Day dawned sunny enough to get my laundry onto the line to dry a bit before setting off. Check Penman-Monteith transpiration equation to see why putting laundry out is still worthwhile even at low temperature and high (not saturating) humidity. 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. q.v..
Clothes dried a bit.
Hilary is the hero of the day. First she got another two beds in Kinlochbrevie so normal sleeping arrangements can resume. Secondly, a few days earlier Hillary booked us into the ‘affordable’ lodges at the Altnagar Eastate near Bonar Bridge.
Check the photos! An early 1900’s aristocratic shooting hotel being renovated into a themed guesthouse. Upstairs Downstairs paired with The Shining. I frightened the wee chamber maid by suggesting that she would be frightened here all on her own!
Well done Hillary. Tour $$$ account in the LEJOG ledger is massively tilting in Hillary’s favour.
We have now booked accomodation all the way to Thurso for the last dash into John O’Groats by the end of the week. Accomodation in the Highlands is scarce so be careful as camping on sodden ground, in cold rain with midges when opening your tent flap is an acquired taste.
Interestingly accomodation in Kinlochbervie showed as ‘not available’ two days before arrival but today one day before arrival there were multiple offers.
Had coffee at The Royal Hotel in Tain.Very pleasant and articulate migrant Pakistani managing the place made us comfortable with coffee and Digestive biscuits while explaining some of the heritage problems in modernising a 300 year old building that has experienced Royal patronage.
All good, shortly will start dinner of local beef patties while watching the rain drifting o’er the valleys.
