Days 74 and 75. Durness. If someone a year ago had told me I would be capable of cycling 13 miles, climbing a 3000+ foot mountain then cycling another 13 miles before camping out on a windswept moor I would not have believed it. However, yesterday was such a splendid day and Ben Hope looked so enticing this is what I did. The climb is steep and unrelenting but is rewarded with the most astonishing views, I read you can see half of Scotland from the summit and that is possibly true, I could see to Orkney, Cape Wrath and mountains to the south stretching for miles including Foinaven and Suilven. I have just had a tour of Smoo cave and am contemplating staying in Durness for the night or pushing on to Kinlochbervie ready for the walk to Sandwood bay. Good day. Regret still don't seem to be able to upload photos too little memory apparently I shall have to seek advice.

Day 73 part 2. Altnaharra. It is difficult to imagine there is anywhere better to be than northern Scotland on a fine day. I was on the road for 8.30 and made good progress along largely quiet roads passing through Ardgay, Bonar Bridge, Lairg and Crask Inn. I had read about a fire at the visitor centre at the Falls of Shin and it is very sad to see the utter destruction of the centre and the smell of smoke still hangs round, I believe quite a number of people in the area are now out of work as a result, I hope it can soon be rebuilt. Lairg is a charming little town perched high up on the shores of Loch Shin and has a excellent visitor centre telling the story of the town and surrounding area. The climb to the Crask Inn is very long but so gradual it is not arduous, the Inn is very isolated and lacking in modern comforts but the lady who runs it emerges from the back when summoned by the bell on the bar and supplied me with cake and ginger beer for a mere £1.50. I was talking to a couple from South Africa who are touring the area and I was impressed by the gentleman's story of cycling from Montreal to New York through the tail end of a hurricane. I will not grumble about a bit of wind and rain for a day or two! I am staying in a log cabin behind the Altnaharra Hotel tonight, the hotel is rather posh (catering for hunting and fishing types) but also provides less salubrious accommodation for the likes of common cyclists like me. I have been allowed in the lounge to access the internet. Tomorrow I take the road to Hope and will assess whether or not an ascent of Ben Hope is a sensible option, if not I will aim for Durness but will camp out if I scale the most northerly Munroe (mountain over 3000 feet). Good night.

Day 73. Tain. Met up with my old friend and his cycling group last night for a meal at St Duthus Hotel and had a great evening swapping cycling and football stories. The chap I met yesterday is Dave Higgins and his website is www.coastingroundbritain.co.uk he has been joined by his brother who arrived in Tain at 01.30 due to train delays, they are all packed up and ready to go at 07.30 this morning each with a backpack weighing about 12-15 kg. Glad I am on my bike, wheels are a big help, wonderful invention. I am heading off into the northern wilds aiming for Altnaharra (the coldest place in Britain) where I am told there is no phone signal so may not post for a day or two. Good day. Having trouble with pics again, sorry.

Day 72. Tain. Sing, 'what a difference a day makes when the wind is light and clouds are higher and the sun is bright, I can see for miles and miles and miles.' Lovely ride over from noisy Dingwall (Ross County football club are relaying their pitch and start work at 7.00 and finish at 21.30) on a little road high up the hillside through patches of forest and shared by few cars.The view overto the Black Isle and beyond was super and at Invergordon was an enormous cruise liner (I am told it is the Queen Mary but it could be the Bootlebumtrinket for all I know). Didn't see much of Tain as I made straight for the campsite at Dornoch Firth where I met a chap who is walking round the coast of Britain, I will post a link to his website (I have left the address in my tent). Visited a charming little church that not only has a Pictish carved stone in the graveyard but a portable wooden pulpit! Have also met up with a friend who is cycling the route I am following but in the other direction so we are going to dine together tonight. Had trouble uploading pics yesterday, will try again now. Good night. Chanonry point, Campsite at Dornoch Firth, Edderston Curch and 9th century pictish carved stone.

Day 71. Dingwall. The showers were mercifully brief blown on by the stiff norwesterly but the rain still stung on my frozen cheeks. I had a little explore of the Black Isle (not an island atall) and stood on Chanonry Point in hope of seeing dolphins, lots of people with binoculars doing likewise but I hope they did better than me. Super little museum in Rosemarkie, Groam House with some really good carved stone Pictish art. Have now reached Dingwall which seems a nice little town, even has a 24 hour Tesco store so if the tent blows away in the night I know where to get food and shelter. Hope to meet a friend who is cycling down from Altnaharra tomorrow when we should both be in Tain. Good night.

Findhorn houses, Kessock Bridge, Culloden memorial. Day 70. North Kessock. Today, dear reader, I have failed to reach my intended destination. During the first part of my trip back in March I struggled against a cold relentless easterly wind, today I struggled against a cold north westerly wind and by the time I reached the Kessock bridge I was pretty fed up and very tired so have sought refuge, warmth and rest in a b+b at North Kessock overlooking the beautiful Beauly Firth on a lovely sunny but perishingly cold evening. I ask you again to consider birds, not the nocturnally noisy Oyster Catcher, but the oft overlooked Blackbird. I was joined for breakfast by the boldest male Blackbird I have ever encountered he hopped around as I ate my pain du chocolat (thanks Letty) and took morsels from the toe of my shoe. I have seen many birds on my travels Kingfisher, Yellowhammer, Goldfinch and Curlew to name a few but few bring as much pleasure as the good ole Blackbird with its fine song and fearless nature. My trip today took me by way of Forres and Nairn to the site of the battle of Culloden, where in April 1746 the exhausted and cold Jacobite army was routed in 90 minutes by the Government army, a bleak and windswept moor it is but the visitor centre is excellent giving lots of background information to the events leading up to the battle, well worth a visit. Inverness seems busy and a lot smarter than I remember it from my last visit but I had not time to stop having lingered so long at Culloden. So tomorrow I shall explore the Black Isle and report back. Good night.

Day 69. Findhorn. It was cold last night, a north westerly wind is blowing and there is much cloud However, undaunted I went into Forres and had a good look round, a ride to an old distillery (I was interested to find out the process of rendering water into something as awful as whisky is achieved) and walk up to the Nelson Tower, with wonderful views and even sunshine. This afternoon I have enjoyed the hospitality of friends from Yorkshire at Burghead and therefore the benefit of wifi to write this. It has been raining but I am now to return to Findhorn. I will endeavour to upload some pics. Good night. Pics of Duffus Castle, Lossiemouth Beach and Nelson Tower, Forres.