The West Coast of Scotland Part 2 – The Revenge

When	7 to 15 May 2016
Distance	780km/487m
Elevation gained	8940 m
Bikes	Dharma and Hayduke (cross monsters)
Equipment	2 panniers and handlebar bag (sleeping in hostels)

Scotland never fails to surprise. We had been up the West Coast 2 years before and knew that the weather up there is harsh and changeable, so that we were ready for rain and storms but we were blessed with days of blazing sunshine, and a lot of headwind. The landscapes were superb as expected but the traffic was quite a spoiler, especially in the one lane roads. Still, very happy with the trip and with the memories we took with us.


Day 1 – Inverness to Alltbeithe – 80km, 640m elevation gained

1 week in Madeira
23-30 January 2016

Getting back to normal life, and work, in winter, after months spent cycling in the wild is hard. You look at work as a waste of life and you can only find solace in planning future trips. One rainy and dark winter day we looked for some winter break destinations and the cheapest option was Madeira. I had to check where it was and when I saw it's an island in the Atlantic I expected it to be as dry as the Canary Islands so that I was not convinced, but after seeing a few pictures it appeared the perfect trekking destination.

We found a great deal in EasyJet Holidays: flight and the hotel for 1 week for £170 each and we booked it straight away. We planned to do some trekking and cycling there but the truth is, Madeira is a different world from anything we have even been before!