Day 3 - 21st September

Day 3 a bit delayed because I couldn't get the internet in my hotel room, which was otherwise fine though I was the only guest. I eventually found a phone signal on the beach, so I was able to ring home while watching the kite surfers, but it was a bit cold for blog posting. 3's signal seems to be pretty limited up here, so the 'where am I' thing only works some of the time.

Started out with a great run over the hills from Braemar to Grantown on Spey, passing Balmoral (Police Notice - No Stopping). Even had to drop into first on one hill, and passed couple of ski lifts, but the downhill bits and scenery were superb with hardly any other traffic. As I reached Nairn and headed west to Inverness into the teeth of the gale the rains came down, and I was able to ask the question how good are my waterproof jacket, overtrousers and gloves? The answer is not good enough, I got soaked to the skin and very cold. By the time it had stopped, and I filled up with petrol north of Inverness I found that my fingers wouldn't work properly and I couldn't stop shivering. Fortunately the garage had a cafe (though the fuel was £1.43 a litre). I had egg and chips, a coffee, and a sit in the warm - the only thing wrong was that the hand-drier didn't work so my hands took a long time to warm up.

Managed to stay dry for the long run up the A9 to Dunnet, it follows the coast most of the way so isn't so spectacular, but it is still a very attractive route. Getting close to Dunnet Caithness becomes very flat and windswept (wide open views the lady in the hotel called it), and there are amazing sand dunes towering above the road at Dunnet Beach. I made it out to Dunnet Head (furthest North) for the obligatory photo. It's a great place with views all along the Pentland Firth and across to Orkney, but the wind was howling round my head and I could see a heavy shower rolling in from the west. Before I set off for the hotel two groups of people asked me about the charity (it was worth getting my reflective jacket printed) and one gave me a £2.50 donation - thanks.

Dunnet Head lighthouse - furthest North, looking across to Orkney

One down, three to go

At the hotel I made the unwelcome discovery that the lack of waterproofness also extended to the rubberised bags I had used to pack my clothes in before putting them in the panniers. I spent most of the evening moving gloves, socks and underwear on and off the radiator in my room, but eventually managed to dry everything.

Dunnet Beach, and kite surfer

Distance covered 217.0 miles, the 212.3 miles to Dunnet Head took 6 hr 20 min, including fuel stops and that restorative lunch.

I'll update Day 4 later, I'm off into Fort Augustus to see if I can find anywhere to watch Leigh v Eagles in the play-off semi-final this evening.