And we finished (well sort of), today was the last leg of our main coastal tour round the North of Scotland. 49 miles of easier, rolling riding through countryside much more like ours in Warwickshire, with fields of crops, hedges and dry stone walling. The mountains in the background, however, and the sea by our side, ensured we didn’t forget where we were.

It seemed a gentler day’s ride to begin with, hardly any wind and the gradient not too severe. But that all changed when we got to Berriedale, a steep drop down, with some very battered looking barricades where a local coach only just avoided dropping 15 metres into the river the week before!

Starting with the view over to Doonreay reactor on our left, we set off towards John O Groats. The wind at our backs again and over terrain that was not quite as hilly meant our average speed was noticeably higher today.

The scenery today has continued to be spectacular with wild moorlands, a view of deer again at the side of the road, and crossing the causeway at Tongue. We’ve finished up our ride at Reay, famous for the fast breeder reactor.

An easier day's ride with only a couple of steep climbs and a pleasant gentle descent down into Durness, we even finally enjoyed the wind behind us as we turned back away from the North Coast to go down the side of Loch Eriboll to Glenaladale B&b in Laid were we...

The wind and the hills conspired together to make today a tough ride. Even on the downhills, the head wind ensured that we had to keep pedalling.

The plan today is to cycle from Ullapool to Scourie (view route) about 43 miles.

A good days riding with only a few spots of rain. The climb out of Dundonnell on the road of desolation certainly tested the legs with over five miles of continuous climbing.

We’ve managed day one! We’d made the decision not too push it to hard for the first couple of days, sticking to 30 miles per day, but we couldn’t make the hills any flatter!

Bikes are kitted up, fairly light today as we're coming back to base on the first day. And we're off! First stop Two Lochs Radio, all down hill to there, then it starts getting a bit harder work as we climb out of Gairloch.