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My bike trip to Golspie.


My Bike Trip To Golspie, what did I learn?

This page is still under construction.


My bike trip to Golspie, what did I learn?

What I learned from this trip is probably the least fun part, but probably the most useful to budding would be born again health enthusiasts. This trip is my third trip in recent years if we discount my teenage three day ride to Blackpool. Which included the ride over Snake Pass, where we stayed at Hagg Farm Youth Hostel. Which is still there. That was such fun. Mostly because of the spontaneity and facing all the unexpected things and sights that came our way.

  • What distance gains did I make?
  • I managed to cycle all day whilst intermittent fasting. But this distance didn't much improve over time because I kept eating some carbs and alcohol when I finally broke my fast. So I did not maximise my gains. Carbohydrates seemed to minimise the gains that were on offer to me after such tremendous efforts of cycling all day.
    This contrasts rather well with my second bike trip to Manchester two years earlier, where I had hoped to get to Scotland, but the trip was foiled by a preventable virus. A virus that had only come about, in my opinion, due to the consumption of sodium metabisulphate. On that trip to Manchester back then, dispite getting ill at the end, I did manage to consume much less carbs on some days and on occassion did indeed benefit from my efforts of getting into keto and whilst fasting all day reached 70 miles in one day with relative ease, and I felt great.

  • How did carbs affect things?
  • Although in my opinion fasting may have brought some benefits to my health, it didn't necessarily maximise the speed on the bike. I think I know this because if I stopped and grabed some carbs along the way through the day, I would feel a sudden lift in my abilities on the bike at about the 15 minute mark after eating. Although I may say that sodium metabisulphate increases my suseptability to virus because of my two previous trips, this trip has managed to confirm that, by me making a concerted effort to avoid sodium metabisulphate I did miracously avoid getting ill or specifically I avoided and outbreak of (HSV) the herpes simplex virus. Although my output increased and the pain from lacking energy decresed with carbs, it seemed that eating carbs did not seem to increase my health.

  • What did keto bring to the table?
  • Well actually I did not bring my keto reader, like on all other trips so far. I think I wanted the trip to go with the flow. In that if it felt good at the time then so be it. I did intermitent fast and tried to eat keto and it may have produced some ketones at some points. However, my overiding concern was my continued desire for non keto foods. I seemed obsessed with carbs and alcohol!
    As a consequence of my continued consumption of carbs and sugars even with intermittent fasting I would say on balance that I did not benefit much from my keto attempts. It would seem to me that as a result my metabolic health did not improve.

  • What about strength, did you get stronger without getting healthier?
  • I think I also discovered that BCAA (branch chain amino acids) taken along with a wide spectrum of b and c vitamins and minerals, including creatine monohydrate, seemed to work well. Infact my legs had been failing to recover for a few days when in desperation I decided to add BCAA to my supplementation reigem and as if by magic I had no more problems with my legs recovering. So it seems to me that one can get strong and not healthy at the same time.

  • So what was the problem with alcohol?
  • Fasting and Energy
    The other thing I noticed, in my opinion, was that drinking too much alcohol seemed to restrict my bodies ability to access stored fuel. Fasting all day whilst cycling might be an extreme activity but it did help me discover that after a night of drinking beer, the next day my body seemed to be hitting the wall all day. That is the same experience that some long distance runners or cyclist complain of after a few hours of contiuous exercise without eating where there glycogen stores run out and their bodies struggle to find enough sugar/fuel to continue running or cycling (these people are probably not fat addapted, because if they were, then after running out of glycogen stores, their bodies would have moved over to burning fat stores, and ofcourse we have an almost unlimited reserve of fat). Well for me to experience this within the first half hour of cycling cannot be because I have no glycogen stores since I had eaten plenty of carbs the night before, it could only be because my body could not access those energy stores. More potential evidence that alcohol may have contributed to my body not being able to access any fuel stores of either sugar or fat after drinking too much the night before, might be that since I can go all day working as a carpenter and joiner whilst intermittent fasting and have done so for 2 years, might mean that I was fat adapted too. This means that I had some metabolic flexibility which means my body can burn carbs until they run out and then switch to stored fat. This is how I was able to cycle all day without eating on my second trip, to Manchester, and hit 70 miles in a single day with ease.
    Drinking Alcohol
    However, after drinking too much alcohol on this day, my body seemed to not be able to access any stored energy of any kind. However, if I stopped cycling and eat some simple carbs, within 15 minutes my energy picked up and I was relatively fine to cycle again, almost as though I had not been drinking the night before. This in my opinion was because I was now using the sugar that had just eaten which had just entered my blood stream and by doing so had just bypassed the need to access my stored energy either fat or glucose. The reason that is significant, in my opinion, is that going forward I now feel I know there is no room for alcohol if fasting is your goal especially if you are hoping to exercise whilst fasting. I feel there is a wider problem with drinking too much for people that do not realise the metabolic disaster it causes too. Lots of us might not think the metabolic consequence of drinking too much can be all that bad, and the reason they may think that is because if all one is going to do after a night of drinking is go for breakfast or walk the dog or work the best they can, which might be compromised, then how are they going to realise physically or metabolically what they have just done to themselves if it simultaneously mixed with a hangover, which could nearly completely explain the poor results of the next day as if the poison of alcohol was the only problem.
    The Poison Alcohol
    The poisoning by alcohol with our traditional view of it being a poison and that is why we feel so bad is not completely wrong, but the wider implication on our metabolic health is less widely understood. Any attack on our metabolic health is a fundamental shift down that will have far reaching consequences for conditions of a mitochondrial nature. The list of mitochondrial conditions include amongst others Huntington disease, diabetes, heart disease, ALS, MS, Parkinsons, and many more. The metabolic shift down hill is reversable, but not necessaryly with just exercise. However, as part of a wider program of health interventions it is ofcourse completely possible in my opinon to reverse metabolic syndrome and the like. But as this trip may of demonstrated, even a daily regieme of 2 to 7 hours of exercise might not be enough to ameliorate the negative effects of drinking too much all by its self. If constumption of the poison of alcohol and the bodies inability to access stored energy effectively are related then problem solved. Then one just has to decide to not drink. But if the problem is a subset of a wider problem that being that alcohol is just one of many toxins that our liver and kidneys have to deal with and that the sugar in alcohol is also just a more refined version of the sugar problem as a whole, then perhaps we are getting an insight into which direction our actions on food choices need to go if health is our goal.

