GNER have changed all this. Today they launched (into some sort of beta test) their new online ticketing facility. I am pleased to report that in the final stages of booking you can now select ‘bicycle space’ and then make a bicycle reservation.

Magic.

And remind me again quite why this rail company (the only rail company with even an ounce of sense) just lost their franchise?

My photos are available. Some highlights include:

Scottish figs:

Award winning beaches:

Smoo Caves:

Generally incredible views:

See the whole lot..

**update** Sarah describes the trip in extensive detail here

It just so happens that this camp site, beautifully situated at the edge of a cliff at the southern end of the island, comes highly recommended by Cool Camping. For those unaware, this recent publication has reminded many people of the joys of camping. As a side effect, it has also made camping accessible to followers of Hip Hotels and other such coffee table books. Not that this is a bad thing, per se, but this was definitely the first time I have seen somebody buffing the alloys of their SUV on a camp site:

Those who were not asleep this weekend will know that the UK weather wasn’t really cut out for camping, least of all our chosen destination on the Isle of Wight, which attracted the largest rainfall in the country (over 2 inches in 12 hours, and that isn’t taking into account that it had already been raining solid for 12 hours prior to that..). This, combined with winds gusting up to Gale Force 8 (or 9 depending on who you ask), meant that some of our cool camping friends didn’t have such a cool time.

Over night, the majority of our neighbours left. Some left, abandoning their tents and possessions:

Maybe those behemoth tents aren’t such a good idea afterall. At least, not when camped on the edge of a cliff.

(pictures courtesy of Sarah)

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4801

Good.

Here we have a moderate sized gallery of pictures from our adventure across Denmark in September. The route took us to Newcastle, Gothenburg (by ferry), Copenhagen (by train) then by bike to Esbjerg, and ferry to Harwich.

That’s enough catch-up. Future posts might be more relevant to the current time!

But perhaps more surprising than rain in the UK was that during this intense rainy spell I was offered a lift by two separate (and I assume completely independent) drivers.

Being (Great) British, I stubbornly (but politely [or as politely as one can when cycling flat out in driving rain]) declined. Besides, I didn’t want to mess up their car interiors.

Although I won’t win, you can see the photos.

We then cycled up through Benbecula, North Uist, Berneray, South Harris, Scalpay and back via Skye.

Photos are now available, highlights include:

The A865 which cuts through the islands – single file, long and slightly wiggly:

Berneray hostel, amazingly thatched, and an amazing beach-side location – overlooking the Sound of Harris:

Beach and clear waters at the southern end of Harris:

A lasagne pie from Steak and Bake in Broadford, best thing I’ve ever tasted.

At last, the red and black marbled handlebar tape was replaced (in a team effort style with sarah) with plain black. And it looks great.

Dawes 2 seemed happy with a clean and miniservice too.

Following the Southern recently banning cyclists from their trains, a gentleman asked permission to take a cardboard bicycle on the train, which he was indeed allowed to.

It seems that you can take as much luggage as you like, and even a bicycle, just as long as it isn’t made of bicycle-type material.