09:03
MP - Tebay services, 262 miles down. RoadPilot reinstated on mute. Sat-nav programmed for John o'Groats. Take over driving. Fill up, first and only fuel we should need on way.
TB - Inside there's a petition to stop a wind farm from being built nearby. Someone's scrawled "No objection! It's the future". I'm inclined to agree. Local strawberries for sale "have been grown in sun, not poly tunnels" - they sure like their scenery round here.
Sat-nav says 420 miles and 9.5 hours to J o'G. Bloody hope not.
09:45
TB - Helpful Scottish highways agency likes to use its matrix signs even when no emergency. We're reminded to check fuel (we have), not use mobiles (we don't), fasten seatbelts (we do) and observe speed limits (er...).
11:00
TB - Roadworks on A80 slow progress to tip of Scotland - 290 miles until we turn around and come back again.
11:15
TB - Motorway ends. Things to get progressively slower from now on in.
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| The sign of slow progress |
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11:50
MP - Am I going to spend next two days needing to pee? Maybe it's the caffeine consumption.
12:10
TB - Driver swap after Matt's three-hour stint. Only road north is A9 and it's single carriageway mainly. Leaves me behind caravans, trucks etc so any short distance of dual carriageway is welcome relief. Parked police traffic officer must have been tucking into a donut because I don't get a rear view full of blues and twos. Got to keep a beady eye out for speed cameras now as RoadPilot got chucked in back for bad behaviour. Our fault, probably, as system's new and we haven't quite worked out how best to use it.
12:22
MP - Stop at pretty place, Blair Atholl. I pee and buy cold drinks (not simultaneously). Tom takes over driving. Could fancy coming back on holiday up here with bicycle - v. picturesque.
Still got 195 miles to go. Taking M6 rather than M1/A1 possibly an error.
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| Roadworks scupper plans for early turnaround |
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13:20
TB - Pass Highlands welcome sign and are greeted by torrential downpour. Matt tries to catch up on some sleep in passenger seat, but my driving's not doing him any favours.
14:05
MP - Forgive silence, been snoozing. Pass Highland Deephaven, where oil rigs are built/maintained/decommissioned, I know not which. Impressive engineering nonetheless: they're massive.
Just 96 miles to go! And... we're in roadworks. Boo.
