The last hurrah

On Friday it all came to an end and I had one trip up to the Cape with a full bus including 6 dogs and the pink cat. Yes the cat crossed the Kyle on a boat but only because it hid in the rucksack . I arrived back at the jetty after an uneventful trip to be told that the ferry was having to stop again cos of the worsening weather conditions so that was that! In the evening James Elspeth & Stuart came to ours for a meal and we were asked back again next year, not sure why though!

Saturday was awful weather with waves crashing halfway up the cliff face but we still had time for a cup of tea in Elspeths kitchen before moving on. James asked me to come back again (he must be desperate for a driver) before sending us off with a Gaelic farewell which translates roughly  to hello,goodbye and be back.  By the time we arrived in Ullapool later the sun was shining and we had a well deserved drink overlooking the harbour and a very nice meal at the Ferry Boat Inn. This morning we went for a very pleasant walk along the coast to the lighthouse (old habits die hard) in the sunshine. Then I received a text from James that 44 people had arrived for the bus to the Capethat morning  and they had to lay on 3 buses and draft in Donnie to ferry them all up there.  A lucky escape for me then!!

We should be off to the Summer Isles on a boat trip tomorrow morning (weather permitting) then Inverness and Aviemore in the afternoon. After a couple of nights there its an overnighter in Sedgefield and home on Thursday, so after all this time we will be saying goodbye to the sea tomorrow afternoon....sad isn't it.

A few photos:

Cat at the Cape

Cat seeking attention from the the driver

Cat run over (no its not its cat posing on the bonnet of the bus!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

seasons change and summers end

4^th September.

The weather has changed and the season has come to a natural close. For three days over the weekend  the ferry was cancelled, thus so were the buses.  The seasons as always seem to control life up here. The buses have now reverted to an autumn timetable starting at 11 rather then 9.30. The campsite is virtually empty and the number of people around and about definately depends on the sunshine.

Paul brought home a road kill yesterday – a small grouse. It had been cleanly killed, a glancing blow and it seemed a waste to miss an opportunity. My experience on how to deal with pheasant on the feather paid off and although we could not hang the bird, the breast meat gave us a taste of the gamey flavour of grouse and added a certain 'local and organic' feeling to our supper.

The trip over to Tongue in the east was my last today. That road is my favourite as I get to see the  huge expanse of Loch Eriboll, a sea loch,  and the towering mass of Ben Loyal over the Kyle of Tongue. The oyster farm was visible today as the tide was very low. The scenery is stunning and of course the light changes everyday. I also have a choice of two coffee shops on this 'taxi'  run.

 'The Weavers'  involves a 2 mile walk up and out of the village alongside the Kyle rising up to pass through an area of deciduous woodland that always seems to be alive with birdsong but our feathered friends remain invisible. I have got to chat with the owners on a couple of occaisions and it is nice to be welcomed into the cafe. They run a B and B and a gift shop on the site that has sea and cliff views across the mouth of the Kyle. The place has recently been beautifully renovated with exposed wooden floors and large picture windows. They do the work themselves outside the tourist seasn and take the winter months off  to visit friends and family in England. On lazy days I visit the Tongue Hotel. This is a rather nice establishment that is perched up on the hillside beside the little healthcentre where Elspeth holds her clinic. It has the feel of an old hunting lodge and the service is great. Uniformed staff, trays with tartan tray cloths for your refreshment and a comfy  lounge with plenty of reading material. ( The toilets are great too with very nice soap and hand lotion!)  It is a good job we are returning home as it is all becoming a bit of a habit. The coffee more often than not just has to be accompanied by a piece of cake or shortbread , so the waistline must be rapidly expanding.

 I have suprised myself and developed an affection for the single track road and I am begining to know the passing places. I can also tell roughly where mad tourists, especially the Italians , are likey to leap out of  their camper vans to take photographs. They give no real warning, just stop in the middle of the road, or in a passing place if you are lucky, in order to get their perfect landscape shot. One of many they will have collected en route around the north coast. The Highland Council has provided a lot of  well illustrated information boards all along the coastal road. The traveller can read about the  geology of the area, identify the mountain peaks and learn how people have 'worked' on the land. These boards are excellent but have an almost secret,  secondary function. They give locals an opportunity to pass the slower moving leisure traffic at known designated intervals. The road system up here does not have dual carriagways, traffic lights or roundabouts, a whole new set of interesting rules apply.

