9th May 98
Day 25
Inverness to Helmsdale
Distance 71 miles Average 10.0MPH
Started the day by visiting Scotsrail to pick up the tickests for the return jurney. They had prepared the ticket from London to Bournemouth but nothing else. Finally I received a bicycle ticket for the whole journey for £3.00 an adult fare from Wick to Inverness at £12.20, first class sleeper from Inverness to Euston for £85 which is £5.0 more taht a standard berth!! the ticket from Waterloo to Bournemouth was £29.00.
I finaly hit the road at a little after 9.00 and made my way along the A9 which I will be on all the way to John O'Groats makin navigation a simple affair.
The wind had changed during the night and now agaist me coming from the north east but not so hard as the following wind I had yesterday. The hill are very gradual in fact I was blaming the wind for my slow progress on a number of occassions only to find that I had a big drop after some miles of slog.
No rain whilst I was riding but there was a showwer just after I booked into my Hotel (£18.00/night B&B), from Bora where I had expected to stop the sea mist came down and made me a little damp.
Definatly a two apple pie and Ice Cream day the last one just before Bora and this sustained me on the extra 11 miles to Helmsdale.
Day -8 -1 Start 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Snowdon 11 12 13 14 15 Scafell Pike 17 18 19 20 21 22 Ben Nevis 24 25 26