by Janice Newman

It was Saturday 22nd June, 1996 at 7:45 am that my steersman Peter and I wet off from my home in West London. We were on my tandem to ride the 12 miles to Paddington Station to board the train which would take us the five hour journey to Penzance in Cornwall,. There our 15-day "End to End" ride would begin.

The "End to End" ride is from the most southerly tip of England (Lands End) to the most northerly point of Scotland (John O'Groats). The most direct route is about 876 miles by motorway, but of course cyclists are not allowed out on these main roads. Besides, we wanted to take the scenic route, keeping whenever possible to the lovely, leafy lanes.

We waved good-bye to Lands End Lighthouse and set off. The first two days through Cornwall and Devon were tough. The hills are not high compared to the Scottish Mountains, but they are much steeper and very tiring. At the end of the first day when we reached Boscastle Youth Hostel, I felt worn out and wondered how on earth we would survive the next fortnight.

The hostel is set on the north Cornish Coast, by the River Valensia. I soon fell sound asleep exhausted after the day's efforts. to the sound of the river only a few yards from my window, gushing into the sea. I needed no lulling to help me sleep that night. The next morning, the landscape began to level out a little around Somerset. By now, the weather had begun to deteriorate, becoming much cooler with light showers threatening. Now we were in Hereford and riding through the very pretty Wye Valley, and on to Monmouth which is just over the Welsh border. Then back into England and six days into the trip, we reached Shropshire. We enjoyed gently undulating countryside.

It was now pouring rain, and I did not enjoy the busy suburban roads. But we were half way to John O'Groats. We would soon reach the Yorkshire Dales. We climbed higher and higher on to The Moors, so pleased to be away from the traffic on these almost deserted roads, enjoying the clean fresh air and listening to the bird songs.

When miles from anywhere, and on a Sunday, we experienced a rather serious mechanical breakdown. We stripped the cogs, preventing us from getting into a low gear to climb the steep hills. We limped on to Carlisle, the last city before crossing the Scottish Border. In Carlisle, we eventually found a really helpful bike shop. Within an hour, we were back on the road and heading for Scotland. I thought it most amusing that in Carlisle, only ten miles from the border, the locals speak with a very broad English accent. Only a few yards over the Scottish border, they speak with broad Scottish accents. Our first night in Scotland was in a B & B near Lockerbie. It was a sheep farm, that was decorated tastefully in tartan.

We were two-thirds of the way now, and beginning to get our second wind. We made our way between Glasgow and Edinburgh and on to Loch Lomond, in the pouring rain.

As the clouds rolled back, the mountains sparkled. Glencoe is a particularly pretty place and the rhododendrons were in full bloom as we wound round the mountain roads. Each turn unfolded a new beautiful view. I was pleasantly surprised that although we were surrounded by mountains, our roads followed the valleys to make for easy riding.

On our way to Loch Ness, we met up with another End to Ender who we had met just a week ago in Shropshire. Each day we must have been riding only a few miles apart without knowing. It was good to share experiences over lunch. It is sheep country up there, and they wonder along and across the traffic-free roads at will. The highland cattle with their long shaggy coats and huge horns are magnificent beasts and "moo" contentedly.

It was on the 15th day after completing 1,004 miles we arrived at John O'Groats, weary and very pleased. It is a much nicer place than Lands End, having been left more natural.

the next day while enjoying breakfast at our B & B, we were rewarded with a glimpse of The Golden Eagle, a rare and wonderful sight. Many people have done the "End to End" in many ways, but we were not out to set any records--just to feel satisfied that we had completed it.

Editor's Note: In late November, we received the sad news that Peter Allocco, Janices's steersman, long time friend and companion, died of a heart attack at the age of 57. Peter never attended SFL, but the SFL delegation got to know him two years ago when he attended Ridderrennet with Janice. If you wish to send Janice a card or message, her address is:

Janice Newman
13 Windsor House
The Farmlands
Northolt
ENGLAND UB5 5ES