Our first day cycling took us down the coast road to Golspie.

This road seems to have a reputation for being dangerous with many cyclists.

When discussing our intended route most people looked at us like we were setting off for a ride though downtown Baghdad the day after America invaded and we would never make it out alive.

It turned out to be fine, maybe we just got lucky.

Before departure we took ourselves off to have the obligatory photo by the sign in John O'Groats...only to find it missing.

A helpful local explained it got vandalised so much they took it away and we would have to phone a man to bring it.

Luckily he arrived at that moment and we got the must-have picture.

We prepared to set off and began stuffing high energy fodder into our mouths. Warren gave me a high strength cod liver oil tablet. Not paying attention ( I was trying to fix my bike) I bit it and the juice of a cod's liver seeped over my tongue. It does not taste good.

While Waz and John (our support driver who is heading straight back to Stourbridge) laughed uncontrollably I drank a Red Bull in record time.

We set off, our first stop was 300 yards up the road back at the hotel because I had forgotten to fill my (new) water bottle.

We made good speed today and Waz coped amazingly well considering he is still ill.

We have seen some spectacular coastal scenery and are now heading inland....where Nessie awaits.