You Know that Naked Rambler ……..?

I’ve been thinking about doing something different on this one and I was thinking about the Naked Rambler. You know the bloke – walks all over the UK with his tackle out. Anyway I thought what’s he got that I haven’t got? 

I’m sat in the clubhouse of the Sango Sands campsite with a beautiful beach and headland out of the window. 

I’ve got my boots, hat and shirt on a radiator. It’s a long story.

It was ok in Inverness last night. I went to a pub looking over the river and had a beer and a plate of haggis with neeps and tatties, with a rich whisky sauce. It doesn’t get much better. Then I walked round the old town, small and with lots of rundown pubs but a couple of lively joints. I went back to the b&b for an early one, passing a chippy on the way that did fried haggis for £2 so I got a takeout. There aren’t many places on this walk so I’m stocking up on the carbos and fat. It’s a strict regime. I watched The Island in bed at the b&b and saw the state of the lads who hadn’t eaten much for a week so I’m making a pre-emptive strike on starvation. 

What a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast. I got the 10.40 train up the coast, passing lochs with gas or oil platforms.

The train stopped at hundreds of stations, well at least 10, and the two just before Lairg were described over the tannoy as ‘request stops’. I’d no idea how to request a stop but it stopped anyway and the bus to Durness was waiting in the car park.

I’ve never been on a bus before where one of the three passengers , an old lady, can request a 12 mile detour to go to a ladies toilet! That’s customer service. The road was single track for forty miles through the glens, and I passed some of the routes that I was going to take.  

When we got to Durness I felt that we were at the northern limit. It’s beautiful mind but savage in one go. I found Sango Sands, pitched Wilson and took my fishing rod down the cliffs. I’d casted my line three or four times and one of the biggest waves in recent history bashed against the pillar of rock I was stood on and absolutely soaked me head to freaking toe.

I’ve got my boots, hat and shirt on a radiator. It’s a long story.

I hope the ferry’s operating in the morning.  According to the bus driver the military were still on manoeuvres yesterday and there were a few RAF planes zooming over but as we passed the ferryman’s van was out and about. We’ll see. Night night.