27th July - 4th August 1987
             
Day 5: Byrness to Glendevon - 95 miles.
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We were now some thirty miles down on our planned route, so we had to rethink the ride a bit. Crianlarich was supposed be the next hop, but was 130 miles away, and with the North West wind now gaining strength. We decided to plough forward for a while and see how far we could get.
Morale had a real boost after the first long climb of the morning, when we were greeted by a large rock at the side of the road ... SCOTLAND!


We were a long way North of Dover but still with well over 400 miles to get to Cape Wrath, so we set off down the rapid descent into Jedburgh. Still on the A68 the wind battered us, and on the climb to St.Boswells we kept getting blown rght out into the road by strong gusts, fortunately traffic was very light.
After a good lunch in the cafe there, and stocking up with an excellent selection of sticky nibbles we pressed on to Edinburgh, still on the A68 to Dalkeith, still fighting the headwind, reduced only slightly by the shelter of the valley. We did find d few lanes just befor Edinburgh and were afforded some glorious views of this fascinating city, and of the Firth of Forth.


Carter Bar

We stopped in the city and realised that we were absolutely shattered, and that it was now 5pm.- we'd only covered just over sixty miles. Morale went through the floor, Jackie was all for getting atrain home,and John and I were very down as well. I tried positive thinking saying we were over half way with the best scenery yet to come, but after the next nine miles to the Forth Road bridge I was finished aswell! In addition to the roaring headwind we had to battle with rush hour traffic, and once over the bridge and up the hill out of Dumfermline we collapsed by a phone box, and broke out the Kendal Mint cake.

Descending towards Melrose.
  
   
Edinburgh
 
 


Mint cake is wonderful stuff, ...I'd only taken a couple of bites when I had a bright idea! The planned route was via Stirling to Crianlarich, but on studying the maps I suggested heading North to Glendevon, which would put the wind on our shoulder rather than head-on, and the we could strike out west into the wind from Crieff, hopefully sheltered along the Lochs of Earn and Dochart.
We telephoned Glendevon YH, andthey had room for us, and we also discovered the Stirling YH was full anyway, so Mint Cake of has some hidden properties and gives you good fortune!

Glendevon Youth Hostel.

The last section of the days ride was more enjoyable. The wind was now on our left shoulder, and it began to lose strenght as the sun fell. We enjoyed glorious views into the sun towrad Stirling in the disance, and looking back down into the Firth Of Forth were afforded views of the bridge now a silver strip in the distance. We arrived at Glendevon at 8.30 pm and were soon tucking in to a hefty meal at the nearby hotel. We all slept like logs after an exhausting day.

 

 

 

 

 

DOVER - CAPE WRATH 87


Clickable map - to view individual stages click on the relevant section.>>>
Stage 1 , Dover to Saffron WaldenStage 2, Saffron Walden to LincolnStage 3, Lincoln to OsmotherlyStage 4, Osmotherly to ByrnessStage 5, Brness to GlendevonStage 6, Glendevon to Fort WilliamStage 7, Fort William to AchnashellachStage 8, Achnashellach to UllapoolStage 9, Ullapool to ByrnessStage 10, Byrness to Cape Wrath



 
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