Haggis, neeps and tatties.

When you hear the word 'haggis', what comes into your mind? Probably just a lot of prejudice, hearsay and propaganda. Usually anti-haggis.

It's delicious. Wholesome, healthsome and tasty-some.

Cynical and sarcastic, I may oft-times be, but this is not one of those times.

Now as far as Stirling. That's over 3/4 of the way. Edinburgh played host to the most exhausting rest-day we have had. We have had one. Tartan shops provide almost blanket coverage of the Royal Mile it seems. Very nice though.

Hawick was our first port of call into Scotland, and what a welcome. Four lycra-clad members of the Historic Hawick Cycling Club excorted us in. A pipe band serenaded us with Scotland The Brave; we were given Irn-Bru and shortbread and even got checked up with by two genial officers of the police force. Ace.

Scotland is fantastic. And it just gets better.