  • How did the trip affect your eye sight?
  • This is a reasonable question. I have been trying to improve my eyesight with supplements for a while now. On this trip I brought my supplements which filled an entire pannier bag, this weighed enough for the effort to be worth it. I already knew that some viruses seemed to make my eyes worse. Especially the Herpes simplex virus. However, I was wanting to find out how much exercise played a role in my better vision, (less blurry). For the most part intermitent fasting, keto, and supplements had not offered much in the way of improvements. However, I had noticed my eyesight had varied over time. That is getting less blurry some days and getting more blurry following evenings of over indulgence. It did seem quite clear that something was having a relatively significant impact on my eyes even if I was unable to find it.

    Whole duck!
    So after cycling 3 to 5 hours a day on most days for 21 days straight with one day off. I was paying close observational attention to the waxing and waining of my visionary percluliararities. I seemed to notice that after eating a chinese meal in a nice resturant, (where the local chinese people frequented), with a French bottle of red wine and my half a duck (without pancakes), and sauce and onion and cucumber and egg fried rice had no noticable affects on my eyesight the next day out cycling. However, a few days later, I had exactly the same meal, with another French red wine from a take away shop, and for four hours my heart rate went up, because of this I could not get to sleep during this time. My heart was pounding. It would seem I was having a bad reaction to something they had added to my meal. I have noticed this before, but much less pronounced. I am learning that some chinese takeaways may add MSGs (monosodium glutamate) to their foods. This might of been the case on this occassion. Well the next day my eyesight was much worse, more blurry.
    Additives!
    Although I do not eat wheat, transfats, or too many sulphates, (which can be found in some cheaper wines), and ofcourse almost any product made to be shelfed. I have found similar occurances to my eyes following the days after consuming such food products. That of my eyes getting more blurry. So I wish I could say exercise made a big contribution to improving my eyesight, However, it seems the foods I eat maybe having a more detrimental effect than all the good cycling may bring. So here is a list of potential suspects of additives I believe may have some negative impact on my eyesight. I will endevour to avoid over the next few months and see if this helps with my eyes, (being less blurry).

    My bike trip to Golspie. The trip itself.


  • Is holding on for dear life anyway to end something?
  • So one day I set off from Grays on my bike that had no name but Bob appealed! He weighed in at 46kg including some water, that is nearly seven and a half stone or just over 100lbs! What was I thinking. Bob is a racing bike actually that has been adapted with holes drilled into the forks to help the panniers stay. It has straight forks that are really quick to respond when turning and then they tend to over respond at the same time. So as I set off wobling back and forth all over the road I was secretly wishing Bob would just cave in under the pressure right away instead of waiting until I was hurtling at 40 miles an hour down some lane in Shefield or in the Peak National Park praying and holding on for dear life.

  • Preparations are not looking too good.
  • I had managed to get in just six training rides before the undramatic departure. At least two of these training rides had happened with a hangover, one of these was a visit to one of my sisters. On seeing me she instantly offered to drive me back home. I said no it is OK I will make it. Then it began to pour with a little thunder and lightning. I was tempted, but my nephew was there listening. He was 15, how could his uncle three training days from leaving for Scotland need a lift. This whole trip was not looking to promising at this stage.

  • The point of no return.
  • There was no backing out now. I had sent a whole bunch of messages through my WhatsApp with messages like, guess what I am going to do at the end of August? Then I attached a google map view of a cycle route from Grays Essex to John O Groats. Unluckily lots of people seemed vaguely interested. Some would say. Why? Others said good luck! But one said how? This appealed to me on some level. It was true how indeed was I to do this. This was not my first attempt at getting to Scotland. As a teenager my friend Paul and I did a test ride to Blackpool. It was horrendous. It did give us something to talk about though. It still gives us a smile whenever we recal the experience. But it was wet, cold, hard work, painful, and we were broke. We even needed to borrow money to pay for the train ride back home. Because we planed the ride would be so easy that coming back by bike was the obvious choice.

     

    This is the image in the msg I sent to a whole bunch of people stating this was probably the route I would be taking on my journey to John O Groats.

  • Was this such a good idea!
  • Why do it again and this time why do it alone, and with a bike that was heavier, and go further, and just as important how? Now that I have returned from my trip I have not had much to say about the trip. I did meet some lovely people and I did see some spectacular sights. It also expanded my idea of what else could be possible on a limited budget in the future too. Infact even on the trip itself I meet some people that asked how? They did not know the weight of the bike or the little preperation I had, but still some people clapped as I passed them, this was whilst I ascended the ...... in the Peak District and another person asked how could I do this, this was whilst I was resting at a campsite at the end of a long day in ......These questions and applauses did intrigue me. How indeed?

  • How to get from the day instead of through the day. Jim Rohn.
  • Ofcourse there is a famous quote that goes you can indure any how with enough why? My why was partly because I had a question to answer. The question was why does my study suffer if I do some exercise. Or why does my study suffer in the evening if I work hard all day in a physical job. I wanted to do both. Infact I wanted to be able to go to the gym in the morning then work all day and then sit in a pub or McDonalds and study until it was time to go to sleep. With eight hours sleep being my goal.


  • The goal to fix chronic tiredness.
  • I think that is a good why? So the next trip will also be by bike and I will again strive to be able to cycle all day and then study or write up my days activities on my blog in the evening after my days efforts and then go to sleep and wake up fully energised ready for the next days adventures. Then ofcourse the next step is to take it one step further and be able to compete at cycling and still function as a human being at the end of that day too. In my opinion this is no small goal, because, in the past when I was just 44 years old, lacking energy all day and feeling knackered all the time and not recovering from all the sleep I was getting was the norm for me. Back then I would even take a nap during the day sometimes dispite not much going on in my life at the time. So I still want to fix the energy equation. Although there have been some small wins along the way I want a lot more.



  • Day 01: 22nd August. Monday
  • On my way to Cambridge. I continued wobbling along on my bike Bob dodging parked cars and trying not to swing about too much so cars could avoid me when trying to overtake me. I had purchased a garmin 530 and it had the termerity to assume I wanted the quietest roads possible for my route each day. Even if this meant climbing to the highest point in Essex on Bob! I even had to get off and push Bob because of this. This was a little bit of a problem because I had chosen to wear cycling shoes with cleats. This meant that walking up hill pushing Bob was a slippery endevour. So much so that I would try my hardest in the future to avoid having to get off Bob and push as much as possible, this in its self proved a bit of a challenge going forward. This campsite was at the intersection between Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk. The lady owner of the campsite and part farm felt this was a wonderful thing. Not me. However, the sunset was particularly wonderful. It gave me a chance to use my mobile solar panel which I was hoping to use to charge my phone. When plugged in it did indeed give me a green flashing light indicating something was happening. This place cost just £20 and had no showers, but it did have toilets.

    I decided the starting point would be the Wharf Pub in Grays.



    This is where I ended up after a days cycling at 3:35pm at the highest point in Essex and it borders three counties. I had to sound pleased about this information. But I had just been pushing my bike uphill for a while, but I had not relised yet that campsites mostly followed this theme.



    You can click the image to get a google map of the area and farm in more detail or you can click below to go straight to the campsite.



  • Day 02: 23rd August. Tuesday
  • I guess because it is Cambridge and cycling is kind of a priority there seem to be off road options. There was also a bus service with its own dedicated road which had built into it a stearing mechanism so that the buses kind of steared them selves with a driver responsible for stopping and starting. Along this road I meet some other cyclist. One of which seemed to be out for a stroll, only she overtook me with considerable ease. I think she was battery powered, but for some reason she did not want to say. I Arrived after a day of cycling just outside Cambridge. Climbed up and up again. £25 for the night camping with showers and toilets, but no shop or anywhere nearby to buy anything. The solar panel was put to use again. This women in her late 50s was staying at the campsite with her husband in a campervan explained to me how quite suddenly she began to suffer terrable pains in her abdomin. She said she has been doing the elimination diet for quite a while now. Also after trying the doc nothing as yet has worked. I finally asked her did these problems start after getting her covid jabs? She said curiously yes.

    This is early morning at the campsite. All my stuff out on the floor still in Essex.

    Image of my stuff looking out of my tent on the morning of day 2.

    By 9am I was right in the center of Cambridge. I was thinking why not go for a punt on the river Cam otherwise known as the river Granta.



    Here ofcourse I am cycling past the world famous Cambrigde University.



    This is the bus rail system coming out of Cambridge going North with a cycle path running right along side it that links Huntington, St Ives and Cambridge.

    Image of a off road bus commuting for non cyclist that runs along side a cycle path..




    And here was my competition that I am sure was using an electric bike whom passed me at 9:56am! If you click the image it will show you an actual rail bus. This busrail connects Cambridge, St Ives and Huntington.

    Image of bus rail..






    You can click the image to get a google map of all the images like the one I took of the plane.



