Page 112 - RSDG Year of 2021 CREST

118 EAGLE AND CARBINE
lifted both figuratively and literally during the time in Ullapool, with the team getting a chance to make use of the pubs and cafes in the town. The ASM, WO2 Neil Dolan, had determinedly brought his tri suit and finished the day with a swim; the rest took advantage of the chance to clean all their kit in the first washing machines seen in a while!
Rested, and ready for what would be a 145km day, SCOTS DG set off on the fourth leg. Early in the day, the team passed the stunning volcanic protru- sion (mountain), Stac Pollaidh, and continued along increasingly narrow roads, absorbing the incredible landscape all the time. On stopping at the fishing port of Lochinver, many felt like they were halfway, when in fact they’d only completed just under a third of the total distance for the day! 100 km and many stops with the support team van later, the team arrived in Durness: across the day they had climbed 7664 feet. The land- scape had again become steep and the roads took a “pragmatic” course (25% gradient) and often ended up feeling like cycling up a wall! All was worth it for fast descents that went on for miles, and some fascinat- ing stories and locations, such as the XII Submarine force memorial at the Kylesku Bridge, across Loch a’ Chàirn Bhàin, where the Royal Navy trained early in the Second World War to prepare to attack German Battleships harboured in the Norwegian Fjords. This gives an impression of the landscape to come - pit- ted, rugged and with gentle climbs, followed by easy descents across an open, bleak, yet beautiful section of the West Coast. After passing through isolated villages and passing Cape Wrath – a location familiar to those
who served in B Sqn in 2021 – the teams arrived at the oasis of the north coast of Scotland, Durness, and a campsite nestled above Sango Sands. At the end of one of the longest days, everyone was relieved to see the Eagle emblazoned flag fluttering in the campsite, signalling that rest and brews-on-tap were just min- utes away.
Day five was “easy”, at just 88km, taking the team from Sango sands across the northernmost coast of Scotland and finishing at another remote campsite in Melvich. Maj Mike Houstoun was able to join the team at this point, taking a break from preparations for the SCOTS DG 50th Anniversary. The shorter day was welcome and the extra rest at the campsite was crucial ahead of two more long days ahead. At this point the marked differences in approaches to refuelling by members of the team had become fully evident, some opting for a “high protein / high carbohydrate” approach and oth- ers for more modern options... In more simple terms this looked like plenty of bacon sandwiches, chips, and the odd pint of Guinness in the evening (bolstered by Irn Bru in the day!) vs. using more modern, scientific energy gels. Either way with some estimating that the riders were using up to 5000 – 6500 calories this made little difference...
On the penultimate day of riding, the route took the team inland. Lt Dan Taylor and Lt Sandy Snowball finally “cracked” from the “fast” group and found themselves riding much of the first day alone, whilst just the act of sitting in the saddle was becoming immensely tiresome for most of the team. Continuing the Beaumont route, the riders got a break from the increased traffic they had encountered on the previous two days and enjoyed the roads to themselves (and the sheep). It was also a chance to see a part of Scotland touched by few visitors; supplies of coffee and cake on this part of the route were limited, but the support team continued to pick out suitable locations to replen-