Golspie on Friday will be my last trip for Elspeth. The first half of that trip is good- down to Lairg – about hour and a half away- but then the scenery changes and becomes more predictable and 'normal'. The roads become wider and even traffic lights may be encountered. Roundabouts do not occur unless you are heading towards Inverness. Golspie offers quite a variety of activities, not just coffee and cakes. There is a great nature reserve just three miles to the south of Golspie- Loch Fleet. This is the sea loch at the head of the esturary that forms the Dornoch Firth connecting at the mouth of the Moray Firth. The reserve is made up of sand dunes, pine forests and sea shore all with nice walks and plenty to see. On the north side of the town is Dunrobin Castle, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Sutherland. I only had a short time visiting here as my 'fare' demanded a return sooner than anticipated, some physiotherpaists are so demanding! I did get the chance to see  inside the statley home but had to forego the gardens  and the falconry display – perhaps another time?

Change in weather- summers end

 

 

 

 

Not long now

Well, Tom came up to see us for a couple of days and it was really good to see him although time passed too quickly. He flew into Inverness then caught a taxi from the airport to the railway station, now can you believe this?? The taxi driver is the brother in law of a guy I used to work with at Solihull about  15 years ago and I know both his sister and mother!! Spooky or what.

Tom enjoyed his time here and was taking loads of photos. We went out for a good meal and had a couple of decent walks and Jo took him into Smoo Cave whilst I was at work.

Life on the Cape has slowed down and the numbers of visitors has fallen, additionally the visitors are turning up at lunchtime (not that we have lunch) rather than in the morning which means that we should be working later but the tourists stop mid afternoon- all very strange.

We have got gales forecast from Friday lunchtime til Monday evening so we will have to see if work is on, although John the Feryman has his reservations, but we have to go with his decision, after all its him whose responsiblke for the passengers safety.

A week tomorrow is our last day and sitting on the boat coming across the Kyle I looked around and realised how much I'm going to miss the scenery and John and Stuart as well. I've been lucky to work with both of them.

A few photies:

Smoo Cave

Cathedral Stack (name not liked by locals yjey prefer Stac Clos Kervaig) at Kervaig Bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cranes on the Cape

Next Spring or early Summer you will be able to see on the Beeb Cape Wrath and the road I drive along. Unfortunately I won't be on it (or fortunately you may be thinking!). The reason is that the Coast team were here for 2 days filming last week with Nick Crane leading the way sans umbrella not even on his rucksack! I had a full busload of people and mentioned that Coast were here and one of the ladies asked if Neil Oliver was filming-I replied No it was Nick Crane and I heard a collective sigh of disappointment from all the women on the bus. Sorry Nick but you do have a supporter in John the Light who said that if Neil Oliver had turned up he would have cut off his hair and burnt his handbag!!

The rest of the week was very quiet and there is an autumnal feel in the air almost like Summer has finished. The nights are drawing in really quickly and our days are almost the same length as back home. By next week they will be shorter I think the way things are going. Its Bank Holiday today but it seems that its a normal day here.

Tom has come up to join us today for a couple of days so will the city boy cope with the temptations of rural Scotland? We are off onto the Cape tomorrow for a walk cos we haven't done this yet as I'm always walking and when I'm not its cos the ferry has stopped so there is no way across the Kyle.

Went to the pub on Saturday night for a drink and walked in and the Villa were on Sky. Don't think Jo was too impressed neither was I as Liverpool scored as we walked in. Half time and a strategic retreat was needed for domestic harmony and lower blood pressure!!!

the last few days

22^nd August-

Weather stopped play at the Cape over the weekend so we had time to explore as tourists. The wind was creating some big waves on the Kyle, not good if you are in a small boat. So we decided to walk from Kinlochbervie up to Sandwood Bay – the back door to the Cape. The path followed  a cart track across heather clad,  peaty land dotted with small lochs then across green grasslands of sand dunes dropping steeply down onto a wide sandy beach. The weather was reasonably kind to us with heavy showers followed by windy blasts, to dry us out, and even the sun to brighten the journey. Cape Wrath Lighthouse could  just be seen high up in the distance , the brief patches of sunlight catching the white paint. As we reached the beach the sea stack known as the Hedsman came into view with some wild water foaming around its base. Gannets  fishing just off shore did not seem bothered by the wind. Sandwood Bay is a viewpoint stop for the passengers on the Cape buses and peering through binoculars  we were able to just make out the roadway down from the lighthouse. The story goes that the beach is haunted as figures have been seen crossing the beach but  leave no footprints in the sand! This is one of Stuart's favourite stories and he embelishes this, Private Fraiser style for his passengers.  There is no track or pathway up to the Cape. It is eight miles of rough walking, 'keeping the sea on your right', to reach the tip of the Cape. Perhaps thats a challenge  for another day, especially a day when the ferry and the buses are running so there is an easier return journey.

