Saturday, 19 June 2010
Saturday 19th
Pete has arrived at Dunbeath but due to no 3G signal cannot upload his blog. He is fine and Gyp is fine ( still collecting sticks ) and only 2 days to go!!!!!
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Day 63 Wed 16th June
26 miles from Evanton to Dornoch
A BIG day. I had thought about splitting this into two days but once we got our heads down we just kept walking - from 7.30am to 5.30pm. Weather was overcast but warm.
We followed a cycle-track to Alness, where we got good views of several oil rigs in the loch. Then minor roads (still following NCN 1) took us through Newmore Wood, Scotsburn Wood and Morangie Forest to Tain. We passed the Morangie distillery - what a shame I don't drink whisky!
Another day, another big bridge. Today we had to cross the Dornoch Firth Bridge.
I thought yesterday's footpath was narrow but today's was worse. I couldn't even keep between Gyp and the road. She had to walk in front of me.
Worse still, at either end of the bridge there is no provision for pedestrians. For 300 yards we had to walk on the bank the other side of the barrier or on stones ( marked "Keep Off. Soft Drain")
A single-track lane took us over Dornoch Links to the town and campsite.
However, still no red squirrels! I am getting obsessed with trying to spot one. Loitering around Douglas firs and Scots pine trees. I know that they are watching me and laughing at me. I can even hear them chattering about me. Gyp told me that I'm just hearing voices.
Five more days to go.
A BIG day. I had thought about splitting this into two days but once we got our heads down we just kept walking - from 7.30am to 5.30pm. Weather was overcast but warm.
We followed a cycle-track to Alness, where we got good views of several oil rigs in the loch. Then minor roads (still following NCN 1) took us through Newmore Wood, Scotsburn Wood and Morangie Forest to Tain. We passed the Morangie distillery - what a shame I don't drink whisky!
Another day, another big bridge. Today we had to cross the Dornoch Firth Bridge.
I thought yesterday's footpath was narrow but today's was worse. I couldn't even keep between Gyp and the road. She had to walk in front of me.
Worse still, at either end of the bridge there is no provision for pedestrians. For 300 yards we had to walk on the bank the other side of the barrier or on stones ( marked "Keep Off. Soft Drain")
A single-track lane took us over Dornoch Links to the town and campsite.
However, still no red squirrels! I am getting obsessed with trying to spot one. Loitering around Douglas firs and Scots pine trees. I know that they are watching me and laughing at me. I can even hear them chattering about me. Gyp told me that I'm just hearing voices.
Five more days to go.
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Day 62 Tues 15th June
19 miles from Bunchrew to Evanton
Beginning to believe!
Left Inverness over Kessock Bridge, the last sizeable town or city.
I've now received my last parcel containing Gyp's food and my maps all the way to John O'Groats. The sea will be on my right for the last 100 miles, so flat walking with no navigation problems The weather forecast is good. Dozens of mountains, a thousand miles and billions of midges are now all behind me.
WHAT CAN POSSIBLY GO WRONG? as Danny Baker would ask.
After walking 2 miles to get back to Inverness I went round the Muirtown Basin, over the end of the Caledonian Canal and then over the River Ness. Looking down on Inverness reinforced my liking for the place and I will definitely visit again and have a good mooch around.
We then went over Kessock Bridge to The Black Isle. After a mile along the A9 I took a minor road North to Munlochy and then a single-track country lane to Culbokie. The White Wave theme continued with May blossom, rowan blossom and cow parsley dominating the views. Sweet ciciley (wild aniseed) added a pleasant aroma to the scene.
Then it was down the hill and time to cross the Cromarty Firth.
We have crossed many bridges on our journey but never have I felt so vulnerable. The path was very narrow and there was no safety barrier between us and the traffic thundering past.
Then it was simply a short walk down a B-road to our campsite at Evanton.
The weather has been warm but overcast - shorts and short-sleeved shirt on all day.
Day 61 Mon 14th June
A dry day that started overcast but ended after tea-time in glorious sunshine.
We followed General Wade's Military Road for two miles on forest roads, then over farmland before taking a rather muddy track through Daviot Woods to Castleton Village. Although we went slowly, stopping frequently, I have still to make a definite sighting of a red squirrel. I have had a couple of possible glimpse and seen a dead one but nothing 100%.
The "White Wave Walk" theme has also suffered lately as I have not seen one hawthorn for over a week. Until today. Notice that, like my walk, the May blossom is nearly over. Also notice the broom which tends to dominate here over gorse.
The track became lane and then a road as I followed it into Inverness. I crossed the River Ness by two bridges that link an island to opposite banks.
Then o crossed the Caledonian Canal and made my way to Bunchrew. I have had to detour 2 miles to this site because the site in Inverness does not accept dogs. Zoe had a rather fraught conversation with a lady there. She intimated that the lady resembled a bovine ruminant that suffered from nasal secretion problems!
