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Bill Strachan and Jon Ure, both active and fit members of South Lochaber Church, have completed an epic journey to cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats to raise money for Christian Aid.
They visited churches and Cathedrals on the way.
They started on 27th. May.
The Report at the end of this epic journey
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They arrived at John O'Groats at 11.00 am on Saturday 29 June,
The total distance cycled was 1158 miles in 32 days.
Jon Ure covered the whole journey.
Bill Strachan cycled from Land's End to Moffat where he had to withdraw due to illness, but joined again with his car to transport luggage each day,
Ewen Smith from Glencoe, joined them at Carlisle and continued to John O Groats.
David Dougan from Glencoe, covered the stretch from Newtonmore to Inverness.
Over £2,500 has been raised so far.
See below for regular updates along the journey.
Their Final Report and the Total Raised
It is is now a couple of weeks since we finished the Land's End to John O'Groats charity cycle trip. The three of us have recovered and have been back out on the bikes, albeit on much shorter trips!
We are delighted to announce that the total collected for Christian Aid is £2,919.10. This amount far exceeded our expectations. It is thanks to all who donated - you are the true heroes in this journey, we only did the pedalling!
We look forward to telling more of the story and showing photos at a social evening in September in the church hall. We do hope you can come along.
Jon, Bill, Ewen
Celebration Evening
On Thursday 26 September in Nether Lochaber Church Hall, Bill and John gave a pictorial description of their epic cycle.
Update No. 1 : Thursday 30 May.
Here is an update on our cycling trip. The photo is at the start in Land's End. After getting a bit lost and adding some extra miles to our day, we have made it to our first objective which is Truro.
That's the first fifty miles done!
We managed to get a cup of tea from the church warden of St Erf's church who was surprised and delighted to see us passing!
Update No. 2 : Saturday 1 June.
We are now in Somerset and hope to reach Taunton today. There are some big hills in Devon and Cornwall and I think we cycled up them all!
Visited a lovely small 12th century church near the village with the unusual name of Sheepwash.
All going well..... Bill and Jon
Update No. 3 : Sunday 2 June.
Hi Melville..... Well we made it to Taunton. A hard day of 57 miles pedalling in the sunshine. This is Jon checking that we were in fact lost again!
There are so many wee roads it was hard to follow the route and we did take many wrong turns.
Glorious weather, let's hope that continues.
Hope to be in Bath by Tuesday.
Update No. 4 : Wednesday 5 June.
The cycling is going well and it was great to travel along the old railway tracks and canal paths of Somerset. Passed through Bridgewater and Glastonbury before reaching Wells.
We were invited into the cathedral by one of the guides who it turns out is the local organiser for Christian Aid in the area.
This is a magnificent building and very big. The nave was displaying over five thousand paper doves made by children of local schools as shown in this photograph.
The photo below shows an astronomical clock made in the 14th century and it still keeps good time!
We reached Bath yesterday, Tuesday,
and that's over three hundred miles done!
We are having a rest day today!
Update No. 5 : Friday 7 June.
Bill reports - "We have now reached Gloucester. Unfortunately, I don't think we will make to the Cathedral as it will now be closed for the day. We want to be away early tomorrow, as we are heading to Droitwich , which is just north of Worcester. It could be a long day.
Our route today took us along the Sharpness to Gloucester canal and it's here that we came across this beautiful swan - very reluctant to move. Jon passed it with some trepidation!
Unlike Lochaber, we haven't experienced any rain yet. Long may that continue!"
Continuation of Update No. 5
"We came across this church with an enormous steeple near, Berkeley in Gloucestershire.
The photo doesn't do it justice. The steeple looked a way out of proportion in relation to the rest of the building.
Update No. 6 : Saturday 8 June at 18.21.
We have made it to Droitwich. We are just looking for something to eat now. It's a glorious day here and it's still warm.
(Unlike like Lochaber today - Editor)
Update No. 7 : Sunday 9 June
Today, Sunday, we reached a new County, Shropshire. Our overnight stay is in Bridgnorth and tomorrow we head towards Cheshire.
