and then two (or was it three - can't remember) nights at Grummore on the banks of Loch Naver right up near the North coast of Scotland. Amazing setting for a lovely little camp, perfect for skimming stones, and with nothing around other than a few caravans and the natural world.
Unfortunately, the natural world included midges which were quite persistant, particularly with Otis who had a cloud of little friends wanting to suck his blood following him around - looked like Pigpen from Peanuts.
Then on to Dunnet Bay, the most northerly tip of mainland UK. Another good site (Janet chose well!!) with direct access to a beautiful beach that the dog loved. Day 2 here, we were up with the lark and caught the ferry from John O'Groats to the Orkneys for a coach trip. It was a long day, but packed in so much that it felt like a holiday in itself. Went to Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkneys and very nice, then visited Scapa Flow where the allied fleet hung out in WW1 & 2. Onto Stromness for lunch, and some culture at the Pier Arts Centre, a great conversion of quayside buildings with a couple of exhibitions, one of sculpture in stone, the other their permanent show of St Ives Artists work - a real surprise to see Nicholson, Hepworth, Heron, Lanyon, etc etc in such an out-of-the-way spot. Particularly weird since I was reading a book about them all, Painting the Warmth of the Sun, that was lent to me by Mel deLasti, a client with whom I had a very interesting chat - turned out he shared my love of the St Ives artists, and met some of them on various visits to the South West.
Took in Scara Brae,
the neolithic village over 4,000 years old with amazing sunken roundhouses, beds, dressers etc (since the concensus is that the folk who built it were from the Northern countries, it seems Ikea started a long time ago),
some standing stones, Brodgar and Stenness,
and drove past Maes Howe, a burial chamber where the mid-winter sun moves down the entrance tunnel and lights up the back wall. And then finally the Italian Chapel, built out of two Nissen Huts and finely decorated by Italian prisoners of war.
A very choppy ferry journey back made the day.
From here, we had six nights at Dallchalm (dal-hallam) on a golf course next to the beach. Nesting arctic terns made for a noisy walk into the nearest town, Brora, where the Marine Hotel provided a very enjoyable evening meal watched from outside by a very sulky Otis tied to a tree.
We also stopped off at Dunrobin Castle, where we took in loads of beautiful sights and watched an amazing falconry display, with huge birds flying incredibly close.
Much rested, set out slowly for home, via a visit to Blair Athol mill where I ate the best bagel in the world (four actually - oops) fresh out of the oven, and to the House of Bruar, an impressive Highland wear shop with some lovely waterfalls to the side
Then stopping for the night firstly at Goswick Sands near Berwick upon Tweed, then a dire trip round Newcastle on the A1 to Slenningford Mill for two nights and some Canoeing on the River (Midge) Ure. Finally home after a wonderful two weeks.
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