Finally !!

So i finished the walk last saturday afternoon, 8/7/17 and got the 6pm Orkney bus back to Inverness, stayed in a hostel, then coach to London via Perth and Glasgow. By the end my feet had swollen so much that i could hardly get them in my boots without pain, due to the road walking in the last 125 miles, Probably should have had more rest days and took my time a bit more, but once i committed to doing the walk my thoughts always seemed to be to get on with it.

Big thanks to everyone i met along the way, new friends and old friends, and for all the calls and texts of encouragement, and also from people on the blog that i have never met. It really does all help !!

The walk itself was great, though i’m not going to lie, had some real dark times near the beginning, knowing there was so long to go. Physically all was fine except for a brief spell in Somerset where the knee seized up !! Managed to lose just under a stone and half in weight, and have not been so fit for probably 20 years..

Finally, managed to raise approx £1200 for Macmillan cancer research, thanks to the generosity of everyone, thanks people !!

Hope you enjoyed the blog !!

Day 68, Wick to John O’Groats

It’s finally here, Saturday 8th July, my last day (fingers crossed). 

Again up at 5.30 and leave the campsite at just gone 6, head out north past the giant Tesco and pick up some breakfast and lunch and treat myself to a pack of rhubarb & custard to pass the hours.

The road north is very quiet

I suppose there’s not much to do past Wick, so head down, I’m feeling pretty chillaxed today and knock off the miles quite quickly.

Stop for a quick bite to eat and rest the feet for 20 mins then I’m on my way again at 11, only 5 more miles to go !!

Soon chalk off the miles and head straight for the famous JoG sign for my picture, three young fellas from SW London there who have just cycled from End to End, they offer to take my photo, then one of them says “are you Paul ?” I’m stunned, fame at last ?, or have I done something wrong !!,

Turns out they were with the Haggis Boys from the Evanton Bunkhouse and were told to be on the lookout 😎, hello chaps, made it…

And so did the boots !!

Got a phew photos done before the predicted rain comes then set off for Duncansby lighthouse, which is at Duncansby Head, which is the Most NE point of the mainland and not JoG which is a tourist village living off that fact. Then strolled along to the Stacks of Duncansby

Got back to the John O’Groats car park at 3.30 and had some lunch just as the rain started in earnest, just 2 hours until my coach to Inverness.

Great day, and my boots made it !!, thanks to being dry for the last 6 days.

Day 66, Crakaig to Dunbeath

Got a weather forecast from home last night, heavy rain till midday, from about 8 am. I’m currently 6 miles from the nearest town and have about 20 miles to do again today to Dunbeath. I was up and gone by 5.30, wanted to be in Helmsdale for 8 to avoid the rain and have some breakfast.

Head down on the A9 and made Helmsdale for 7.30 still dry. Not much open at this time except the Spar shop, but am currently sitting under a bridge and it’s starting to rain, 

library opens at 10 so can hopefully charge the phone and work out my routes till the end. 

Had lunch and left Helmsdale at about 12.30, 16 more miles all on the A9 

and don’t my feet know it. Arrived at Dunbeath at 6.30

 and the supermarket was closed, luckily there was a pub 200 yards away that done evening meals so popped in.

Got just over 20 miles to do tomorrow as well. Nice !!

Day 65, Dornoch to Crakaig

Up at 7, and downstairs for breakfast then packed up and away at 8.30 after messing about trying to get WiFi in the hotel. I was in a strop this a.m, had a lot of road walking to do, with most of it on the dangerous A 9.

I walked the backway out of Dornoch up to loch fleet, 

which was incredible in the sun, only saw 1 seal and then only for about 20 seconds. I then hit the A9 and walked all the way into Golspie taking my life in my hands, jeeze that wasn’t good !!