  • Day 03: 24th August. Wednesday
  • Passed through Cambridge city center. Much flatter teritory and ended up camping near Nottingham. It was just £15 a night with showers and toilet. This guy I meet was the owner and lived a busy life and asked why he might be tired all the time. He also asked about his son that had autism. He was asking whether it was possible to increase his sons attention span. This was a doting father whom trained his own son to be a racing driver. This guy was recognised and payed to provide his racing car training services all over. His son had even won many trophies, but their lives where blighted with poor health of one kind or another. Ofcourse I told them what I knew. Maybe I will revisit one day. I wish them well. Along my journies today I came across more wild life.

    I took this video whilst passing through at 8:35am

    Then I saw this at 9:44am! What a day!

    And here is a picture of the Humming Bird Hawk Moth at 10:14am!.

    Image of the Hummingbird Hawk Moth..






  • Day 04: 25th August. Thursday
  • On my way now getting close to Sheffield. I ended up staying with Father Michael for just £65 in his lodgings which had an onsuit shower and toilet. He gave me a copy of his book that was written about the original inhabitants of the Mayflower that landed in Boston America back 18th December 1620. He explained they were not particularly good people. He had also been a struggling retailer in the past trying to provide service and sell his wears for a fair price, but he said unfortunately loyalty from his customers was not his reward and so reluctantly had to sell up. So today along my journey I found the Garmen 530 not so helpful. This did not happen too often foutunately.

    Because the Garmen 530 got it wrong.01.8:43am

    Because the Garmen 530 got it wrong.02.8:48am

    Because the Garmen 530 got it wrong.03.8:51am





    This tire seemed to explode at 11:16am!.

    Image of my tire after it exploded.








    And then at 11:37am I decided to get a covid test, but was fine.

    I got a covid test at 11:16am.
























    You can click the image to get a google map of Tuxford where Father Micheal so kindly helped me. He was not hiring rooms at the time we meet. However, he decided to open his Inn for me. I am very grateful for his kind action. So this is where I ended up at 6:56pm.



  • Day 05: 26th August. Friday
  • David drove up from London and meet me at a campsite right on the edge of the Peak District. It only cost just £7 each tent. We drank some wine and whiskey. The next day we took our blood pressure readings. Both his and mine were elevated. 150 plus for him and 130 plus for me. This needs looking into. I am beginning to feel all the cycling on my legs.

    The morning at 9:07am having breakfast Father Micheal made for me.



    So the Garmen 530 thinks I am superman.2:45pm

  • Day 06: 27th August. Saturday
  • Today I entered the Peak District. My friend David drove on and meet me at a campsite that cost £15 each tent and it only had porta toilets and running water from a one ton plastic container pearched on the back of a trailer. No showers. We managed to have a little campfire though. It was nice. Again todays cycling was hard work on my legs.

    The next morning at 7:43am after a night with David.



    We have to love steep hills..1:29pm



    After all the steep hills finally I am in the Peak National Park!



    And here is the campsite view inside the Peak National Park!



  • Day 07: 28th August. Sunday
  • I popped out the other side of the Peak District and started to make my way down to a town that had a Liverpudlian accent. Passed a water reserve. Went uphill again to the campsite. This does seem to be a trend with campsites. Uphill!! I found a great campsite. Showers, toilets, shop and even a functioning kitchen with food being cooked. The owner was called Carol and her dog was Mindy. I pitched a tent inbetween a tent and a campervan. I got to know the occupants of the tent. Three kids and a husband and wife. She was a chemist and we spoke about child health and nutrition. Almost everyone was local on the site including the campervan people the other side. I decided to go and have some food from the kitchen. It was a real treat. I got chatting to a couple that had just cycled off road for quite a bit. She explained she swapped to cycling because of her knee. I asked her what was it about your knee? She said she was getting pain in her knee for some time and the doctor had no suggestions. So I mentioned Dr Gundry and lectins and I mentioned vitamin C and its association with knee and hip pain. She was flabbergasted that these might be the cause, and just thought back to what her doctor had offered, pain killers.

    And here is my blood pressure at 8:12am after a night of drinking inside the Peak National Park! Not good right. So I took it again.



    And here is my blood pressure at 8:16am after a night of drinking inside the Peak National Park! A little better. However, it did give pause for thought.



    The view is always great from the top!

    Coming back out of the Peak National Park is mostly down hill time is 2:47pm.

    It is mostly down hill coming out of the Peak National Park.

    16% What! 2:53pm.

    It is mostly down hill coming out of the Peak National Park.






    Just an hour away, just outside Manchester, from my campsite tonight at 3:06pm.



    As these birds flew over I swear I could hear a liverpudlian accent at 3:27pm.

  • Day 08: 29th August. Monday
  • I was helped by a security guard today so that I would not need to take the 5 mile diversion. His name was Barday. At the end of the day I stayed at a travel logde where they stored my bike in the broom cupboard, and I got to shower and charged everything up and eat a lovely meal with some good French red wine.

    This is where I stayed at the travel lodge.



    And this is what I ate at 6:00pm.



