Loch Lomond

T minus 23 days.

Yesterday another 60 miles was accomplished, and again my head is not all together onside today. It’s a hilly route, via Bearsden and Drymen (Drim'n), as the land is quite crumpled around Loch Lomond, the largest freshwater body in the UK (by surface area if you want to get picky). I stopped at the side of the loch, turned up a path and rested by the graveside of my two cats, Barry and Terry, who are pictured (beside a lochside view) and died last May and this May respectively. I could only stop for five minutes because the midges were out for my blood. Glasgow is pretty much at sea level, then it's gradually uphill for 15 miles, rising to a height of 637 feet (at The Queen's View, just past a biker pub), followed by a steeper decline for 5 miles. On the way back it is necessary to stop for five minutes halfway up that bit, for fluid and food (I take nuts and raisins) before reaching the top, and then the last 15 miles are lovely of course.

Today is a rest day and I'm about to start phoning potential players, working from east to west to keep pace with the time difference. Here goes!