However, serendipity rules, okay! Bunchrew is owned by a very friendly man who was happy to receive my last parcel posted by Zoe. The shop is licensed, so I was able to have a couple of bottles of Black Isle "Red Kite Ale" with my chicken and chips from the onsite van.
However the real bonus is the view over Beauly Firth from the door of my tent.
I have spent five hours sitting in the sunshine watching the scene through binoculars. Swallows and house-martins zoom over our heads to get insects from over the burn. An assortment of waders are looking for their tea and an osprey has flown over three times, hovering over the water at times. Out on mudbanks over a hundred seals are sunbathing.
But, for me, the absolute killer is watching a member of the crow family. There are 8 resident members of Corvidae in Britain. Once I spotted the rarest, choughs, in Cornwall I wondered if I could complete the set in one walk. One by one I noted carrion crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays and magpies. Now I am sitting outside my tent in the evening sunshine, drinking beer and watching hooded crows pick over the seaweed. All this and Robbie Savage commentating on the radio. Can it get any better?
We followed General Wade's Military Road for two miles on forest roads, then over farmland before taking a rather muddy track through Daviot Woods to Castleton Village. Although we went slowly, stopping frequently, I have still to make a definite sighting of a red squirrel. I have had a couple of possible glimpse and seen a dead one but nothing 100%.
The "White Wave Walk" theme has also suffered lately as I have not seen one hawthorn for over a week. Until today. Notice that, like my walk, the May blossom is nearly over. Also notice the broom which tends to dominate here over gorse.
The track became lane and then a road as I followed it into Inverness. I crossed the River Ness by two bridges that link an island to opposite banks.
Then o crossed the Caledonian Canal and made my way to Bunchrew. I have had to detour 2 miles to this site because the site in Inverness does not accept dogs. Zoe had a rather fraught conversation with a lady there. She intimated that the lady resembled a bovine ruminant that suffered from nasal secretion problems!
However, serendipity rules, okay! Bunchrew is owned by a very friendly man who was happy to receive my last parcel posted by Zoe. The shop is licensed, so I was able to have a couple of bottles of Black Isle "Red Kite Ale" with my chicken and chips from the onsite van.
However the real bonus is the view over Beauly Firth from the door of my tent.
I have spent five hours sitting in the sunshine watching the scene through binoculars. Swallows and house-martins zoom over our heads to get insects from over the burn. An assortment of waders are looking for their tea and an osprey has flown over three times, hovering over the water at times. Out on mudbanks over a hundred seals are sunbathing.
But, for me, the absolute killer is watching a member of the crow family. There are 8 resident members of Corvidae in Britain. Once I spotted the rarest, choughs, in Cornwall I wondered if I could complete the set in one walk. One by one I noted carrion crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays and magpies. Now I am sitting outside my tent in the evening sunshine, drinking beer and watching hooded crows pick over the seaweed. All this and Robbie Savage commentating on the radio. Can it get any better?
Monday, 14 June 2010
Day 60 Sun 13th June
18 miles from Boat of Garten to wild camp West of Moy.
It was raining when we set off and it continued to do so all day until I had pitched the tent.
We left Boat of Garten on a minor B-road but it still had a cycle track alongside. The Scots really have invested heavily in cycle-tracks.
We had to walk down a minor road to Carrbridge. Whilst photographing the old bridge from the new one, I rather foolishly leant my walking pole against a railing. How I smiled when I saw it plunge into the water below when I caught it with my foot.... Never mind I still have another and I don't think there are any big hills left that will require 'double-poling'.
Once we got to the A9 then the NCN 7 kept us off the main road, either by using the old road adjacent to it or by travelling along new purpose-built cycle-paths. After a slog uphill we reached the summit of Slochd, as notified by this sign for rail travellers.
Once over the summit NCN 7 took us through Tomatin to Moy where I headed West on General Wade's Military Road. I was looking for somewhere to camp bit everywhere was soaking. We had to cross to fast flowing streams.
Eventually I spotted a patch of grass big enough for the tent. Although the site is fairly remote the A9 below is very noisy. No matter where you go in Scotland, apart from up the mountains, you are always near a noisy road. Rivers, roads and railway lines all run together through the valleys.
Gyp thinks this is the best campsite yet! Instead of being restricted to the usual mandatory short lead, she can wander at will playing with sticks, branches and dead trees.
It was raining when we set off and it continued to do so all day until I had pitched the tent.
We left Boat of Garten on a minor B-road but it still had a cycle track alongside. The Scots really have invested heavily in cycle-tracks.
We had to walk down a minor road to Carrbridge. Whilst photographing the old bridge from the new one, I rather foolishly leant my walking pole against a railing. How I smiled when I saw it plunge into the water below when I caught it with my foot.... Never mind I still have another and I don't think there are any big hills left that will require 'double-poling'.
Once we got to the A9 then the NCN 7 kept us off the main road, either by using the old road adjacent to it or by travelling along new purpose-built cycle-paths. After a slog uphill we reached the summit of Slochd, as notified by this sign for rail travellers.
