Arrival at JOG

Friday 7th September.

At last the team arrived, after a two-day drive from Portsmouth, at the John O’Groats (JOG) campsite. The elation was short-lived once it was discovered the tent bag did not contain any tent pegs and a mad panic dash around the nearby town of Wick luckily resulted in the local purchase of something suitable to hold the tent down.

The good weather also disappeared behind us as we headed North and the bleak (anticipated) reception at the most northerly point of the mainland made it even more fun erecting the tent. As the tent took shape, Andy Nelson made straight for the cooker and gas in order to exercise his culinary skills on a spag bol. With nothing more to do until the morning, the hotel bar beckoned and the team visited to sign the book and taste a couple of pints of the obvious. At the hotel, the forthcoming route was discussed; the very long route we had all just driven up causing us to revisit the question of whether this was a good idea or not. Any doubts were soon squashed when FORT was mentioned, and all the people who will benefit from our efforts.

Tomorrow will be a later departure than planned since the official JOG sign was locked away until 1000 (presumably one can fully understand this since it would undoubtedly make an excellent souvenir). It would not be the same without this sign and maybe some untrusting work colleagues would not believe we actually did the whole route anyway. We have therefore decided to split as soon as the sign arrives for the inaugural photo and hope we make the 84 miles to Dornoch before dark. Enough said for today, an early night awaits the team in the now pegged-down tent.