http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Bicycle-Diaries/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Bicycle Diaries en-us Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:05:36 +0000 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:05:36 +0000 Heights of Madness a book based on this travel blog has now been published by Metro Books.It can be purchased from Amazon by following the link here Or for information about the trip a 92day 5000mile cycling and walking journey between the highest points in 92 UK counties please use the link here http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Inverness/blog-452502.html On Saturday I climbed through the mist and the slanting rain to the 1344 metre summit of Ben Nevis my 92nd and final mountain. The summit is the coldest place in Britain with a mean temperature of 0.3C and is scaled by 100000 people a year. If the tourist track to the top is a motorway then the summit is a service station the highest picnic area in Britain. After so many lonely summits it was http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Worcestershire/Bromsgrove/blog-82398.html Much cycling extraordinary Scottish scenery and getting lost on mountain tops have been the themes of the last week. I headed north west from Inverness to Ullapool then north to Durness Britain's most northwesterly mainland village. John Lennon went on holiday there and the villagers have built a little memorial garden for him.The climb to Ben More Assynt Sutherland's county top was harrowing http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Thurso/blog-80588.html At 1309 metres above sea level Ben Macdui is the second highest mountain in the UK and situated in the centre of the Cairngorms it is remote. The Cairngorms National Park contains the largest mountain and arctic area in Britain is twice as big as the Lake District and boasts 52 summits over 900 metres. My plan was to walk into the Cairngorms camp overnight among the hills and climb the mountai http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Inverness/blog-79423.html Let me start by stressing that I have used no artificial products sunin lemon juice anything on my hair as some people are suggesting. It is merely the fact that a healthy outdoor lifestyle and hours of sunshine beating down on my head has blonded my hair.So I went to Northern Ireland. I booked myself on the 4.15am ferry from Cairnryan to Larne. I slept overnight in the ferry terminal and http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Stirling/blog-77926.html I was playing a bizarre game of Scrabble in a hostel in Norfolk with a guy from Northern Ireland a woman from Northampton and a South African. None of them had ever played before and despite me repeating the rules countless times they thought they could they could spell words backwards and count the extra scores every time a new word was added. The Irishman's first word was whore and he attempted http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Minnigaff/blog-74665.html I'm currently encamped in Airdrie between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Yesterday I did the short walk to Scotland's lowest county top Cairnpapple Hill and had to pay 3 for the privilege. The hill is owned by Historic Scotland as it's one of the best known prehistoric sites on the mainland with evidence of human activity dating back 5500 years. Ancient Britons built a henge up there but out of woo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Airdrie/blog-72630.html On July 5 after almost 2500 miles in the saddle I crossed Carter Bar the border pass into Scotland. Set more than 400 metres high in the hills it is the most spectacular way to arrive in Scotland.The last few days have been the most challenging yet most exhilarating. My route took me northwest through the Yorkshire dales to the Lake District where I climbed three of the most famous mountains in http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Edinburgh/blog-72043.html Take a look at httpwww.hillbagging.co.ukjonnymuirCountyTopsEW.php this shows what hillsmountains I have climbed and when. And httpwww.hillbagging.co.ukjonnymuirCountyTopsSC.php to show what's coming up.Click on the map to the right and it shows the random route I've had to take.It's not about facts and figures but so far 2141 miles or 3440 km and 47 hills and mountains.The River T http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Lancashire/blog-68798.html Today I should reach the halfway milestone 43 hills out of 86 and 2000 miles. But I'm trapped in King's Lynn for now as bike needs emergency surgery. To complete the 86 in 86 days I should finish on Ben Nevis on Monday August 7.East Anglia is pretty ... but as dull as the ditch water which runs through the Fens. Still got another day to get out of this flat desolate part of the world. and esc http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Norfolk/blog-67614.html Back in England and I've bought a tent albeit a tiny one. It fits one thin man and weighs 1.5kg. Carrying a sleeping bag too. This means that I have fitted panniers to my bike which I hate but is a necessary evil. Hostels were proving too expensive and unreliable. Camping gives me the freedom to carry on cycling until dusk and stop where I want. On Wednesday night I camped wild for the first http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Leicestershire/blog-66830.html Rushing back to England in time for the first game against Paraguay on Saturday. Due to my Argentina cycling top the Welsh assume I'm from South America. It's made for some confusion.Had a glorious week of cycling and climbing high mountains in some of the most beautiful areas of the UK Snowdonia the Cambrians Pembokeshire and Brecon Beacons.Apart from a stupid 87mile day in blazing sun endin http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Wales/Brecon/blog-65116.html Climbed Snowdon the highest mountain in England and Wales in the most glorious sunny weather. Started from the Pen y Pass youth hostel where George Mallory of Everest fame stayed in 1913 up the Pyg track and down the Miner's route. The top was blanketed in mist and full of people who had just stepped off the mountain railway. Reached 1000 miles on the bike yesterday in Anglesey. Had to ride t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Wales/blog-63494.html So far 799 miles in 13 days at an average of 61 miles per day. And more than 14000 metres of climbing just on the bike that's approaching twice up Everest.According to the Daily Mail it is set to be the wettest May on record. I can vouch for that. It has rained every day sometimes all day. At times it has been souldestroying and incredibly frustrating. Now done 19 hills adding Gloucester http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/West-Midlands/Birmingham/blog-62255.html In the last two days my bike has imploded. Having had no punctures for 600 miles I've had four in 50 miles and a ripped tire. Coupled with the atrocious weather it's been a tad frustrating. Especially when a Brum while nicking my milk starts telling me that she doesn't understand why cyclists moan about the rain. Apparently it cools us off. Probably a bluenose.In a line from Cambridgeshire to Br http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bristol-County/Bristol/blog-61566.html Making storming progress despite the rain. Cycled 86 miles yesterday from Saffron Walden in Cambridgeshire to Beaconsfield and scampered up three hills including the lovely Dunstable Downs in between.So that takes the current grand total to 13 in nine days. Plan to be in Bristol by Tuesday which will make 17 in 11 days so good going. That pace will slow though in the north Wales and Scotland http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/blog-61028.html The highest point in Middlesex is a covered reservoir near right on the current border of Hertfordshire. Three Valleys Water own the land so I had to persuade one of their manager's to let me go up there. Reluctantly he did and showed me around the site it was as glamorous as a covered reservoir sounds.When I started this I didn't thing high points would be found in back gardens and on covered r http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Hammersmith/blog-60468.html London...six days on the road. 350 miles and seven county tops. Betsom's Hill top of Kent was situated in some chap's garden. He kindly allowed me onto his land. Couldn't see much because yet again it was raining.Staying with a friend in London tonight so managed to wash my clothes. Heading to Middlesex then flats in East Anglia and Home Counties next week.Stayed in a hostel with 25 Austrians l http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/London-City/blog-60298.html So far so goodDAY 1 Bodmin to Okehampton 56m Brown Willy CornwallDAY 2 Okehampton to Exford 44m High Willhays Devon Dunkery Beacon SomersetDAY 3 Exford to Litton Cheney 79m Lewesdon Hill DorsetTODAY Litton Cheney to Salisbury 60mTo be honest it's been extremely hard work particularly the first few days. To be truthful I thought about packing it all in but I kne http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Wiltshire/blog-59854.html Conquering the highest point in every British county. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Gloucestershire/blog-56247.html