road is good but it includes a long drag of a climb, the advantage of which is a tremendous viewpoint with a vista over Sutherland including the peak of Ben More Assynt about 30 miles to the north west. My next stop was Bonar Bridge where I had two lunches in a little cafe. I got speaking with another cyclist who was on his last day of a 5 day tour of the West Highlands. I could tell he was in a different league as his route to Inverness was 25 miles further than mine simply because that way was more scenic.

It is apparent that the touring industry is booming in the far north of Scotland. I think it is probably as a result of the marketing of the very popular North Coast 500 route, but whatever the reason everywhere there are people in motor homes, on motor bikes, in classic cars or on cycles touring around this remote and beautiful part of the country. Getting passed by Ferraris and DB7s also serves to keep things interesting!

I arrived at the Crask Inn in the late afternoon. The hotel is marketed as Scotland’s most isolated and certainly there isn’t much around here that would cause me to dispute that claim. The welcome is extremely friendly though and they have a well stocked bar and serve a hearty dinner. Needless to say I’m happy!

Tomorrow – John O’Groats.

Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

The curse of the midge is felt particularly keenly in Glencoe and I’m told that the warm and humid weather has made it one of the worst years on record for the biting menace. The Youth Hostel has a siege mentality, which means that there is strictly no opening of windows. This in turn creates an uncomfortably warm and stuffy air in the building and especially in the smaller dorms. I was therefore in no mood to hang around when I woke up this morning and was on the road before 0800.

I made my way around the coast toward Fort William, but after only 10 miles or so I succumbed to some excellent roadside advertising and found myself in a little cafe eating an uncommonly good bacon roll.

Once in Fort William I stocked up on lunch essentials at the supermarket as my route today was remote enough that cafe and pub stops were far from guaranteed to coincide with my appetite. I left Fort William just as the ‘Harry Potter’ train was leaving for Mallaig with its 500 tourists on board. As I cycled out of the town the smell of the steam train lingered in the air; if I was a generation older I would probably have felt nostalgic!

I made my way up to Loch Ness, where I opted to head along the much quieter southern route. The road on this side of the Loch has recently been widened and resurfaced and consequently it is excellent for cycling. The only drawback was the 350 metre climb, which was very hard work with tired legs. The view from the top was spectacular enough to attract bus loads of tourists, but despite being a little on the busy side it was still a great spot for lunch.

Having struggled on the climb, I enjoyed the descent, which went on for almost 10 miles. At the bottom the road followed the Loch side so I took the opportunity to do a little Nessie hunting. No joy until the statue at the Dores Inn, which I took as a sign that it was time to stop for a drink.

The run into Inverness was a little hillier than my legs were ready for, but nonetheless I soon arrived at the relatively new and very large Youth Hostel. Now time to find some dinner.

Tomorrow – Crask Inn.

Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

From when I first started planning this trip, today is the day I have most been looking forward to. The scenery between Loch Lomond and Glencoe is among the most spectacular in the country and the opportunity to spend a day taking it all in at bike pace was really exciting. I was also delighted to be able to ride most of the day with my friend Niall, who joined me as far as Bridge of Orchy, from where he got the train back to Glasgow. As his train wasn’t until evening we were able to take a fairly leisurely approach so there was plenty of time for the odd coffee and cake stop.

We made our way from Glasgow to Loch Lomond on the cycle way that follows the Forth and Clyde canal and the river Leven. Despite my previous misgivings about cycle tracks I was prepared to make an exception for this one as I used to use it frequently when I lived in this part of the world and I knew it was a well maintained route with a tarmac surface. Once we got to Loch Lomond we joined the A82, which was a bit of a shock to the system. The drivers on the A82 today were collectively the most discourteous (and occasionally dangerous) that I have encountered to date. Clearly everyone was in a rush to get into the Highlands.

The weather was again glorious. We stopped for coffee in a cafe in Luss and sat outside enjoying the sun. For once though my luck with the weather slipped a little and shortly after lunch we were caught in an almighty thunderstorm. We stopped in Bridge of Orchy to dry off a little and there I said goodbye to Niall before I continued to Glencoe. This 22 mile section is nothing short of stunning. The climb up onto Rannoch Moor was worth it for the view alone and the 5 mile descent into the natural amphitheatre of Glencoe was breathtaking. The view of Buachaille Etive Mor standing guard over the mouth of the glen is one of the most stunning in Scotland, and it is all the better when not viewed from a car!

Tomorrow – Inverness.

Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

A breakfast that would have fed three people set me up nicely for the run from Melrose to Glasgow. I decided last night that I wanted to get today cracked fairly quickly so I stuck to ‘A’ roads the whole way. I followed the River Tweed to Peebles and then headed north on the A72 and A721 towards Glasgow. The cold and overcast weather very quickly gave way to more blue skies and enough sun to cause me to stop and stock up on sunscreen. Tomorrow I will be upgrading to factor 50!

It is fair to say I didn’t come into Glasgow by anything resembling the tourist route. Despite growing up in the city I passed through areas that I had only previously heard of on the news. Or on Taggart. However, in the glorious ‘taps aff’ sunshine everywhere looked its best and I soon arrived in the friendly confines of the West End happily unmurdered. An evening with family and friends lies ahead before taking my first steps into the Highlands tomorrow.

Tomorrow – Glencoe.

Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

You know you are nearing Scotland when you look out the window in the morning and think ‘I know just what to wear today – my warmest jersey and bags of sunscreen’. And that turned out to be on the money; the day started in cold mist and quickly developed to wall to wall blue skies, albeit without much of the warmth normally associated with June sunshine.

