NC500 – Claire's Blog

5th October 201810th August 2021

Can That Be The Sun?

Friday 5th October – distance travelled 62 miles

We woke up to find for the first time this week it wasn’t raining!

The plan was to go to Helmsdale and Dunrobin castle, the SatNav started off sending us in the wrong direction so had to turn around.

Decided the drive to Helmsdale was a lone one and the coast was so pretty so carried on the coast road to Thurso.

For lunch in Thurso we went to Johnson’s where we both had potato soup and a bread roll with a cake to take away. After lunch we had a walk around the town before heading back to the car.

On the way back we went to the seafront in Thurso which was very windy. From here could see out to the Orkney’s and a rainbow kept coming and going. A man out walking his dog told us about a Banksy, not sure if it is a real one of not.

We passed the nuclear power station at Dounreay and took a detour through Castlehill which was really pretty before getting back to Bettyhill.

Tonight we had fajitas to use up some of the shopping we had left before starting to pack up the kitchen and our suitcase ready to leave tomorrow.

4th October 201810th August 2021

Home Bods

Thursday 4th October

Flipping cough every time I tried to sleep, put the blinds up to keep eye out for Aurora but only saw the moon. Got a few hours sleep and woke at almost 10am.

Gavin was exhausted from the tough drive yesterday and I still wasn’t great so decided to stay in.

We started watching a box set from BBC called Luther which was in the house. It is good but a bit violent.

I edited yesterday’s photo’s and helped out one of the SAM girls via what’s app before a soak in the bath.

For lunch we finished off the sausages and potato scones and for dinner peanut satay chicken and rice. I do really like cooking in this houses kitchen 🙂

The cough mixture seams to be helping and starting to feel a bit better, fingers crossed for a better nights sleep.

There was a beautiful red sky tonight, for the first time this week.

3rd October 201810th August 2021

Heading West

Wednesday 3rd October – distance travelled 80 miles

Another poor nights sleep and feeling worse not better 🙁 Took some paracetamol with breakfast and a shower helped a bit. The weather still looked iffy but with Gavin offering to drive, and in need of cold/flu supplies we headed west, after a couple of false starts, one because I forgot the camera!

Deciding to miss the furthest two beaches, being a much longer drive and less fun in the rain we set the TomTom to Durness.

The route took us across the Kyle of Tongue and around Loch Eribol which took a long time but was beautiful despite the weather. The roads are all narrow, often single track, twisty and hilly. We had to stop just before Laid for a herd of cows in the road being chased by two farmers, very amusing 🙂

It was lunch time when we got to Durness, so we went to Smoo Cave Cafe for some hot food, Gavin had steak pie and me the lasagne both with chips, Gavin also managed to squeeze in a chocolate pudding.

With the bad weather, me feeling like death warmed up and developing a cough, we gave Smoo caves a miss and went in search of the Spar shop. We found it ok and stocked up on tissues, cough medicine, bread and drinks before starting the drive back.

We came across Sango Sands just outside Durness, which was spectacular. I put all my layers on and walked down to get photo’s of some of the biggest waves i’ve seen hitting the rocks.

Going back around Loch Eribol had several more photo stops and quite a giggle at the various signs as we went through Tongue. Checked out the BettyHill store where Gavin purchased some rum balls..

Tea was sandwiches with our fresh bread followed by a very early night.

2nd October 201810th August 2021

Washing and Resting

Tuesday 2nd October

Didn’t have a good nights sleep, as well as sore throat nose is running like a tap! Finally got to sleep about 5am so no surprise it was gone 9am when I got up.

The forecast was for 65-70 mile per hour winds today so we had decided last night a day in was required.

Decided to have a cooked brunch, bacon, sausage, beans, egg and potato scones, we were both full after that lot!

Spent the day watching TV and reading, Gavin caught up on some Netflix while I tried out the slipper bath.

We defrosted our ready meals and had them for dinner, and I managed to get a load of washing done and hung in the utility room to dry.

