22nd of September - Evanton - Bonar Bridge - Lairg - Shinness Lodge

Day started windy. I set off quite early, with an impressive sunrise. After couple of miles, the road started to get more and more empty. Day was nice, sunny and warm. I passed a dead owl and thought how many dead birds, foxes, and other creatures I saw during my trip..

Between Dalmavie and Bonar Bridge route turned into a desolate area with rough, wild hills on both side of the road. it was almost car-less and it felt rather overwhelming. Villages I passed were all very basic with loads of places shut down and deteriorating.

After Bonar Bridge I headed towards Lairg. there was a lot to climb, one hill after another. I managed without taking Laika out of the trailer!

I decided to stay on a tiny campsite after clocking in 35 miles. I started to feel a bit homesick in the morning and over the day the feeling grew in me. In the evening, I was feeling very lonely and was thinking about the ones who are close to me and if they think about me..Its strange how much solitude brings up the memories of love and warmth. I played harmonica to cheer myself up and to bring up some faces.

The owner of the campsite was an old lady who cherged £5 for a night and was one of the most generous people I met when travelling. I received a bag of food as she was a bit concerned about my food supplies for the next day - I made mistake thinking that along 55 miles, there must be something to buy food from...well, I was very wrong, there was none!

The night was extremely windy and my tent was torn in all directions..it was one of those nights when one thinks, 'what on earth I'm doing here, alone' (or rather with a dog..in a trailer).

 Very impressive sunrise

Owl. Unfortunately dead...

Just me..

After desolate miles, rainbow stretches over the sky and the landscape opens into lower situated green pastures 

 Stormy sky that never turned into a storm

 Happy pooch :)

 Some people put dogs in a trailer, some turned them into a sculpture ;)

 No coffee for me in this place..

 Cosy, cosy

 A bit less idyllic Scottish landscape

 Tired Laika

 Desolate and dark..

Remote Campsite for a £5 :)

21st of September - Lewiston - Beauly - Dingwall - Evanton

The day started by waking up late, at 9am! I crawled out of the tent and rushed to meke coffee and pack my stuff. The day was beautifully sunny which is a definite treat after all the rain.

After setting off I stopped in Lewiston to replenish food for me and Laika. I also got a toy for her so she can play with a tennis ball rather than with my socks...

First couple of miles appeared to be the most difficult part of the day as I faced 15% incline hill that streched over 3/4 of a mile! I managed to climb most of it by gave up in the end as I couldn't turn the pedals anymore! I then had to push the bike and a trailer which was ridicoulusly hard task to do.

As a reward, the top of the hill happeend to be a stunning moorland with rolling hills, alll covered in many different shedes of brown and olive green, contrasting against magnificently blue sky...

In Dingwall I had an accident, where me and Laika flew off the bike/trailer and landed on the pavement...I calculated the turn in a wrong way causing the trailer to catch a kerb. Luckily nothing happened to us, apart from me scratching a knee. Some very kind people stopped and came to help me, picking a bike and taking care of Laika whilst I packed the equipment scattered across the pavement back onto my bike. If you guys read this blog, big THANK YOU to you all!

The evening happened to be rather nice and relaxing as I met fellow cyclist from South Wales, Kevin Williams. It was fantastic to spend an evening in a pub, chatting to someone and exchanging bicycle adventures.

 

 Very difficult to climb when pulling around forty kilos..managed to cycle up 3/4 of it, then had to push..

 On the top!! The landscape changed into beautifully coloured moors.

Stunning..

Kevin from South Wales - was nice to have a company after days of lonely travel

20th of September - Fort William - Spean Bridge - Fort Augustus - Lewiston

One of the longest days in terms of the mileage. Did 50 miles in a very strong pace, feeling somehow energetically uplifted. The weather cleared up and it was a joy to cycle. The first couple of miles were busy in traffic and without much scenery around apart from a well spread tarmac on A82.

I was craving fro fish&chips so stopped in Spean Bridge straight after spotting the sign for the famous British treat ;) The place was rather odd, with an old lady shouting at all the customers and threatening them with her fist and then laughing out loud! she looked like a fish&chip witch. And in the kitchen...Polish people chatting in native language, swearing loudly :) What a scene!

After this great nutritious meal, I carried on, playing with my camera and recording the route. I kept swapping the position of the camera to get diverse footage.

After Fort Augustus I started to feel tired but the views revealed to me a rather impressive Loch Ness. I cycled and cycled staring at the vast waters of the Loch and realising how huge it is. By the end of my day, waters of the lake spread wide and the sky opened with a burst of blinding blues, spilling the colours onto the surface of the lake. It was a stunning view..

19th of September - Ballachulish - Fort William

Another very very wet day! Had to hide away in a tent with Laika to avoid pouring rain. We stayed in Ballachulish till 4pm and then set off to Fort William. We done only 20 miles on that day but it was good to have a bit of a rest. We arrived at the Fort William's camping spot around 7pm where we got plenty of food and a bottle of good ale.

I pitched our little tent house in a way so I can see massive clock of the Glen Nevis right in front of me. the fact I was sloping downwards and side ways didn't count...views are priority :)

I also managed to dry my clothes in the evening and what was the most important, after two days of cycling in soaking wet socks I finally had them dry!!! 

Charged my camera!

Finding a charging spot is an ongoing issue

18th of September - A85 - Connel - Ballachulish

After camping wild I was knackered as was sleeping like a hare. woke up to a very wet morning that got even wetter...After 20 miles to Connel I was already exhausted. Arriving to a little cafe was a bliss as could stuck my face with scones, Tunnock's Tea Cakes, coffee and tea.

After the brake I continued towards Ballachulish in a still very rainy weather. Lucky for us, the route got much flatter and there was a great cycle path almost all the way to the campsite. We saw some stunning lake scenery, rainbows raising on the loch mist and impressive castle on the lake.

We got so so wet on that day...

17th of September - Loss - Tarbet - Iveraray - A85

Long day with a huge climb as took A83 by accident instead of A82! Was rewarded with a stunning view over the mountain pass and Fyne brewery at the bottom of the decent.

 

16th of September - Glasgow to Loss by Loch Lomond

First day of my journey! Train stations were rather hectic and Laika got nervous couple of times. But eventually we arrived to Glasgow where the project begins.

Took a cycle path by the river that later on joins the Clyde Canal. Route went through a bit of a  rough area but after around 15 miles gets better and less city like.

I welcomed Loch Lomond happily as the land changes from cityscape to landscape.