Cycling the Caithness Coast

Today’s ride (Friday 31st August), our last riding day, took us from Thurso to John O Groats.

Our mission was simple: Finish the Ride. And sign the Book of Old Groaters.

We have a wet, wild day of riding along the Caithness Coast before John O Groats

The Caithness Coast

Cycling from Lands End to John O Groats via a Northern route gives you the opportunity of riding along the beautiful North Caithness coast. This was the last day’s cycling of our LEJOG challenge and it was a wet and wild one.

Scotland’s Caithness Coast is wild and wonderful. And wet.

Exposed but beautiful

The area is pretty flat and open making for easy but exposed cycling along the coast of the North Sea and Pentland Firth. And there is plenty to be exposed to. Apart from the wind and the rain, there is farmland on one side, the drama of the coast on the other.

The Caithness stones (the large slabs) are characteristic of the area

Stops of interest too

There were a few churches, settlements and small entrepreneurial micro businesses along the way too, including the odd one with a teashop, usually with a selection of Caithness glass souvenirs on sale. We stopped at the Tea Cosy at East Mey for tea, cakes and souvenirs.

Caithness is home to some large colonies of seabirds too while the Pentland Firth is well known for its diverse sea life. Approaching John O Groats there are great views across to Stroma and beyond to the Orkney Islands.