04 Getting to Oban

A 6am alarm, quick shower and coffee and by 7.15 with a fully loaded bike, a brisk cycle in fine early morning sunshine to Central Station. 

The route into town was reasonably quiet and I made good time covering the 20kms within the hour.

Newcastle Central is busy at all times but it was easy to grab a coffee and wait for the first of my three trains of the day to Edinburgh.

LNER were very good  leaving on time and arriving 10 mins early into Waverley. The route to Glasgow was also on time and the Oban train was also punctual, an unbelievably good run for a Friday when things can get hectic.

One other cyclist was boarding the train at Newcastle, we swapped chat about where we were going. He was also booked on exactly the same three trains as me to Oban, then catching a ferry to Tiree tomorrow about half an hour short of the Outer Hebrides. What's even more strange was that on an eight carriage train to Oban, his seat reservation was....next to mine. So it was all cycling talk and beautiful views to Oban. I'll attach some pics from the journey.

Early to bed tonight for me after a nice fish soup and then Carbonara at the Kiana Italian kitchen here in Oban. I can recommend it but book early, its quite small and cosy, just what I like. 

Thanks to everyone for their wonderful messages of support, and my go fund me page for Radio Tyneside is here if you'd like to help.

https://gofund.me/99f986e0

More tomorrow.

P.s. I don't know how to edit these pics from landscapes to portrait, haha, typical of me.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

02 Fundraising Update

Latest........Several listeners have made contributions directly to the radio station as they don't have access to my GoFundMe page. These increase our running total by an incredible £1,140 so as at noon on Sunday 2nd March we stand at around £1,770. Magnificent and thank you all so much! https://gofund.me/1ee04676 Tony.
Read more

09 Hebridean Way Completed - Balallan to Butt of Lewis

Image
I was so tired last night I had to rest for eight hours before updating my blog. I would say that possibly through an accumulated tiredness, day 4 was a tough one too.  The winds picked up from lunchtime and for the second day it was a Northerly into my face, just requiring a bit more effort to manage undulating hills.  The first seven miles before a breakfast stop at Langabhat were pleasant enough with traffic light at this early hour. A left turn took me onto a quieter road (and off the main route to the "capital" Stornoway). Steady up and down undulations without ever being difficult, and soon on to the Callanish Stones, dating back some 5000 years and of huge archeological importance. No forklifts in those days, difficult to imagine how the people of the day could move such heavy stones. On the lower islands all signs were in Gaelic with an English translation, but as I got further north the English is dropped from many signs. Maybe there is an historical or cultural reas...
Read more

01 Planning for the Hebridean Way cycle ride

The Hebridean Way is a 300 km cycle route through the remote and spectacular islands of the Outer Hebrides. Using ferries and causeways to hop between islands, this popular route begins on the Island of Vatersay and ends on the northernmost point at the Butt of Lewis. It is one of the ultimate get-away-from-it-all cycling trips, the Hebridean Way runs the full length of the Outer Hebrides, over remote moorland, past wide, white beaches and over a few memorable hills. You hop from island to island on ferries or over long causeways. Because of the prevailing winds, it is usually recommended to cycle the route from south to north. On a fine day, the Western Isles is a glorious place to be, but they also receive the full lash of storms from the Atlantic, so best be prepared for all types of weather, many of these islands are remote so important to have enough food, water, and warm, waterproof clothes. The rewards are wild and stunning scenery and o...
Read more