Day 20 – 24th April 2007
This morning dawned bright and clear. We had another very good breakfast overlooking the Moray Firth in which, according to the landlady, the world’s tallest wind generator was situated. It isn’t working yet and there is a similar one being built nearby.
We set off around 9.30 and made for Lybster, where we bought provisions. A mile or so later we took a left turn which took us due north through some very remote and wild countryside. We climbed gently but for quite a few miles and when we reached the top of this lens-shaped hill the views were spectacular. This was Flow Country, and there probably wasn’t another human within two miles of us. Once we stopped the bike, the only sounds were the wind and bird song. This was one of the finest parts of the entire ride.
We descended to Watten which, to judge by the people we met, has more than its fair share of very attractive young women pushing push chairs. We crossed the railway and a few minutes later a train came – probably one of very few all day. Loch Watten, although small when compared to some we had seen, is still a large lake about three miles long.
After lunch, we climbed again, although this time through less remote countryside, and eventually we saw Stroma Island and Orkney beyond. We were now very much in the home straight, the last two or three of a 1000 miles journey which ended in a not-very-inspiring pub and which served no beer worthy of the name. However, we celebrated with a wee dram of Glenmorangie, since we had cycled past the distillery yesterday.
We decided to see Dunnet Head tonight, rather than leave it to the morning, and we made the mistake of missing out Duncansby Head. This was demonstrated when we arrived at Creaig-na-Mara to find that the latest we would be served dinner was 7.30 (our host, who assured us modestly that he was by far the best in the area, wanted to watch a football match) , so we wouldn’t have time to get to Dunnet Head either.
We have now opted for a 7.30 breakfast, to leave at 8.30 via Dunnet Head and still get to Thurso in plenty of time for the 13.06 train to Inverness. We did have a very good meal at Creaig-na-Mara, where we are the only guests for tonight. We are overlooking Dunnet Head, where we have been treated to a very fine sunset.
