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Day 2 - 8th June 2015
Helmsdale to Tain
61.6 kms - 38.3 miles
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Today has a very special supporter
- Judy and Khain Brookman - who have very generously donated to The Fred Hollows Foundation. |
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61.6 kms (38.3 miles)
Highest Point - 104 metres - 341 ft |
Up - 483 metres - 1585 ft
Down - 462 metres - 1516 ft |
Day 2 - Helmsdale to Tain
Special thanks today to "Khain" Brookman who has once again generously donated to my riding cause. One year ago today, we lost a wonderful friend in John Brookman - and today's ride is for you John. Thinking of you Judy - sorry we can't be there. So many fun times we have to remember!!
Day 2 dawned just after 5:00 am – it was a beautiful view from the upstairs bedroom window across the harbour. A really sunny morning. Unfortunately by the time we went down to breakfast at 8:00 am the day had clouded over somewhat – but a check of the weather had said to expect the occasional shower and more westerly winds. I was pretty happy with that!! It was still on the cool side so I continued to wear full length bike pants and a sleeved base layer under my jacket.
Immediate thoughts went to Pauline and wondering how her ankle would be. While still in considerable pain and with lots of swelling she managed to limp down the stairs to breakfast. You certainly couldn’t leave Mrs MacDonald’s place hungry!! With great efficiency she plied us with a HUGE Scottish cooked breakfast.
I was feeling happier about today – I was travelling less kms, and the highest point I would get to would be 104 metres compared to 230 the day before – so it should be easier cycling. A couple of showers blew through, not really wetting the road, and the lazy westerly wind only really affected me on one down-hill when I had to keep pedalling instead of getting a bit of a breather!! While I may sound like I am moaning about the weather – I actually kept thinking it could be a lot worse - so I was very grateful!!
Again, even though a “work day” traffic was very light. I saw more cyclists (singles, bunches and pairs) heading north - I think the wind was affecting them more than me!! My legs were a bit weary from the previous day - but there were no long steep climbs so I managed to ride the whole way today!!
The countryside was very attractive with frequent seaviews as I travelled along the coastline. I passed through attractive small towns like Brora and Golspie, and I included a detour off the A9 to go into Dunrobin Castle – a very attractive spot with stunning views. Cycling down the long tree-lined driveway there was no mistaking what country I was in with the sound of bagpipes getting louder the closer to the castle I got. It is a great tourist attraction and the young lady “bagpipe busker” at the castle entrance was very fitting and I suspect she would do pretty well for herself over the summer tourist season that was just starting!!
I had read that there were some attractive quieter roads and cycle tracks in this area – but I wasn’t quite organised enough to find them. Besides, I was finding the A9 very quiet traffic-wise so saw no real need to go off in search of quieter roads.
A quick call to the team from the castle to find they were warm and cosy and ready for a coffee at the Golspie Hotel. I was only about 5 minutes away so cycled on for a welcome break and hot cup of coffee. The wind was quite icy when you stopped riding. My hope had been to get on the internet - but alas – not good internet again – in that respect I felt like I was in the middle of the Nullarbor!!
I only had about 20 kms to go and my elevation chart showed that once I crossed Loch Fleet I would encounter the main climb of the day. This rode a lot better than it looked and before too long I was zooming downhill and could look right across Dornoch Firth and pick out the town of Tain in the distance.
The wind while crossing the kilometre long bridge across Dornoch Firth led me to concentrate a bit harder to keep a straight line, but once across it was an easy 5 kms into Tain.
The cyclists Pat had seem at Helmsdale the previous day had given us the name of a place to stay at – but sadly – it was full. Not only that one was, but all the next ones we tried were also as were the hotels!! Apparently there was a “Sheep Fair” on in town. Eventually we were able to get a room for Pat and I at one B & B on the north side of town, and a room for Pauline on the south side of town.
Pauline, obviously still in a lot of pain just wanted to get ice for her ankle, elevate it and rest up, so we left her at her B & B before heading back to ours to shower and change into warmer clothing. We were given instructions as to the best Fish and Chip shop in town and promised to return to Pauline with food later in the afternoon. We wandered this very attractive old town. I just get blown away with the age of the places – settled in 1066 – and we wandered through the Rose Gardens that were opened by the Queen Mother in 1966 – celebrating 900 years!!!!!! Next year it will be 950 years!!
The size and quality of the fish had to be seen to be believed and Pauline and Pat thoroughly enjoyed their one piece of fish feast!! I settled for Black Pudding – haven’t had any for years and this was a beauty!! The next morning we breakfasted with one of the farmers attending the “Sheep Fair” – and were enlightened about the various Black Pudding recipes. He was from Harris in the Outer Hebrides – and while his first visit to the Tain Sheep Fair he had been wanting to attend for many years!
