We turned around, and started making our way back south. Traveling by train promised to be an adventure. We’ve never taken our bikes on European trains before, so everything was new. One last layover in Edinburg will be the end of our time in Scotland.

We’re discovering many facets of Scotland, beyond sea cliffs and castles. Of course, we’re cycling past plenty of those. But now we’ve also met Scotland’s favorite cartoon character, we’ve admired a famous St. Bernard midshipman, we’ve seen how to run a North Sea oil rig, and even learned a few words of Scots.

Cycling through the Kingdom of Fife, we circled the region’s tallest hills and its biggest lake. Castles haunted by the ghost of Mary Queen of Scots lined our path, as we negotiated our way through the hills, and back to the coast. There, in the birthplace of golf, we got stuck in a cycling sand trap at St. Andrews Links, one of the oldest golf courses in the world. The rest of the road to Dundee went more smoothly, except for that incident on the bridge over the River Eden. Let’s just say, you don’t want to get too close to a flustered swan.

It didn’t take us long to reach Scotland. As the northernmost nation that we would visit on this tour, Scotland holds a special allure. We’ve finally reached the land of bagpipes, tartans, deep blue lochs, and those adorable highland cattle.

We cycled through Dunbar, birthplace of John Muir, one of the great early leaders of the U.S. conservation movement. The John Muir Way took us most of the rest of the way to Edinburgh. 

This leg of our journey took us along the wild and scenic reaches of the Northumberland Coast. For the better part of several days, we cycled on sandy, muddy and gravelly paths along the rugged North Sea coast. We enjoyed the sense of adventure, soaking up the gorgeous views and taking our time as we bounced along the rural paths. Biking past four of the region’s iconic castles, we could appreciate how their inhabitants incorporated the extra defenses offered by the coastal cliffs. We also took a day to celebrate our namesake birds - Atlantic Puffins - with a boat trip out to the seabird colonies of the Farne Islands.

Along the Northumbrian coast, we passed through dozens of coastal hamlets, as well as the industrial cities that line the banks of its major rivers: the Tees, the Wear, the Tyne and the Blyth. The trail rolled across a series of unique and iconic bridges, over grassy sand dunes, and past rocky shores. And every once in a while, just to make sure we don’t lose our climbing legs, the route would launch up a steep cliff face, for a panoramic ride along the bluffs overlooking the sea.

Cycling up the heart-pounding, cathedral hill in Lincoln, we left the flat marshlands behind. The Wolds of England generally aren’t too steep, but we still had to find our climbing legs again, after four days of biking through pancake-flat fields. In addition to the scenic beauty of the Wolds, we finally reached the North Sea. There, we visited a huge colony of nesting seabirds, including a few adorable Atlantic Puffins.

As we head eastward along one of England’s grand canals, the land is becoming less rural, and more urban by the kilometer. We emerged from verdant countryside into the bustling city of Reading, where the ruins of an ancient abbey are the center of attention. Then, on to Windsor and its beloved castle, where royals relax for the weekend, and sports clubs use the front lawn for running laps.

The legend of King Arthur looms large over the marshes and hills, west of Bridgwater. We cycled across the fabled Avalon Marshes and up the lower slopes of Glastonbury Tor, where names like Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin and Morgan are part of the cultural fabric. In Britain’s smallest city, we saw our first great, English cathedral. Then we descended back to sea level, and the vibrant city that gives Bristol Bay its name.

After two more days cycling along the Nantes-to-Brest Canal, we’ve turned north into the region of Armorica - the ancient heart of Brittany. Leaving behind the castles of the valley, we rode through the legendary Monts d’Arrée, where Celtic legends arise from the heathlands and mossy forests. In Carhaix-Plouguer, we enjoyed seeing roadside art inspired by the Tour de France, which raced through the center of town in 2018.

Following the Nantes-to-Brest Canal, we’ve cycled into the very heart of Brittany. Along this route, nearly every town has a castle with a story linked to the Dukes of Rohan, once one of the most powerful families in the region. Between towns, the canal was lightly used, so we often had the towpath to ourselves - making for a serene and relaxing ride.

After a week of biking through the pine forests of Landes, France, we emerged onto the marshlands of northern Aquitaine. Alternating between cycling on coastal roads and the levees between drainage canals in the marshes, we enjoyed the change of scenery. It ended with the awe-inspiring views of the medieval towers guarding the harbor entrance, as we cycled into the ancient city of La Rochelle. A rest day in the old part of the city included a chance to celebrate life with our third Carnival parade for the year.

We had been looking forward to a rest day in Pamplona, Spain. But we found ourselves cycling into strong headwinds, requiring an extra effort to get there. In Pamplona, most stores and restaurants were closed for San José day (i.e., Father’s Day). Nonetheless, we were still able to enjoy visiting many of the city’s famous sights. 

Our last few days of biking through the Extremadura region of Spain included more chances to immerse ourselves in its medieval past and cultural heritage. But leaving the region to enter Castilla Y León is no small matter. The region of Castilla Y León is a high plateau surrounded by mountains. So to get there, we had to climb over the Cordillera Central mountains. That included both breathtaking views, and catching our breath while pedaling 60 km uphill.