Oban to Drumnadrochit
Mileage: 95
Cycling time: 6hr 6min
Total mileage: 783
Total cycling time: 53hr 5min
A very gloomy, wet and windy start in Oban didn't augur well for the day ahead and our route up the Great Glen towards Inverness. But as we took the weaving coastal route towards Fort William the skies started to clear and the after-effects of our curry the night before also thankfully started to wear off…
On good, fast roads and with the wind behind us we made good progress, and a couple of hours later it was time for a very pleasant coffee stop in Onich where Nigel and Captain Lance partook in the most enormous slice of coffee cake. Conscious of his calorie count Richard decided not to join them but as a result was rather sulky in the corner.
Onwards up the Great Glen and some fantastic scenery as we criss-crossed the stunning Caledonian Canal, interspersed with long stretches beside famous Loch Lochie (original name or what?) and Loch Ness. The girls were able to enjoy a great 10-mile run from Corpach along the canal, so along with us were well ready for our lunch stop in Invergarry where Graham stocked up on some haggis and I had a much-needed pasta boost after my energy stores went into a serious dip!
Reinvigorated we all considerably sped up after lunch as we soared pass old Nessie to our right. No sign of the monster but there was some monster big ring action on the road as we sped down to our evening stop in Drumnadrochit, so much so that we even arrived before our support crew.
Looking forward now to tomorrow and our push over the remote Northern highlands as we near in on our final destination. Suddenly after 8 days on the road the end is fast approaching but the team is holding together well and spirits remain high – although they couldn't fail to be amid such stunning scenery.
Well done chaps! Now all you need to do is cycle to John O Groats tomorrow in 5hrs 10 mins so I can win the bottle of bubbly. I reckon you need to average about 30mph. I know you can do it!