Helmsdale - John O'Groats

Done,  finished,  fin,  finito!

It's all over and the fat lady has sung.

950 miles, over £2500 raised and I can still,  just about,  walk!

I started out earlier than usual today, hitting the final leg of LeJog  at 8.30 to leave enough time for unforeseen nightmares like punctures or fundamentalist sheep.  


The big Northern fella in the bar last night had enjoyed telling me about the 'hill to end all hills' and threw down the gaunlet,  proudly stating that I wouldn't make it up there without getting off to push.   Not one to shy away from a challenge I made it up without taking my feet off the pedals once.

Ha!

John O'Groats appeared at the end of four hours non stop pedalling.  

Not another act of bravura,  just a quiet fear that any hanging around could mean missing the only train from Wick to Inverness today.

'Jog' isn't the tumbleweed strewn backwater I'd been told it was, but the 'last shoppe in Scotland' feel to everything makes it every bit as fake as Lands End.    Still, the views are great and the sun started to shine on cue so that was alright.

I made it back to Wick with an hour to spare, downed a bowl of soup and got myself and bike onto the train,  where I am now, clattering along between water and fields.

So that's all folks!   A few quick thankyous  -  first thanks to Mum for knocking my words and pictures into shape every day.   One Terry's chocolate orange on it's way to Norwich.

Thanks to everyone who's put money in the pot.   Big or small,  the donations all add up to a tidy amount and will make a big difference to some deserving kids.

Finally,  thanks to all the people who were kind enough to put me up for free along the way, really appreciated.

Oh yeah,  thanks for reading the blog and keeping me company on ma wee trip.

Baah!   H x