Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Our bottoms hurt. Our knees hurt. Our eyes sting from the relentless headwind. Bike chain covered in so much gunk, we dread to have to hook it back on when it comes off. But it doesn't matter! We have started to see road signs to John O'Groats and are one day from achieving our goal. Yippee!
We haven't seen the sun since Hadrian's Wall, but today was at least 98% dry and despite the headwind we made good progress to Helmsdale. We left Inverness crossing the Kessock Bridge which divides the Beauly Firth (with a pretty backdrop of the highlands) and the Moray Firth (with a less attractive backdrop of not much) and headed over to the Black Isle. Whilst I like bridges, Andy likes ferries and today we were getting the Comarty - Nigg ferry, one of the smallest car ferries in Britain (it even had a cool turntable for turning the cars around).
Forget the Mersey Ferry and the Liverpool skyline… this was by far the best ferry ever! For the small price of £5 each, we got to see Dolphins!! Lots of them. Gliding in and out of the water, jumping up, turning over and showing us their belly. It was awesome. Apparently the Comarty Firth is world known for its dolphin population. Comarty itself is a pretty fishing village and seems quite large considering how out on a limb it is. The tea shop there also does nice jacket potatoes with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Yum!
Once through dense woodland and fields, we reached the end of our quiet little roads and joined the A9, where we will stay for most of the rest of our journey. We were under the impression that this far north, the A9 is quiet. Whilst it doesn't have a constant stream of cars, it's still a major road. I just don't see where people are going to in such a rush! There's nothing here to rush for.
Except for going to see a Distillery before it shuts… which is what we were rushing for. Neither of us had ever been to a Whiskey Distillery before and we were looking forward to visiting one close enough to our destination that it would be a short stumble home. We got there at 1602. The last tour was at 1600. Annoying, they went early as the people who were there were in a rush! We did get to do a whiskey tasting though, which was really informative… I never knew what a difference the tiniest drop of water makes. We bought a couple of miniature bottles to toast ourselves in John O'Groats.
After so few stops, we're at our B&B the earliest yet. We have been recommended a fish restaurant for dinner and there are a couple of nice looking pubs. A pleasant evening beckons! (once I wake Andy up…)
- comments
Ken Good going. The end is in sight and feels closer as the road signs start to show John O'groats. Which route will you be taking? Enjoy the last few miles. Well done!
erbrewer We're going to go up the A9 in the end. Brave the steep hill out of Helmsdale. We're also going to Dunnet Head so long day tomorrow.
Paul Nearly there, roll on JOG!
Malka I am glad to see that you are human after all having ache and pains. Part of the fun, - last day HURRAY, no pictures –is it luck of energy? Love Mum