Rugged isolation

I slept well, sadly Lesley did not, but each time I became semi conscious I could hear the sound of the sea on the beach below. It was a wee bit grey overhead when we finally decided to get up and too cold to eat outside the van so we breakfasted inside, readied the van to leave and were off on the final leg of our journey on the North and Western Highlands Tourist Route.

The scenery continued to change but always one was reminded of how isolated one could be as we crossed over moors with few signs of recent habitation, though there was a sprinkling of abandoned crofts, just like in parts of Ireland. There were still numerous lochs, heather and ferns abounded and some wonderful seascapes came into view as we rounded corners on our journey in a mostly north easterly direction. We stopped for refreshment on the Kyle of Tongue with a loch and mountains in one direction and the loch and sea in the other. Travelling on we crossed more peat bogs and moors and as we climbed past the Glen of Borgie I caught a glimpse of a Golden Eagle soaring, turning and getting ready to swoop down into the valley below then it and we were gone climbing upwards and turning into the next valley.

It is a beautiful landscape, so rugged, varied and with the clouds scudding across the sky and occasional glimpses of the sun shining on lochs and the sea. For most of the journey we were on an A road unlike those in the South which continued to be a single track with passing places until we were approaching Bettyhill. We travelled on, passing the nuclear power station at Dounreay, a strange white ball of a structure sitting amidst a range of other buildings against the backdrop of the blue green sea and a host of seabirds rising up in front of the van as we passed.

We stopped at Thurso to purchase a few provisions and to refuel in case getting diesel at a reasonable price on Orkney proved difficult and were told of the many opportunities for wild camping on the islands by someone who had spent the last month there. We only have 4 out of 7 nights booked in advance on Orkney so we may find ourselves wild camping if we can find suitable places and it feels safe to do so.

A little beyond Thurso, there is a wide shallow bay of sand with breaking waves and the huge outcrop of Dunnett Head. There is a Caravan Club site at Dunnett Bay and that is where we decided to spend the night and on arrival met another couple with an earlier Compass Calypso who told us of their adventures with their van. We had a snack, went for a walk on the beach, managing to get back before the rain that had been threatening for some time actually fell. We ate a dinner of grilled soy, lime and chilli salmon on a bed of mixed vegetable cous cous followed by cheese, biscuits, chutney and port, watched an episode of Foyles War from the variety of channels apparently available on our tv then went to bed.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy