From Plockton east to Inverness then up to Scrabster for the ferry to Stromness.
I’m about 830 miles from The Lizard. Spending the night in Thurso. About 1100 miles north of Boston. That’s about as far as one can go on Bryson’s Small Island. Temps should it 13c/55f this week. Tomorrow I will stand on the 12th Scottish Island and 26th of the British Isles I’ve touched. Some might call me a tourist. Now I need to go up Ben Nevis and down to Holme Fen
Dunnet Head, the most northernly point of Scotland and Britain. I stood there looking here on the solstice 2016. The Old Man of Hoy is barely visible against the rocky cliffs. These sea cliffs are the highest in the UK ranging up to 350m/1150ft nearly twice the height of the Cliffs of Moher in west Ireland
Stromness. The trick about Orkney is timing. In the high season there are more tourists than residents. I think over 100 cruise ships! This time of year the buses might not run as frequently but your thumb is likely to be more productive. From there a 2 mile stroll to my flat with is a converted farm building. Glad of the Co-op along the way as I wouldn’t be going anywhere tonight.
The countryside on the way to my flat. Orkney born John Rae was an Arctic explorer credited with finding the last link to the Northwest Passage
It was the night of the Supermoon and I sat outside looking over the farmland, the only sound being birds which I think might be corncrakes. A jacket-less night. My hernia recovery lasted too long last autumn and I know my sister and bro-in-law who put me up (put up with me?) agree and I’m grateful for their patience. We enjoy each other’s company but there is a point to move on. So when I could, I did. I’ve been wandering for 3 weeks across nearly the whole length of this Small Island and more, but tonight for the first time since longer than I can recall, years, I spent the evening totally, and here on Orkney a mile away from a wee town, car-less, completely alone. Nice flat. Well equipped. Local lamb for dinner. A horse silhouetted against the cloud covered moon lit sky. Being not doing. I have 2 more nights here!
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