Dave Byrnes' Adventures

Land's End to John O'Groats - 2010

Overview     Planning     Schedule     Map     Diary     Pictures
Day: 060
Date:

Thursday, 1 July 2010

Start:

Crask

Finish:

Knockfin

Daily Kilometres:

46.2

Total Kilometres:

1956.0

Weather:

Raining and very windy in the morning, partly sunny and breezy in the afternoon

Accommodation:

Free camping

Nutrition:

Scottish breakfast; trail mix for lunch; cheese & pickle sandwich for dinner

Aches:

None really

Pictures:

Here

GPS Track:

Here

Journal:

The Crask Inn owner agreed to a relatively early breakfast and I ate at 7:30am and was walking by 8:30am on a very blustery and wet morning.  The forecast wasn't good and I had prepared myself for a day of wetness.  The early route was along a little-used farm path up to Bealach Easach, a low pass which would be my last of the trip.  The undergrowth was wet and soon so were my socks and boots.  There was a lot of low cloud and the wind was blowing me about a bit, but it wasn't too bad and I could see a reasonable distance.

The other side of the pass descended more steeply through a craggy sort of ravine down to Loch a'Bhealaich, which had a lot of white caps.  The path improved as I got lower and the rest of the morning involved travelling alongside one loch after another with moderately high mountains on either side.  I couldn't see the highest peaks, but the guide book says I'm also passing my last Munro (3000+ft mountain) today and my last loch of the trip.

The further I went, the more the valley opened out and it became quite a boring walk along a gravel road that I could see stretching far out in front of me.  The scenery was pretty enough, but more low-key and because I could see so far ahead, there was no change to create interest.  However, I was making reasonable time and reached a road around 5pm in what was now quite pleasant weather.  There was very little traffic, but I had about 10km to walk, passing through the tiny village of Kinbrace (no pub, no shop) on the way.  The day finished with a few kilometres of difficult cross-country until I reached Knockfin, the site of a village abandoned during the Scottish clearances in the 19th century.  I found a nice spot to camp by a small stream and quickly set up and had a wash in the stream whilst being tormented by midges.  I hastily retreated to my tent and ate and found I had wireless internet coverage so spent the evening catching up on diary and email.  I travelled a bit further today than was required and am setting myself up for an easy day on Saturday and then my last day on Sunday.

ADVENTURE LIST

 

Round Ireland
(2016)

Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)

Via Alpina
(2012)

Australian Alps Walking Track
(2011)

Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)

Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)

Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)

Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)

Three Peaks Race
(2004)

Appalachian Trail
(1986)

Alpine Track
(1983)

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