Leaving Ullapool the route heads SE for 10 miles on the road before heading upwards.
In just 2 miles there is 1300 feet of climbing. The technique for a good part of the climb, is push the bike, apply the brakes and then repeat. Tom found it desperate. Pushing a bike that weighs going on for 1/2 ones weight would tax any of us.
So, I'd push my bike a way up the hill, then walk back down and help Tom up with his.
I'd assured Tom that the reward for all this pushing was some sweet fast singletrack on the other side of the hill. The reality this year was lots of unrideable boggy bits. It certainly wasn't fast. 5.5 miles in 3 1/2 hours.
I knew therefore that Fisherfield and on towards Poolewe, even if we could ford the big river was going to take an age longer than I had planned. This was supposed to be an enjoyable trip, and a days slogging through bog dragging a heavy bike was not going to be that for Tom.
I made the decision at Dundonnell bridge. We'd ride South on the road to pick up the Highland Trail return route at Fort Augustus.
The next 37 miles on the road were mostly accompanied by a tail wind.
We revisited Contin for the second time in the trip, this time to spend the night in the campsite.
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