Day 84 – Dornoch to Golspie – 11 miles

I can’t compliment the staff of the Dornoch Castle Hotel too highly. From the time I checked in with my upgrade until the time I checked out the entire staff treated me as an honored guest, despite the fact that I carried a backpack rather than a golf bag. It was a lovely place to stay, but I still have to travel north.

Low tide at Loch Fleet

Today’s walk started out on a minor road through farm fields and pastures, and then along the shore of Loch Fleet, a tidal estuary. Scores of shore birds scoured the low-tide shallows searching for breakfast. I saw three blue herons and lots of those funny little birds with the curved beaks who were probing the sand shallows.

Eventually, though, I had to join the busy A9 road to cross the estuary. There was very little verge to walk on, so generally I walked on the road’s fog line. I was walking against the traffic of course, and every time a vehicle came my way I stepped off the road and onto what little verge there was until the vehicle passed. After a short time a policeman on a motorcycle drove by from behind me with blue lights flashing, and at least ¼ mile ahead of me stopped all the traffic coming in my direction. Wow!! This was great. King Arthur must have notified the police to escort me.

When I finally reached the line of cars which had been stopped ahead of me, I asked one of the drivers if he knew why he had been stopped. With as much humility as I could muster, I was going to explain my role if he didn’t know.

But he did know. Approaching behind me were three extra-long lorries transporting windmill blades – they were so long that they needed both sides of the road when taking curves. Although I was a little deflated that the traffic stop wasn’t in my honor, I took advantage of it and crossed almost the entire bridge before traffic started moving again.

Balblair Wood

After the bridge I would have still faced 4 miles of A9 road-walking before reaching Golspie were it not for brilliant wayfinding by Jack Frost.  His route turned the dreary road walk into a lovely walk through the Balblair Wood and then along a little used golf course lane.

Upon arrival in Golspie, I stopped for a cappuccino and my eyes fell upon a headline posting at the news agent across the street.

I didn’t know they were following my blog. Maybe I need to go under cover. I better buy that bicycle and a helmet, and get one of those funny shirts with words written all over it. With a new disguise, I can get to JOG before they know it.




Puzzle of the day:  Identify this car:

© 2011 Ken Klug