The Journey North. Day 15. Sunday 6th May 2018

From: Dunnets Head Lighthouse       To: Balnakeil Bay Durness    GR:NC 392686   Mileage: 93

Slight drizzle as we set off at 1000hrs.

Todays drive of 93 miles is mainly on single track carriageways with passing places.

Fairly typical single track road.

This is quite easy to drive. Everyone is attuned to other vehicles and motorbikes. Drive slower and with more consideration. We are soon in Thurso. On the A386. There opposite is a Tesco. It’s open. On a Sunday? Gone are the days when all of Scotland closed on the Sabbath.  In we pop for some rations. We seem to buy more than we eat.

 In need of replacement glasses for Mike a shop assistant sends us down beside the river. “Look out for the pirate.” Pirate my arse. We couldn’t see hide nor hair of him or anything that looked like a shop selling glasses. We continued.

We are driving West from Dunnet Head to Durness in effect along the flat looking bit at the top of Scotland. It’s not that flat, hilly moorland. Pretty bleak neither ruined croft or habitation just mile after mile of windy roads with thousands of acres of heather yet to bloom.

Mrs Weaver's Café and Gift Shop

We stop at Weavers Gift Shop and café. Mrs Weaver is so quiet and the room is like a church and just as quiet. It's quite intimidating for me!  I had chicken and haggis pie Jackie sweet potato and celeriac with brown bread soup it was delicious and as much as either could eat.

Ceannabeinne Beach near Durness.

"Is that all your life's worth? Twelve pounds!"

We pull in to take a photo of the beach and there is the Golden Eagle Zip Wire.

£12 it’s a steal. Mike’s up for that. That’s equivalent to £3 a second on the wire!.

Smoo Cave.

 "Too late sonny were closed."

" I've driven 700 miles to see this."

"Should have driven a bit faster."

Smoo Cave.

Coccoa Mountain. In the home of the old cold wars RAF station. We drove down the road to the beach and found a spot to hull down for the night.



We walked along the long crescent  shaped beach and away into the dunes. It was sunny but windy.

 



We are parked away in the distance on the edge of the beach.



Another 'Wild Camp' spot.

 Jackie keep moaning when other campers arrived taking up 'her' view.

Camped overnight  it got even windier.



 

 

Another deserted property.

 

The mist on the Ben.

 

Loch Eriboll. Scene of the surrender of 30 German U Boots in May 1945.