We will probably need a stop somewhere before then.
Still no rain, although it was windy today with a north blow right in our faces!
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Nice to put some miles behind us. This was a signpost on the way to Shropshire.
Nice to put some miles behind us. This was a signpost on the way to Shropshire.
Update No. 8 : Tuesday 11 June
Hello everyone. Here is another update.
Yesterday, we passed through the village of Great Bolas. As the church was open, we had a look inside. The photo below shows that the pews all have little doors on them. I think that it would be like sitting in a box!
We did sign the Visitors' Book as two travellers from Lochaber. That will give them something to think about. The bench made a nice rest place in the sun.
Today, Tuesday, which is our fourteenth day away, saw us make it into Cheshire. It's Lancashire tomorrow.
Update No. 9 : Thursday 13 June
We arrived in Lancashire OK and had accommodation in Leigh. We passed this milestone outside the Black Swan Hotel. I can't remember where that was.
According to our record keeping, we have done more than the mileage from Land's End than is on the sign below!
We couldn't pass this baker's shop without and early coffee stop.
Update No. 10 : Saturday 15 June
On Friday, we had one of the hardest hill climbs of the trip - Pendleton Hill, on the way to Ingleton in the Yorkshire Dales.
It was wet and cold and seeing a ski slope on the summit didn't surprise us.
We had a bit of bike trouble but thanks to Escape Bikes in Ingleton, we got that sorted out.
The hill climbs didn't stop going, though. At Dent Dale as you can see in the image below, we had to resort to pushing the bikes some of the way.
This is Intleborough hill which dominates the area. This viewpoint gives a great panorama of the Forest of Bowland area.
We arrived in Orton and another new county, Cumbria, wet and cold, but in fine spirit.
Ingleborough Hill
Ingleborough Hill
Compass Points
Compass Points
Typical wet weather gear. We had thought that it would be shorts and T-shirts in June!
Near the top of another hill.
Update No. 11 : Tuesday 18 June
We left the Yorkshire Dales and entered a new county - Cumbria. Our overnight stay was in the small village of Orton. This is a popular stop-over for folk walking the Coast to Coast long distance path, and we did enjoy chatting to fellow long distance travellers.
The next day saw us make good progress into Carlisle. We spent some time visiting the cathedral there. This is one of the smaller cathedrals but it is one of the most picturesque. One could spend ages just staring up at the barrel ceiling artwork! Our Lady's face stares back at you!
We were joined by our friend Ewen who is going to accompany us hopefully to John O'Groats.
We decided to press on and you can see where we ended up after a very full day! It felt great to be back in the land of the square sausage!
Carlisle Cathedral
Beautiful Vaulted Ceiling
Can you spot the Lady's face?
Here she is!
The top of another hill!
The top of another hill!
That's England done! Bring on the midges!
That's England done! Bring on the midges!
Update No. 11 : Friday 21 June
Sad news - on Tuesday, Bill Strachan became ill at Moffat and had to return home. Ewen, a friend from Glencoe, who joined them at Carlisle, will continue with Jon to head for John O'Groats. We wish Bill a speedy recovery.
Good progress is being made. They had a good run through Glasgow on the Clydesdale Cycle Path as seen in the 2 photographs below.
They are heading for the Trossachs today hoping to reach Callander.
Bridge over the Clyde in Glasgow Green
Bridge over the Clyde in Glasgow Green
A level canal path
A level canal path
Update No. 12 : Monday 24 June
Today's update on the cycle marathon.
Good progress is being made by Jon and Ewen. They successfully navigated their way through Glasgow with an overnight stay at Balloch. The next day, they tackled the hills of the Trossachs. The former railway line from Callendar to Killin is an ideal cycle path and goes over the viaduct in Glen Ogle which looks spectacular when driving towards Lochearnhead. This railway line was closed in 1965 when there was a large landslide in Glen Ogle which took away part of the railway line. That was part of the route from Glasgow to Oban. Abernethy provided a well deserved overnight rest.
Pitlochry was the next destination with the cycle route alongside the A9 being currently tackled.
