Alston again. Rested after taking my day off yesterday. Alston was full of C2C and Pennine Cycleway cyclists. My friend John Lenton was riding with me for the morning. I rode…

Dry and overcast through the station’s waiting room window. The promise of showers on my phone. I left Saughtree after accepting my hosts’ generous invitation to have a good look round…

Peebles in the sunshine.  Wow! What a welcome to day seven. A thriving Borders town with so much history, they leave it lying about the place. The town’s war memorial is…

My second good night’s sleep and great breakfast in a row. Staying in castles, I could get used to this cycle-touring lark. I was feeling good when I pushed off at…

I left Knock Castle at 10.15, after a great night’s sleep and slow breakfast. In town I was diverted by the visitor centre, the glass blowers, and – I kid ye…

Rain. It was raining hard when I woke up. It was raining hard when I went for breakfast. It didn’t ease up while I was getting ready. And I took a…

Dry and cool as I set off from Carr Bridge. Perfect cycling weather. The road descended gently, which was as unexpected as it was welcome. In Boat of Garten, I stopped…

I woke at six, after sleeping the sleep of a touring cyclist. For a short moment, I considered agreeing to the third rack of toast I was offered, but I could…

I reached Strathy Point lighthouse at 10.30, about an hour later than I’d wanted to, because Captain Procrastinate came to visit while I packed. I had to wrench myself away from…

If there were any doubt in my mind about the size of the task I’ve set myself for this next week, it evaporated in the mountain views that passed my train…