Immense

 Breakfast was immense. It was the first of many immense things today. Kate's Scottish Porridge, undoubtedly featuring whiskey, made such an impression on her that it was described to me at regular intervals through the day. It was the first day when proper muesli has been served (apart from when at our friends) We looked out of the breakfast room window and there was Ben Nevis, surrounded by other impressive peaks. Immense. We set off in warm sunshine.  I understand that it has been rather warm elsewhere in the UK. It has been a pleasant 20 or 21 degrees here. We cycled along a fairly main road for the first 10 miles or so, making good progress then we joined the Caledonian Canal. I have wanted to do this for a long time. It didn't disappoint. We passed a few smaller lochs which were all linked to the Canal via locks. One of the lochs is the originally named Loch Lochy. I was going to photograph the Loch Lochy Lock but we passed it by. We arrived at the thriving   but certainly not Immense cluster of buildings known as Fort Augustus where we stopped at a canal side coffee shop. 

Then it was time for the next Immense thing... on leaving Fort Augustus, we knew we were embarking on an ascent of some 1,300 ft over just a few miles. I didn't dare show Kate the graph until afterwards. (It is in the pics) It was very steep and remorseless. We managed the whole climb without stopping which we were quite pleased about. At the top we ate very substantial butties (I could say immense, but won't) made for us at the guest house we had just left. The host not only made us two butties each but also gave us a packet of chocolate squares and something called Scottish Tablet. We decided that the English word for it was fudge. It was delicious.  

We then careered down hill for at least 1,000 feet and eventually reached the shores of Loch Ness. We had worried that we might miss Loch Ness by doing the climb. We needn't have. The little road beside the Loch went on and on for mile after mile. We eventually reached a 'flesh pot' called Dores Beach at the end of the Loch. Doing its best to cash in on the illusive monster and way too touristy. On the other side of the road was a caravan selling good coffee. Enough said. 

Today was nearly 60 miles and over 4,000 feet of climbing. (The graph says less but the record of our actual ride states the genuine stats!) Both quite tired this evening but we walked down to the nearest food source, the Chinese takeaway. We sat by the locks which mark the end - or the beginning - of the journey for boats through all the lochs and the Caledonian Canal from one side of Scotland to the other without the need to go over the top. 

We are conscious that there are only three days of riding left. It's very easy to start thinking in terms of finishing. We mustn't. We have to live in the moment. It would be a shame to lose these moments. I've been looking forward to them for long enough. I thought of this when we were sitting at the top of the climb wondering at the view. So many cars stopped on the lay by whereupon everyone jumped out, all pointed their phones the same way, jumped back in and off they went. I'm not really knocking that but wonder to what extent phones promote living in a virtual world and missing out on the real? You can tell I'm tired... I shall pontificate off.

Pics are the immense breakfast,  views of Ben Nevis. Self explanatory views and the ascent and descent graph for today.