Day 18
Strathpeffer to Lairg 65miles/4037ft ascent
I left Alasdair and Linda’s place feeling pretty chilled as I knew more than half of the route. The weather forecast was not too accurate as there was always drizzle or rain threatening. At least the wind was at my back as I set of through the remote and spectacular Strath Vaich. Each time I see the track stretching into the distance alongside Loch Vaich I feel SO grateful to be able to ride here. Today was going to be a longish day with a committing traverse through the hills before accessing a quiet road to Lairg. This meant that I kept things moving and anyhow, the glens here are so big and wide you have plenty of head space to look around for the estate ponies by the river, the waterfalls that cascade over the slabs of rock on the hill or take note of how the re-wilding of Alladale Estate is going as you ride through Gleann Mor. I was looking forward to having lunch at Croick Church. In 1845 the church featured in the tragic Clearance of Glenvalvie where those families being removed from the area sought shelter in the church grounds and even scratched their names and the date on the east window. Whe the church is open to the public you can see this incredible piece of history for yourself.
After a drink and some lunch courtesy of my hosts I headed on the track which eventually reaches Ullapool. Today I was not going to Ullapool via Strath Cuilleannach but was going to head north over on a track by Einig Wood to the road at Oykel Bridge. At the high point of this track I was enjoying the views, the effort and the fact that it was downhill when I noticed the rain shower that I thought I had outrmanouvered by heading north appeared to have different ideas. Because I had been working to ride uphill I had my lightweight windproof jacket and not my full waterproof jacket. Full of confidence I set off downhill as I was to ‘beat’ the rain – HA HA! I needed to navigate so that meant stopping briefly to check my GPS. I also needed to open a rather strangely tied gate. I definitely needed to keep moving as now out of any wind but in the drizzle there were midges!
When I hit the road at Oykel Bridge I decided to push on to Rosehall with no more stops. This kept the midges away and the movement was now drying off my wet kit. This worked until I was a few miles away from Lairg where I had hoped to wild camp somewhere near Loch Shin. As soon as I stopped I was surrounded by midges and quickly realised that camping was a really, really stupid idea. Somehow I managed to contact Alison again and asked if I could get clearance to sleep on another Fire Station floor, this time in Lairg. No time was wasted waiting for an answer I kept going. Another shower then undid all my good work so now not only was I vulnerable to these biting insects from Mordor but I was damp and cold again.
At the garage in Lairg I resupplied for the next day and got local recommendations for B & B or even a hotel. My SixMoonDesigns Sky Trekker is a fabulous shelter but there was simply NO WAY I was camping tonight. The Highland jungle drums worked and whilst in the pub it was worked out where the local fire crew were and when they would be back to let me into their station.
Dinner that night was in the local hotel and I did not hold back – venison, ice cream sundae and cheese board. Best thing of all was to find out that Rachel was going to meet me tomorrow at the end of the day with the VW van. She’d then drive to John O’ Groats in the morning and then cycle back to meet me on the route for my last day.
A Teacher trying to Divide. 