The pipes, the pipes are calling...

THE SCOTTISH LEG - DAYS 1 TO 6

Heres our planned itinerary for the trip:

Travel day: Sunday 16th August

Easyjet Gatwick flight to Inverness.
Then the train to Wick which arrives 10pm.

Were staying at: http://www.guesthousewick.co.uk


Day 1: Monday 17th August - Stage 1 jogle: John O'Groats - Lairg - 96.25 miles

We have to negotiate the 12 miles to to JOG from Wick to the start this will be the only time we cycle North. We will get the obligatory photograph at the famous sign and dip our toe in the water of the Atlantic Ocean. This will be replicated when we get to the other end not sure why really but it just seems a fun thing to do...?!?

50 miles along westerly coast to Bettyhill via Thurso, then south to Lairg via Loch Naver. Infamous crask inn 12 miles north of Lairg is a classic middle of knowhere pub http://www.letsgonorth.com/scripts/view.pl?27

Staying at http://www.parkhousesporting.com/ in Lairg
Lonely planet blurb on Lairg - population 904, the village of Lairg lies at the southern end of Loch Shin. in 1807, Lairg parishioners became some of the first victims of the highland clearances but the village is now famous for its annual august lamb sale, the largest one day sale in Europe.


Day 2 Tuesday 18th August - Stage 2 jogle: Lairg - Grantown-on-Spey - 95.28 miles

Keeping south about 3 miles out of Lairg we go past Shin Falls where they have salmon leaping out of the water, then another 3 miles later cross the small rail bridge at Invershin into Culrain and go past probably the best youth hostel in the world at Carbisdale Castle http://www.carbisdale.org/yourvisit.htm (they were full) .
Next of note is a turnoff to Cawdor Castle, made famous by Shakespeares Macbeth. Carrying on we go past dulsie bridge, a locally known swimming hole possibly for a wee dip to cool off, then onto Grantown-on-Spey. Were staying at www.kinrosshouse.co.uk


Day 3 Wednesday 19th August - Stage 3 jogle: Grantown-on-Spey - Braemar - 45.61miles

Tough tough day... going through the heart of the Grampian mountains..so shorter miles..
20 miles out of Grantown just pass Tomintoul the climb starts to Lecht pass at 637 metres (2089 feet). After about 35 miles we go past Balmoral, residence of the Queen during the summer months so hopefully she will be out with the corgis cheering us on. Oppurtunities abound here to fly fish on the River Dee.

Day 4 Thursday 20th August - Stage 4 jogle: Braemar - Edinburgh - 93.47 miles

Climbing all the way out of Braemar comes the show-stopper of a climb up Glen Shee over the cairnwell pass at 670metres (2199 feet) this is the highest main road in the uk and so the highest point in the whole JOGLE ride. At the top is the Glenshee ski centre, Scotlands oldest.

Luckily (or unluckily) on the way down we avoid the infamous devils elbow http://www.flickr.com/photos/castlekay/1260779884/ and so after 10 miles of climbing its downhill for the next 40 all the way to Perth. Continuing south from Perth near Kinross we can see Loch Leven castle situated on an island in the Loch. Were staying at http://www.syha.org.uk/hostels/central/edinburgh_metro.aspx


Day 5 Friday 21st August - Stage 5 jogle: Edinburgh - Innerleithen - 31.23 miles

A semi rest day with much lower mileage as we head into the borders region to rest our sorry legs by the River Tweed. Fifteen miles out of Edinburgh there are stunning views from atop of the Moorfoot hills looking back to the city and the Firth of Forth. Staying at Scottish guest house of the year 2009, (take a bow) http://www.caddonview.co.uk/ If we turn up between 4 - 5.30 we get free cakes and drinks!! Another stunning place to get the waders on J.R Hartley style and do some fly fishing is on the River Tweed.


Day 6 Saturday 22nd August - Stage 6 jogle: Innerleithen - Kirkby Stephen - 108.76 miles

Getting back into some serious mileage we pass the ton in a day for the first official time!
25 miles in near the village of Eskdalemuir the last thing you would expect to find is the kagyu samye ling monastery & tibetan centre http://www.samyeling.org/ founded in 1967, it was the first tibetan buddhist monastery in the west.

Fifteen miles from Carlisle and 52 miles into the ride we leave Scotland and enter England close to the town of Longtown. On through Carlisle and 45 miles of country cumbrian roads await.. a good food stop is the shepherds inn at Melmerby with apparent monster portions and fine ale. We then arrive in Kirby where Gravy is booked into the yha http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/yorkshire-dales-south-pennines/hostels/kirkby-stephen/index.aspx whilst Barry's at http://www.blackbullkirkbystephen.co.uk