Our challenge was to ride from John o’Groats to Land’s End taking in the National 3 Peaks en route.
We departed at 8:00am with our first objective to reach Fort William by Lunch. We rode what has to be one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the UK, the A9 from Wick to Inverness. The weather was fantastic and the scenery was stunning. Some sections of the route have an Alpine feel with recently well surface tarmac and lots of flowing bends, bliss! Once refuelled at Inverness it was off to Fort William via the A82 along Loch Ness. Another amazing road that seemed to be very quiet for a sunny Saturday in August.
We arrived at Ben Nevis around lunch and were greeted by our ‘Mountain Support Team’ who had decided we were mad and needed all the help we could get if we were going to complete the task. With no time to spare it was out of leathers and into walking boots to start the long trek to the summit.
We arrived at Ben Nevis around lunch and were greeted by our ‘Mountain Support Team’ who had decided we were mad and needed all the help we could get if we were going to complete the task. With no time to spare it was out of leathers and into walking boots to start the long trek to the summit.
The pace was good with Ian and John leading the way but by the mid way point we had our first casualty; Pete had a blister the size of a two pound coin on his heel. His training had started only 4 weeks before when he thought he would try the hills as well as the ride. As he could no longer maintain the pace, he elected to stop and rest up while the rest of us continued to the summit.
We arrived at the summit and managed to get a couple of photos in the cloud before setting off back down. After a descent of about 150 metre’s Pete appeared! Having rested for a while he felt recharged enough to give the summit a go. The rest of the team carried on back down to get some hot drinks prepared as I turned around with Pete to go back to the summit. It took us about an extra hour in total, but it was worth it for the photo at the summit!
Back in the car park we got dressed into our leathers and started the trip to the Lake District. We stopped in the Little Chef at Dunbarton for some energy before hitting the motorway to Penrith.
The motorway seemed long and boring after the fantastic A roads in Scotland, but at least the miles past quickly in the dark. The closer we got to the start of the next climb the narrower the roads got until we were on single track with only drunk ramblers staggering back to their tents for company. It was around 11:30pm when we arrived at Seathwaite to start the night climb up Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. Pete decided he would miss out this one as his toe nail had come off on the descent of Ben Nevis and with the huge blister that had burst, he would need all the rest he could get if he was going to go any further.
The route we selected would be a little longer than most Three Peak challengers take but easier to navigate we hoped. The first section to Sty Head Tarn gave no problems apart from being scared half to death by the green eyes of sheep reflecting from our torches! But then it got quite difficult. From here visibility was reduced to about 2 metre’s due to hill fog and navigation proved to be quite tricky at times. We made it to the summit after about 3 hours and started our descent. By about 5:45am, dawn was breaking and we were glad to have a better view of the route. We didn’t make it back to the car park until about 7:00am and by now had been awake over 24 hours.
No rest for the wicked…
Back on the bikes heading for Wales we stopped at some services on the M6 for breakfast. Just as we left the M6 the heavens opened and we got our first real down pour of the trip. With heavy luggage, rucksack and waterproofs, I was not enjoying the A470 to Betws-y-coed. I can see why it is a haven for bikers but when the rain is heavy and all you want is sleep, I wasn’t that interested!
We arrived in the car park at Pen-y-pass to be met by the team that had done all the mountains so far and another friend, Bob Birchall, who had driven from London to make us lunch!
After a quick bite to eat the boots came out again along with the sun. Although his feet were in a bad way, Pete decided to give Snowdon a go. We set off up the Pyg Track in wonderful sun with fabulous views down the valley but as we neared the summit we met the clouds.
Just before the summit we met John D, Ian S and Davie on the return leg. We said our farewells at this point as our journey would continue from this point in a different direction. After a brief stop at the top for photos we took the steeper descent to the Miners Track as it is a little easier on the feet although a bit longer. By this time the cloud was getting lower and lower and we were starting to get quite wet.
Back at the car park we sat in the van for some Chilli and rice and once dry and fed, the leathers were back on and we were heading for the M6 with 400 miles left to go. I imagine the A5 from Betws-y-coed is a fabulous road on a sunny day, but in the rain, in the pitch dark, it felt as it was the longest 50 miles I have every done on a motorcycle.
Once on the motorways we planned to stop every 100 miles for fuel and coffee. The M5 past quickly and we were soon on the A30 heading to Penzance. After midnight the roads were pretty much deserted and at each stop it was harder and harder to get motivated to carry on.
Back at the car park we sat in the van for some Chilli and rice and once dry and fed, the leathers were back on and we were heading for the M6 with 400 miles left to go. I imagine the A5 from Betws-y-coed is a fabulous road on a sunny day, but in the rain, in the pitch dark, it felt as it was the longest 50 miles I have every done on a motorcycle.
Once on the motorways we planned to stop every 100 miles for fuel and coffee. The M5 past quickly and we were soon on the A30 heading to Penzance. After midnight the roads were pretty much deserted and at each stop it was harder and harder to get motivated to carry on.
On the very last leg Pete finally succumbed to the need for sleep and fell into a Travel Lodge with about 70 miles to go. I continued with daylight starting to appear until I arrived at Land’s End at 6:11am on Monday morning.
On arrival, the only problem I had was that the hotel didn’t open until after 7:00am. At this point I couldn’t hold back the need for sleep any longer and put my walking coat, gloves and woolly hat on and fell asleep on the bench outside the hotel.
The total time to complete the trip for me was 46 hours and 11 minutes. Pete arrived mid morning after 3 hours sleep in the Travel Lodge.
John o’Groats to Land’s End was 1079 miles covered on the road and about 25 miles on the mountains.
The total mileage from home and back again was almost 2000 miles.
On arrival, the only problem I had was that the hotel didn’t open until after 7:00am. At this point I couldn’t hold back the need for sleep any longer and put my walking coat, gloves and woolly hat on and fell asleep on the bench outside the hotel.
The total time to complete the trip for me was 46 hours and 11 minutes. Pete arrived mid morning after 3 hours sleep in the Travel Lodge.
John o’Groats to Land’s End was 1079 miles covered on the road and about 25 miles on the mountains.
The total mileage from home and back again was almost 2000 miles.
Richard S
1 comment:
I'll say it again... BLOODY AWESOME!!!
Well done Rich, a real Verdes triumph...
Post a Comment