Day 1 John o' Groats to Loch Leir

About to leave with 'Horse'

As we drove up from my home near Inverness the car shuddered in the gusts of wind, worsening over the exposed moorland beyond Latheronwheel. Plans to start the trip from Duncansby Head were soon shelved; John o' Groats would do nicely. After the obligatory photo I gave girlfriend Fiona a last hug, and headed off into the headwind at 11am.
Anxious to avoid the main roads as much as I possible I took the backroads, passing Loch Watten, but there were no signs of Wattie, the resident monster that does very well to hide in a loch just 12 feet deep! The B870 led across to the Thurso River, Thor's River of the Orkneyinga Saga, then onto a minor road leading to the forestry tracks that would take me traffic-free through to Forsinain. I'd spent a month in 2011 working as a volunteer at the Forsinard RSPB reserve, and it was nice to pass the lochs where we'd done bird counts back then.

Loch Leir camp, Flow Country

The tracks weren't too potholed, though there was the occasional patch of sand where the bike would come to a rapid stop, and there were a few near-spills. By the time I reached Loch Leir it was getting late and I was ready to call it a day. I camped at the end of track near the loch, and made camp as the temperature rapidly dropped. I made a brew from the loch's already tea-coloured water, followed by an 'eat-from-the-pouch' pasta, and a boil-in-the-bag chocolate pudding which really hit the spot.
A big full moon rose, stags began to roar, and the dimples of rising trout studded the loch. It was a great end to the day.

Day stats: Distance 69km 547 Metres of ascent
Off road 18km
A roads 2km
B roads 22km (Single lane B roads 18km)
Minor roads 26km