  • Day 9: 30th August. Tuesday
  • Today I managed to cycle into Blackpool and found a local B&B for the low price of just £20.00! Bargain. This night they had an event called Cycle The Lights. It is where the roads are closed to cars and opened up solely to cyclists. Some people were dressed up and most of them carried lots of lights that served an extra purpose than just staying legal. I found a local indian which was delicious and I walked down to the tower and had a look around. It was lovely to revisit Blackpool.

    On my way to Blackpool, this sign is where my friend Paul, and I reached as teenagers, time 12:44pm.

    On my way to Blackpool, this sign is where my friend Paul and I reached as teenagers, time 12:44pm.




    This is nearly the chip shop we sought solace with hot food to warm our bones 1pm. 10 miles to go.

    This is nearly the famous chip shop 1pm.


    So I carried the flag and made it to Blackpool sea from by 3:50pm.



    This is near the beginning of what is localy called cycle the lights. Time 8:03pm.



    Blackpool cycle of lights

  • Day 10: 31st August. Wednesday
  • Today was interesting I caught a ferry and cycled up along my route. My Garmen was taking me up and up. I was getting tired and it was getting late. I had not found anywhere to stay. It was nearly 5pm. The last two campsites I had visited were non existent. A lady came out of her home near where I was loitering and we chatted about stuff. She explained that there was a campsite in the past. She also said do not worry if you continue along this road you will find somewhere to wild camp! I thought this is what I have been waiting for. So off I trotted uphill! ofcourse. Another 20mins of climbing realatively steep back roads up and up I soon came across public land used by locals for walks and grazing their cattle. I found a gate and went through and then found a spot that had dip in the land so that I was no longer visible from the gate or from the road I had just come along. The sun was setting in the distance as I looked down at the valley. It was nice. However, I knew that as soon as the sun dipped below that ridge it would soon get dark. So I quickly set up camp and changed my clothes. To my suprise there was a baby tic on the floor of my tent, and it was alive! I got rid of that tic quickly and looked for more. I began to wonder just how often tics are a problem when wild camping in general. The night was relatively peaceful and I was not bothered by anyone. Although I did get up and packed and on my way really early for some reason. Although I did wait for the Sun to rise properly first before I set off.

    The plan out of Blackpool is to see if I can cross at this ferry in Fleetwood. Time 10:40am.



    On the Ferry at Fleetwood. It looks like it will make it! Time 11:39am.

    On the Ferry at Fleetwood. It looks like it will make it! Time 11:39am.

    Coming off the ferry at Fleetwood on the other side. Time 11:55am.

    Coming off the ferry on the other side. Time 11:55am.




    The journey between the ferry and the infamous tick! Time 2:39pm.

    The journey between the ferry and the infamous tick! Time 2:39pm.




    Still cycling at 6:10pm. No luck with finding a campsite that is open or not full or anything else for that atter. Getting tired now. It looks like wild camping maybe on the cards tonight. I just need to find somewhere secluded! After speaking to a local, she advises me to continue up!! What!! Up!! and you'll find somewhere to camp out of view of the road and you will be fine. So with faith and hope off I go UP!!

    Still cycling at 6:19pm. No luck with finding a campsite that is open or not full or anything else for that atter. Getting tired now. It looks like wild camping maybe on the cards tonight. I just need to find somewhere secluded!




    After cycling up for another 20mins I finally reach the top and a suitable place to enjoy the rest of the evening at 6:30pm I just catch a few rays as I cool down from a long day and well deserved rest. Not far from the Lake district now. I am looking forward to the ups and downs...

    After cycling up for another 20mins I finally reach the top and a suitable place to enjoy the rest of the evening at 6:30pm

    After setting up the tent and getting the food on I settled in to watch a beautiful sunset at 6:40pm.

    After setting up the tent and getting the food on I settled in to watch a beautiful sunset at 6:40pm




    But my evening started to look a little more stressed when I found this in my tent! at 6:47pm.

    But my evening started to look a little more stressed when I found this in my tent! at 6:47pm.


  • Day 11: 1st September. Thursday
  • Today I reached reached Lake Windermere. My first stop was at Blackwells Arts and Crafts Centre. Next I went down to the waters edge and into the town Ambleside. A nice town. It was sunny so I was lucky. Lots of people milling around. My legs were really beginning to hurt now. I could not yet figure out why I was not recovering. After a bunch of phone calls I found a YHA for just £60.00 result I thought. I eat at a bub along the route to the YHA and the waiter said he had suffered brain fog after getting covid! He was only young in his 20s I think. After arriving at the YHA and putting my bike in storage I came back to the reception and carried my stuff upto my room. My legs ached walking up stairs. I needed to fix my recovery.

    Got a nice and early start today. Lake Windermere here I come! 6:54am.

    Got a nice and early start today. Lake Windermere here I come! 6:54am.




    I do not know why, but I love moments in the day that make time pause for a while. I am not too sure if it is just the shadow or the big hills in the distance? 7:26am.

    I do not know why, but I love moments in the day that make time pause for a while. 7:26am.




    I arrive nice and early in the Lake District. This is the Blackwell Arts And Crafts Centre 9:08am.

