Day 6 - Lauder to Dunbar

Last day today, come on body! Weather looks good after rain over night.

KT and I had slightly muzzy heads after indulging in some banter with the locals last night.

Service with a smile at breakfast, a comedy moment which I will paraphrase! We'd been treated to some excellent breakfasts on the trip, The Stables in Newton Stewart run by the delightfully Jackie and The Lime Tree providing the best by a good margin. This morning was to be slightly different. As I was lounging in bed nursing a lack of sleep and a slight hangover Mr B asked to see the breakfast menu, hoping perhaps for a lighter, fish/egg based breafast. The breakfast chef was a bit stressed out to say the least. He was expecting to cook for just the four of us but due to a booking error 15 Italians had rocked up last night at 10pm and were hoping to have breakfast at 8am too. The chef informed Mr B that there was no breakfast menu, that he'd get what he'd be given and he didn't want any moaning or else! Mr B, understandably taken aback retorted that this was not quite the level of service he was expecting only to be told to 'F*!k off and make it yourself'. You couldn't script it. This was a man losing the plot sadly, I felt a bit for him as he looked super-stressed out but he should have been more professional about it. If there was a little red mini parked outside I can imagine him taking a branch to it and giving it a 'damn good thrashing' a-la Basil Fawlty.

My phone camera broke as it got a touch wet yesterday, whoops.

We packed up and after a gee-up from Christine headed our of Lauder on a blustery but sunny day before beginning an offroad climb NE on the SUW passing through lovely countryside with hardy cattle grazing nearby.


The wind thankfully blew us up the climbs which took a good couple of hours and eventually onto a ridge to the high-point of Rutherfords Cairn. From here we dipped down a little to Watch Water Reservoir before heading up Dunside Hill and then clattering down to Dye Cottage. An offroad-grassy climb took us into open, exposed moorland, over Duddy Bank and then finally down towards Whiteadder Reservoir where we were very kindly made cups of tea by the local sailing club thank's to Andy's optimitic request. They were very hospitable and we had a brew overlooking the Res. whilst Kieran and I wolfed down our Haggis and Vennison pie purchased for just such an occasion yesterday (the boathosue is at Hungry Snout as it happens) at the Melrose Pie shop. Could have done with heating up but think that might have been a request too far for our sailing pals!

A steep road section followed and this was to be the last major climb of the trip. I felt great after a piece of Mr B's flapjack and so had a burn up the climb. The wind was strong and helpful most of the time until the road changed direction at which point the pace was reduced to a crawl due to the cross-wind. After a lung-buster we made it upto the Crystal Rig windfarm, had a quick rest then continued as a group looking up at the towering wind turbines which made an eerie sound as they sliced through the air, blades swooping around rapidly. I wondered how many cups of tea a single rotation could make. Mmmmm, tea!

Half an hour later and to whoops of jubilation we finally spotted the North Sea, it was a wonderful sight to behold.

The ride had one more little surprise up it's sleeve as we had to climb over Brunt Hill, but after that it was downhill all the way until reaching the incongruous site of a 24hr Asda Superstore as we entered Dunbar. The home of Belhaven Brewery (they can keep it!). We made our way through the streets of Dunbar to the port and Christine was on hand to congratulate us in style with a well earned can of beer, perfect!

We finished the day at 4:30, about 2 hours earlier than normal due to the last day being relatively short. Christine drove us back to Newton Stewart before we checked into our final nights accommodation and headed out to Chinese Ken's chinese. A jovial chap with a thick Chino-Scottish accent. We ate like kings before KT and I headed out for a final pint of the trip, and ale at the Galloway Arms where we'd eaten the previous Sunday night. Perfect.

The end. Average 8 hours riding a day, about 40 miles a day, something like 6 or 7,000 meters of climbing. Massive breakfasts, hearty evening meals. ZERO punctures (a miracle), 3 broken spokes (KT), one knackered chainring (me), one snapped chain (me again, going to have to find someone who manufactures unbreakable chains!).

Great trip. Big thanks to Ian, Andy and Kieran for their commeradery, sense of humour, sense of direction and putting up with me!

Thanks also to those who have donated money to Cancer Research, both online and in my local (The Anchor, Lostock Hall). And finally thanks to Pete and Christine of Trailbrakes who provided an excellent service to us. If you're looking for a North of England/Scotland trip look them up.