Bill is recovering well and hopes to join the team later in the week to give moral support!
The photo to the left shows the Star Hotel in Moffat. It is just 20 feet wide. Could this be the narrowest hotel in the UK?
A pop-up Café in Aberfoyle
A pop-up Café in Aberfoyle
Jon found some "ewe" friends in Lockerbie
Jon found some "ewe" friends in Lockerbie
Another hill in Perthshire is conquered
Another hill in Perthshire is conquered
Many more miles to go!
Many more miles to go!
This image shows the derelict railway line in Glen Ogle with its beautiful viaduct. It's good that all the hard work which went into the construction of this line, can be put to good use as a cycle track. This was the main line from Glasgow to Oban with a branch off to Killin. Crianlarich like Tyndrum, had two stations - an upper and lower. It was constructed by the Caledonian Railway Company which later became part of LNER. The departure point in Glasgow was a station at the top end of Buchanan Street. It closed in 1966 with all services transferred to Queen Street station.
Update No. 13 : Wednesday 26 June
It was a long haul on the cycle path beside the A9 from Pitlochry to Newtonmore where the next overnight stop was. The guys were pleased to see the Drumochter summit behind them!
Bill met up with them at Aviemore and ferried the bags to the next overnight stop at Loch Garten. With the bikes being much lighter, good progress was made all the way to Inverness.
Friend David Dougan from Glencoe joined the lads for a day's cycle on this section. Today, Wednesday, should see the Black Isle behind them as they head for the Flow country. The end is approaching.
Drumochter Summit
Drumochter Summit
The original bridge at Carbridge!
The original bridge at Carbridge!
The new Uber delivery men
The new Uber delivery men
Some route planning
Some route planning
View from the Kessock Bridge - the cycle route has a dedicated road across the bridge
View from the Kessock Bridge - the cycle route has a dedicated road across the bridge
The Moray Firth leading up to Inverness Harbour There is a Yacht marina in top left of the photo
The Moray Firth leading up to Inverness Harbour There is a Yacht marina in top left of the photo
Update No. 14 : Friday 28 June
The cycle route leaves the A9 just after Tain and goes through Bonar Bridge. Carbisdale Castle is a prominent feature. Bill had stayed there when it was a youth hostel. It's now being developed as a private residence.
The overnight accommodation was equally grand in the house that Andrew Carnegie built and lived in. Two of us were allocated Mr Carnegie's bedroom complete with the original furniture. To think that three great men have stayed there - Jon, Bill and Andrew Carnegie. Ewen was allocated the butler's quarters!
It was decided to make the most of the good weather and press on to Bettyhill on the north coast. It was good to get a first glimpse of the Pentland Firth.
We had booked the historic Crask Inn on the bleak road between Lairg and Altnahara for our Thursday night accommodation. The inn doubles up as an Episcopal church once a month for a service so it was not unusual to find hymn books and Bibles amongst the reading literature in the bar. There were only six of us staying there. Everyone shares the same table for dinner and all at the same time of seven o'clock.
Only two more days of pedalling to go.
Jon's bed for the night
Jon's bed for the night
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
The famous Crask Inn
The famous Crask Inn
Altnaagar Lodge built by Andrew Carnegie
Altnaagar Lodge built by Andrew Carnegie
Wild and remote - great for cycling
Wild and remote - great for cycling
The Bar and Church
The Bar and Church
Strathnaver Parish Church
Strathnaver Parish Church
Ideal Parking Post!
Ideal Parking Post!
The Cycling Team
The Cycling Team
Update No. 15 : Saturday 29 June
The team arrive at John O'Groats at 11.00 this morning.
The team arrive at John O'Groats at 11.00 this morning.
Very well done, lads. In the Autumn, there will be a Social evening to hear the full account of their journey, to be held in the Nether Lochaber Church Hall where their photographs can be viewed on the large TV screen.
They are heading south (by car!) to have a meal at the Cairn Hotel in Carrbridge this evening and then stay the night in premises near Loch Garten - back home tomorrow!
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