    I arrive nice and early in the Lake District. This is the Blackwell Arts And Crafts Centre 9:08am.




    Here is another view I have never seen before from the garden of the Arts and Crafts Centre at 9:10am. I think finding Sean the sheep is a real win.

    Here is another view I have never seen before from the garden of the Arts and Crafts Centre at 9:10am.




    After about 8 phone calls and visiting places that perported to be campsites, but really they were camping and caravaning members only places, which they never say on their websites. Which I have found a few times along my journey so far. Which they themselves never say is the reason, I finally found a camper friendly place regardless of your membership status, in the form of YHA (Youth Hostel Association). All other places were charging over £200 for the night, but here at the YHA I found the reasonable price of £60.00 Brilliant I thought.

    I finally found the YHA to help me with my stay.

    Whilst making my way to the YHA I came across a boat ride and a little town that had grown probably as a result of the lake. Infact Ambleside goes back to ancient times and includes evidence of Roman settlements.

    A boat ride on the lake.




    This was my view of the lake out of my window at the YHA in Ambleside on Lake Windermere at 5:23pm.

    This was my view of the lake out of my window at the YHA on Lake Windermere.




    But at 2:30pm I had other ideas!

    Image of Kayakes on lake windermere.

    Yes I did! It was great. Warm peaceful and cheap! Well worth it. Great for the whole family.

    Image of me on the Kayakes on lake windermere.

  • Day 12: 2nd September. Friday
  • Woke up today legs hurting. 70 miles to Ecclefechan. Got up at 6:15am. I experienced a weird dream about a big creature with six legs that eat meat was attacking me. Do you think it had something to do with the Tick? Oh and this creature could survive indefinately without eating. I killed it. Also I woke with hot head and cold hands. This is normally a sign of me fighting a virus of some kind. Stayed at a lovely campsite owned by retired husband and wife in their late 70s early 80s. The owners had lovely chickens and it was a family run place. Other campers were mostly families. My neighbouring campers had two boys and they invited me to join them to stay warm around their campfire as the evening draw in. I accepted and we chatted and talked about psychology and boys mostly. Great evening.

    The ride out of the canyon where all that water collected to make a lake was ofcourse all up hill. This is halfway up. Time 10:21am.

    This is an image of me climbing up away from lake windermere, half way up!.






    By 12:24pm I was already in sight of Gretna Green.



    This now looks like I am about halfway through my trip.



    This is the campsite I ended up at after one of the longest climbs at the end of any day 1:21pm.

    This is an image of me at the campsite with chickens and family campers.

  • Day 13: 3rd September. Saturday
  • Today I decided to cut my day short because of my legs needing some recovery time. So got into Carlisle early and rocked upto a Carlisle City Hostel at 10:09am. This was great. Eventually I got to chat with the owner Johnathan and then Pete a man in his 50s with an Irish accent who had lived in America for six years and loved it there driving. Then my room mate was from Singapore and had studied sociology and geography, and he was single and around his 50s and was traveling alone and here doing Hadrians Wall. But soon he was returning home to Singapore because his parents were old and needed him. I thought this was amazing. Family knows no boundaries. Also I took this opportunity to go into the town of Carlisle and get some BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) in a bid to solves the problem of my legs not recovering. That evening I went out for some food and had some brocolli and Greek yoghurt and some French white wind.

    This is the street of Carlisle City Hostel at 10:09am just as I am about to eat a breakfast at a local cafe.

    This is an image of the street that Carlisle City Hostel is in.

    This is the kitchen inside the hostel.

    This is the kitchen inside the hostel.

    In the evening I visited the local pub. There are some advantages of being in town. 9:31pm

    Inside the pub having a guniess.

  • Day 14: 4th September. Sunday
  • I stayed at a campsite in Moffort. Not much happened. The crows were interesting. And they had good supplies in their shop. But on the way to Moffort I visited a friend Oneter Jack was not there. She feed and watered me and then on I went.

    I have reached the border of Scotland at 10:15am

    Reaching the border of Scotland.

    I managed to find me a whiskey shop. What a surprise. 4:01pm



  • Day 15: 5th September. Monday
  • Today I stayed at a place just before Peebles called Traquair at the Traquair Arms Hotel for just £80.00. I stopped at a coffee shop nearby when I arrived because outside the shop was a whole bunch of cyclists whom were spending 5 days a year continuing their journey from Lands End to John O Groats on mountain bikes and off roading. Which is probably quite hard work. I also meet Michelle that had ME and a lung condition, but had found assissted cycling in the form battery powered bike had given her a new life, and the exercise might ofcourse be good for you. I wish her luck. The food was nice in the resturant too.

    This is the route out of Moffort to a place just before Peeble and believe it not it goes through some of the most beautiful country.



    So by 9:02am I had already reached Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve.

    Reaching Grey Mares Tail Scotland.

    And by 9:22am had reached the Scottish Borders.

    Reaching the Scottish Borders.

    Up and up the open road. 9:35am

    Reaching the Scottish Borders.




    What a lovely day. 9:37am

    Reaching the Scottish Borders.




    And then out of the blue and unexpected oasis, a cafe that was open. 10:31am

    An unexpected oasis a cafe.




