Inverness to Crask Inn

 June 22nd

Day 13. After last evening's trauma I slept remarkably well, waking up refreshed and ready to go. Breakfast wasn't on offer in my decidedly second class establishment but what can you expect in the capital of the highlands for £40? First stop McColls to stock up on energy bars and bananas and a sandwich for breakfast. I feel like I have lived on bananas but I prefer real food to gels and scientific potions. 

Mr masochistic guide had me on lanes and up hills again today so he was consigned to the bar bag and I set off up a busy dual carriageway to meet the A9 and cross the Kessock Bridge over the Beauly Firth. There was a good wind blowing from the SW so I decided to stay on the A9 all the way to Tain. Pauline was travelling up today to stay in a B&B in Allness so I stopped in on the way past to give her detailed directions and to check it out. It was for sale - maybe not a good sign but it was only one night. 

On the way to the Kessock Bridge I remembered Louises text to tell me that the left side of the bridge was closed to cycles and that I needed to cross over to the right. On the way I was able to guide a Belgian end to ender who was camping and had four panniers and a tent. I was bowling along and making good time until I reached the bridge over the Cromarty Firth just after Culbokie. The wind was very strong from the side and I kept being pushed into the path of the busy morning traffic.

At Evanton my masochistic guide wanted to go up and over The Struie but I decided that following the Cromarty Firth and then the Dornoch Firth whilst it would be longer would be quicker and easier in the end. The jury is out because the dornoch firth veered between W and even SW in places which was effectively back into the wind. Along the Dornoch firth after the Dornoch Bridge I came across James and Jenny who were in the beginning stage of their Jogle on a tandem with a trailer attached. They were raising money for Spinal Injuries research. Their trip had been postponed for two years due to covid. They were celebrating their 50th birthdays and silver wedding anniversary (belatedly) Although they were battling the wind they were cheerful as they snacked on peanutbutter sandwiches.

After I left the Bonar Bridge came up quickly then I set my sights on Lairg and finally Crask Inn. As I took a breather in a parking just ouside Lairg I was joined by the support vehicle for a company which organised end to end fully supported cycling holidays. I had been passed by six guys on road bikes each of whom shouted Hi and waved, but I assumed they were a local group out for a cycle. They were going to Altnahara, about 8 miles further than me. I got chatting to the guide who asked me if I needed anything which was nice. He seemed impressed that I had made it this far completely unsupported in the same timescale as his pampered charges. 13 more miles up a single track road surrounded by bleak but glorious scenery and I arrived at the quirky Crask Inn. Warmly welcomed by Douglas my trusty steed stowed forf the night in his lock up shed keepin afellow end to ender's steed company for the night. Joachim is a German fom Frankfur who works "in finance" and had taken a 41/2 week sabbatical to cycle from End to End. He had taken four weeks so far but his plan was to smeel the roses and see as much of GB and particularly Scotland as he possibly could.

The Crask Inn does dinner bed and breakfast. There is nowhere within 15 miles south and nearer 25 miles North. Dinnere was at 7.00 sharp and was excellent. A pint of the local (Sutherland) ale helped it down enormously. Conversation flowed and it was very civilised. The Crask Inn is a little bit of heaven in the middle of nowhere. Surprisingly I have a good 4G mobile signal and the Inn wifi is excellent.

Tomorrow it is 81 miles to John O'Groats. Another SW wind would be a great help. I have told Pauline not to expect me before 6 but harbour secret pretensions to arrive well before that.  Nearly there but there is much that can go wrong in 81 miles so fingers crossed. I am trying hard to "stay in the present" but it is hard not to start to imaging the feeling of satisfaction for a difficult challenge completed. After the tearful reunion and 5000 pictures we are off to Thurso to spend the night in a new Premier Inn there before descending on Friday.