The only way is up: Land's End to John o' Groats 2015

[somtamslap]

Skirting around Edinburgh is in my top ten list of things to never do again.

Have arrived in Perth, the start of the Highlands.

I'm staying above a pub which I intend to get drunk in presently. Day report forthcoming...

[klong toey]

We are all very proud of our very own maillot jaune top marks for effort and endurance.
I will buy you the first pint of Tennent's.

[somtamslap]

I will buy you the first pint of Tennent's

Had one in Annan. I thought it was gonna be a light, fizzy lager - wrong!

[kingwilly]

You didn't like Edinburgh?????

[Chittychangchang]

^ I think he's in the zone, focused now on only reaching the top.

No time to appreciate the sights of Edinburgh or perhaps briefly when flying along dodging jaywalking katoeys and pissed up SNP supporters.

[somtamslap]

You didn't like Edinburgh?????

I didn't like trying to skirt around the place on a blooming bicycle - it was more than hideous.

The day started with a Scottish breakfast: some kind of special sausage (which I have forgotten the name of), potato cake, black pudding, bacon, beans, tomato and mushroom - really unhealthy stuff. But it lasted me up until the outskirts of Edinburgh after I'd been toiling for 20 miles in the rain - on a fucking A road...



After much buggering about, I found my way out of the city and cycled passed the airport...



And eventually over the Forth Bridge. It's a bit high. I don't like heights. It SHAT me up...



Over the other side the weather had a go at behaving...



I celebrated the intermittent sunshine with a Scotch pie...



It was a fairly hilly day - some 3,000 feet of climbing - so the sight of Perth(way over yonder), my destination for the day, was a welcomed one...



And here I sit...

Wetherspoons are ruddy everywhere...

[patsycat]

Aha, you bought a pie in Fife. The best pies come from Fife!!

[dirk diggler]

some kind of special sausage (which I have forgotten the name of)

Lorne if yer posh, square sausage for the rest of us.

potato cake

Tattie scones

Aha, you bought a pie in Fife. The best pies come from Fife!!

The best pies come from Songkhla!

[patsycat]

Never been!! But been to Fife many a time...

[kingwilly]

Brilliant. Are you in the Highlands yet or are they to come?

[withnallstoke]

Not enough photos of boozers.

Red sent.

[baldrick]

not enough photos of distilleries

red sent



http://www.maltmadness.com/whisky/map/Scotland/

[Dillinger]

The best pies come from Fife!!

No the don't they come from Cornwall. Get your arse back down there and grab one slapper

[PAG]

not enough photos of distilleries

red sent



Whisky Map of Distilleries in Scotland (Malt Madness Distillery Data)

He's getting close to the homes of the 2 most popular blended whiskeys, Bells at Pitlochry, and Famous Grouse at Crieff (both towns in Perthshire).

Interestingly, the most popular spirit in Scotland is not whiskey, it's vodka.

[Dillinger]

No it's nee its Buckfast

[PAG]

The best pies come from Fife!!

No the don't they come from Cornwall. Get your arse back down there and grab one slapper

Reminded of my first night in Scotland, in Arbroath in the early '70's. After visiting a few of the local pubs (10 p.m. closing time then, and all but hotels closed on Sundays), I went to a fish and chip shop. Ordering a steak pie and chips, and expecting the pie to be taken from an oven or warm tray, watched wide eyed as a pie was dropped into the bath of hot fat and fried to heat it up.

Other quirk was that I'd ordered pie and chips, and looking at the price list on the wall, had the correct money ready to hand over. Wrong, pie price yes, chips price yes, but together that's called a 'supper', and was a few pence more. Apparently, there's a few more chips added to a 'supper'.

[dirk diggler]

Scottish men drink whisky and beer, women drink vodka and kids drink buckfast.

Any deviation from this usually results in us eating our babies.

Pie in the oven? - I've heard it all now.

[withnallstoke]

Pie in the oven? - I've heard it all now.

Bloody deep fried pies.
Heathens.

[Dillinger]

They do Deep fried babies as well, bloody savages

[somtamslap]

Not enough photos of boozers.

I've got loads but I'm saving them up for something special. Wetherspoons watch, perhaps. I was on the Amstel last night - for 1.99 a pop. That's cheaper than Asda, for pete's sake. Oh Wetherspoons, how are love you so.

Hoping there's a Spoons in Inverness or I shall be most disappointed.

[Dillinger]

Why the fuck would you travel the length of Britain and eat that shit in Withnallspoons unless they've sponsored you? ??
How many regional culinary delights have you turned your spandexed buttocks up at?


Not even a Melton Mowbray pork pie

You're a disgrace man !!

[PAG]

If you're stopping for lunch somewhere, try the 'Stovies' (a type of potato hash), which normally comes with sliced beetroot. Both good sources of carbs.

[Dillinger]

Look at this guy, he's visited 239 wetherspoons

On retiring from work in September 2013, I found the need to get out out and about instead of vegetating in the house. So armed with a free bus pass, plus free and reduced train travel due to previously working on the railways, I started my Wetherspoons UK Tour. Some call me "sad", but I love it. I am seeing towns that I have never visited, and am also learning of their history. At the same time I am visiting the associated Wetherspoons pubs, socialising with the locals plus sampling the great beer and food sold at brilliant prices.


Jesus wept

http://wetherspoons-tour.com/home.php

[Bettyboo]

Scotch Egg - gotta have one, Slaps; deep fried if need be...

[withnallstoke]

How many regional delights have you turned your spandexed buttocks up at?

Probably none.