    I hope I have remembered her name properly. This is Michelle. We left the cafe at approximately 5:36pm

    Michelle and her quest.




  • Day 16: 6th September. Tuesday
  • Today I arrived in Edinburgh early enough to get settled into my room where I got locked in my toilet. Luckily enough I am a carpenter so I was able to get out. I dismantled the toilet lock enough so that no one else would get locked in. Then I decided to take the advice of my friend Paul and climb up to Arthurs seat. Well it was not raining when I started, but as I passed the Scottish Houses of Parliament I could see some clouds rolling in. As I walked up one of many long winding roads to Arthurs Seat. I could not help but notice some dark clouds moving in. I could only hope that cold weather did not follow the clouds too. Luckily enough it did not get too cold. However, thunder and lightning and lots of rain did! Also after this I went out and went to a chinese resturant that local chinese people go to. So it was not too expensive and unbenongst to me at the time, it was superb quality too. I had it with some French red wine and really felt good.

    I do not know why but this vision of heather seemed quite extra ordinary 10:54am

    We love heather.




    It seemed like it was out of this world 11:35am

    We love heather.




    It seemed to go on and on 10:56am

    We love heather.




    It seemed to go on and on. Loved it. 10:57am

    We love heather.




    The hills are beautiful we love a bit of heather.10:53am



    The hills. This one is nearer Edinburgh and was taken at 11:25am



    After the climb to experience the heather came the view! 11:26am

    We love heather.




    After arriving in Edinburgh and getting into my room the obvious next step was to start climbing. video at Arthers seat. After a recomendation from my friend Paul. I had to do it! It was worth it.



    It did get a bit wet.



    This is the chinese meal I had just 5 mins walk from the hostel. It was high quality and recomended. I know it serves half duck the only question remains is if it serves whole duck served at 6:35pm.



    Image of the locked door and me traped inside the toilet at 7:50pm

    Image of broken door lock to toilet.




    Making some progress on the toilet door lock by 8:19pm

    Image of broken door lock to toilet.




    So after getting locked in I was finally able to get out of the toilet. 8:24pm

    Image of broken door lock to toilet.




  • Day 17: 7th September. Wednesday
  • Woke up to rain. But had a nice treat when crossing the Forth Road Bridge, later I stayed at a travelodge in Perth. The rain kept coming and little did I relise it at the time, with intentions of getting to Inverness the next day, but the appocalytic weather had other ideas in mind for me. So I spent all the next day at this travel lodge because I needed some rest. So there was no cycling on the 18th. The only day off.

    So on the road again. By 8:22am I could see it would not be long befoe I was crossing the Forth Road Bridge.



    By 9:29am I was indeed on the bridge.

    On the Forth Road Bridge.




    Then I came across this.

    On the Forth Road Bridge.




    What a lovely sight, all these hearts and bonds sealed forever.

    On the Forth Road Bridge.




    So I thought I would get a closer picture just in case I see anyone I know.

    On the Forth Road Bridge.




    By 1:34pm I had left the Forth Road Bridge far behind and was heading up the road.



    This deer was dead already. Probably killed by a car. Such a beautiful creature.3:11pm



    By 4:34pm I had reached Perth with Inverness insight at the top of this map.



  • Day 18: 8th September. Thursday
  • Stayed at the travelodge in Perth all night. During the night I could hear the rain lashing down. Also during the morning the rain kept coming! So I decided to have a day off.

    So I had got myself booked in yesterday and for today too. They had let me put my bike in my room on the ground floor last night, but because of the rain and flooding, it was necessary to move to the first floor.



    The rain was heavy during the night so I looked outside my window when I got up and saw this at 6:52am.



    And then at 7:58am I saw this.



    And then at 8:03am I saw this.



    And then at 8:08am I saw this.



    And then at 8:26am I saw this.



    And by 11:39am it looked like this.



    So the next thing was that we were told to leave our rooms and travel upstairs. I guess that is why they call it a travel lodge!.



  • Day 19: 9th September. Friday
  • Stayed at campsite with crows. Two seperate guys come up to me. One asked How? I said good question. I also said maybe why was just as good. He gave me a tin of food, which I cooked and eat. The second guy asked where I was going. I told him and he showed me on the map a list of interesting places I could find along my route. This was kind. Two great guys just out doing their thing and helping others. During the days cycling before I got to this campsite I meet a couple of cyclists from the USA that had done most of Europe. I asked them about their health and energy levels. The women mentioned that would be nice if there was something that could help. I think he was a little less willing to think anything might be wrong or at least that something could be a bit better. Very nice couple thou. They mentioned there is a web site where people log their journies on bikes. I will try and find it.

    A nice couple I meet along the road going in the opposite direction. They had been all over Europe. They said they loved the clean air of Scotland. We had our little chat at 11:09am

    A couple cycling all over Europe.




    On my way to Pitlochry I came across this bridge at 11:16am

    A quaint bridge for foot passengers.




    On my way to Pitlochry I came across this rather quaint bridge for foot passengers at 11:58am

    A quaint bridge for foot passengers.


