Day 3 | Poolewe to Ullapool | 80 km

We’re all feeling tired this morning after the last couple days. The third day of a bike tour is usually when the body starts to revolt, and this tour is no different. It’s 11C and windy so no one is particularly keen to ride today.

We leave just before 10 and the first hour is spent fighting a headwind. I try and distract myself with the scenery. It has yet to start raining which is a huge plus.

Our route has quite a number of hills on it today as well as some long, flat stretches. There isn’t much left in my legs after yesterday so I’m frequently climbing in my easiest gear.

This coastal route would be spectacular on a clear day without any fog or cloud cover.

We take a break at the halfway point in Dundonnell. The hotel café is a good place to sit for a while and warm up. There’s no rush to reach Ullapool because we can’t check in until 3:00.

The rest of the ride is more of the same. Fields of green with mountains in the distance. It’s rare to see any type of dwelling in this area.

I ride with Fiona for the last hour or so. She and Paul like to take turns driving the van while the other often joins us on the road.

We get to Ullapool at 2:45 and wait for our rooms to be ready. With a population of 1500, there isn’t much to it but it’s a lot larger than Poolewe. I walk along Shore Street for something to do and I pick up a tartan scarf at the gift shop. I didn’t think I’d need a scarf in June.

Tomorrow we head north to Durness. It’ll be a much longer day with a lot more climbing.