CRM's Bike Ride: celebrations@end of 270 miles in Kinnesswood

Carole crossing the finishing line in Kinnesswood at the end of five days riding

Crowds watching the final climb – echoes of L'Alpe d'Huez!!

Almost@CRM's journey's end – time to blow up some Teenage Cancer Trust 

balloons in a pub car park just a couple of miles from the finish

CRM reaches Kinnesswood after 270 miles (probably nearly 290 with diversions!)

Carole (CRM) has been riding to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who died on 7th July 2013 aged 18 after a very courageous and inspirational nearly seven-year battle against the disease. You can donate here. More details here.  

Carole has already met her initial target of £2500 with very welcome donations still coming in. The total climbs to over £3100 with Gift Aid.

Getting ready to start last leg from a rather grey Dunkeld 

The cycle track to Perth passes Dunkeld Station 

– a proper old fashioned affair with a fine footbridge

 CRM celebrates with some fizz! 

 Calum Morris Macintyre, Esme's brother, who rode the last leg 

with us having made a very early start from Newtonmore to meet us in Dunkeld 

CRM's bike ride to support Teenage Cancer Trust: Day Five – Dunkeld to Kinnesswood

 Loch Leven from Kinnesswood (above and below)

24th August 2013 #crm4esme

With just over 30 miles to ride before the finish at Kinnesswood this should be a fairly easy final ride, although fatigue after four long days may play its part – equally counteracted by elation at having nearly finished the ride.

The ride takes Carole through Perth and then on towards Loch Leven and Kinnesswood, Esme's home for much of her short life. CRM will be looking forward to seeling the welcome party, although it is a steep climb up to Bishop Terrace.  

 

Carole (CRM) is riding to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who died on 7th July 2013 aged 18 after a very courageous and inspirational nearly seven-year battle against the disease. You can donate here. More details here.  

Follow Carole's progress on twitter with #crm4esme

Many thanks for your support.  

Esme Morris Macintyre

Esme and her brother Calum enjoying a Christmas siesta: December 2012

 

CRM's bike ride to support Teenage Cancer Trust: Day Four – Newtonmore to Dunkeld

Paths close to the Drumochter Pass 

The Dalwhinnie Distillery

23rd August 2013 #crm4esme

Day Four is a 55-mile stage from Newtonmore to Dunkeld. Although CRM crosses the highest point of her ride at the Drumochter Pass (1508 ft or 460 metres above sea level there is less climbing than on Days One and Three as Newtonmore is already at 895 feet. It's a long gentle ascent up to Drumochter past the isolated village of Dalwhinnie and its distillery.

Once over Drumochter there is a long descent down to Blair Atholl, Pitlochry and on to Dunkeld. Much of the ride will be on a dedicated cycle path.         

Carole (CRM) is riding to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who died on 7th July 2013 aged 18 after a very courageous and inspirational nearly seven-year battle against the disease. You can donate here. More details here. 

Follow Carole's progress on twitter with #crm4esme

Update: Total raised by Carole has now reached £1939 (£2375 with Gift Aid).

Many thanks for your support. 

#crm4esme: CRM's bike ride to support Teenage Cancer Trust: on the road photos

CRM and support getting ready to board the Wick Flyer 
from Inverness on way to John O'Groats

John O'Groats Hotel: 7.30am Tuesday – ready to start the 270 mile ride

Carole (CRM) is riding to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who died on 7th July 2013 aged 18 after a very courageous and inspirational nearly seven-year battle against the disease. You can donate here. More details here.

Follow Carole's progress on twitter with #crm4esme

The total raised is now £1779, which with Gift Aid comes to £2175, which is brilliant and CRM hope to hit the £2500 target by the time we reach Kinnesswood on Saturday.  

 Loneliness of the long-distance cyclist (speck in distance) 

on the main road south (A897). North of Forsinard

Closer....

 Day 1: arrival@Brora just after 5pm on Tuesday after 80 miles

Day 2: CRM arrives in Inverness crossing Kessock Bridge

 CRM + ICT (Inverness Caledonian Thistle): both top of their leagues!!

Day 3: CRM@Slochd Road Summit 1328 feet

Carole@Slochd Rail Summit 1315 feet

CRM's bike ride to support Teenage Cancer Trust: Day Three – Inverness to Newtonmore

Newtonmore and the ridge leading up to Creag Dhubh

Esme's grave@Newtonmore

22nd August 2013 #crm4esme

Distance wise this will be an easier day than the first two with 50 miles to clock up for CRM's ride from Inverness to Newtonmore – our base and where Esme is buried. On the other hand it may involve the most climbing with the long drag up out of Inverness up Drumossie Hill. Then up over the Slochd before heading down to Carrbridge, Aviemore, Kingussie and Newtonmore.
  

Carole (CRM) is riding to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who died on 7th July 2013 aged 18 after a very courageous and inspirational nearly seven-year battle against the disease. You can donate here. More details here.  

Follow Carole's progress on twitter with #crm4esme

Many thanks for your support.  

Family members in quiet contemplation after the burial: 17.7.13

Esme Morris Macintyre


***

Pru & David Jeffrey@Golspie

Journey's end for David and Pru Jeffrey

Today the Jeffreys complete their long walk – Winston's Walk – from Land's End to John O'Groats to raise money for the Winston Churchill memorial Trust. See their details on www.mydonate.bt.com 

I first met them on the Drumochter Pass when out cycling. Then we passed them in Golspie on Friday on our way back from Caithness. 

CRM's bike ride to support Teenage Cancer Trust: Day Two – Brora to Inverness

Inverness and the River Ness: Christmas 2009

21st August 2013: 'Route 66!'

The second day of CRM's ride is likely to be another long day riding the sixty miles into Inverness from Brora. Unfortunately some of the route has to be done on the A9. This will be the early part from Brora along to Dornoch and the bridge across the Dornoch Firth. Then it is through to Dingwall on minor roads before cutting across the Black Isle and over the Kessock Bridge to Inverness passing on the south side the football ground of Inverness Caledonian Thistle – the current leaders of the Scottish Premier League!       

We will be staying with friends in Inverness and CRM will be pleased to have 140 miles clocked off – just over the halfway mark after two days.  

Carole (CRM) is riding to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who died on 7th July 2013 aged 18 after a very courageous and inspirational nearly seven-year battle against the disease. You can donate here. More details here. 

Follow Carole's progress on twitter with #crm4esme

Many thanks for your support.  

CRM's bike ride to support Teenage Cancer Trust: Day One – John O'Groats to Brora

Ready for the off!

20th August 2013 #crm4esme

Today is the moment of truth! Not only is this the first day of Carole's ride but it is also the longest and quite possibly the toughest of the five stages. CRM will ride best part of 80 miles from John O'Groats to Brora. It will be an early start!

To avoid the relatively busy A9 down the east coast, the cycle route heads west through Thurso for around 35 miles almost to Melvich where she will turn southwards down the quiet single track A897, which heads through the centre of the largely unpopulated Sutherland towards Helmsdale on the North Sea Coast. From the forecast it looks as though there will be 15 mile headwind for this section.

The A897 rises gently but steadily up to Forsinard where the road meets the Inverness to Wick-Thurso railway line and the watershed. From there it will be largely a long downhill to the village of Kildonan, where CRM opts to take the kick in the tail of the stage by turning right past Kildonan station and up over the hills towards Brora rather than continuing towards Helmsdale. This avoids longer stretch along the A9 and is a shorter distance, although not necessarily in time as there is a steady climb up a narrow road and then a long descent to the junction with the A9 but if it is fine there will be some fine views. 

The last few miles into Brora on the A9 may be a bit gutty! Carole will certainly be looking forward to getting to the B&B at Number 11 Academy Street.

Carole (CRM) is riding to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who died on 7th July 2013 aged 18 after a very courageous and inspirational nearly seven-year battle against the disease. You can donate here. More details here.  

