Progress report below!

Hi Everyone

Thank you for visiting my JustGiving page.

I thought it would be a good idea to update you all on your fantastic response to my fundraising efforts.  As of 16th June, friends and relatives have kindly donated £1790 on my Motivation sponsorship forms and I'm still collecting!  Donations through this site are currently £1355.  This makes a very rewarding £3145 so far.    Our friends, John and Sheila, kindly hosted a lunch party in their beautiful garden which  will add a further £650.  Many thanks to you all.   

If you have not yet done so, please have a look at the web site at www.motivation.org.uk. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.

Very many thanks

Keith

Tuesday 11th May
Departed from a deserted Land's End on a cool morning with a chilly north east wind, accompanied by Robin.  Lovely scenic route avoiding A30 to Robin and Pip's home in Bodmin - legs seem OK at the moment but other parts feeling the pressure!  69miles. Duncan arrived on the train to cycle with Keith tomorrow.

Wednesday, 12th May
Just 65 miles today to Duncan's house in Exeter.  Fair weather and the hills were not quite as bad as he feared they might have been. - Duncan had done lots of forays on his motorbike to find the best route.  Interesting to have the time to notice the differences between the countryside of Cornwall and Devon.  Tomorrow Keith will have his first day on his own as he sets out on the Exeter to Bristol leg, hopefully with fewer hills than the first two days.

Thursday, 13th May
First day on his own, and easier than the previous two days, thank goodness!  As he was making good time he decided to call in to the Motivation office at Brockley on the way home to Backwell and was just in time for scones and jam and cream - a welcome treat after 70 miles.  Now enjoying a well deserved soak in the bath!

Friday, 14th May - day4
Departed from home bright and early to cross the bridge into Wales.  Everything fine and relatively flat until Monmouth, (but cold) where Keith got rather lost and completely disorientated by the fact that the river flows almost all the way round the town.  Thereafter, it was uphill for the next 17 miles to Much Birch, just south of Hereford, to the warmth of The Old School B & B where I later joined him.  57 miles

Saturday 15th - day 5
The route through Hereford, Ludlow, Craven Arms, Church Stretton and Shrewsbury was deemed to be the most scenic part of the journey so far, sunny, undulating albeit a bit of a head wind, generally a lovely part of the world which we would like to come back to. I intercepted Keith at Craven Arms and we had lunch at the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre.  I enjoyed a nice walk from Church Stretton while Keith continued on to The old Station B & B at Leaton, just north of Shrewsbury.  It was a very interesting visit as our host is a mining engineer and had been heavily involved in the construction of the Channel Tunnel - in fact had the tool that drilled the last few centimetres to break though to connect the two sides of the service tunnel was on display, along with his other channel Tunnel memorabilia and photos.  67miles.

Sunday 16th May - day 6
Keith set off for Liverpool via the ferry at Birkenhead, quite pleased with how he is feeling- apart from one area! I set off back home. Keith made good time, although frustratingly just missed one ferry and had to wait nearly an hour for the next.  He was met by Brian's friend as arranged at that great landmark, the Royal Liver Building and taken to Brian and Debbie's house.   Sadly Debbie was not at home but he and Brian were able to visit her in hospital - best wishes for a speedy improvement, Debbie.  57miles

Monday 17th - day 7
Monday night's destination was Lambert and Sandy's at Lytham St Anne's.  Following Sandy's advice, Keith took a  route that enabled him to see the Antony Gormley statues staring out to sea on Crosby beach and to pass the RSPB reserve at Martins Mere. A highlight of the visit was a ride in a 1914 Model T Ford that had been in Lambert's family for many generations and which he had recently put back on the road. 54 miles

Tuesday, 18th - day 8
From Lytham it was on Barbie and John's at Crosthwaite, not too far from Windemere in the Lake District.  A lovely day for cycling with little or no wind and the 54 miles were soon done.  Tomorrow, the first really big hill since Cornwall - Kirkstone Pass!  In the comfort of Lowfell, it was a special treat to see the hawfinch which is an occasional visitor to the bird feeder.  Barbie says that the visits are becoming more frequent and that both Mr and Mrs were there the next day.

Wednesday, 19th - day 9
I'm beginning to feel a bit remote here in Bristol.  Keith has now covered over 550 miles so is just over halfway and still enjoying it.  He reports that if you want to do a big hill, Kirkstone Pass isn't too bad after all from the south side and you can go really fast on the way down - a scary 35 miles per hour!  He reached Carlisle from where he was kindly collected for a second night with John and Barbie.  The weather continues to be kind

Thursday, 20th - day 10
John delivered Keith back to Carlisle Station to continue on his journey which was a shorter distance today at 46 miles. Even so, the road from Dumfries to Alan and Lynne at Kirkgunzeon seemed a very long way indeed!  Unfortunately Alan away in Ireland and not there to share the celebrations of some happy family news.

