OLYMPIC Gold medalist Laura Trott eat your heart out!

A challenging 800-mile odyssey round Scotland gave Dalmellington grandmother-of-three Janet Renouf-Miller the inspiration for a fascinating exhibition which was showcased at Carnegie Library last week.

Knit 1 Bike 1 opened at the Ayr venue from March 31, and finishedyesterday. It and also has an accompanying book.

Textile artist Janet said: “I had written a previous book on how to spin and wanted to write a book with wider appeal.

"I had a 10-week window and because I liked cycling I decided to combine the two. I cycled round Scotland doing 21 knitting and crochet workshops in exchange for a bed for the night, I camped as well and stayed with people.

“I knitted and crocheted what I saw on the way which is how the exhibition came about and I was writing a book while I went along as well.

"I met hundreds of people, I couldn’t have done it without them as it would have been prohibitively expensive. It was nicer than just cycling because you could see people. I was just so glad South Ayrshire could give me a venue because it was hard to find a venue which was suitable.”

The journey took 69 days - she would cycle 30 miles a day then stay two nights and do a workshop on the day in between and exploring, so she could get inspiration to do the art work.

She would average between 10 and 35 miles a day because she was sketching and photographing.

Janet cycled up as far north as Dingwall and as far south as Langholm with one of the workshops at the Burns Centre in Alloway.

Members of local groups she met during her travels contributed to the exhibition as well as members of Dalmellington Knit and Blether.

Among the highlights of the exhibition are a Brompton folding bicycle, an RBS mobile bank and a mobile library, made after she saw them in Arran.

But the centrepiece is undoubtedly her interpretation of The Glenfinnan Viaduct, a railway viaduct used in the Harry Potter movies.

The exhibition goes to Stair Community Centre on May 6 and 7, Tel 01292 286385 for more details.