Day 102 - Lybster to Whaligoe - 10.3 miles
I had the same challenge today of how to split the 17 mile walk to Wick. I decided to do it in two days with Whaligoe being a useful break point.
The 06:30 bus northwards to Dounreay would allow me to get to Whaligoe and then walk back in my own time. I waited with a few others dressed in hi-viz tabards and radiation sensors on their early morning commute.
Apparently there are 1400 working at Dounreay now on the nuclear decommissioning of the power station - many more than ever worked there while it was in production.
By 06:50 the bus had dropped me off.
The 06:30 bus northwards to Dounreay would allow me to get to Whaligoe and then walk back in my own time. I waited with a few others dressed in hi-viz tabards and radiation sensors on their early morning commute.
Apparently there are 1400 working at Dounreay now on the nuclear decommissioning of the power station - many more than ever worked there while it was in production.
By 06:50 the bus had dropped me off.
Whaligoe is a natural harbour accessable only by 330 steps that zig zag down the face of the 250 feet high cliffs.
Apparently in the mid 19th century crews of women would carry baskets of fish up the steps and then walk the 8 miles to market in Wick.
In the early morning as the sun first came through the clouds, the drama of the space is amazing.
Apparently in the mid 19th century crews of women would carry baskets of fish up the steps and then walk the 8 miles to market in Wick.
In the early morning as the sun first came through the clouds, the drama of the space is amazing.
Having climbed back up the 330 steps to rejoin the cliff path I then started Southwards back to Lybster.
After following the path for a mile it soon descended into thick gorse and at Bruan the only way passed seemed to lead through deep bog and marram so I decided to climb back on to the road over the crash barrier and walk to a point where I could rejoin the path.
At Bulnacraig there was a mowed field where the grass had been bailed and where it looked as though I'd be more able to get back down to walk along the cliff edge.
I decided to stop for a flask of coffee and count to ten.
While sitting quietly enjoying the early morning sunshine, two deer appeared and walked through the field oblivious of my presence.
After a few minutes they jumped over the fence into the next field where the crop hadn't been cut and I could just make out their antlers!
Back on the road, I decided to walk up to the 'Hill o' Many Stanes' where I met Juan and Maria - Colombians who'd moved to live in Sydney, Australia.
Maria trained in law and is a Compliance Manager for TKMaxx in Australia - she's also a keen photographer. They studied at the same university in Medellin but only met romantically in Sydney where they fell in love and married a few months later. Having flown in to London for a wedding last weekend, they'd travelled up to Scotland and hired a BMW motorbike in Inverness to tour the North before returning to Glasgow and Edinburgh and a 30 hour flight back. Wow! A really fun couple.
Looking at the map I saw a cemetery further along where I could more easily gain access to the cliff and was able to get down to Clythness lighthouse.
Then along to Clyth,
some precarious walking near Occumster
and eventually via some steep steps at Shalligoe back to Lybster where I stopped at the cafe (having left the hotel too early for breakfast, by now I was starving!!) I got talking to a biker from Aberaeron who'd been at a silent Buddhist retreat for a week. (He was making up for it by the time I met him!)
I stopped off at the church to see the Lybster stone - believed to be Pictish Christian dating back 1500 years. Two indents on either side are believed to be where the faithfull would have rested their elbows when kneeling in prayer.
And eventually back to the hotel for an afternoon nap.....only to be woken by these guys
- 23 members of the Motorcycle club of Prague on their Indian motorcycles - far better than Harley Davidsons they told me. The unmistable sound of 1800cc V- twin engines certainly woke up Lybster!!
Total distance walked so far = 1249.4 miles
Total ascent so far = 140 633 feet
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email: david.LL.thomas@gmail.com
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If you'd like to contribute to any or all of the three great charities I'm supporting, here are the relevant links.
- Parkinsons UK - My dad had Parkinsons in his latter years and the research work this charity funds and the support it provides to patients and their families is invaluable. - https://www.justgiving.com/
- Just Wheels UK - this is a small charity set up to provide wheelchairs in a rural community in Tanzania. It does this through funding training, education and the local fabrication and servicing of bespoke wheelchairs. My nephew uses a wheelchair and as he grows I can see the life changing freedoms that proper wheelchairs can bring to both users and their families.-
- RNLI - these are the brave guys who selflessly head out to sea to help others. I volunteer at Littlehampton RNLI shop and often meet families of those who’ve had first hand experience of their loved ones being saved from the sea. Having sailed for years I can say thankfully we’ve never had to call on the RNLI's services but it’s amazing what it does to know they are there
Carrying fish for 8 miles? And probably in all kinds of weather and without well fitting footwear. Remarkable.
ReplyDeleteHey David, Maria and Juan here. Thank you for sharing our story. If you come for a visit to downunder, make sure you reach out. We have completed our amazing loop around the NC500. Heading now to Glasgow. You are almost there. Amazing effort.
ReplyDelete