Had some lunch out the co-op and sat by the beach, sun was out, but not to hot, after lunch I walked out of Golspie following the beach, crossed a small stream then followed the coastal path all the way to Brora. What a result, 5 or 6 miles walking by the sea, and in the sun, there were sun bathing Seals all over the place, 

and I went past Dunrobin Castle 

which looked like the castle at the magic kingdom. What a great afternoon, my mood picked up ten fold. I then had to walk down the A9 again for 6 miles to Crakaig, because it was a lot later it wasn’t so bad, not great, but could of been worse.

Finally got to the campsite at 7 and had to walk out to near the beach (about 1/2 mile away) where a lady came over for the money, £15 was asked for, no electricity, no cooking facilities, just a field next to the sea with sheep crap everywhere, told her it was to much, and to my surprise she let me stay for free, wasn’t expecting that !! Seems it’s £15 for everything, 1 man tent to a motorhome !!

Oh, I’m still wearing my old boots, but rain forecast for tomorrow, surely I can’t give up on them now !!

Day 67, Dunbeath to Wick.

Couldn’t help myself, awake at 5.30. Decided to pack up and move on, so was gone at 6.30. Will stop at a village called Lybster, which is about 7 miles on the way for brunch.

Left Lybster at 9.30, about 14 miles to do and I’m totally shattered, this road and the constant drone from the cars is so demoralising, can’t even listen to any music as I’m still walking on the road !!

I’m utterly miserable, my feet are nagging at my brain to stop, but they keep on moving forward. Out of the corner of my eye I see someone who looks like a friend of mine

Andy T has come to see me !! Yay

Got to Wick at about 4 and I’m shattered, the last two days have taken there toll on my brain and feet and another 20 odd miles again tomorrow, dreading the first 19 !!

I was gonna hitch South after my walk finished Saturday, but have 3 coaches booked back to London. JoG to Inverness, Inverness to Glasgow and Glasgow to London all for about £50. Should be back at Victoria at about 9 pm Sunday !!😎

Day 64 Evanton to Dornoch

Wanted to get on today, had a good kip and was up at 7, quick cuppa and said my goodbyes to the haggis boys and was on the road at 7.45. decided on 2 hour stints with a 20 min break except for lunch (normally cover 3 miles an hour on tarmac). After a couple of miles near Alness, met a young walker coming towards me with a big rucksack (Sammy), on his way to Land’s End !! Good Luck.

So through Allness and on to the old drovers rd, which is now cycle highway 1 and a 12 mile stint to Tain. A couple of hours in and I’m stopped in the middle of the road by a woman driver and her son offering me a lift, I explain why I can’t and she pulls the car over and gives me some cash for the charity (Macmillan), then unbelievably 20 mins later and old boy on his bike pulls over, we have a brief chat and he to gives me some cash, wow, well chuffed !!

Once at Tain I had to walk on the A9 for about 3 miles and cross the Dornoch Firth on the Bridge, cars and lorries coming at you at 60 plus is not pleasant.

Crossed the bridge then took a track on the right which connected to a back lane all the way into Dornoch, I was on my way to the campsite but thought I’d have a quick look on booking.com, The Dornoch Hotel was £40 for B&B plus a tenner for dinner, I was quite near so decided to treat myself, infact my feet are aching quite badly and i still have another couple of 20 mile days to come.

Day 63, Inverness to Evanton

Hostel wasn’t great but kept the rain off my head, was in a room with a couple of snorers and was awake at 5.30, the kitchen didn’t open till 7.30 so ended up just lying there trying to nod off.

After a quick cuppa and some cornflakes left the hostel at about 8, wandered through town and slowly made my way to the Kessock Bridge, made a slight detour for this

Popped in the ground at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and the receptionist took me out to the pitch

Luveley Juberly !! Another big milestone i have passed the 1000 mile marker today and am now on the last leg north, across the Kessock Bridge

 to The Black Isle, then across The Cromarty Bridge 

towards Evanton, so just as I was to cross the bridge I caught a glimpse of the sign below,

By the time I was nearing Evanton my feet were raw, the reason ? I am wearing my old boots, the ones with the holes and not very much tread !!

The new ones are in the place where my sleeping mat went in the rucksack, and the mat is now relegated to the outside of the rucksack, I’m carrying more weight, which is stupid, but I can’t just throw them away after all the hard work they’ve been through.

