GRAND TOUR OF THE SCOTTISH COAST NC500. PART 6.

By Anthony Osborne.

Wednesday 21st To Sea View Hotel at John O’Groats.

Having been disappointed with the evening meal at the Arch Inn I was pleased to find that breakfast was up to the standards that we had been enjoying. I didn’t spot any croissants!
We set off for the loch Broom Filling Station where copious litres of E5 petrol were taken on board the convoy, replenishing the tanks after the previous day’s run.
We had a brief stop at Loch Kirkaig to admire the view and stretch the legs. An Aston Martin coming the other way stopped and I had a chat with the occupants comparing notes as they were driving the NC500 in the anti-clockwise direction. ​

A nice way to travel on the NC500, if you can afford it!

On leaving Loch Kirkaig we joined a flock of Scottish sheep who thought Ian’s Granada was one of their flock.

Our first planned destination was Achmelvich Beach, another visit organised by Gar. This very sandy but small beach must have been wonderful on a hot sunny day but the two young ladies in their bathing suits were turning blue after they had braved the sea water. They suggested that it was a little cool but their changing colour suggested that it was very cold indeed!
We gathered on the beach and Gus brought his drone out to film the message carved into the sand ‘EBMVBB1985 21-9-22 was here’.

​After some bracing fresh air, we were off again through some more fantastic scenery, both at sea level and in the hills and mountains, on substantial roads and on single track lanes between stone walls. The driving was certainly fun again although it did require a lot of concentration at times.

The Kylesku Bridge over the connection between Loch a’ Chàirn Bhàin and Loch Gleann Dubh.

Our next stop was alongside the Kylesk Bridge where a break was taken for cake! Gus opened up his trailer and produced the goodies which went down very well!

Brian enjoys cake from Gus’s trailer.

​Whilst we were enjoying cake Henry managed to get a new driver, although he struggled to reach the pedals with any of his four feet so gave the car back to Gus.

Anyway, after refreshment alongside the magnificent bridge we hit the road again with just a further 125 miles to go!
As we headed up to Durness, which was about as far North as we could go on the West Coast, before turning East the roads varied from single carriageway with street lighting to narrow single track with passing places. The scenery remained fantastic.  ​

(Picture 66) The roads in North West Scotland were very good as was the scenery. Sadly, the rain not so good.

​At Durness we took a left turn down a lane to the Balnakeil Craft Village where we had a look around in damp, dull and windy conditions. The Meet and Eat Café served excellent coffee and cakes which many of us enjoyed, taking over much of the café in the process. We also visited a craft shop and the Coco Mountain outlet there as well. Refreshed we returned to the road on our journey across the North of Scotland in an Easterly direction. For most of us the next stop was the Sea View Hotel at John O’Groats.

At Hope we were, apparently, only 77 miles from John O’Groats

​However, for the last four days Betty had been towing Henry’s trailer because Gus was concerned about a knocking noise which was believed to be coming from the front UJ on the prop shaft. Gus had put an appeal out on the Group Facebook area for assistance and Vincent from Turso responded offering garage accommodation and he even obtained an UJ for the job. The plan was for Henry and his trailer to be left with Vincent overnight with Gar bringing Gus on to the hotel. The following morning Gar would take Gus back to sort Henry out. Thus Gus and Gar ventured into Thurso whilst the rest of us headed on to the Seaview Hotel in the rain.

If we were at sea level or up in the mountains the scenery was so different to that seen in England.

​On our left, to the North, suddenly looming out of the gloom was a large spherical building with many other buildings around it. Of course, this was the former Dounreay Nuclear Power Station. The plant was opened in 1955 and three reactors – the Dounreay fast reactor, prototype fast reactor and the Dounreay materials test reactor – were built over the next 20 years. It was fully shut down in 1994, but a massive and complex clean-up operation remains ongoing.

​We all safely arrived at the Seaview Hotel in torrential rain, most of us being soaked as we took our cases into the hotel to check in, Gar and Gus catching up with us a little later. Some of the team took a walk down to the Visitor Centre, in the dark, to see the John O’Groats sign post there. On their return we all congregated at a large table that had been reserved for us in the restaurant, a similar sized group of cyclists occupying another large table. The beer and food were good as well as the excellent company.
After somewhere in the region of 185 miles during the day it is probably fair to say that a good night’s sleep was had by all!

To be continued ...