Friday, 21st - day 11
I've just spoken to Keith who is now on the ferry from Ardrossan to Brodick on Arran.  He is very pleased with himself having done 76 miles quite comfortably.  Just broken the news that he has a few more, including a long hill from Brodick to Lamlash  I've just noticed that a viewpoint is marked on the map so hopefully the climb will be worth it.  Then downhill to Lamlash, the nearest place that I could find accommodation - it would seem that the world and his wife are on Arran this weekend, though in view of the lovely weather, not all that surprising.  Unfortunately, he has to retrace his route in the morning............. but as the man said, this is Arran!

Sat, 22nd - day 12
Reflecting on yesterday's long ride, Keith would definitely not recommend the Ayr ring road - quite the scariest bit of road of the whole trip so far and much worse than the A30.  The rest of the route was quite scenic and not too hilly.
The accommodation was very sociable - he stayed at a centre which is part of the HFholidays organisation that runs walking holidays and celebrates Friday evenings with a piper, haggis, whisky tasting and a ceilidh, though he did not participate in the latter - wrong shoes, he said!  When we spoke, he was sitting in the sunshine at at Lochranza waxing lyrical about the wonderful view, waiting for the ferry to Claonaig on Kintyre.  He was then going on to Tarbert from where Patrick and Mary-Ann would collect him to take him down to Campbeltown.  Having had many happy navy visits there he was really looking forward to re-acquainting himself with the area.

Sun, 23 - day 13
Absolutely no cycling today! 

Monday, 24th - day 14
Early bus to Tarbert from Campbeltown to collect the bike and continue on his way.  At 49 miles it was not that far today, albeit hilly - but he did have to cross the Atlantic - though a far shorter crossing than Duncan who departed from Bristol to work in Korea on Sunday!  Keith's crossing was over the 'Bridge Over The Atlantic' to take him to Seil Island and Barbie's mum, Molly, a very spritely lady approaching her nineties who lives on the far side at Easedale.

Tuesday, 25th - day 15
Several phonecalls between Backwell and Dumfries as preparations and plans are made for the drive north to collect Keith.  I am going up to Dumfries (see day 10) on Friday and Lynne has kindly volunteered to keep me company for the rest of the journey up to John O'Groats.  The three of us will then explore some of the Highlands and the north west coast before heading south.
Meanwhile Keith is cycling into the north wind again to rendezvous with his sister and brother-in-law in their motor home - called Toad - in Connel.  They will be supporting him the rest of the way.  He commented on the number of cuckoos he has heard in Scotland - in Campbeltown, Seil and wherever he was today when he phoned!  In all he has heard seven.
Short text to say he had met up with Angie and Henry at Ledaig. 46 miles

Wednesday, 26th -  day 16
Today he did 64 miles to Invergarry.  Definitely appreciating his little bubble of luxury that is going before him!

Thursday, 27th - day 17
Reached Evanton which was 56 miles, including a very big hill , probably felt worse as the weather was a bit more unpleasant with rain, wind and hail . 'Hail?' said Robin, incredulously, as they returned from a scorching day on the beach in Cornwall!  My father remembered that there was an air station there and that it was reknown for poor weather conditions.
Probably no more now as tomorrow I embark on the long trip up to John O'Groats.  I am not especially looking forward to the drive, especially as it is Bank Holiday Friday, but would like to see the north of Scotland - just need a Dr Who device to transport me there!  I'm sure Keith will add some more details once we get home again.   In the mean time, many thanks to all for your generous donations and encouragement.

A retrospective summary of the final few days.

Friday 28 May - day 18 - Evanton to Altnaharra, 56 miles. Cold head wind, but wonderful remote area. Over night in motor home beside Loch Naver and saw a Black Throated Diver.

Saturday 29 May - day 19 - 59 miles. Altnaharra to Dunnet Bay via Strathnaver, probably the most beautiful stretch of the whole journey. The downside was that wind again and some big hills, so quite a hard day.  Over night in motor home a few yards from the sea. Last night 'on the road' so accepted Henry's kind offer of a wee dram!

Sunday 30 May - day 20 - Dunnet Bay to John O'Groats via Dunnet Head (the most northerly point), 20 miles.
The wind eased, the sun shone and it was good to finish with a wonderful reception party - Carrie, Lynne, Angie and Henry and a bottle of champagne.
Total distance cycled was 1045 miles. Not the shortest or fastest route, but it was scenic and great fun to visit many friends and relatives  - thanks to all for their kindness and support.

Sunday to Saturday 5th May - a most enjoyable trip home around the north west of Scotland with Carrie, and Lynne as far as Dumfries.  

I have been away from home for almost a month so it's good to be back! Now I have to catch up with all the 'admin'! Absolutely no time to go to work!!

My thanks to Carrie for keeping this diary going, I hope you have found it interesting.  When I have worked out the total amount that has been so generously donated I will let you know.