Day 10 Stromness to Bettyhill

14 years ago we cycled much of the same route as today except in reverse.  Today we left Stromness on a rather quiet sea  passing the mist shrouded Old Man of Hoy. An impressive edifice with the fine St John’s cliffs – some of the highest in the UK. Leaving the thought there is a tin with a visitor’s book at the top of the Old Man, we landed at Scrabster.   Mist gone, just sunshine and a fresh sea breeze.

So of course there are now new wheely bin colours.  Orkney’s green bins with blue lids and black bins are simplified in Caithness to plain green. The initial landscape is a contrast to the islands only 8mls away – flatter and more ‘traditional’ UK farming countryside with frequent farm houses.  Then into Sutherland and it’s as though a switch has been thrown – Highlands. Moors and hills – miles of them with no houses except for the occasional hamlet.  The noticeboards draw the reader’s attention to the Clearances. the introduction of cheviot sheep being more profitable to the landowners than people who were removed.

Lunch basked in the glow of Dounreay, with tea in a wee pub who thought we were honoured for her to sell it to us. Michael had alerted us to this being the land of the Duncan’s – they must have moved out as we didn’t see too many natives you’d call handsome.

When we last stayed in Bettyhill in 2000 it had a sign up, ” For sale. – any, any , offer accepted.”  A wee bit dilapidated, and that was just the staff. Today it’s been done up though not ruined. The views down to the sea are just stunning.  This helps recuperation from the undulations of the road: the deep river valleys run N-S and we are heading straight E-W.  Looking forward to that chocolate in Cocoa Mountain in Durness tomorrow.

 

Bettyhill’s finest

Stromness packaging

Scrabster landing

Decking

Heating

Reginald Perrin’s legacy

Moorland and brae

Heading west

9C Pictish cross ( Farr stone )

Mysterious man

Not needed today

Unique fencing

 

 

 

Day 9A Around Stromness

Retracing our steps a tad, we headed back to the lochs of Stenness and Harray for our booked tour of Maes Howe. With an exciting milestone and an interesting crawl into the chambered tomb of Unstan, Maes Howe rose above them all. 5000yrs old, 30ton slabs of stone brought in from 10mls away, 100000man hrs of labour to build, with Viking runes from 1137(ish), and a mysterious stone door operated from the inside half way along the 10m entry crouch. What I find most fascinating is the aligmnent of the narrow entry passage to the mid Winter sunset. How to get it that accurate all those years ago.  Ooops, sorry missed that this year (bad weather ), let’s remember for next year. I know these tribes were meant to navigate by stars and traded overseas even then.  Even so…amazing.

A walk then from the Standing Stones of Stenness past the exciting discoveries at the Ness of Brodgar,  back for another round of the Ring of Brodgar before returning to Stromness’ narrow cobbled streets packed tightly along the shore. Here we solve the barometer mystery (Admiral Fitzroy 1850s had 100 placed around the coast to help with weather forecasts and was the forerunner of the Met Office), see some locals do what they can do best (gettin’ fu and unca happy) and find a gallery stuffed full of Barbara Hepworth and St Ives painter’s originals.  Diversity in abundance.

So farewell to Orkney on this trip. Strange your perceptions: the entire population of all the islands is 20000 and of that half live in in Kirwall or Stromness.  It feels so much more and different from the mainland of Scotland.

Anyway here’s hoping for a calm sea as we head to my forefather’s stamping ground (copywrite MJD).

Stromness main street

Harbour

Still watching

Scapa flow

Side streets

Duck

Circling

Photogenich

Day 9 Birsay to Stromness

A modest day’s cycling was planned, tootling down the coast. The happy speedy churning of the wind turbine at the hotel helpfully showed both the wind direction (head on) and force. If wind turbines can smile, this was grinning from ear to ear. The sound of the geese flying overhead was not meet with approval by the landlady. There’s a cull on it seems: 80000 geese over the winter is too many. Strange you don’t see cooked goose on the menus.

A culturally rich day, geological, archaeological and natural. The Broch of Birsay, Skara Brae, Yesnaby, Ring of Brodgar, Standing Stones of Stenness.  all unique and yet connected. We were taught about Skara Brae at school: predating Stonehenge et al, it’s designer rooms with common patterns and artifacts are truly impressive. How long they can keep the see at bay must be a challenge.

