Day 88: Inverness to Culbokie (15.3 miles)

For some reason I found this a tougher day than expected.  I knew it would be over 15 miles and marked the switch over to John O’Groats Trail from the Great Glen Way - and the homeward stretch. But I thought that would buoy me up. A few things happened that set me back a bit.

Martin had driven me back to the start of the Trail in front of the castle at Inverness for 10am. All good. I then realised I'd forgotten to pack any of my drink. Not done that before. A co-op just off route sorted that out. Gave myself a shake to concentrate better going forward. I was more impressed by Inverness than expected. I’d like to come back and explore more another time. Some attractive old buildings along the river before heading into the industrial estate leading to Kessock bridge. 

Went past Cromwell’s tower - the only bit remaining of his fort. I found my way up the steps to the bridge closely followed by another walker - and my heart stopped. A big sign saying the pedestrian path was shut. No - you have to be joking. Surely not…… I walked further along the bridge to find that indeed it was closed for maintenance of the bridge. I confess I started to panic - how could I get this far and be flummoxed. It would be a massive detour to find a different route inland.

I phoned Martin and he pointed out I could phone a taxi. Ok. Calm down. The other walker offered to share the cost. Inverness taxis to the rescue and met us back down in the industrial estate promptly. He took us to the roundabout and then to a lay-by on the northbound carriage to see if there was a path on the southbound side. We all agreed we couldn’t see one. The taxi took us over the bridge - and it was then we saw that there was in fact a path on the southbound carriageway. I was so frustrated.

The taxi pulled in to a lay-by to discuss where he could safely drop us off, but we were on the wrong side of the A9 to get to the path and the taxi driver was emphatic he wouldn’t leave us to cross here.  I checked out a sign for a diversion in the hope there was an underpass but that didn’t seem to lead anywhere. The other walker then spotted a discrete crossing point a little further back. At which point I decided I would cross over and head back to the mid-point of the bridge to make up the distance I’d just missed out by taking the taxi. For some reason the other walker decided to continue walking along the A9…

I finally started the Black Isle walk at 11:40 and tried to calm myself down and put that little hiatus behind me. For some reason I just couldn’t get my legs mobilised and it was slow going for a time. The walk through the forest was beautiful and I bribed myself with some chocolate and ribena. Gradually I settled down, reflecting on just how my mental state had been hit and affected my walking.

The signage for the Trail was excellent but there was a section along some farmland which was already overgrown and I was relieved I was wearing long sleeves and trousers to protect from gorse and nettles. 

And then the next set back. Pushing my way through gorse and broom and congratulating myself on how well I was doing, a branch of broom whipped back into my left eye. Ow. I really did feel that things were working against me by this point!

Another shake to sort myself out and again I bribed myself with a lunch stop if I continued until 13:00. This tactic worked well and my body started to move more smoothly and naturally again. The trail was excellent, moving regularly between forest and pasture - a red kite and then an oystercatcher appeared above a field and the vista started to open up to mountains in the far distance to the north. Beautiful.

I realised the path would swing round to take me to Munlochy Bay so again bribed myself to continue just a little bit longer for a better view. Again this worked and so eventually stopped at 13:30 overlooking the bay and what turned out to be a colony of terns.

I didn’t allow myself to linger and was up again at 13:45 again feeling sluggish. Even so the views were attractive and as I dropped down to the water, a female red deer froze in front of me before bounding off into the forest.

A couple of the terns flew past but I wasn’t confident of identifying which they were. That would have to wait until I could check later.  But a pair of shelduck at the head of the estuary and a reed bunting singing in the reeds cheered me up.

At the head of the bay, the path hit a marshy section but I was able to get through this without mishap bringing me to Munlochy itself. The path quickly turned onto a side road and then plunged into a beautiful forest within a valley which led me to the extraordinary but rather creepy Clootie Well - a tradition of leaving pieces of rag dipped in the sacred water and left with a wish.  

From hereon it was pretty well roadwork all the way. The views across to the mountains kept me going along with yellowhammers calling, but this was a long section with a straight road for what seemed miles.

Eventually the path turned off the road for what could been seen as an unnecessary deviation but I was glad to get back onto forest tracks for a while. A chat with a local lady with a couple of dogs lifted my spirits and the jaunt in my step returned for the final leg into Culbokie and a wait outside the closed pub where Martin met me about 20 minutes later at 17:20.

We went back via the Kussock bridge and both the path and a way onto it was obvious - a sign directing walkers to go down to a major roundabout would have been so helpful! I heard later that 2 cyclists had followed a 2 mile diversion to do the same thing. 

A cup of tea, a sundowner and a soak in the bath would hopefully sort me out. Tomorrow would be another day and I was determined to get myself back on track. The John O’Groats Trail needed my focus and there was no room for complacency or loss of concentration!