1064 Miles / 1712 km
John O Groats John O Groats John O Groats John O Groats John O Groats John O Groats John O Groats John O Groats John O Groats!!
Today is the final day…
Its a cold, wet start to the day, but a beautiful sunrise over the North Sea! I woke up pretty early, but didn’t leave until 8.45, the sun had risen and the rain had turned from a heavy fall to a drizzle. Time to start the final 54 miles! I knew I had some hills to conquer this morning, I was feeling kinda ready…. until I hit them…
The morning starts with an insane downhill into Helmsdale. The horrible hill I trekked up last night was now a horrendous downhill. The wet road wasn’t co-operating with my brakes too good. Anyway, I was down quickly. Into Helmsdale town for a hot minute before the hike out of it. This hill was long, and it was steep. I walked half of this. I was exhausted just in the first few miles! This wasn’t how I was planning on warming up the legs today!
At the top of this hill I’m thinking that was a pretty intense hill and maybe thats the hill everyone had been talking about that was rough… but I had read so many blogs saying there was a steep downhill which hit the uphill straight away and some narrowing bends. I was hopeful… until 2 miles later I see the actually contender! The hill down to Berridale, the hairpin corners and the hill back up. WOW. I don’t think I’ve ever been so terrified on the bike. Glad to have no cars on the road, but that downhill was deadly. I barely even used the brakes, fearing they would just make me skid on the wet roads than be effective! My watch got me at a speed of 60km/h which seems crazy! When I got to the hairpin bottom I got about 200 metres up before I lost momentum and I jumped off to trek up. No way was I wasting all my energy so early on – I still had 40 miles to go.
After Berridale it was pretty smooth sailing. The weather hadn’t really improved much. It had been drizzling rain all day but the strong winds had stayed behind me making it an okay ride. My mind was set on the prize of the day, the rain felt like nothing.
The next 25 miles to Wick were nice, I stopped in Lybster to get a snack, knowing that I’d defiantly burnt off breakfast on those hills! There were gradual short hills all morning but manageable and I was making good time! I cycle into Wick at 12.30, bang on time! I find a cafe to get lunch – consisting of a HUGE all day breakfast… and I only ordered a small! And a pot of tea… and another pot of tea… and seeing the rain come down heavy outside… a third pot of tea.
After letting the huge meal digest a little, I was starting to get cold and wanted to get moving again. I was 16 miles from the end. I was excited, I was nervous, I was exhausted and somehow also energised!
Probably should have given the food a little longer to go down… the next couple of miles were a little tough on the stomach, but the roads had started to really flatten out and I was going for it. The food quickly turned to fuel and I was burning it! The wind was hitting me in all directions as the roads were sometimes windy and the rain was on and off, but I was on the final countdown. A sign said 13 miles, and then at the 10 mile sign there was the final turn off. Onto the only road to John O Groats. To the end of the road!
I went for it. I did these last 10 miles in no time at all and cycled right into John O Groats, past my accommodation for the night and straight to the end. 2 miles before the end was a gradual uphill which left the last half mile a nice downhill… straight to the END OF THE ROAD. The signpost! I was pretty aware of the giant grin on my face coming down into John o Groats, and then I just laughed to myself. I had actually done it. Biked the length of the UK, between the two furthest away place…. AND I’d hiked up the 3 peaks. Fuck, maybe I was crazy.
I was at the end.
1064 Miles. I am done.
I met a lovely couple at the signpost, trying to take photos in the wind and rain, they were impressed with my journey and eager to take my photo for me! It was a very quick photoshoot! I was freezing and I was soaked! Snap, snap, snap and bam, a quick trip to the little souvenirs shops, stocked up on postcards and then headed back to check into my accommodation for the night! The weather looks better tomorrow so I’ll be back for the sunrise and to take some better photos! But for now here are my END photos!
It hasn’t always been an easy ride, but it sure as hell has been worth it! Hopefully one more post tomorrow, and then I’m done. 🙂