Special thanks today to "Khain" Brookman who has once again generously donated to my riding cause. One year ago today, we lost a wonderful friend in John Brookman - and today's ride is for you John. Thinking of you Judy - sorry we can't be there. So many fun times we have to remember!!
Day 2 dawned just after 5:00 am – it was a beautiful view from the upstairs bedroom window across the harbour. A really sunny morning. Unfortunately by the time we went down to breakfast at 8:00 am the day had clouded over somewhat – but a check of the weather had said to expect the occasional shower and more westerly winds. I was pretty happy with that!! It was still on the cool side so I continued to wear full length bike pants and a sleeved base layer under my jacket.
Immediate thoughts went to Pauline and wondering how her ankle would be. While still in considerable pain and with lots of swelling she managed to limp down the stairs to breakfast. You certainly couldn’t leave Mrs MacDonald’s place hungry!! With great efficiency she plied us with a HUGE Scottish cooked breakfast.
I was feeling happier about today – I was travelling less kms, and the highest point I would get to would be 104 metres compared to 230 the day before – so it should be easier cycling. A couple of showers blew through, not really wetting the road, and the lazy westerly wind only really affected me on one down-hill when I had to keep pedalling instead of getting a bit of a breather!! While I may sound like I am moaning about the weather – I actually kept thinking it could be a lot worse - so I was very grateful!!
Again, even though a “work day” traffic was very light. I saw more cyclists (singles, bunches and pairs) heading north - I think the wind was affecting them more than me!! My legs were a bit weary from the previous day - but there were no long steep climbs so I managed to ride the whole way today!!
The countryside was very attractive with frequent seaviews as I travelled along the coastline. I passed through attractive small towns like Brora and Golspie, and I included a detour off the A9 to go into Dunrobin Castle – a very attractive spot with stunning views. Cycling down the long tree-lined driveway there was no mistaking what country I was in with the sound of bagpipes getting louder the closer to the castle I got. It is a great tourist attraction and the young lady “bagpipe busker” at the castle entrance was very fitting and I suspect she would do pretty well for herself over the summer tourist season that was just starting!!
I had read that there were some attractive quieter roads and cycle tracks in this area – but I wasn’t quite organised enough to find them. Besides, I was finding the A9 very quiet traffic-wise so saw no real need to go off in search of quieter roads.
A quick call to the team from the castle to find they were warm and cosy and ready for a coffee at the Golspie Hotel. I was only about 5 minutes away so cycled on for a welcome break and hot cup of coffee. The wind was quite icy when you stopped riding. My hope had been to get on the internet - but alas – not good internet again – in that respect I felt like I was in the middle of the Nullarbor!!
I only had about 20 kms to go and my elevation chart showed that once I crossed Loch Fleet I would encounter the main climb of the day. This rode a lot better than it looked and before too long I was zooming downhill and could look right across Dornoch Firth and pick out the town of Tain in the distance.
The wind while crossing the kilometre long bridge across Dornoch Firth led me to concentrate a bit harder to keep a straight line, but once across it was an easy 5 kms into Tain.
The cyclists Pat had seem at Helmsdale the previous day had given us the name of a place to stay at – but sadly – it was full. Not only that one was, but all the next ones we tried were also as were the hotels!! Apparently there was a “Sheep Fair” on in town. Eventually we were able to get a room for Pat and I at one B & B on the north side of town, and a room for Pauline on the south side of town.
Pauline, obviously still in a lot of pain just wanted to get ice for her ankle, elevate it and rest up, so we left her at her B & B before heading back to ours to shower and change into warmer clothing. We were given instructions as to the best Fish and Chip shop in town and promised to return to Pauline with food later in the afternoon. We wandered this very attractive old town. I just get blown away with the age of the places – settled in 1066 – and we wandered through the Rose Gardens that were opened by the Queen Mother in 1966 – celebrating 900 years!!!!!! Next year it will be 950 years!!
The size and quality of the fish had to be seen to be believed and Pauline and Pat thoroughly enjoyed their one piece of fish feast!! I settled for Black Pudding – haven’t had any for years and this was a beauty!! The next morning we breakfasted with one of the farmers attending the “Sheep Fair” – and were enlightened about the various Black Pudding recipes. He was from Harris in the Outer Hebrides – and while his first visit to the Tain Sheep Fair he had been wanting to attend for many years!
