Day 75 Culbokie to beyond Alness

 

I dropped Garry in Culbokie, just as the rain started and he headed downhill towards the Cromarty bridge over the Cromarty Firth.  I stayed and drank a coffee and took Alfie for a wander around the Culbokie community gardens, where apples and pears grow for anyone to enjoy. Unfortunately, they weren't quite ripe enough for eating yet.

                                                     

The footpath over the Cromarty bridge was signposted closed (as was yesterday's bridge). However, as Garry was pondering the situation, four workman were watching him from their van and called him over. They explained that they were planning to do some work under the bridge which is why it was closed, although they hadn't started yet. They suggested he continued walking over anyway! 

After he reached the end of the bridge, Garry waked along a footpath and crossed the railway line. The path was partially blocked here. Luckily Garry spotted a section where the barbed wire fence had been trodden down with tree stumps to step onto (a make shift stile) where he managed to cross onto the track. 

Soon after, Garry found a farm track which led to a nice quiet lane. This is part of the national cycle Network, Path Number 1 and The Far North Way. He passed through a pretty village called Evanton and from there, followed a very well signposted cycle track between the road and the railway. A little while later, Garry met me and Alfie who had walked along the road and onto a short section of wood from Alness. I had followed the John o'Groats signs and Cycle track 1 (and the trusty OS online map too) out to meet him. 

   

      

We had a short lunch break in Alness, with coffee and sausage roll from Harry Gow (Scottish award winning bakery). 

                                           

Garry decided to continue on the next day's route out of Alness, towards Tain. He walked along  flattish country lanes for almost 4 miles. On the way he met a JOGLER, Jordan, who had recently left John O'Groats and was heading to Land's End. His feet were already quite sore! Garry and Jordan exchanged their experiences of the John o'Groats trail and the Pennine Way. 

I picked Garry up on the country lane and we had a long drive to our new Airbnb in Helmsdale, where we will be for the next week or so. 

Garry has walked 13.6 miles in total today. 

We knew that 1000 miles was approaching tomorrow, but it was only when we got back tot he Airbnb and totted up the miles so far, that Garry has walked 999.88 miles! 

He will definitely hit 1000 miles tomorrow!

Tomorrow's walk will be from 4 miles out of Alness to somewhere beyond Tain.