Once over the summit NCN 7 took us through Tomatin to Moy where I headed West on General Wade's Military Road. I was looking for somewhere to camp bit everywhere was soaking. We had to cross to fast flowing streams.
Eventually I spotted a patch of grass big enough for the tent. Although the site is fairly remote the A9 below is very noisy. No matter where you go in Scotland, apart from up the mountains, you are always near a noisy road. Rivers, roads and railway lines all run together through the valleys.
Gyp thinks this is the best campsite yet! Instead of being restricted to the usual mandatory short lead, she can wander at will playing with sticks, branches and dead trees.
Day 59 Sat 12th June
11 miles from Dalraddy to Boat of Garten.
I walked the 4 miles into Aviemore along the grass verge of the road. I have been there many times in the past (one February staying in a static with a bunch of mountaineers including Alan Hinks - now a world famous mountaineer) and the place never fails to disappoint me. What a waste of potential. It could be Scotland's version of an Alpine village. Instead we have monstrous concrete carbuncles towering over a high street that has rows of illuminated shop signs like any other town in Britain.
Whilst there, however, I did enjoy a bacon, Brie and cranberry baguette outside a cafe that had free WiFi.
I left Aviemore on the National Cycle Network route 7, which is becoming an old friend. After a while a passed a golf tournament which looked strange with the Cairngorms looming in the background.
Shortly afterwards I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to photograph this steam train.
I followed NCN 7, which had now been joined by the Speyside Way all the way to Boat of Garten.
Although Gyp was not allowed in The Boat the staff were very amenable and let us sit in the foyer, where I ate my salmon dinner, washed down with real ale from Cairngorm brewery. The only distractions were from a back room, where apparently some football match was on tv, which culminated in a huge whoop when USA scored. To compound my feelings of being "the foreigner" a coach load of Germans arrived to join in the fun.
I walked the 4 miles into Aviemore along the grass verge of the road. I have been there many times in the past (one February staying in a static with a bunch of mountaineers including Alan Hinks - now a world famous mountaineer) and the place never fails to disappoint me. What a waste of potential. It could be Scotland's version of an Alpine village. Instead we have monstrous concrete carbuncles towering over a high street that has rows of illuminated shop signs like any other town in Britain.
Whilst there, however, I did enjoy a bacon, Brie and cranberry baguette outside a cafe that had free WiFi.
I left Aviemore on the National Cycle Network route 7, which is becoming an old friend. After a while a passed a golf tournament which looked strange with the Cairngorms looming in the background.
Shortly afterwards I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to photograph this steam train.
I followed NCN 7, which had now been joined by the Speyside Way all the way to Boat of Garten.
Although Gyp was not allowed in The Boat the staff were very amenable and let us sit in the foyer, where I ate my salmon dinner, washed down with real ale from Cairngorm brewery. The only distractions were from a back room, where apparently some football match was on tv, which culminated in a huge whoop when USA scored. To compound my feelings of being "the foreigner" a coach load of Germans arrived to join in the fun.
Day 58 Fri 11th June
20 miles from Gaick Pass to Dalraddy (near Aviemore)
After little sleep during the night we packed up early and were walking before 7.00am.
The rough track wound its way down the pass.
After a few miles we began to pass lodges and then houses and the road got better.
I was surprised to note how few birds and animals I had seen passing through the mountains. Maybe this has something to do with it. The bird table is on one side of the track and the shooting hide is about 15 yards away on the other side.
I did see a family of dippers and several roe deer. I have heard cuckoos again several times lately, after an absence of a few weeks, and after hearing one again today I managed to spot it with my binoculars. As I watched, it flew from the top of one dead tree to another one much nearer to me.
Once we got down to Drumguish we followed green lanes and forest tracks to Insh. We then skirted the East shore of Loch Insh to Kincraig from where another forest trail took us all the way to the campsite at Dalraddy
I have just walked 44 miles over a mountain pass in two days and I am knackered. I must change the schedulefor the next two days. I can't face 38 miles in two days.
After little sleep during the night we packed up early and were walking before 7.00am.
The rough track wound its way down the pass.
After a few miles we began to pass lodges and then houses and the road got better.
I was surprised to note how few birds and animals I had seen passing through the mountains. Maybe this has something to do with it. The bird table is on one side of the track and the shooting hide is about 15 yards away on the other side.
I did see a family of dippers and several roe deer. I have heard cuckoos again several times lately, after an absence of a few weeks, and after hearing one again today I managed to spot it with my binoculars. As I watched, it flew from the top of one dead tree to another one much nearer to me.
Once we got down to Drumguish we followed green lanes and forest tracks to Insh. We then skirted the East shore of Loch Insh to Kincraig from where another forest trail took us all the way to the campsite at Dalraddy
I have just walked 44 miles over a mountain pass in two days and I am knackered. I must change the schedulefor the next two days. I can't face 38 miles in two days.
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