How we did it

TRAVEL

Flights to Inverness go from London (British Airways, Easyjet), Bristol (Easyjet) and Manchester (Loganair) and take around an hour and a half. A more environmentally friendly way to go is by train, although from London this will take up to ten hours – simply more time to look at the beautiful Scottish countryside.

ACCOMMODATION

Cyclist stayed at the Glasdair Guest House, which is all Scottish stone on the outside and strangely Turkish influence on the inside. Rooms start at £50 and it is situated on the route, so you can nip in and grab anything you forgot to take to the start line.

Inverness gets very packed on the weekend of the Etape, so book accommodation as early as possible. And meals – Cyclist can recommend the black pudding and goat’s cheese pizza from the Black Isle Bar on Church Street.

THANKS

Many thanks to Malcolm and Caroline Sutherland of event organiser Caledonian Concepts, and Helen Ross and Eilidh Marshall of PR agency Whale-like-fish for their help in arranging our entry.