Backblip: The Wet, a Wag and his Wellies

We were away from the Brahan Estate by 09:30, with something like 120 miles to go before boarding the ferry home to Orkney from Scrabster. We had the scent of fish and chips in our nostrils and a certain date at the Captain's Galley takeaway, so timings were critical. 

We filled up with diesel at Alness then stopped at Dornoch for Nell to play on the sands. From there we simply pushed on to Helmsdale, to get as many miles under Brunhilde's belt as she could manage quickly. 

At Helmsdale we turned left and abandoned the A9 with relief. Our clock said we had time to stop and make lunch so we did so, parking in a spot normally more accustomed to seeing anglers and ghillies than mobile homes, methinks.

The A897 is not the fastest of roads, being single track with passing places. We were also aware that roadworks are currently in place, so timing remained important. The forestry lorries were taking no prisoners and Brunhilde had to give way much of the time but we only met one significant delay and were able to find the time to stop at the RSPB site at Forsinard. Nell declined to climb the observation tower. Perhaps she thought that she should be assisting the unfortunate in the bog pool. Or maybe she was simply being a wuss. Anyway, I had fun taking photographs from on high. More fun though, taking photos of the stunning structure in the landscape.

I was taken aback by the anti-RSPB signs all over the place. It makes Forsinard folk appear very backward, unfriendly and unwelcoming - nay, hostile even. Very sad to see.

Amazingly, having fitted so much into the day already, we still had 45 minutes in hand, so took Nell for a run at Sandside Bay where we brewed up a mug of coffee and listened to our tummies rumble.

Once Mr L judged that the ferry check-in would be open, we set off for Scrabster, checked in, and grabbed some money and went off for our chips... to find the chippy closed!!! What a disappointment, especially in the light of our other chip test at Ullapool having been so underwhelming...

Main pic is the wellies in the bog with Extra Pics of Dornoch sands, Nell refusing to go up the observation tower, and the tower in the landscape at Forsinard Flows

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