Follow Carole's progress on twitter with #crm4esme

Many thanks for your support.  

The Sutherland Inn in the centre of Brora

Sadly the inn has yet to embrace the notion of all day food 

that is increasingly common on the West Coast. 

The kitchen is firmly shut at 2pm even for a plate of soup.        

CRM cycling in support of Teenage Cancer Trust: 19th August off to John O'Groats

John O'Groats Hotel with the ferry approaching

19th August 2013 #crm4esme

Today we head up to John O'Groats ready to start CRM's 270 mile charity bike ride to Kinnesswood in Perth and Kinross to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of Esme. We'll catch the train from Newtonmore to Wick changing at Inverness.  The train from Inverness is pretty leisurely taking over four hours. This is partly because the line still goes right the way round the indented coast whereas by road it is now much quicker with bridges over the Moray and Dornoch Firths. Then from Wick we cycle the 18 miles up to John O'Groats where we are staying in the newly opened hotel.

For the moment the weather forecast seems reasonably favourable with a tailwind to help us along.

Bright extension of John O'Groats Hotel 

Carole (CRM) is riding to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who died on 7th July 2013 aged 18 after a very courageous and inspirational nearly seven-year battle against the disease. You can donate here. More details here.  

Follow Carole's progress on twitter with #crm4esme

Many thanks for your support.

Esme's further adventures: riding from John O'Groats to Perth & Kinross for Teenage Cancer Trust

 CRM@The start from John O'Groats

We will be back here on Tuesday for the start

Starting next Tuesday morning CRM will be riding the 270 miles from John O'Groats to Kinnesswood to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust following on the example set by her niece, Esme Morris Macintyre, who succumbed to a brain tumour on 7th July.  I will be supporting riding alongside her. 

We have just spent four days at John O'Groats in part preparing for the ride. As we will have to start early next Tuesday for the long first leg to Brora before the John O'Groats' sign photo opportunity opens, hence the early photo.

Esme Morris Macintyre

 

Dear friends

My lovely niece, Esme, lost her battle against brain cancer on 7th July 2013, just five months after her 18th birthday. She was active till very close to the end and still making plans for the future! She compiled a list of the things she wanted to do and the people she wanted to meet and was charting her progress on an open Facebook site, Esme's adventure. She achieved so much - many well-known personalities whom she greatly admired, including Andy Murray, Sir Chris Hoy and the singers Amy Macdonald and Emile Sandé, were inspired by her courage and determination and made time to meet with her. Her brother, Calum, has been adding to her site since she passed away, including a wonderful video of aspects of her amazing life.

Esme and Calum have raised thousands of pounds for Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that gave Esme a great deal of support and helped her through some ­­­­­­­difficult times. Esme's story of her cancer journey, recorded on her site, is poignant and illustrates how important Teenage Cancer Trust is in supporting young people with cancer. As Esme says,'they make sure that young peoples lives don’t stop because they have cancer'.

Esme's wish was that others would continue to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust to help other young people like her so I am taking up the challenge! I am cycling from John O'Groats to Kinnesswood in Perth & Kinross, Esme's home village, a distance of 270 miles, over five days, starting next Tuesday, 20 August. I have been doing some training!

I hope to raise £2500 for Teenage Cancer Trust. If you feel you can help please sponsor me on my Virgin Money Giving page - Following Esme's Adventure.

Many thanks for your support,

Carole

Carole Macintyre
E: carole.macintyre1@btinternet.com

You can follow Carole's progress on Jim's Loire. Details of the route will be posted every day from 19th (journey up to John O'Groats) and then from 20th-24th. Also on twitter with #crm4esme

Carole stretching the legs in sight of the refurbished John O'Groats' Hotel

We will be back there on Monday night to start the ride the next day

Journey's end: Loch Leven by Kinnesswood (above and below)

Update: 23.45, 16th August 

Delighted that through friends' generosity CRM's fund raising ride for Teenage Cancer Trust has already passed £1000. The total stands@£1042 – £1277.50 with gift aid.  Great – thank you so much!