I’m in a decent bunkhouse tonight, with two Open Reach workers also staying here, they’re a good laugh and seem quite knowledgeable about haggis and codene, they both also donated to the sponsorship, (The Haggis Boys).

And talking of sponsorship, thanks to everyone again, there are to many to name individually, but it’s all greatly appreciated. THANKS !!

Long day tomorrow, 25 miles on road’s !!

Day 62, Abrianchan to Inverness

So found my iPod, and at about 8pm last night, put my ear plugs in and found myself nodding off. 

Woke to the usual sound of pitter patter against the tent, but unusually it was 7.30 and not 5am. Got myself packed away and left at about 8.15. The rain soon stopped and I was looking forward to Inverness, the capital of the Highland’s.

 A brisk walk and I was in the suburbs about 11am, then the signs I was following stopped, and the bridge I was suppose to cross was shut off, it then started raining, GREAT !! Followed the road into the city and found the Spoons, beef and ale pie and a coffee, then off to sort my boots !!

New boots/shoes bought and 3 packs of Ibuprofen for the week, just in case. 

Only 10 miles walked today because of the rain, but I think I’m hopefully prepared for the final 125 miles.

Day 61, Alltsigh to Abriachan

Woke up early again mainly due to the sun shining through the window,

Glorious morning. I obviously need some new footwear so look to find somewhere about 10 miles short of Inverness to stay tonight then walk in, in the morning. There are 3 or 4 outdoor shops so shouldn’t be a problem. Sure there’s a Spoons there as well 😎 so will have some breakfast !!

The continental breakfast in the Hostel is £1.50, corn flakes, toast, orange juice etc, so I dive in, my laundry is done as well so probably no need to wash anything properly until I get home, result !!

On my way at 8 and head towards Drumnodrochit, finally the walk has some views of Loch Ness, all be it briefly

Get to Drumnodrochit at about 12 and am hit by a quick rain shower, so dive into the first cafe I see, bacon roll and a cuppa, and I’m off.

I have found an eco cafe/campsite exactly 10 miles from Inverness at Abrianchan perfect for my needs so only another 10 miles to go, back into the forest but this time a bit more picturesque

If you ignore the bloody train track in the middle of the path !!

I hit the cafe/campsite at 4.30 and order a hot chocolate and pay a fiver to pitch, an hour later and I’m in the tent with no internet connection, no mobile signal, no book and I’ve lost my music and the midgies are out on the prowl. Think it’s gonna be a long night, but should be in Inverness tomorrow. 

Then the last leg of the journey starts, about 120 miles on mostly Tarmac and roads hugging the NE coastline and the A9, should be interesting.

EDIT: found my iPod !!

Day 60, Invergary to Alltsigh

The rain has stopped, I’m in a comfy bed and am in no rush today, yet I’m awake at 6.30 and can’t get back off to sleep !! Have tea and breakfast etc mess around a bit and leave the hostel at about 9.30, I’m only 7 miles from Fort Augustus so take a slow stroll down the canal. Well, not impressed at all, tourist trap, petrol stn with a shop, couple of chip shops and some over priced cafes/restaurants. I decide to buy a bag of chips from the Loch Ness chip shop and get out of town, but not before I book a hostel for tonight in Alltsigh (£21), I have about 10 miles to cover but the majority of the path goes through forest tracks and again I’m not impressed. I eventually get a glimpse of Loch Ness 

And possibly the monster.

Just before I get to Invermoriston I bump into the lovely couple I walked with yesterday, again we have a brief chat as we walk, they are stopping there, so I say my goodbyes and carry on the final 4 miles to Alltsigh where I’m in the old youth hostel. Place is a bit quirky, here’s the view from the balcony, 

but better still they will do my laundry for £3.50, wash, dried, folded and back in my room by 11 tonight, bargain !! On the downside my boots are on their way out, I’m hoping they last to Inverness which is 30 odd miles away where I can get some new ones.