Getting home from John O'Groats

[ratherbeintobago]

There are companies who will ferry you to and from each end of the C2C in a minibus with bike carrier trailer, eg this one.

Whether they’ll tackle JOG is another matter, might depend how many people were doing it, and may be spendy.

[Mick F]

What I did with the Chopper and the trailer, was to get them on a pallet, wrapped up, and sent by lorry to Wick Airport.
Far North Aviation were happy to receive it, and I took the train from Plymouth all the way to Wick.
Was going to fly, but the Icelandic Volcano made it difficult just in case my flight was cancelled, so took the train instead.

The transport company did it all for free as I was doing the ride for charity, but had I not had a freebie, it would have cost £60 I was told.
Far North Aviation were brilliant. They took my pallet into one of their hangars and when I arrived, they disposed of the pallet and wrapping.

https://www.farnorthaviation.co.uk
https://www.ijmcgilltransport.com

Read about the transporting.
http://jogleonachopper.blogspot.com/201 ... -gone.html

[Sid Aluminium]

Those 16 miles to Wick and Loganair schleps bikes (book when you make the reservation) in their Saab 340s to Edinburgh. "When travelling with a bicycle, deflate both tyres, lower the handlebars and place them in line with the frame, and invert or remove the pedals. You should, of course, allow additional time to make these adjustments."

It's a ferry ride and 21 road miles on to Kirkwall. From there Loganair will wing you to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester.

[toontra]

Or you could get a ferry to Orkney and another ferry from there to Aberdeen (good train services)

I find this VERY appealing, and might be the reason to ride to JO'G one day!

That's the way I did it the second time and it worked well. Saves all the worry about getting your bike on the Thurso/Wick train. If you get your timings right you can also have a few hours recovery riding around the Orkneys. Some interesting stone circles and other ancientia to be seen. A nice end to the journey.

[Mike Sales]

Some interesting stone circles and other ancientia to be seen.

When I was there I missed the Dwarfie Stane, to my lasting regret.
I did see St. Magnus Cathedral. The story of the saint is touching.

The Dwarfie Stane is a megalithic chambered tomb carved out of a titanic block of Devonian Old Red Sandstone located in a steep-sided glaciated valley between the settlements of Quoys and Rackwick on Hoy, an island in Orkney, Scotland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarfie_Stane

According to the Orkneyinga Saga, Magnus had a reputation for piety and gentleness, which the Norwegians viewed as cowardice. He refused to fight in a Viking raid in Anglesey, Wales, because of his religious convictions, and instead stayed on board the ship during the Battle of Menai Straits, singing psalms. His brother Erling died while campaigning with King Magnus, either at that same battle or in Ulster.

Eventually however, the followers of the two earls fell out, and the sides met at the Thing (assembly) on the Orkney mainland, ready to do battle. Peace was negotiated and the Earls arranged to meet each other on the island of Egilsay at Easter, each bringing only two ships. Magnus arrived with his two ships, but then Haakon treacherously turned up with eight ships.
Magnus took refuge in the island's church overnight, but the following day he was captured and offered to go into exile or prison, but an assembly of chieftains, tired of joint rule, insisted that one earl must die. Haakon's standard bearer, Ofeigr, refused to execute Magnus, and an angry Haakon made his cook Lifolf kill Magnus by striking him on the head with an axe. It was said that Magnus first prayed for the souls of his executioners.

When the cathedral, begun in 1137, was ready for consecration the relics of St Magnus were transferred. On 31 March 1919, during restoration work, a hidden cavity was found in a column, containing a box with bones including a damaged skull. These are held without (much) doubt to be the relics of St Magnus. The remains were replaced in the pillar in 1926, with the site marked with a cross.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_Erlendsson,_Earl_of_Orkney