Day 12 – Coast to Coast over the Biggest Climb

Knowing that today was both a long ride – over 80 miles – and included the biggest single climb of the whole journey, I was up early for breakfast.  We ate at a table with a picture window looking out over the hills constantly changing in colour as the sun rose in a bright blue sky.  Ben Nevis had cloud on top, but the general view was much clearer than yesterday.  Having retrieved my shoes and clothes from the drying room, I departed at 9.15am.

Riding East along the Estuary

I was soon enjoying fantastic views as I rode alongside the Atlantic inlet, crossed the bridge and turned inland to head for the East coast.  The road twisted and turned following the coastline and I kept clear of the timber trucks and tourist coaches.  At one point I arrived at a set of traffic lights with a warning sign that the wait could be up to 10 minutes due to forestry works.  After a pleasant rest at the side of the road, the lights changed and I cycled through chased by a HGV and saw that the forestry department were felling trees on the steep slope above the road.

Loch Lochy

Reaching Fort William, I enjoyed great views of Ben Nevis where the cloud was clearing all the time.  It would be a great day to be up on the top!  I crossed the Caledonian Canal and headed North East towards the Great Glen alongside the Canal.  I enjoyed bright, warm sunshine, fantastic views and a tailwind – cycling doesn’t get much better than this!  Riding alongside the rather comically named “Loch Lochy” (Slartibartfast must have run out of inspiration for names), I was on a forestry track that climbed up above the canal.  The shale surface was rough and bumpy, but I managed to avoid getting a puncture.  I overtook several groups of walkers on the Great Glen Way which shared the same route.  There were two steep climbs, but I knew they were only warm up acts for the big climb this afternoon and my legs felt strong.

Cruisers in the Caledonian Canal

Emerging into sunshine I descended back down to the canal and watched a swing bridge close after a couple of motor boats had passed through.  Although the canal was built to save shipping the dangerous route around the top of Scotland, it was never really used as shipping got bigger with powered craft and nowadays is primarily used by leisure boats.  I headed along the canal path, carrying my bike across a lock and was soon in Fort Augustus for lunch.  I met up with Fiona and her Mum who had been exploring Fort William and we sat outside with a young couple who are walking from John O’Groats to Land’s End.  They are carrying big packs, camping whenever possible and hope to finish by Christmas!  I wished them well, as the first End-to-Enders that I have met on the whole ride!

Leaving Fort Augustus I was immediately at the base of the biggest single climb of the whole Land’s End to John O’Groats ride.  I pedalled hard, stopping occasionally for a drink and counting sets of 100 standing-up pedal pushes.  Where the road was steepest, I zig-zagged up the hill enjoying the width of the road to turn and keep climbing.  Although it was a long steep climb, I never ground to a halt as I had done on the two steep hills before Bishops Castle.  With sweat dripping off my nose and into my eyes, I reached the top of the main climb next to Loch Tarff in bright sunshine.  I had taken just under an hour to complete the climb.  What I hadn’t realised was Loch Tarff was not the top and I had another hour of more gentle undulating climbing.  When I eventually reached the peak, I was rewarded with the most spectacular wide views of the highlands.  It was worth every minute of the climb and I enjoyed a break to take in the scene.

Loch Ness in the early evening sunshine

Descending from the top I could see Loch Ness stretching wide below me.  It was an exhilarating, high speed ride down to the bottom and then simple navigation along a mostly flat route for the last 15 miles into Inverness.  I arrived at 6.15pm after 9 hours elapsed and 6 ½ hours moving having completed a total of 82.6 miles at an average of 12.8mph and a maximum speed of 37.4mph.  The biggest climb was now behind me and I could look forward to the last couple of days riding to reach John O’Groats.