The Cycling Scot
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Route Map
    • Journeys published on Simonseeks website
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
    • Angus
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Central Scotland
    • Dumfries and Galloway
    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife and Clackmannanshire
    • Islands
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
    • What kind of bicycle?
    • What gear to buy
    • Taking your bike on the train
    • Coping with traffic
    • Best cycling guide books
    • Best novels about cycling in Scotland
    • Jobs in Scotland
  • Travel Writing Projects/Working with Me
  • Beyond Edinburgh Bike Tour
  • Best Cycling Books

Cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats. Book review of Mud, Sweat and Gears

19/8/2015

0 Comments

 
Ever wondered what it is like to cycle the length of Britain, from Land's End to John O'Groats? It is the classic long-distance cycle route in Britain and this book tells the experience of two cyclists who took their time, took the scenic route and take their beer seriously.

A large number of cycle travel books use humour to carry them and Mud, Sweat and Gears by Ellie Bennett is no exception. You can tell from the title, the mention of the pub and the blurb on the back of the book that this is not going to be serious. The book certainly has its funny moments, particularly the banter between the author Ellie and her friend Mick. 

For me, it wasn't laugh out loud and I thought the strength of the book is actually to be found in learning about the places that are visited. There are plenty of interesting snippets about what there is to see and do along the route. I looked forward to reading about their experiences in Scotland.

I learned about the town of Moniaive in Dumfries and Galloway, a place I had never heard of before. It sounds really pretty and is home to many artists, musicians and writers who are inspired by the beautiful scenery. It is known as Scotland's Festival Village due to the large number of events held here.

Bennett had this to say about her Oban bed and breakfast: "It was mediocre, but not terrible, which on reflection was my opinion of Oban in general. Sorry, Oban, if this is unfair; it had been a very long day." That is a shame because I like Oban and was actually travelling there whilst reading the book. I think a lot of people arrive into Oban and quickly leave again because they are on the way to somewhere else, but if you give it a chance it is an enjoyable town with superb seafood restaurants.

Ellie and Mick took around 4-weeks to complete the route, whereas many people normally try to complete this journey in about one week. This is an encouragement to those who are not super fit and want to take their time. Some might consider these two the complete opposite of the typical cyclist doing this route- they spend a lot of their time in the pub.

The author has a keen interest in real ale, so this journey is as much an exploration of beer as it is about a bike ride. Ellie and Mick take their beer seriously and so there are descriptions of the pints that they have and at the end of each day's ride the "stats" include how many pints they drank. If you are not a beer fan you may not enjoy this aspect of the book, but then food and drink is as important to defining an area as its history, architecture and landscape.

Ellie and Mick met a snobbish cyclist at Glen Nevis. He looked down on their bikes and was more interested in tech and speed than the simple joy of travelling by bicycle. Bennett beautifully mocks his chat: "It comes with a knob chainring; I had dickhead spokes fitted specially, and the saddle is a limited edition from Prickland." I am with you there! There is nothing worse than another cyclist slagging off your journey.

And that is the beauty of bicycle travel. You do not need to be some amazing racing cyclist with the most expensive kit to do a long-distance bike journey. This book encapsulates this philosophy and it certainly inspired me to do this journey. I was never that interested in Land's End to John O'Groats because I always had the impression that you had to do it quickly and cover a huge distance each day. But this book shows that you don't have to do it that way and you will see much more if you take your time and enjoy the opportunity to really get to know this land.

Get your copy of the book from Amazon by clicking on the link below:
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    My name is Colin Baird and I want to see all of Scotland by bicycle. Follow my blog on Facebook:

    Archives

    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Categories

    All
    Aberdeen
    Aberdeenshire
    Airdrie
    Airdrie To Bathgate Cycle Path
    Airth
    Alloa
    Alloa To Dollar Cycle Route
    Altnabreac
    Angus
    Architecture
    Argyll
    Auchterarder
    Aviemore
    Baird Monument
    Bakery
    Balerno
    Ballater
    Bathgate
    Beach
    Bed And Breakfast Reviews
    Beer Reviews
    Bettyhill Hotel
    Biggar
    Bike And Go Cycle Hire At Stations
    Bike Clothing
    Blackness Castle
    Bonawe Iron Furnace
    Bo'ness And Kinneil Railway
    Book Review
    Bookshops
    Borders Railway
    Bowhill House
    Branklyn Garden
    Brechin
    BrewDog
    Bridges
    Broch
    Cafes
    Cairngorm Brewery
    Cairn O'Mount Road
    Caithness
    Caledonian Railway
    Castles
    Chocolate
    Christmas Food & Drink
    Colonsay
    Commuting
    Copenhagen
    Craigmillar Castle
    Crichton Castle
    Cupar
    Cycle Routes
    Cycling Books
    Cycling Mirror Review
    Cycling With A Buddy
    Deeside Way
    Deskford
    Disused Railway Paths
    Disused-railway-paths
    Dollar
    Dornoch
    Dornoch Castle Hotel
    Doune
    Drem
    Drummond Castle Gardens
    Dryburgh Abbey
    Dumbarton Castle
    Dumfries And Galloway
    Dunblane
    Dunmore
    Dunrobin Castle
    Dunrobin Castle Station
    Dunstaffnage Castle
    East Linton
    East Lothian
    Edinburgh
    Edzell Castle
    Fallen Brewing
    Ferry
    Fife
    Flowers
    Fonab Castle Hotel
    Gardens
    Garelochhead
    Gigha
    Glasgow
    Gleneagles
    Glen Esk
    Glen Lonan
    Golspie
    Haddington
    Hailes Castle
    Helensburgh
    Helmet Review
    Helmsdale
    Highland Cattle
    Hill Of Tarvit Mansion
    Hills
    Hostels
    Hotels
    House Of Dun
    House Of Mark
    House Of The Binns
    Huntingtower Castle
    Inveresk Lodge Garden
    Inverurie
    Island
    Jedburgh Abbey
    Kelso Abbey
    Kildonan Station
    Kinnoull Hill
    Krispy Kreme
    Larbert
    Lauder
    Leaderfoot Viaduct
    Library Of Innerpeffray
    Linlithgow
    Livall BH60SE Smart Helmet
    Loch
    Loch Leven Heritage Trail
    Loch Turret
    Longniddry
    Maps
    Meadows Festival
    Melrose
    Melrose Abbey
    Microadventures
    Midlothian
    Montrose
    Moray
    Morton Castle
    Musselburgh
    Muthill
    National Mining Museum Scotland
    Netwongrange
    New Bike
    Newstead
    North Berwick
    Oban
    Oban Chocolate Company
    Only In Edinburgh. Book Review
    Orkney
    Outer Hebrides
    Penicuick
    Perth
    Pitlochry
    Preston Mill
    Published Writing
    Puncture
    River Tay
    Roslin Glen
    Rosslyn Chapel
    Scotstarvit Tower
    Scottish Borders
    Scottish Borders Abbeys
    Scott's View
    Smailholm Tower
    Splendid Book Of The Bicycle
    Sportives
    Standing Stones
    Stately Homes
    Stations
    St Boswells
    Stow
    Sunglasses
    Sunset
    Sutherland
    Tantallon-castle
    Taynuilt
    Tea Room
    Tempest-brewing-co
    Temple Of The Muses
    The Counter Canal Boat Cafe
    The Elphinstone Hotel. Biggar
    The-pineapple
    The Unknown Sculpture
    Thirlestane Castle
    Tips
    Train Problems
    Trains
    Traquair-house-ale
    Travel Writing Competitions
    Trimontium
    Union Canal
    Vogrie Country Park
    Walk
    Wanderlust Magazine
    Waterfall
    Water Of Leith
    Wemyss Bay Train Station
    West Lothian
    Whisky
    Wick
    William Wallace Statue

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Route Map
    • Journeys published on Simonseeks website
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
    • Angus
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Central Scotland
    • Dumfries and Galloway
    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife and Clackmannanshire
    • Islands
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
    • What kind of bicycle?
    • What gear to buy
    • Taking your bike on the train
    • Coping with traffic
    • Best cycling guide books
    • Best novels about cycling in Scotland
    • Jobs in Scotland
  • Travel Writing Projects/Working with Me
  • Beyond Edinburgh Bike Tour
  • Best Cycling Books