13. Dec, 2021
To Tongue By Tricycle: Nauticus in Scotland
One of the more remarkable accounts of travels in the far north that I have come across was published in 1882, the book titled Nauticus in Scotland. A Tricycle Tour of 2,462 Miles, including Skye and the West Coast. It was issued in the hope that it would "induce wheelmen and others to explore the less frequented parts of Scotland", and the account is not only an astonishing record of effort and endurance, but also of mechanical and technical ingenuity!
Nauticus ('of ships', 'nautical' - we never learn his real name) was the proud owner of a Cheylesmore Tricycle, the two front wheels measuring 4 feet, and the rear wheel 15 inches. He set off with his friend Mr P----, but the latter has to return south at Crieff, and Mr T----, who was lined up to join Nauticus for the adventure, never materialised. So Nauticus ended up visiting some very remote corners of North Britain all on his own.
Thank goodness he ignored the advice that he was given, that the roads of the west coast would be too hilly for his machine, for we have been left with a most entertaining account. It is a scarce book in its original form, but a paperback abridged version of the original has been issued by Forest Publishing Co., and various other reprints are readily available should you be interested in following this up.
The map shows that he really did visit much of the Highlands, including Skye, and I think an outline of his adventures would be well worth posting on my website. I will summarise the abridged, paperback version which ends at John O Groats, though in fact he did return down the east coast. The images I supply are all from the original 1882 edition.
Bon Voyage!