So being quite tired myself (!) I spent the day booking campsites, making sandwiches and reading the Saturday paper before meeting up in Tain. Tomorrow I will visit the Tain through Time museum, but it was closed today. In fact the whole place was very, very quiet. Not sure what to make of it yet. I feel very lazy - think I'd better work out a walk for tomorrow.
From Bernie:
Today's walk 18.3 miles : Cumulative 1191.1 miles
Probably the walk I was least looking forward to on the entire LeJog - at least the weather was on my side! I could have followed the edge of the Cromarty Firth, past the offshore wind-turbine yard at Invergordon & abandanod oil-rig yards at Nigg before following the beautiful coastline around Tarbat Ness to Tain.... but that would have used up my day in hand & another day as well; I do have some deadlines to meet &, besides, I've walked that way before!
Final view of Fyrnish monument before it slipped behind cloud - glad we were up there yesterday!
With careful use of that day in hand & fair weather, this should be the last of the long days & with yesterday having seen the last of the big hills, I do feel very close to the end now. Only 10 days to go!
Cromarty Firth & Sutors of Cromarty - very popular dolphin-watching spot!
Highlight of the Day: finally reaching Tain after the longest unbroken stretch of road-walking on the whole trek; indeed, if it wasn't for the fact that National Cycleways do dive off into woodland whenever they have the opportunity I would have been tramping tarmac all day! The wooded section was the first 3 miles towards the A9, the miles I should have walked yesterday - I'm glad I saved them now!
The problem with my route, which runs almost in a straight line through the woods & forests of Easter Ross, is that it never climbs high enough to offer more than the briefest glimpses of the Cromarty Firth - but it is far enough from the A9 to be peaceful & I was rarely troubled by traffic
Many of the farms of Easter Ross breed 'eventing' horses - lots of paddocks & fields laid out for training
Pleasantly surprised by Alness, the only community of any size that I passed through today. The last time I was here was on a Saturday afternoon, some time in the 1990s, when I was walking the coast: it was grubby, loud & the High Street seats were filled with semi-conscious bodies & people of various ages shouting, swearing & drinking from cans & bottles. Now there are signs banning drinking in the streets, everything is clean & tidy & there are superb floral displays all the way from the A9 right into the immaculate town centre. A sign proclaims Alness as Champion of Champions in the 2006 Britain in Bloom competition while another proudly boasts of other awards won by the town over the last decade - an amazing turnaround!
Beer of the Day: Thistley Cross cider flavoured with strawberries! Not the kind of thing I'd usually even dream of trying but I'm becoming reckless! Surprisingly good! I'd expected something sickly-sweet but it is, in fact, quite dry & very refreshing. At only 4% it's a good walking-drink & would beat flavoured water anytime! I'll certainly have this again.... if I ever stumble across it!
Mercat Cross, Tain
Song of the Day (an occasional series!): 'Crooked Legs' by Acorn - as I walked towards the manager in Tain she commented, "You're hobbling a bit!" - what did she expect?!
New Public Gardens in Tain, looking out over Dornoch Firth
Jamie & Andy: have a good honeymoon (Part 2!) - it's amazing to think I started this blessed walk when you were on honeymoon (Part 1); see you soon!
John, Derina & family: smashing to hear from you! Hope you enjoy Stranraer, it's a lovely spot when the sun shines. Have a good crossing!
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Thanks, I'm sure we'll have a good time. It was good to see the your photo of the Cromarty Firth to remind us of honeymoon #1, although it's not a guaranteed dolphin-spotting area for our experience!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck for the last few days of your epic.
Andy