The day started with Charles Kennedy and ended with Danny Alexander, the only indications that there is an election about to happen. But the views were of course more impressive than the signs of an election. Glencoe is one of the most beautiful places, but we were overwhelmed with our surroundings at every moment today.

On the A82 again to Fort Williams, where we crossed the Caledonian Canal and saw the famous Neptune’s Staircase. Then it was off onto a quiet country road. We could occasionally see the Canal below us in the distance, but being a bit higher had a stunning vista as we cycled quietly along.

We stopped to watch another lamb drama, though this one was just funny. Twins running looking for their mother, who was happily grazing at the top of the hill while they were trying out all of the sheep at the bottom. Eventually she called to them and they came bounding up the hill together and found her.

The day was a bit warmer and so still. After out harsh wind of yesterday, it was such a relief, and it resulted in scenes like this one, where the hills are reflected in the still waters.

After that serenely beautiful country lane, we joined the The Great Glen Way, mostly for walking but cylcling allowed as well. We have been following a route husband found on the internet through Sustrans. It has been meticulously detailed in its directions and has directed us onto some of what must be the quietest and most beautiful lanes in the UK. However, this time, encouraging us to follow the Great Glen Way for 7 1/2 miles, along a stony track, was a mistake. Going up steep hills our rear tires spun on the gravel, going down was a fright and cycling along was bumpy, uncomfortable and I stared at the track looking to avoid holes and large rocks.

It took us well over an hour and though we had some pretty views, I would have exchanged them in a minute for the A82. Almost, but not really, making it worthwhile was meeting an elderly gentleman (whose wife had gone ahead while he “yapped”) who had spoken to a young man about to go off in a canoe who was trying to break the record for catching trout. Current record stands at 32 pounds. Chatted away about the head of the Cameron Clan and a couple from New Orleans who had been cycling here as well until he finally went off to find his wife.

This (above) was finally the end of the gravel/stone path and the beginning of long distance cycling dreams, tarmac! The Marina in the distance has a lock, and we waited while a boat went through and then spoke to a man who was travelling by bicycle in the opposite direction to us. We warned him about the surface of the Great Glen Way and in exchange, he told us that the cycle path we were about to get onto was a construction site. So we went back to the A82, with which we have become very familiar over the last few days.

After taking so long on the Great Glen Way, we were happy to be moving at a respectable rate of speed again. But also getting hungry. As pretty as the morning had been, there were no opportunities to buy sandwiches, so we were happy to see this store ahead, the Well of Seven Heads Store, advertising hot and cold food, as well as delicious cakes.

It was a perfect stop, and had eveything advertised, including the daughter of the shop owner, who was very friendly and very impressed that we had come from Glencoe and that we were still going to Foyers. Gives one a sense of accomplishment.

The road wasn’t terribly busy again, but not long after we turned off onto the road below, anticipating what our route guide said would be memorable as our hardest and longest climb of the entire End to End route. It lived up to expectations, but wasn’t impossible.

It was over five miles of climbing, but the first mile was by far the worst. After that, it didn’t seem too bad. And about three quarters of the way up was Loch Tarff. The road is single track for much of the way and very quiet. It is just out of Fort Augustus, called General Wade’s Military Road, first built as part of a network by General George Wade between 1725 and 1733. There’s more to the history but that is enough for my purposes.

From Loch Tarff, we were close to the top. We stopped to watch a sheep and lamb (again) ambling down the middle of the road, trying to decide which side to go to. Shortly after, we saw a herd of highland deer.

And then we were there. Along with a New Zealand cyclist who lives in Scotland and a car full of people come to see the view. The whole day really had been stunning, and this was a fitting finale. From here it wasn’t far to Whitebridge at 30mph and then to Loch Ness, where we are staying.

We thought we were staying at the same hotel we had stayed in thirty years ago when we were cycling through the UK, but it turns out to be a different one, very close by with a very similar name. The owner is chatty and freindly and just came in to say that the lake and mountains looked amazing at 9:30 with still some light in the west.

She was right. Magical time and place, though no sightings of Nessie.