    Next I arrived at my campsite I had pre-called at 2:17pm. This location was just outside of Pitlochry.

    Arrived at my campesite at just after 2pm.


  • Day 20: 10th September. Saturday
  • Stayed at campsite, almost saw a red squirrel, At the tent next to me were two married couples. Nurses and police and ex army and three great kids.I was offered a place to stay the next night, but my phone broke and could not continue correspondence.

    A nice crisp early start on the day leaving the campsite just outside Pitlochry at 7:28am.



    A lovely blue sky day near Pitlochry. 8:35am

    Chassing after my own shadow at 8:35am.

    Chassing after my own shadow at 8:35am.




    Next by 10:06am I had reached the Highlands.

    Reaching the highlands just after 10am.


    Apart from seeing a glimps of a red squirrel this is what greeted me when I arrived at the campsite just past Pitlochry at 4:10pm.



    People are great. Here are some family members I bumped into in the tent next to me.

    Some other campers.




    By 4:11pm I had reached here.



    For tonight I had found this B&B on booking dot com. This is where I meet the neigbour and shared the evening with two girls and their dog from the Netherlands and I eat my chinese takeaway that gave me a thumping heart for four hours.



  • Day 21: 11th September. Sunday
  • Stayed at B&B with two women from the Netherlands and their dog. The neighbour Dave helped us because the property was not the owners residence, and was not their. We finally got our keys from key boxes outside and got in. I ordered a chinese takeaway. Duck and rice and red wine. However, my heart started pounding and did not stop for over 4 hours. I can only assume it had something to do with the msg (monosodiumglutamate) that might have been used.

    Here I stopped for a coffed and to take a picture of another bridge. Apparently this one is famous. 8:40am.

    A bridge.

    Another summit at 9:37am.

    A summit.

    A deer said hello to me at 9:49am.

    A deer.




    I came across this sign at 10:37am.

    A sign.




    Then I crossed a bridge at 11:48am.

    bridge.






  • Day 22: 12th September. Monday
  • Made it to Golspie and decided I needed to get back for a lecture I had previously booked at Hammersmith with Jordan Peterson talking. So I booked the train from Inverness to London Euston on the over night trian. It only cost £70.00 I thought bargain. I then bought a ticket from Golspie to Inverness and since I had 5 hours to get to Inverness by train I waited for the next train which was 90mins away and in the mean time decided to get some food. Which was nice for me. Although for me eating in a cafe often leads to diarrhoea so I abstained from cooked food and eat mass produced processed sugary food instead.

    Pre-booked the bike!
    When the train arrived they asked me if I had pre booked a space for my bike and I said no. She said all the places are pre booked and she cannot let me on incase at the next station the bikes appear. I have since learned that pre booked bike spaces cost nothing and have no penalty for not turning up. So all the cyclists who hoped to make it to John O Groats have pre booked their bikes just in case they arrive and need the space for their return journey. This sometimes has the unfortunate effect of there being some vacancies on the train for bikes, because users of this service have no incentive to cancel their need for space for their bikes since they did not make it to JOG. Therefore cyclists that have just turned up hoping to find space, may indeed find space, but are unable to use the space due to a lack of knowing whether the spaces will or will not still be used. They genuinely have no way of knowing if the spaces are needed at any point along the route until it is too late.
    How hard can it be to book a bike onto a train?
    So I tried to book my bike onto a train knowing I still had a few hours before I had to be back at Inverness before my London bound over night train departed. My attempts to book my bike onto the train took over an hour and failed. All the spaces were all booked out. So what was I to do? Time was running out. So I decided to get a cab to Inverness! After half a dozen calls someone agreed to take me for £100.00. For me this was a life saver. All booked and paid I waited patiently for my cab. Which arrived 40 minutes later and we set off and arrived with 50 minutes to spare. I was tired and did indeed sleep most of the way back to Euston.

    Already up and out nice and early I found a bridge at 8:50am.



    This ticket was bought but never used because they told me I could not get on with my bike.



    This is a picture of the distance left to John O Groats.



    This is a picture of my ticket to London Euston Kings Cross station.



    I ended up getting a taxi to Inverness so I could catch the over night train to Euston Kings Cross.



  • Day 23: 13th September. Tuesday
  • Back in London Euston Kings Cross by 8:15am.

    London Euston Kings Cross.

    Having a rest at 10:57am in Rainham Nature Reserve.

    Having a rest in Rainham Nature Reserve.






    Having a rest at 11:08am in Rainham Nature Reserve.

    Having a rest in Rainham Nature Reserve.






    Back at the Wharf by 12:25pm after a 23 day adventure.

    Back at the Wharf after a 23 day adventure.








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    Mark C. Barry BSc. and his materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All materials written by Mark C. Barry BSc. is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program.

    This artical is copyrighted material of Mark Barry BSc. 2024. I was in full time education doing an Access course to science and I am very much looking forward to studying nutrition and dietetics, which will give me the opportunity to help people by diagnosing and prescribing a treatment program that might be the fastest path towards a natural remedy. If this article has been of any value or interest to you and you feel it may also be of interest to someone else please feel free to pass it on. I would be grateful for any hints or tips you feel may help also.

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