Firstly I should add a bit to last nights blog that being that we've left our first county going from caithness into Sutherland as the sign said we entered Mackay country!.not something monumental but crossing County borders becomes important when your on foot!
Back to today, leaving behind an excellent campsite and company we continue west out of town, passing an old chap whose house is festooned with vote yes for independence flags and stickers, stood around chatting for a good ten minutes, then made to leave at which point he uttered his goodbyes in the form of 'Good folk are scarce!' by his tone it was a complement, which struck me as a great way to say good bye! People can be so fascinating!
Back onto our old friend the A836 which claimed to have had eu grants to improve it and the going was certainly improved with nice wide edges for us wanderers to dodge traffic, today the roads character definitely changed with plenty of Hills so the going become tougher and by midday I was yawning! Quickly I recognised this for the sugar low that it was, and after eating a good hand full of jelly babies to boost my sugar decided I must pay more heed to my bodies needs... Takes a while to get back in the swing of the trail.
Closing on Bettyhill we come to a viewpoint with spectacular mountains rearing up to the west great to see and only slightly sad that my route won't pass through them. Into the village itself and and tea stop was had at the tourist information centre, much needed.
Up the hill and provisions were taken on board to keep us going for the next three days, the pack is ridiculously heavy now! With a new loaf of bread perched on top we head downhill passing a family just leaving there home on an errand, one daughter pipes up were you in Thurso yesterday, nodding the affirmation, she nods 'i thought I'd seen a walker with bread on top of his rucksack!' certainly one of the oddest things I've been recognised for!
Very warm by now and Alfie is lagging behind, luckily there's a simple cure for this....a good dunking! Into the river Naver he goes! And comes out instantly revitalised... Thankfully!
At this stage we've finally stopped walking west and have started walking south along the Strath Naver Valley, also said goodbye to the A road and are walking along a tiny B road busy with manicly driven hay carts! Loud enough to dodge. The road itself goes to a quiet hamlet called Skelpick, the occupants of which don't appear to like walkers, on three different occasions people stopped to tell me that this road is a dead end, and each looking a bit miffed when I pointed out that there is track to a place called Rhifail at the end of their (single street) village... Nod and smile!
And it's by that track that I've pitched for tonight. And where this pic of Alfie was taken
