Day 103 Inverness to Cromarty

 

 Date: Sunday 3^rd June 2012   Distance: 37.79 Miles

 

Oddly I could only sleep on an hourly basis- maybe it was the wine! Breakfast was really good- friendly service and very fresh. We decided to try and find a squirrel stronghold this morning buoyed up by the success of finding dolphins. Bob earmarked a car park that turned out to be a long trek up what felt like a mountain. We hadn’t left the boundaries of Inverness and it was nearly lunch time. We definitely found the right place with feeders and picnic tables but there were too many dog walkers to have got even a glimpse of red fur.

 

It was back into the town that is the Highlands unofficial capital, past the Caledonian Canal with a succession of locks, and over the Moray Firth via the bridge to the Black Isle and Cromarty. Just over the bridge at Kessock there is another place to watch dolphins though we didn’t see any today

 

We passed a place called Drumsmittal that seemed to be a solitary shack pertaining to be a recording studio. At Munlochy we bought food for a picnic at Chanonry Point, another peninsula. But on the opposing side of the Firth to the Fort of dolphin repute. Access is via a rough road through a golf course. Bob had a lovely steak pie and I, a Danish pastry made by bakers in Avoch .It was very windy and cold despite the sunshine.

 

At Fortrose we stopped to look at a ruined 14th century Cathedral. It looked to be a jubilee party in the grounds and a lone piper was just arriving. There were weathered effigies on sarcophagi and some interior left exposed to the elements.

 

At Rosemarkie we cycled by a super looking caravan site along the North and South headland. Obviously a popular resort comprised of a collection of cottages and small houses it has a nature reserve supposed to be the haunt of Fairies! We found a bistro ”Crofters” that gave Bob the creamiest of all Cullen skinks. There was a cafe to be found later here too.

 

We left Rosemarkie, travelling up a long hill 187 metres high and riding all of it. It was across through forest towards Balbair but then turning towards Jemimaville, where there was a little shed posing as a general post office.

 

We could see a large cruise ship, the Caribbean Princess, at Invergordan, which we saw later being piloted out of the Bay, at Cromarty. We were amazed to see a little door open in the side of the huge ship and the pilot swing down into the little boat waiting alongside, after navigating the difficult bit. A tricky manoeuvre in some weathers I should think.

 

Our B and B was in the High Street and the bike in a shed in the garden. We had been to the Cromarty Arms before (Lands End to John o Groat’s) so for old times sake had a pint of Jolly Chappy , locally brewed. Then we remembered why we hadn’t stayed this time. Our host at the house was welcoming and later The Royal Hotel had given us a slap up meal of venison casserole and roast beef dinner. These 2 were probably attracting the tourist whereas the pub was more for the locals which perhaps influenced our opinion too.