We treated ourselves to a late lunch at Tarbet, smoked salmon and smoked mackeral salad with a glass of nicely chilled white wine. Our conversation with the young waitress was interesting as she is trying to get into Veterinary Nursing. She had a place on the course in York but has trouble finding a host practice. Unfortunately I don't know anyone up there but I did leave my contact in case I could help with anything further south. It brought home just how difficult the long distances are for the young. She has been across to Roggart Vets , the only practice in the area,  nearly two hours away. She has made contact with the nurse there and has access to the situations vacant page of the VN Times so lets hope something turns up soon. She has been  working  the summer in the family business and during  last winter she vaccinated fish on the nearby fish farms.

Sunday saw us driving east to find the better weather at Thurso and John O'Groats. Thurso was rather unispiring but it did have a Tesco and we could purchase a Sunday paper for the first time in weeks! (In Durness we have to make do with a Saturday paper. ) The most northerly point of the mainland, or the end of the road, is quite an interesting place. Rather better than Lands End with opportunity to walk around a headland to the lighthouse, take a trip out to Orkney and the usual mixture of craft and souvenier shops. Parking is always free in Scotland and the toilet facilities are maintained and clean unlike the majority of the  tourist spots further south. Of course Dunnett Head is technically the most northerly point, which is wild and barren, very windy and has another  lighthouse. The view point gave the direction of Cape Wrath but the far distance was obscured by the clouds in the west. The  Castle of Mey is reallly worth a visit, the estate has marketed itself rather like a very mini Chatsworth but at a reasonable price.  The cafe was very nice and served delicious simple food. The guided tour of the house was informative and it was really interesting to see a castle as a home. The Queeen Mother must have been a very  sensible, if a bit formidable,   lady  with good values and also quite frugal. There was little unecessary wastage in her life. The kitchen and dinning room facilities were very simple and still get used a week every August by Prince Charles when he stays at the castle. The kitchen fridge was purchased in 1959 and is still in working order so in use today. HRH has continued his grandmothers link with the area, attending the Highland Gathering, and breeding Caithness Beef. He also sends a  home baked Christmas cake  to the local primary school every year decorated by the castle staff . Her corgis were much loved and  very spoilt but they were not permitted in her bedroom and had to sleep on the stone stairs outside her door. The walled gardens are spectacular in their simplicity, the smell from the climbing roses was beautiful and the whole siteincluding the vegetable patch had a cottage garden feel to it.

24^th August-

Last night we dined off the fat of the land! As payment for my gardening services on the veg patch  and the very technical job of collecting Lupin seeds, I took delivery of a couple of very beautiful lobsters. I am sorry to say that they were dispatched using the  traditional and local method , now rather frowned upon by the RSPCA. I took instruction from James and I have to say they passed quietly enough. Along with some 'tatties' from the croft,  lettuce from the patch and some garlic butter  mayonnaise a tasty meal, very much appreciated. We have been well looked after this week with a couple of fine Mackeral on Wednesday evening. James was rather scathing about this as he uses Mackeral to bait his lobster pots , not to eat.  I suppose if one has cake why bother with bread?

Today started as wet and drizzely so once Paul had left for work I had another baking session. I seem to have mastered the vagaries of the oven and applying a few basic principles of science concerning the tranference and conduction of heat,  can now manage two types of cookie mix and even a batch of fruit scones. It is rather labour intensive only cooking six at a time but when it is miserable outside not a real problem.

In true Highland style the skies brightened  at mid day to allow a wander along the beach. The midges were  about again today  so sensible to avoid the hills and the loch. Paul has been using his midge hat the last couple of evenings down on the ferry landing and when James mowed the lawns last night he raised a persistent cloud of the little darlings all over the croft. James and Elspeth  have family visiting over the bank holiday weekend so he needed his 'land' to look tidy. I felt that was quite an English attitude but in the interests of international relations decided to keep that thought  to myself. He is planning to mow the croft after ' 1^st September'  so that will be a day to keep away and the windows closed! 

Castle of Mey

 

 

 

 

 

 John O'Groats

 

 Old Shoremore - we are still getting good days!