Day 111 Dunbeath to Kylesku

 

 Date: Friday 27^th July 2012   Distance: 39.33 Miles

 

We slept OK despite the German family next door and over the next week we came to really like seeing them when our paths crossed. They were on a nostalgic tour for their silver wedding with 3 children and later 4 in tow, though to say that is unfair as they were all very independent. The youngest was about 9 and he cycled nearly 60 miles one day.

 

Breakfast was Spartan- I individual packet of cereal, less than a loaf for everyone to make toast, tea and coffee. The whole deal cost more than the B and B up the road that admittedly gave us too much but was so much more comfortable.

 

In one of the visitor’s books it said one of the jobs they had to do (tradition then) was to empty rubbish down the hole into Smoo Cave, which wasn’t open to the public then. On the notice before the cave, besides saying what natural things to look out for, they said to look for fish bones and shells, as  archaeological evidence. I don’t suppose they were thinking of the hostel’s kitchen waste!

 

We left in rain a bit before 9. There were occasional breaks and it was light like being in a cloud. The wind was against us- quite strong and gusty. Sixteen miles from Durness we stopped at a hotel- Rhiconich. They were closed (despite a sign saying open all day and the doors being open)  but  they thought we looked like we needed a coffee. We were lucky but our German friends later told us that they were awful to them and felt also that they had been ripped off.  Why say you are open if you aren’t?

When we left feeling more comfortable the weather took a turn for the worse with sharp hail. Above us on the hills boulders sat poised ready to tumble down.

 

The next place for a late lunch just before closing was the Scourie Hotel and we had parsnip and apple soup and bacon butties and thought to ourselves as we tried to dry our bottoms by the hot air driers, that luckily it is only 9 miles to go.

 

Before Kylesku, where the scenery was less rock and more trees, I saw a female deer. Our eyes made contact and she disappeared before Bob could see her. The rain was driving down and flooding the road. We were being careful because of the damaged wheel, the drag brake screeching in the wet. It seemed an endless ride in poor visibility and it was quite a way past where we thought the B and B would be. Panicking I knocked on a door and was told it was just 5 minutes to a hot shower- Another underestimation, that left me feeling like we would never find it! But at last set back from the road we found Newton Lodge and it was warm and cosy luckily for us 2 drowned rats.

 

After a warm they lent us coats and gave us a lift to the Kylesku hotel where they had 4 types of real ale and lovely food. I had fish pie with mussels and seasonal greens including samphire that I had wanted to try since Norfolk, followed by date and walnut pudding with rum and raisin ice-cream. Bob had fish and chips and a cheeseboard. It was good but quite expensive.

 

We were picked up after a phone call from the hotel and watched the opening ceremony for the Olympics. We were told we could watch on a larger screen in another room if we wished but we were snug where we were.

 

This is the view from the Lodge next morning.