Ours was Barbara’s puncture. Supervision of tyre change over_ we were soon on our way, arriving in the vibrant town (village?) of Stromness. This place has a few more people than yesterday.

Earl’s palance

Navigation skills

Classic

Good views

Tidy room

I’m still standing

bridge?

Keepers of time

Lasting

Catch you up!

The lonely Watchman

Scale

Solitude

Day 8 Kirkwall to Birsay

Today gave us views of Orkney in different lights: through strong winds and driving rain. Nothing wrong with that as it’s probably more typical of the climate. Departing Kirkwall, taking in the sight of a “not sure how long that’ll last” Co-op, next to a new Tesco next to a newish Lidl – all no doubt sourcing local produce, the route zig-zags across the Mainland.  It bounces from coast to coast, going over the saddle in the middle of a surprisingly high hill range. Either side of that it’s flat coastal plains, with generations of houses (from falling down ruins to new) and farmers rushing to get crops cut. Sampling rush our traffic on the A roads (see photos), all drivers are so so polite and wait to be waved past.

Cattle seem to align themselves so their faces are away from the wind and rain. The birds practice flying backwards.  We just hunker down and peddle, stopping to take in some of the archaeological gems. The Broch of Gurness ( A round tower originally up to 10m high)  although there for some 3000 years was only found in the 1930s. They probably didn’t bother too much about the wet – me I was trying to ignore the realisation my waterproofs have limitations. Being the stoic sort I won’t mention it.

Tonight’s venue is indeed still open.  We’re the only guests – it’s a welcome stop and the clootie dumplin’ sampling happily continues.

Iron age doorway

Rush hour

Strorm following

Rustic

Maes Howe

Broch at Gurness

Nearly there!

Heavy roof

Wooden teeth

Loch Stenness

No pigeons at home

Day 7 John o’Groats to Kirkwall

It’s strange how dependency quickly grows. Two days with intermittent WiFi and you realise how ubiquitous it’s become. What’s the next trend on BnB and hotel posters: from central heating to en_suite to WiFi to?

Arrived in Kirkwall for the next leg. Your perception also changes: what’s flat in a car may not be when peddling. Ruling undulations is best description. It feels a different land: it is in many ways having become part of Scotland as a dowry vs political union. Independence to the Orkneys: there’s something to stretch and bogel the imagination of mainland politicians. Not that oil has anything to do with it.

A great sea crossing taking our leave of the mainland on a wee passenger ferry full of day trippers off the buses. Orkney today, Skye tomorrow it seems. We had more time to get used to the treeless scenery surrounded by sights of sea birds of all descriptions. The roads are a joy. In the 30+years since I’ve been here the number of cars must have not changed. 

Taking in the filled in causeways of Scapa Flow (to stop submarines, 1/2 million tons of rock) and the great Italian chapel built by the pow labourers, we find Kirkwall. The old red sandstone cathedral, 1137 and using same architects as Durham, is unique in being owned by the people of the island, not the church. Quite a feature and befitting of the rather special nature of this place.

Our route will appear sometime when the semaphore flags have been updated for copper wire.  In the meantime it’s dreams of brochs, howes and ice cream and fudge.

Domineering skye

Fine chimneys

Kirwall-Inverness: longest running air route in Europe

For Uncle Magnus

Crossing seas

Replaced using stone from original quarryi

Italien

Busy A road

Deserted island

No more school days

Keeps wind out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Uncle Magnus

Crossing seas

Busy A road

Italien

Replaced using stone from original quarryi

Deserted island

No more school days

Keeps wind out

Kirwall-Inverness: longest running air route in Europe

Fine chimneys

Domineering skye

Day 6 Helmsdale to John o’Groats

Testing a new way of updating to bypass a very poor connection. Off line first. So who knows if this meander will survive to see the light of day. Mind you the light of evening is fantastic as I write, with a great sunset over the Orkneys.

Where we stayed last night was very friendly and looks forward to better days. Sharing the same can of paint with the hotel in Macduff, the rest of the decor and plaster was ‘weathered’. Still it had a very modern useless device: the electronic soap dispenser. Hairdryers are an essential, for somebody somewhere. This one was a nice shade of tobacco yellow.

Today’s reflections. Did the Romans get here to build the straightest 4 miles you can see on a map? What does the suffix ‘ster’ mean as it is very common: as in Scrabster. Most of all, why do most of the graveyards have a good number of headstones n-s?

