Sabbatical Diary – Day 21

On the ferry from Nigg to Cromarty.

Paul (who I was talking to out the Orca watch), said you could only fit one car on the Nigg – Cromarty ferry. He was wrong. You can fit a car and a trike! Only just though.

Wet much of the day. 5 lighthouses, 3 impressive, 2 not so much. Nice range of scenery today. Including this beach:

So, cyclists! Having finished some of the more challenging parts of my trip, I want to talk a little about cyclists. I have often talked about the steepness, narrowness, twistyness, and unevenness of some of the roads I have travelled. I am riding a three wheeled vehicle with a 1690cc engine, disc brakes all around, front and rear hydraulic suspension, a huge padded seat and a backrest! Everywhere I have been, there have been cyclists. Up and down thousands of feet. Miles and miles in the rain. Or heat, occasionally. Lack of generosity on single track roads from car and motor home drivers. Every time I have overtaken a cyclist, I have waved and shouted ‘Respect’. And meant it. I have no idea how fit you would need to be, how much you would need to train, to cycle some of the roads I have seen cyclists on. Amazing. I went past a cyclist towards the top of Bealach na Ba, the pass across to Applecross, which goes from sea level to over 2,000 ft and back to sea level in 11 miles. I stopped at the top to take a couple of photos, and chatted to him when he arrived. Told him how impressed I was. Respect!

God bless,

Mike