Today has felt strangely autumnal. The promise of spring and summer that the last few days of sunshine brought disappeared overnight. We woke instead to the sounds of raindrops hammering down upon our tent and wind whipping the​ canvas around us. It took me a long while this morning to summon the courage to leave the tent for my morning wee and when I was finally brave enough, I rushed back in as soon as I could, soaked through! 

We set off an hour or so later by which time the wind had calmed a little and the rain had stopped. We pedalled with grey clouds hanging low above us, pregnant with the promise of more rain to come.

Steep granite rose up on either side of the road intermittently, still scarred by the gunpowder that carved the way years ago. In places it darkened almost to black with water that dripped down its face. In other places it was covered in a blend of thick green moss and grey-blue lichen. 

The landscape here is stunning. Granite boulders and islands that protrude from the clear blue sea and today, everywhere I looked reminded me of autumn. Leaves the colour of copper still clung to trees on the roadside and the extensive birch had not yet begun to sprout leaves. The trunks were framed by branches that were still purply-brown and leafless. NVThe only green, apart from the moss, came in the form of evergreens, dark in colour and reminding me more of Christmas than Easter! I had to remind myself we were not plunging once more into the cold of winter. 

Despite the sudden turn in weather, the landscape inspired us both and I cannot stop singing as I cycle. I confess I am a terrible singer, but I simply cannot help myself. Arron joins in sporadically, taking over when I forget the words, or resort to making up the words (which happens a lot). All in all it is a lot of fun and I am loving the cycling at the moment!