Day-5 A change of plans

The day started overcast but dry no complaints here, so fed and packed we headed south past the hill and foundations of Dun Viden Broch,which in its day must have been imposing! Today in the dull grey light it just managed a little mysterious!
Carrying on the rain started a fine but persistent drizzle that required waterproofs, donning these in the shelter of an old farm chimney stack we carry on to Rhifail and much to the chagrin of the folk of Skelpick we made it back to the road! This carried us easily to Skail where you can see Alfie Inspecting a neolithic burial! (he passed it Jim!) fascinating spot and in the newly returned sunshine incredibly peaceful. The same can't be said about Alfie whenever sheep are within sniffing distance!
The road carries on for miles and at lunch we fill my water container in the river... Very clear water and I'm told a renowned salmon fishing river,all the same I purified the water and cooked up coffee and pasta, while doing so a car pulled up to say hello, apparently they had also seen me in my wanderings along the north coast! Fame at last! in this case I got a second helping, turning on my phone I received a message from radio Northampton saying they would like to do another over the phone interview today!. Packed and pushing on we round the corner to loch Naver avoiding my planned route via the river Mallat, the reason for this is my route took us off path through boggy terrain and after the mornings rain not worth the risk!
The phone rang at the appointed time and a rather surreal interview was had with me in the middle of nowhere chatting away! Can only be good for the charity.
Walking along the Naver with great views of the mountains only being spoilt by swarms of Scottish midges attacking we stopped at caravan site for a quick drink then rather than stop we upped a few gears and raced to the hotel at Altnaharra for dinner tonight, and a use of there bunkhouse to avoid the midges!
A good twenty mile day with plenty of interesting history!

Day 4- changing our ways

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

Day 3- Meeting of ways!

After a good night at Thurso campsite we were packed and saying our goodbyes to those we'd met, in good time to head into town for supplies, as so often in the past the goods required were purchased from the co op,always a welcome sight!!
The long drag uphill out of town took us past the architecturally pleasing local hospital, which appears to be am old Manor with fine Scottish towers!
Out of town the B road is a long 10 mile stretch to Raey famous for the Dounreay Powerstation, only a few things were worth note on this stretch firstly an old school or chapel in ruins which still had its bell now fallen in the bell tower! Secondly was the lack of traffic much needed after the a road yesterday, last but far from least was meeting a German girl named Marrissa who has been cycling for three months! Starting in the south of Spain she plans to finish in the Orkney's having travelled six thousand kilometers! What an achievement!
Into Raey and I'm sitting having lunch at the war memorial appropriately on the anniversary of the first world war starting. While I'm lunching who should pull up but Ruth en-route to Cape wrath for a second visit.... So tea was had :-).
Out of the village and up a long long Hill we for the first time properly leave the road! On (or rather through) a very indistinct track over the boggy moorland with Alfie making the most being off of his lead,a very happy chap!.
Coming off the moorland I notice a campsite on the opposite side of the valley so continuing along our track to a bridge over the river Halladale it was rather disconcerting to find the bridge closed and condemned! Decision time long walk around it or throw caution to the wind? Caution was thrown and we crossed the bridge.... To me it seemed pretty sound, I've certainly crossed worse! Blooming health and safety!
Up to the road with the beach at Melvich bay to our right we walk back to the campsite which handily had a pub attached, booked in and setting up tent next to two other small tents, we find the occupants to be Emily Walker (!) who is walking south to North and her father who joined her at Fort William, Emily completes her epic in three days so visit her blog and congratulate her please! Emjwalker@blogspot.com.
A pint and meal later and I'm just about ready to go sleep though my aching thighs may keep me awake tonight! Nothing to worry about just a phase of trekking that you have to go through!
No picture tonight as data is very weak, may struggle getting this out!

Day 2 Ha to Perfection!!

The Ha in the title refers to a the sea mist that covered the land this morning! Walking away from the last night's finish point has quite ethereal! Only seeing short distances and pretty much in monochrome! The only colour being the red of my mate Ruth and her car!.
This was soon left behind and the first miles of tiny road threaded through boggy farm country and past one unsociable farmer who refused to even acknowledge our existence! ........... Fill in your own words here!
Still we plodded on and the sky started to lighten as we passed a farm guarded not particularly well, by two border collies who both turned tail at my command!
Coming off of the b roads and on to the a836 near Barrock we headed to Dunnet where a local gun maker sported the Queen mothers coat of arms and badge of appointment!,out of Dunnet and straight to the beautiful beach, where the sun broke through as we sat down for sandwiches!
Three kilometers of walking the sands and we reach Castletown where a tea was bought in a local shop. Sitting on a wall to drink this I enquired of a local and my old mate JP if there was a coastal path to Thurso as my planning had indicated only an intermittent track, turns out there isn't so 7 kilometers of straight A road were started. Leaving the village a chap and his son (in a go kart) asked about the walk and a pleasant chat was had!
The road out required lots of traffic dodging but the view to the sea alleviated this.
Into Thurso past some castellated gates and over the river of the same name, following the coast took us past surfers hitting the waves and more views to the Orkney Islands until we reached today's destination camp site at 3.30, now making use of the WiFi here to send this blog.... A great day!....which leads to the perfection in the title!

Day 1 And we're off!

