Awake early and the typically stressy departure ahead of the 0700 exit. Still, all done, we boarded Alfred in great sunshine. A slow but calm crossing saw us slip through Wick for petrol and packed lunch before a blipmeet at Berriedale. 

Mreid  was there to greet us and hot beverages and cakes were consumed before a stroll to the shingle beach in the sunshine. Tom continued his thumb screw technique previously employed on Iainatcreel  (see extra for the official portrait of IAC) and before we knew it a fab 90 minutes was up and the A9 beckoned.

A lunch stop at Golspie, a brief shop at Tain, afternoon snack at Ruthven Barracks and onwards. 

At Perth we headed west  and as we were practically passing the door, I completed my visiting all the immediate family by dropping in on the folks for a cuppa in the sun in Braco. (I checked...this phrase has only been used twice before on Blip)

Then finally Haggs to collect plates and the chippy provided dinner as we fell through the door after 8, knackered.