I Left My Heart in Altnaharra

 And TuesdayTwirl

Dear friends. Altnaharra, in the northern corner of Scotland, is a tiny hamlet we passed through on our 3 week cycling adventure from Land's End in Cornwall to John O'Groats. The region is simply breath-taking and I definitely plan to go back!

This is part 2 of my journal on our trip. Read the first part. 

I'm picking up the story deep in the north of England. For me, the last few days in England and the week in Scotland were the most spectacular cycling in the holiday. The highly populated cities and towns give way to hundreds of miles of unspoilt countryside. 

UK End to End by Bike - Part 1

 And TuesdayTwirl 

Dear friends.  For the last 3 weeks I've been cycling 1000 miles (1,609km) from Land's End in Cornwall to John O'Groats in Scotland (known as LEJOG). 

Some of you may remember we did this before, in 2024. I wrote a post about the experience, From Novice to LEJOG by eBike.  I talk there about how the holiday is run and give various tips on training, packing, riding an ebike and more.

This time, I'm approaching it in a different way. I'm sharing my daily journal. You'll find all the highs plus, in the interests of authenticity, the lows:  nausea, sore nethers, bike troubles....

Joyful July Reading {2026}

 

Dear friends.  If you're looking for some holiday reading I've got you covered. There's a gentle and lyrical 5 star read about a shy boy who loses his only friend, a couple of excellent crime thrillers and an  empathetic new read from Amanda Prowse. 

Non-fiction features a delightful book about penguins, and some delicious recipes and facts about adding fibre to our diets. 

All books were provided free as digital advance copies via NetGalley and the publishers, in return for an honest review, except those marked * which I bought myself.

The Age Rebellion by Lyndsey Simpson

 

Dear friends. There's a new narrative around retirement. It's no longer about putting your feet up and going on cruises, with a little babysitting and gardening.

Increasing amounts of research tells us that to stave off dementia we need to continue to exercise our brain as well as maintaining a good level of fitness to take us beyond the golden period of ages 60 to 72.

I've just read a new book, The Age Rebellion by Lydnsey Simpson. She describes the post-working years as our second act. 

Simpson, the Global CEO of 55/Redefined,  says there's no reason why we shouldn't start or own business or switch to an entirely different career as we get older. We may have decades in front of us if we set an arbitrary retirement date. Retirement is no longer the end point.