We got to John O'groats about 4.30 pm and after doing the sign post photos headed west at 5pm. obviously not a long days walk! But planning required a 4 mile first leg (don't ask why!), a short path along the cliff took us down to a small beach where both Alfie and myself followed the ritual of dipping our toes in the sea and picking up a small rock to carry south.
Heading inland slightly we pick up the road west passing through the sparse boggy farmland of the far north until we reach a rather gothic looking church and graveyard, this being at most easterly point of Gills bay, who's pier (our destination for the end of the short walk) hosted a dramatic looking sunken ship slowly rotting into the sea, looking north the weather is still clear enough to see the Orkney Islands, quite a relief considering the weather report!

Day 1 And we're off!

We got to John O'groats about 4.30 pm and after doing the sign post photos headed west at 5pm. obviously not a long days walk! But planning required a 4 mile first leg (don't ask why!), a short path along the cliff took us down to a small beach where both Alfie and myself followed the ritual of dipping our toes in the sea and picking up a small rock to carry south.
Heading inland slightly we pick up the road west passing through the sparse boggy farmland of the far north until we reach a rather gothic looking church and graveyard, this being at most easterly point of Gills bay, who's pier (our destination for the end of the short walk) hosted a dramatic looking sunken ship slowly rotting into the sea, looking north the weather is still clear enough to see the Orkney Islands, quite a relief considering the weather report!

On the way up!

After a days easy travelling north with a stop at Lindisfarne to sight see the Holy isle, we've made camp at Perth in a very familiar place, Noahs ark camp site. where Alfie and I camped on our Lejog in 2010!!!
Not a lot has changed here and while the weather holds we have a great view of Glen Shee in the distance where we walked en route to Aberfeldy last time!
Sadly the weather is looking anything but good with heavy rain and gales due for Saturday and Sunday..... Them's the breaks!
Even now the walk doesn't feel real! But I'm sure after Sundays gales reality will hit!

Radio interview!!!!

Just a quick blog before the off tomorrow.
Yesterday, along with Rachel from accommodation concern, I took part in a live radio interview on radio Northampton!
Here's the link to the show, my bit starts about and hour and fifteen minutes in at 3.15pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0230374

The will only last for a few days sadly.... So I'll try and do a recording of it for future cringing! ;-)

Meet The Charity!

Having got all plans in place and sponsorship forms sorted it was finally time to reveal my plans to my chosen charity!
Accommodation Concern!
And wow did they like the Idea!!!!
having dropped in thursday night for a quick meeting I am amazed with the speed with which they've assimilated the idea, in one brief meeting the charity side of the walk has quite simply exploded!....flowered may be a better analogy having nurtured this idea for so long!
They are coming up with so many superb ideas for promoting the trek that at best I may have considered then dropped through a lack of means to make happen!!!
Times are indeed very exciting!!!!
We have another meeting lined up, and I can barely imagine where this is going! :0)
watch this space!!

Camera comparison

Under no circumstances should you think i'm a photographer, pure point and click is enough for me!
but as I've mentioned in an earlier post I'm no longer taking a camera other than the great camera (my opinion only!!) on my phone.
So after some training walks where I've been taking shots with both my camera and phone i thought it might be good to show the compared pictures, the wider/taller pics are from my phone and the squarer from my camera......

I wont put any opinions with the pics but if anyone wants to comment go for it!

I love macro shots when i'm walking a great view of the alien world under our noses! so i've also taken a few with my phone just to show it off!

I dont think they are a patch on my cameras ability to catch the macro world but i'm happy enough with them for Jogle!

Proof of point

I've been busy with some local walks to toughen my self up (sorely needed as it turned out!) and to test out my gear to see if its all working nicely together, it is, i wasn't! after a two day full pack worst case (weight wise) test, which i didn't complete due to blisters and old leaky boots! (my old lejog boots) I've been cutting some weight from my pack I've acquired another alpkit pipedream 400 which weighs in at 800 grams two thirds the weight of the sack i'd planned to take! and invested in a travel tap water filter bottle.
Naturally i wasn't going to just go walking the length of Britain without testing the filter on the travel tap bottle.

river Ise (stream really)

so off i go today to a local stream to get a good example of dirty water....As you can see fairly murky! so a good candidate for testing the bottle, the filter is supposed to be able to filter out all sorts of bacteria and viruses including anthrax!! also heavy metals, insecticides,herbicides, chemicals,water borne diseases and nasty flavours.













I filled the bottle through a cloth to remove any sediment as the instructions asked, and got some pretty clean pre filter water, though i suppose its what you cant see that you should be careful of!

pre filter

Both pictures where taken in exactly the same conditions and with the same camera and with only an inch of water in each identical glass, I think its pretty obvious which is the post filter water even without the pictures captions!

post filter

It goes without saying that this doesn't prove the water is clean, so I've drunk the clean water to test if its potable, i'm doing this in the full confidence that with organisations like Nato using these they've been thoroughly tested!

Charity

Well that's another day spent in organising the walk.
today being charity bits, there's now a nice justgiving link to the right with the justgiving logo, and after learning how to use the free OpenOffice word processing suite I've put together  the sponsorship forms as you can see. I'm pretty pleased with them and happy with the layout!
No walking this weekend, I really need to pull my finger out and get the training started!
Next week for sure!!