I started early today. Fuelled by a big breakfast from the Youth Hostel I climbed the 300 or so metres up to the head of the valley where I reached the highest point on my journey so far – 575 metres above sea level. The climb was eerie as the mist was thick and the road was deserted. Once over the summit I descended into Alston and from there I followed the main roads to cross the A69 at Brampton. This was a change to the Garmin route at the suggestion of the Youth Hostel manager, and it was good advice as the road was excellent and quieter than many B roads I have ridden on.

Once north of the A69 the countryside became rolling and expansive. The views towards Scotland were breathtaking (they were probably pretty good towards England too but I was only looking one way!). Firmly back on small roads, I crossed the border at a fairly low key crossing point over the Kershope Burn. I was slightly disappointed there was no ‘welcome to Scotland’ sign but it was, I suppose, a small price to pay for the absence of kilted piper!

Into Scotland the rolling countryside continued. In many ways it was reminiscent of Cornwall; certainly my legs recognised the pattern of long uphill slogs punctuated by brief downhill sprints. Eventually I made my way to Melrose, where I checked into the Station hotel (the cold shower comes at no extra charge…)

Today was a day of records. At 95 miles it was by far the longest day, it was the day with most climbing (2000m) and it was the day I reached the highest point to date. Although I don’t have the numbers to prove it I would say it was also the windiest day, relentless and unforgivingly from the north. But all things considered this was probably the best day on the bike so far.

Tomorrow – Glasgow

Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

Back in the saddle! The advantage of planning my own route for a journey like this is that I designed an itinerary that suits what I want to do entirely. So after a rest day at home yesterday, I was able to have breakfast with my family and walk the girls to school before getting back on two wheels. I suspect there aren’t many who can make that claim in the middle of the End to End challenge!

My legs felt fresh after the rest day, which was just as well as I battled a brisk and persistent headwind all day. That is the trouble with cycling in one direction rather than a loop; if you start with a headwind you are pretty much stuck with it. The cycling however was excellent. The small country roads of North Yorkshire were pretty much deserted and navigation from little village to little village was easy. I stopped twice in small tea rooms and on both occasions the welcome and service couldn’t have been warmer.

Just beyond Scotch Corner I cut inland and headed for Barnard Castle. North from there the countryside changed markedly as I climbed into the North Pennines. It feels increasingly remote and frontier like, which makes sense as this area is the watershed that divides the country into east and west. I am also, of course, nearing the Scottish border, but that is a tale for tomorrow!

Finally, mention must be made of my accommodation for the evening. I’m staying at Langdon Beck Youth Hostel, which is in an absolutely stunning location. Duncan, the manager, is extremely friendly and welcoming – and as I speak he is making a chilli for those staying tonight. This place is everything that is good about Youth Hostelling.

Tomorrow – Melrose.

Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

As luck would have it our house near Boroughbridge is almost exactly half way between Land’s End and John O’Groats. This made it a very convenient place to factor in a rest day, and as I sit here in my study typing between sips of beer it feels like remarkably good planning!

The first 20 miles today was all about hills. There was a big descent from Eyam to Grindleford. Then a nasty climb out of Grindleford to Fox House which, although long was never actually that steep so I was able to plod up it. I certainly didn’t find it as easy as the chap who passed me on an E-Bike; those things definitely have a future in getting people into cycling. After Fox House came the long (and fun) drop into Sheffield, which I did at pace stopping just to have a look at my old flat in Sharrow Vale road for old time’s sake.

Heading north from Meadowhall I joined the Trans Pennine cycle route. Whilst it is a great route in its own right, my love/hate relationship with cycle paths culminated today and the conclusion wasn’t positive! The time wasted navigating, lifting the bike over gates (often every half mile) and the limited speed that can be achieved on poor surfaces is just too much a price to pay. I abandoned the cycle path and followed road signs for Garforth, where I met up with Jim and Helen who bought me a drink to boost my morale with 25 miles to go.

I did notice that everywhere I went today it looked as if there had just been a tremendous downpour; standing water, wet cars and the like. Despite this I didn’t get rained on at all. It is clearly too early in the journey to call me ‘lucky’ as it could all go wrong next week, but I was very pleased to escape the rain today.

Tomorrow – A well earned rest day, during which I’m looking forward to spending time with my girls and eating lots!

Sponsor me – choose either (or both!) charities below:

• Give to the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund Here
• Give to the Gurkha Welfare Trust Here

Follow me on Twitter @davidrorr for regular LEJOG updates.

It was a real pleasure to stay in the mess at 30 Signal Regiment last night. We lived at Gamecock barracks only 3 years ago, but it seems a lifetime. The twins have come along since then so I suppose it is, in fact, two lifetimes ago!

I left Nuneaton determined not to be caught out by the ‘cycle path trap’ so I re-routed to ensure I was on roads all morning. It worked as I made quick progress despite very tired legs (and a very sore backside). The going was flat and on small country lanes. I followed cycle route 68 (on roads) as far as Ashbourne. Here I took a gamble; the Tissington trail came highly recommended as a cycle path, but after yesterday’s adventures I was a little wary. I went for it and I’m glad I did. The route follows an old railway line and offers stunning views of the Peak District as it climbs into the national park. Because it is an old railway route the unavoidable climb into the Peaks is made as bearable as possible with a steady but shallow incline over 10 miles.

Beautiful Peak District countryside from the Tissington Trail.

Once in the Peaks my legs largely abandoned me, which was inconvenient as I certainly hadn’t seen the last of the hills. I finally made it to the Youth Hostel at Eyam where I was cheered up the final hill (all Youth Hostels are at the top of brutal hills) by my personal fan club. A pub meal and a few beers then fixed most ills!

Tomorrow – Boroughbridge