With just over a week to go before starting Biggest Journey, this is the last weekend of serious training before tapering off the efforts to make sure my legs are well rested before the off. So, with that in mind, I need to make it count.

There are some cracking roads in Scottish Borders, and this route includes some of the best: Granites, Meldons, Talla, Megget, St Mary’s Loch – all lovely. There’s a wee big of what you might call major roads in this – but they’re pretty minor A roads really. One of the highlights of this route, if you can call it that, is the 20% climb up from Talla to Megget reservoir … this road is definitely better to do this way as the descent back down to St Mary’s Loch is just lovely.

This may also be my last video diary before I set off next week… Starting to feel pretty real now!

Find more Bike Ride in Scottish Borders