Having travelled by the ScotRail sleeper from London Euston - Inverness, we arrive by local train at Wick soon after 2pm on Thursday 26 August. The journey proper begins at this point as we cycle first north to John o' Groats (the official starting point) and then west to Thurso. A B&B is booked in Thursday and on Friday we continue westwards to Tongue and possibly further, depending on the weather and how we feel physically.
All being well, on Saturday 28 August we head south to Ullapool and first thing Sunday morning catch the ferry to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. That day's cycling should take us south to Tarbert, the main town on Harris. On bank holiday Monday we continue southwards, taking the ferry to North Uist before cycling through that island, then Benebecula and on to Lochboisdale on South Uist.
There's a spare day built into the schedule at this point and all being well on Wednesday 1 September we catch the ferry to Oban before cycling on the coast road to...