WE DID IT!!

Monday 16 July

This was the scene this afternoon when, after 83 days and 1850 km / 1155 miles, we reached the famous John O’Groats sign, the end of our road.

It was hard to believe when we woke this morning that, by day’s end, we would actually be in John O’Groats. We set off under a grey, drizzly sky and indeed it continued that way for much of the day. After so much fine weather it was ironic that our last day should be so much like our first! But the rain cleared by mid-afternoon just as we arrived at John O’Groats.

It was a bittersweet moment – a special moment indeed, and the completion of a magnificent achievement, but also the end of twelve weeks of ‘life in a bubble’ and time to re-enter the real world. Time for the obligatory photos, a wander round, then a wait for the bus to Wick, where we are staying tonight.

Of course there have been times when it’s been hard going, but those times have been far outweighed by the many wonderful experiences, memories that will remain with us for years to come. Our route was deliberately chosen to avoid populated areas, so we’ve been able to enjoy so much of what is still a ‘green and pleasant land’.

This is our last Scrumpy to Scotch blog. Tomorrow, we’ll catch a train from Wick to Inverness (bliss!) and the overnight Caledonian Sleeper on to London, then down to Worthing for a few days before returning home to NZ. We’ve really enjoyed sharing some of our journey with you, and appreciate all the great messages and best wishes from you all. Whilst it wasn’t meant to be entirely a fundraising adventure we’d like to thank you for supporting the charities we’d nominated. It’s great that our enjoyment has also benefited others.

It’s been a Grand Adventure indeed!

To paraphrase the Two Ronnies, it’s good night from P and it’s goodnight from V.

• Peter and Val