Distance 190 kms Ascent 1,660 metres

The day started gray but dry as I set off. There was mist on the hills but with a tail wind & some prolonged downhills progress was quite fast in the morning.

I crossed the highest points of the ride, but with a lot of climbing over the past few days they were not difficult at all.

The route followed The A9 on a variety of bike paths & quiet roads. As I get closer to John O’ Groats I’m seeing more & more riders. There were several couples today including one on a tandem.

The landscape changed from wooded forest to seascapes as the day wore on. This area is known for the red squirrels as the grey ones have pushed them out of the rest of the UK. I kept my eyes peeled but all I found was the warning signs. I did see a deer though.

After bouts of sunshine the sky finally let loose and I was soaked but the sun came back out again this was then repeated another 3 times so I was thankful to be wearing a good water proof jacket.

Tonight we’re not in the camper as we decided to treat ourselves & stayed in a whisky barrel! With no cooking facilities we opted for a takeaway delivered to the door.

I actually beat Mundi here today as she was playing tourist back at Blair Atholl Castle, which has an interesting history. One story is that Queen Victoria once stayed here & was so impressed with the hospitality that she granted then the right to bear arms. To this day the family has the only private army in Europe.

Tomorrow is the last day, John O’Groats here we come!