We enjoyed a feast of food before the day ahead of us but our slumber was interrupted by a noisy and snoring visitor in our domitory.
My world did he bellow!
We awoke to gloomy weather over John o’ Groats but following handshakes with fellow cyclists Paul and Adrian set off at 08.55am on the first leg of their 984-mile journey to Land’s End.
The first run took the riders on an 82.5 mile ride under which they were able to remove the wet weather kit and bask and pedal in the glorious sunshine.
Berridale Braes was our first meeting point by a hillside near a cemetery opposite the harbour. We all enjoyed an hour’s rest.
The highlight of our lunchbreak was meeting two cyclists on their last leg of the Land’s End to John o’ Groats tour that we had passed the day before.
We had given them a wave and a toot. They stopped for an interesting chat and wished us well for the rest of our journey.
The second half of the day went very well.
The weather was glorious but the terrain extremely challenging with some very steep climbs.
As the boys beat the hills Natasha and Annie Freak visited the Glenmorangie Distillery renowned for its fantastic whisky.
For us in the support team it was very interesting.
After 82.5 miles of riding it was end of the first day. We headed off to Carbisdale Castle in Culraine which has been a youth hostel since 1945.
It was a stunning end to a fantastic first day.