Passing into Caithness, the land changes again. No hedges, until the odd flagstone wall appears. Mainly cattle grazing along a rich coastal belt with moorland and peat bog inland. Lots of crofts dotted randomly, accompanied by increasing numbers of brochs and cairns. Evidence of Brittonic settlement apparently.
A new discovery: Wick was mainly designed by Telford, taking the layout of Bath as inspiration. It’s lost some of its grandeur: maybe Home base et al on one side and Tescos on the other with 1/2 of town in between explains some of that. Still freshly painted lampposts points to the same imaginative regeneration schemes we’ve become used to.

A fantastic days cycling. Our route started vertically then went severely up and down for the first part. Enjoyed getting up to nearly 40mph before fear set in as I remembered the additional 10kg of luggage. Afternoon mainly flat before a wee rise before John o’Groats. What a stunning view of the Orkneys then appeared, almost within toxin distance against a blue sky and a mill pond of a sea. You could even make out the Old Man of Hoy dwarfed as it is by the cliffs it nestles aside. We diverted to Duncansby Head. Wow: been here before but never like this. A privileged day, rounded off by chips on the harbour walls looking back to the nicely done up Inn.

Pictures to follow once WiFi is found! Well it’s slow fi.

Evening tide

Monuments

As seen on Badsey?

200yr old long barn

Wick

Being followed

Good light

Mainland done

It’s longer now

The old bridges look better

Not a croft

B’s selfie

Day 5 Dingwall to Helmsdale

Having survived the ghosts of room 8 (we were in rm 9 and walls were thick), it was time to head NE. and to reflect on the multicultural nature of the land – on night 1 the landlord had lived in London for 35years and his wife was Indian.  Day 3 the landlady came from Clydach. Day 4 the landlady was from Birmingham. Day 4 was East European hosts with American, Indian and Scandinavia guests. Of course we’re taking a thin sliver of society: though the school kids are also nicely of many colours.

Many red cheeks up here. Probably the winds which abated this morning in the bright sunshine.  To return later on of course though the blue azure of the sea was a constant distraction. Moving into Sutherland the land changes again: more mountainous with fertile shore strips: the purple of the heather is evident.throughout as it aims towards its autumnal plumage. 

Common sights: churches vying for the high spots; fish and chip shops; and stone buildings.  The surprise today was a terrace of brick houses in Brora with no grey rendering in sight.  It’s a while since we’ve been here: I first came to Dornoch in 1964 I think and when we cycled here in 2000 it was horizontal rain.  Today it brought out it’s colourful best.

Reflections of the day: check the wind direction before having a pee. Chances are i’ll change though.

Our route  went straight NE tootling along the coast.  After Tain we departed from NCN 1 to remain on the A9.  Going across estuaries in this weather is a privilege, Today we had the Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet ( the Mound ).  Quite difficult to take in and capture on photos.  We’ve ended in Helmsdale where the railway line we’ve been generally following sweeps in land as we continue NE to Wick and John o’Groats.

Misty Start

Cromarty views

Tain

Tain Bridge view

Strong sun!

From the Mound

Brora harbour

Brora bricks

Evening shadows

Kirk

Dornoch water fountain

Helmsdale stopping point

 

Day 4 Elgin to Dingwall

Bins.  Today we crossed a boundary: Moray(shire) into Inverness(shire).  So as well as there being a perceptible change in the landscape – to more highland, there is obviously a different wheely bin regime. On the east side you get four, pink, brown, blue and green – to be seen even at the end of long private roads into farms.  Cross the line and you are down to only green and blue.

The land and crops change too.  Now there are more walls and hedges and forestry.  A lot of small holdings amongst the woods. The main places we went through were Kinloss (lots of military housing), Nairn (a disappointment) and Inverness – always like it there, has character and feels quite a vibrant place,

Main stopping points were Brodie Castle – though it wasn’t open when we got there.  Although the NTS own it, it still has the laird’s apartments.  By the state of his/her relatively new Maserati parked outside, times must be hard. Culloden’s new visitor centre does a good job at presenting a balanced view of a complex conflict.  I can put it simpler – were it not for the butchery of the Hanoverian British reprisals, history might have more accurately replaced the tourist laden ‘Bonnie’ with ‘vain, delusional, self-important, arrogant, absolute monarchist’ – I’m not a supporter you may gather.  Burn’s “ye Jacobites by Name” runs through my head. Drummosie Moor always has a eerie feel – “no quarter” rings down the ages. 

