Today was a really early start. Helped or hindered by virtually no sleep, I couldn't decide. I got very little sleep due to a mixture of nerves about the upcoming ride, worry about missing my train in the morning, and finally due to the fact that the youth hostel was particularly noisy, especially the snoring!Up by 6am. Showered and tiptoed out of the dorm by 6:30am and at the station with plenty of time for my 7:05 train to Wick. The train was lovely and quiet and I was able to stretch out nicely across four seats with a table. I also managed to sleep fitfully for a an hour or so, but mostly I spent the 4+ hours staring out of the window at the beautiful scenery.
Arrived in Wick at about 11:20 and set off for John o' Groats after having a brief chat with a couple of exhausted cyclists who were almost at the end of their own trip. They did look tired, but fit too, and I honestly expected them to pass me on the way to the start line - especially as they weren't carrying much in the way of kit. I didn't see them again, but perhaps they took a less direct route, or just took it easy on their final leg.John o' Groats wasn't exactly the most inspiring of starting points. The fellow cyclists lining up for the obligatory photos didn't seem particularly friendly, or chatty, with the exception of one guy who had finished a few weeks back. He had ridden for 13 days and had had the luxury of having his wife driving to the finish point of each day to set up camp, and cook dinner - no such luck for me! He told me to expect days and days of just sitting on the bike in pain whilst keeping the cranks turning - still, he said he'd do it again, so I didn't take his warning too seriously...
Finally ready for the off, fuelled and raring to go, besides, the biting insects were pretty severe. After a few hundred metres I realised I wasn't wearing my gloves, so back to the start I went to seek them out. Found and set off again up a modest incline and then west towards Thurso. The first 20 miles or so were mostly easy and flat-ish roads, with little traffic, and perhaps a slight tailwind, or maybe it was just the adrenaline? Either way, I was making good progress when I reached Thurso. Stopped for a quick Tesco meal deal (haggis crisps anyone?) and then back on the road heading west again.Somewhere past Thurso I ran into Scotland's north west rush-hour, and was soon overtaken by cyclists leaving the local nuclear power-station - I couldn't tell if their speed and luminosity were due to their line of work, or just fitness and sensible clothing - you decide!
The route across the north of Scotland was really quite beautiful, with some tough climbs, especially for a Cambridge boy! Once I made it towards Bettyhill, the roads really got tougher, with some interesting climbs and stunning mountain scenery - unfortunately I had underestimated quite how long the day would take, and after the enforced late start from John o' Groats was still struggling as the light got progressively poorer and the midges came out in force. The wind had also died down completely, which was great for the cycling, as it had moved round to a headwind earlier in the afternoon, but not so great for keeping the midges at bay. 
I finally rolled into the youth hostel at Tongue at about 21:20, in complete darkness, and trailing a cloud of midges behind me. Thankfully I was able to get an upgrade on my room - ie not having to share, and ordered breakfast for the morning too :) Showered, clothes washed and wife spoken to, I went to bed in an actual bed for the last time in quite a long time...
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