Hi All! Just finished a big site update of route maps and photos, so have a look round.
Photos can be found by using the Gallery link at the top.
Interactive route maps can be found using the Map link at the top.
In September 2010 Gregg Brown and Shane Record will be cycling from John O'Groats to Folkestone to raise money for The Church Street Project, a registered charity based in Folkestone and providers of Creative Therapy and Therapeutic Counselling to young people in Shepway.
Click to follow link to BBC
Whey Hey!
We’re up on the BBC website guys! Click the picture to read all about it, or google ‘BBC Destination Folkestone’
We’re also confirmed for a BBC Radio Kent interview on Friday September 24th, 4:00pm, so tune in!
We just cycled past this old sign! The first mention of London! On the home straight now…
Hey, check it! It’s of the coast at the border between Scotland and England, painted with an ink brush and watercolours.
In the centre of Newcastle gregg’s bike requires our first roadside repair! It’s lucky he’s practical as I’m no help at all!
Spot the Millennium Bridge in the distance!
A new painting of the southeast Scottish coast, just before the border to England. Done with an ink brush and watercolours.
Another painting for you all, ink brush and paints, of the Scottish coast.
After 400 miles we cross the border into England!
A spot of luck! Cycling through Dunbar east of Edinburgh Gregg spots a sign to Belhaven – Scotland’s oldest independent brewery. We popped in to ‘say hello’ chatted about our trip and promptly given a case of beer thanks to Sarah who welcomed us! (which we of course won’t drink until we get back to folkestone)…
Day 2 – 65 – Dunbeath to Alness
Tag 04 – Loth, Tag 05 – Somewhere 20 miles south of Loth, Tag 06 – Alness
Never ask Shane to make you a cup of tea, he’ll break it all and then hand you the shards. Opened curtains. No wind. Nothing. Not even a gentle breeze. Good nights sleep, cup of tea, Mary’s legendary breakfast at 8 and KMFM for 815. Started at bout 10, climb out of Dunbeath a good way to start the day. Then beautiful road and coast line again, keep stopping every five minutes to just look. Came round the corner before the descent to berriedale and saw the climb the other side. it looks massive. Wound down the road to Berriedale, workmen in the road laughed and said we don’t envy you guys. did the climb, made it, over 700 feet! but once again the stunning views of the coast and country.
Wound our way along to Brora, where there is the clydahish distillery, stopped off for a look and a wee dram, started chatting to an older scottish couple who love single malts and were on their own tour of distilleries, and they kindly gave us a £5 donation towards our ride! Had my first Swedish Chocolate nougat (thanks you lovely swedish people you!), lunch in Brora, and onwards. cycled down the coast toward Dornach, and across the Dornach Firth. Just had to stop on the bridge again, I know I keep saying it, but just absolutely beautiful.
The photos just won’t do it justice. I think we stood there, on the bridge, oblivious to all the traffic zooming past us (and boy, do they zoom in Scotland!) just gazing across the firth to these massive peaks rising up in the distance with mottled cloud moving slowly across the peaks. Contined across to Tain… and the Glenmoranie distillery. Right on the shores of the firth, this is a beautiful place. A running water fall from their springs greets you as you wind down towards the shoreline. And who knew just how many different varieties of Glenmorangie there are. We didn’t have time for a taste or tour,but the super people there sorted us out with a few drams to try at our lesiure. Oh and the recommendation of where to stay for the night, Alness. Thanks guys!
The last 15 miles to Alness was a little hairy on the A9, but eventually made it, and what a lovely place. Found a nice bnb at the other end of town, owned by a lovely old couple, Jack and Rene, and the other BnB stayees, one who happens to be competing in a dualthalon in Inverness this weekend, and Billy from Thurso who teaches a few days in Alness. Thanks Billy for your help with the route for the next few days through the highlands to Perth.
Shane cooked up a monster treat of half a kilogram of pasta, a whole chicken and shanes home made pasta sauce, with the added goodness of his herbs and spices he’s packed in his bag. Finally got a bit of internet access, uploaded some maps.
Jack from the BnB is building a red boat in his shed from scratch, using motors from strimmers and scaling boat up from plastic 2 foot to 4 foot wood. He said I like the look of that, so he upscaled it. Once again another superb bnb, top stay. Ride to fort augustus tomorrow, should be a good one.