1st October 201810th August 2021

Heading East

Monday 1st October – distance travelled 103 miles

Didn’t have the best nights sleep and sore throat was much worse, definitely getting a cold 🙁

The weather forecast was for it to be dry until 2pm, so we decided to go out, as maybe the best it gets all week. Gavin did the driving as I wasn’t well – it was a quiet drive!

We decided to head east to some of the places I had looked up to visit, starting with the furthest away, Duncansby Head, and then heading back.

It was a long drive as the roads were almost all single carriageways with passing places, there were a lot of sheep along the route and some nice beaches with rough seas.

From the car park at Duncansby Head it was only a 10 minute walk across muddy grass until we saw the stacks, they were impressive despite the grey sky and mist.

After we had got back to the car and removed all our layers headed onto John O’Groats. Only planned to stay for a quick photo with the sign, as it was raining by then, but had taken longer than expected to get there so stopped for lunch. Both went for sandwiches ham and cheese for me roast beef for Gavin.

Once fed we started the long drive back to the house with a stop at Dunnet Head, it was raining quite hard by then but as the most northerly point on the mainland an essential stop.

We pulled into Scrabster but just took a few photos through the car window of the harbour and stopped at Tesco in Thurso for extra tissues and throat sweets.

A quick dinner of pasta and tomato sauce tonight, as been a long day and i’m feeling rubbish.

30th September 201810th August 2021

Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The SeaSide

Sunday 30th September

After several days of early starts and long drives today was a day for a rest.

It was first chance to see the house in daylight and discovered it is not as remote as we thought when drawing the curtains to see a caravan park and what classes as a main road this way.

View of the beach from one of the bedroom windows

The morning was spent taking photo’s from camera to the laptop and have a look through before a late lunch thanks to our Tesco’s shop in Dingwall.

After lunch we decided to try and find the way to the beach between showers. Gavin looked up the path and putting on all our layers we set off. As we walked down the road I notices a niggle of a sore throat – oh no!

The walk wasn’t too far, taking about 10 minutes. It was very windy down on the beach and it wasn’t long before the rain started again. It is a lovely sandy beach (called Farr Beach) and the waves were huge.

As the rain started to come down harder we headed back to the house, half way back the rain stopped and the sun came out!

For dinner today being a Sunday I made a roast chicken dinner, which we ate while watching the F1 highlights.

By the time we went up to bed my throat was really sore and a cold was in bloom 🙁

29th September 201810th August 2021

Home Sweet Home

Saturday 29th September – distance travelled 167 miles

Woke up this morning to heavy rain, another lovely breakfast at the lodge before checking out and squeezing everything into the car.

The plan was to make out first stop at the Nevis Range and take a gondola to the top, it was so misty it didn’t look a good option, we went anyway and found the gondolas were not running due to the high winds.

So we headed off to our second stop, the commando memorial at Spean Bridge, the grey day and drizzle seemed to give it added meaning, this was a quick 10 minute stop due to the conditions.

Next on the agenda was Fort Augustus for some lunch, it was sunny but cold when we arrived, but by the time we had parked and got to the canal and locks the rain had started again. We both had warming Tomato, Vegetable and Lentil soup and as we headed back out into the now heavier rain we got to see the final lock gate and road open onto Loch Ness.

Our next stop was a short distance away at Invermoriston Falls, the rain had eased off and we had a walk through the forest to see the falls and summer house. Unsurprisingly the rain started again as we got back to the car.

A couple of stops to view Loch Lochy and Loch Ness later and we came to Dingwall where we stocked up at Tesco for the week. It was 5.30 by now so a visit to the cafe for tea was a must.

Gavin took over the driving from Dingwall, Tom Tom said 83 miles, 2 1/2 hours to go! It actually took longer as 50 of those miles were on a single track road, tricky in the fading light and we had to make stops firstly for Stags in the road and then again for cows in the road!

We arrived at Rhianchatel House, our home for the next week, at 9pm, quickly unloaded the car and got our bearings before some crumpets and bed.