 Our route leaves Elgin by a steep hill, before descending the Kinloss and around FIndhorn Bay. Large open fields give way to enclosures and different crops.  Still plenty of wild flowers to light the way. Through Inverness and over the Kessock Bridge leads onto DIngwall.  Great weather today, and no rain all day withgenerally kind winds.  67 good miles before dinner, earned by the very steep hill to Tulloch Castle – seriously haunted we’re told.  

Great corner cafe

Brodie’s lair

Nairn Viaduct

Inverness resident

Kessock view

Another

River crossing

Day 3 Macduff to Elgin

Turns  out Macduff is a relatively new name after the Earl of Fife fancied a change and invested in a new harbour.  Still a working village with active boatyard.  This also, it turns out, is the only place in the UK to still build wooden fishing vessels over 56ft.  Why 56ft?  Could this be someone has found two places building 55ft boats. Oh no!

Trivia: the landlandy of the hotel comes from Clydach,  just down the road from us.  One guest’s parents got married there in 195 0 – if still alive they would have recognised the furniture and paint.

Just around the next corner is more upmarket Banff.  The Royal in the title is the clue.  This is the start of a plethora of great wee villages dotted along the rugged sea.  This has that unique sound and fresh seaweed laden air, driven up our nostrils by the headwind we cycle into all of today’s 44 miles.  Port Soy (with its original harbour barometer still behind the wooden door…thanks Aile for the tip), to Cullen and beyond.  Cullen is home of cullen skink so that was lunch. Also a fine album called Cullen Bay by the Tannahill Weavers.

After that it’s heading inland a little taking in a little community festival in Spey Hall: would have been churlish not to have had T and pancakes.  Arriving in Elgin before heading out for that well known Scottish delicacy known as an Italian.

Our route goes along the coast, picking up a disused railway for stretches with a fine viaduct over the Spey.  Mainly quite roads and paths, taking in the unique fishing heritage evidenced in the cottages and villages hugging the coastline.  These are densely packed with the washing line at the bottom, still well in use. No need for sea-breeze air freshener additives here!

 

Buckie turret

Breezy start

Working

17c Banff Street

Energy saving discovery

Keep the pressure on

Just made for it

High and dry in Buckie

No trains today

Old Port Soy harbour

Fordyce

Another street!

No need for planning!

Cullen Bay

Day 2 Portlethen to Macduff

Leaving Portlethen we head generally north/north-west.  So much for the theory you cycle north so the prevailing wind behind you – we cycled into the teeth of a headwind for much of today’s 66miles.  Still, when it did drop, it rained, so we didn’t complain too much.  A good day for hanging out your washing.

The route from Portlethen to Aberdeen is lined with housebuilding on a grand scale.  I picked up from Michael some 70k houses are planned: Aberdeen feels bigger than its current 250k population.  We skirted around the fish markets to get to Fittie ( Footdee ) a 19C planned township which has adapted organically and survived amongst a tide of oil industry developments.  Fascinating (watch the recent BBC2 Streets programme) juxtusposition of old and new: be interesting to see what the current gentrification does to its long term idiosyncracy.

For some 25miles after Dyce we were on the bed of the Formantine and Buchan railway, a reminder that railways are not flat: if you look at the profile from 19mls onwards you’ll get an idea.  Good to be off road though it is slower on the rough surfaces.  Not too many places along route – where did the trains top up with water?

Most of the land is arable: very few hedges, and very few settlements.  A bit of the agrarian revolution in reverse, compounded by the legacy of the clearances.  I paused near Maud to look carefully: Michael tells me our forebears were land peasants around here. They must have shared the same vast  botanical knowledge which I struggle with!  And then to Macduff, nestled on the coast line.  Mac meand “son of”.  I wonder if “up the duff” originates from around here?

Our route  deviated a lot from NCN 1 – both to stay on the railway and there was no lodges available in Turiff where we had planned originally.  A shorter day tomorrow then!

 

Neatly cut

Just like LA

Holiday shutter

Upward extension

Supersized detergent buy

Telegraph out of fashion too

Pipelines have to be stored somewher

I was here first

Scrubbed up in whites

They view from across the Dee

New look out

Macduff nestling nicely