For the last few years it seems that I make Barry go on at least one multiday cycle trip with me.

This year, the weather forecast helped us choose the Sustrans Coast & Castles North, which largely follows the Route 1 which ultimately runs from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

With Edinburgh being one of the end points, this had the added bonus of starting in Aberdeen and cycling to Edinburgh so you know exactly which train to book your cycles on (an absolute must given the number of times Barry and I have been turned away at a station because of our bikes).

So, we booked our train and hotel (no camp grounds in Aberdeen) for a Thursday and prepared ourselves for a three day, 277km ish cycle back home to Edinburgh. It still seemed like a good idea to go in this direction despite the headwind forecast (there might be a reason the route is normally done Edinburgh to Aberdeen). At any rate, we do love a train ride. And train snacks.

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Scotland in the summer time means cycle trips. Usually with a waterproof. Unusually, this year, a waterproof was not needed. Such luck.

Barry and I knew we wanted to do a week or so of cycling once I’d arrived in Scotland. Outdoor time during the easing of pandemic restrictions meant that I wanted to stay away from large indoor crowds. We landed on cycling in the Outer Hebrides, mostly due to the great weather and the lure of nice beaches to camp on. It was the least planning I have ever done for a trip. Having two weeks to complete a one week cycle meant that we were very relaxed about how much or how little cycling we did (or how many times we stopped for cake).

The weather and the beaches did not disappoint. Neither did the lack of planning.