Still a bit wierd doing this all a day behind, but having arrived at Lybster with a bit more time to spare, I should be able to catch up with this. We started out yesterday at Inverness in lovely sunshine,
but not far out of town we were drenched with a hail storm, not 10 minutes from leaving our B&B, and coming pretty much out of a blue sky! Hail hurts when you're riding into it!
Despite the start, the day was really a lovely day for cycling and knowing that we needed to take things steady and easy, meant that we were able to take in our surroundings a little more too. We headed round the southern side of Beauly Firth and at it's head is the lovely town of Beauly, with a really nice ruined Abbey - a perfect banana stop.
Our next stop, just after the little town af Dingwall (excellent bike shop apparently which we didn't manage to try out!) turned into something of a cycling convention, as we were joined by 3 others who were touring Scotland - and told us of very high winds on the Western side, so we were glad we'd avaoided going! - and then another end-to-ender passed by, having just spent the morning getting his bike fixed in Dingwall (hence the shop recommendation...). Nice interlude. Heroic tales were swapped. Geeky technical gear stuff was discussed. Cakes and coffee consumed. A cycling convention.
We got going again rather reluctantly and headed along the Cromarty Firth coast, passing Invergordon where they make oil rigs it seems! We also spent quite a bit of time spotting birds of prey flying impressively above us most of the day, but since neither John nor I are very good at identifying them and the photos are way too small and indistinct, I can't really say what they were!
The rather interestingly named Sands of Nigg were our next stop and where John and I went slightly different routes: John heading up the A9 and me taking a slightly longer route round the Kyle of Sutherland,
round to Bonar Bridge. On the way I noticed a lovely little church with some ancient celtic stones in the graveyard. Apparently a place of worship since 700 with an interesting association with the sea.
Bonar Bridge is nothing special, but since it was only a further 6 miles away, I rode up to the Falls of Shin.
A fantastic waterfall where salmon can be seen leaping up the falls.... usually. They probably only do 9 to 5 and I got there just after they'd clocked off the day. The falls were nice though!
Realising I was a little behind time and still had 19 miles still to go, I time-trialled it back as fast as I could towards Dornoch, but not quick enough for John to worry enough to come out in the car in search, so I had a pace car escort into the town! Dornoch is a VERY well-to do place. Big Hotel, Golf club and Scibo castle nearby which is why Madonna got married there I suppose!
The Castle and the Cathedral ( a pretty small one but a cathedral nonetheless) were very impressive...
...as was dinner at the Eagle (despite running out of beer - how can a pub do THAT!!!??) and our B&B, which had easily the best shower of the trip so far! Nice breakfast too!
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