Hello friends | 
We’re currently at John O’Groats , most to caput to Scrabster for the Viking Ferry. It’s non called the Viking Ferry. I think it’s called something featherbrained similar Northlink , but the logo is a Viking pointing due north , so the Viking Ferry is a) to a greater extent than apt , b) a flake to a greater extent than badass.
Yesterday nosotros left Loch Ness in addition to headed due north to where nosotros are at nowadays , but the twenty-four hours earlier that was where I left you. We woke upwards pretty early on after our long in addition to (actually pretty exhausting) Munro-bagging expedition , so that nosotros could organize the car. It was to hold upwards our final nighttime of accommodation for a while. That was until I had some other tear most my dearest for the Loch in addition to my reluctance to exit , coupled amongst the fact that the shower wouldn’t piece of occupation in addition to the dryer left our clothe a moisture in addition to slightly dog-smelling mess. We called upwards the amazing identify nosotros had stayed the starting fourth dimension nighttime (which had a bathroom in addition to top-notch internet) so nosotros could pass our final nighttime on the Loch there. As nosotros pulled the final of our not-quite-dry washing off the line , the truthful cat , Bella , arrived for some pats. I allow her sniff the rocks I had inwards my pockets in addition to this sent her into a kitten-like frenzy , attacking sticks in addition to rolling around inwards the sun.
We packed upwards the auto , slightly to a greater extent than organised than earlier , in addition to caput out to Nessieland. I’ve already mentioned a trivial flake most Nessieland to y'all , but genuinely going at that spot was a pretty bizarre experience. Rosalyn claimed she’d never been at that spot , despite existence able to instruct gratis entry , so nosotros needed to update her over dinner. When nosotros did , nosotros described the ‘museum’ equally follows:
If y'all gave someone 200 pounds , told them the only identify they could store was at Poundland (the equivalent of their $2 shop) in addition to they had 45 minutes to brand a museum , this is what they would make. Oh , in addition to the only assist they tin give the axe enlist is that of their children , who are in all probability a 5-year-old daughter who thinks googly-eyes are the peak of technology scientific discipline in addition to an 8-year-old man child who quite likes dinosaurs.
They started this sign for Nessieland , in addition to forgot to complete it
We entered to hold upwards greeted amongst a probably-lifesize fiberglass sea monster , but it looked similar it was papier-mache because the fiberglass was so poorly finished. It was a consummate sensory overload , amongst line-fishing nets in addition to safe fish but below caput height. There were posters all over the walls , some which repeated themselves multiple times , detailing diverse sightings. These were on adult headheight. At kid headheight , at that spot was a myriad of poorly photoshopped images (used without Creative Commons approving , I’m sure) of children riding the Loch Ness Monster inwards all kinds of environments , including a sandcave. How a sea ophidian (or waterhorse , or plesiosaur) navigates a sandcave , I’m non sure.
One wall discussed the possibility of Nessie’s origins equally a dinosaur , actually. First at that spot was a poster on plesiosaurs , because most people think that she could , inwards fact , hold upwards a plesiosaur. Another mentioned the pliosaur , which is closely related but doesn’t quite gibe the description. Then the 8-year-old boy amongst a penchant for dinosaurs must direct hold proclaimed “Why halt there?!” because the next posters filled us inwards on the t-rex , pterodactyl in addition to velociraptor.
Another lawsuit of the ‘let’s but run amongst this theme’ mentality was the Famous Loch Ness Monster Hunter wall. Adrian Shine , who constructed the exhibition view downward the route , featured. As did Steve Feltham , the human being who lives inwards the Dores Inn carpark , making Fimo creatures to sell to tourists. Charlie Sheen featured on at that spot , because he came to Loch Ness i time in addition to mightiness come upwards dorsum i day. The link was tenuous at best.
Here I am making friends amongst the 'Nessie'
Probably my favourite lawsuit of tenuous links , though , appeared inwards the New Exhibition that they proudly advertised at the entrance. Nicholas in addition to I figured that they’d sent a relly downward to Adrian Shine’s exhibition in addition to asked for notes. They in addition to then used all those notes to brand to a greater extent than posters , speaking to a greater extent than critically in addition to scientifically of the monster’s existence. They even so had some wall infinite leftover , though , so I think they borrowed a poster from the Bigfoot Museum inwards North America in addition to pose it up. It was bigger in addition to to a greater extent than curated than whatever of theirs , so I don’t think they were designed yesteryear the same team.
On the agency out , they advise that y'all spotter a ‘documentary’ – some other term I run loosely – that talked most the loch. I think the blew the whole budget on a fifteen 2nd CGI clip of a plesiosaur swimming toward the viewer. A fellow member of the Loch Ness Monster Fan Club who , inwards most shots , stood inwards a room yesteryear himself , non looking at the photographic boob tube camera in addition to appearing really much lone , narrated it. The film house was most the size of a criterion arthouse theatre in addition to amongst the same issue of seats , but nosotros were the only ones inwards it.
This description of the exhibition makes it seem similar it was terrible in addition to nosotros didn’t relish it. It was terrible , but also amazing. I’d definitely recommend everybody see it , but don’t direct hold likewise much H2O earlier y'all instruct or y'all mightiness wee yourself from laughing. Nicholas said the toilets weren’t likewise bad though.
In the gift store I bought a Loch Ness Monster auto air freshener amongst googly eyes in addition to a certificate proclaiming I was a monster hunter. We knew this already.
What is this suspicious displace inwards the water? Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 monster? Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 boat wake? We but don't know.
George Edwards is well-known for ii reasons. One is that inwards 2013 he claimed he had a painting of the monster that had been verified yesteryear the state of war machine , so it was definitely animate in addition to legitimate. About a twelvemonth afterwards , it was found to hold upwards a hoax to sell to a greater extent than tours (when he relayed the storey to us , he skipped over the fact he ever told people it was real). The other argue – in addition to this was the i he highlighted half dozen or 7 times – was the fact that the deepest business office of the loch was named after him.
In his tour , he said , “Now we’re going over Edward’s Deep. It’s the deepest business office of the Loch. In 1989 this business office of the Loch was discovered yesteryear myself , in addition to so it is named after me. My hollo is George Edwards , in addition to this is Edward’s Deep , named hence because George Edward’s discovered it in addition to it is the deepest business office of the Loch.”
Is it a monster? Is it a swan?
Urquhart Castle from The Nessie Hunter
We finished upwards amongst our tour in addition to caput to our B&B , where nosotros sat inwards blistering Sun that left me quite a flake pink. It feels extremely foreign to hold upwards writing this correct at nowadays equally nosotros drive through hail in addition to sleet on our agency to Scrabster. Anyway , I pulled upwards a comfy tub chair inwards front end of the H2O in addition to sat listening to music in addition to making notes most our trip (while keeping a unopen oculus on the loch for anything strange) in addition to eating Ryvetas amongst paprika hummus.
Oh , I didn’t advert that nosotros went via the Dores Inn because nosotros saw Steve Feltham sitting out front end of his mobile library. I went in addition to said hi , but am ever shy when I encounter my heroes. A prime number lawsuit is when I was a kid in addition to I met Dr Harry Cooper of Harry’s Practice fame in addition to I was likewise shy to instruct my mass signed , so mum had to exercise it for me. Something similar 10 years afterwards , I met him i time to a greater extent than in addition to said a total of ii words. This was a really similar scenario in addition to it made me experience really grateful that when I met the professor at St Andrews , he directly started talking. I bought a Nessie model from him in addition to took a painting in addition to and then nosotros left after exchanging a few words.
We met Rosalyn dorsum at the Dores Inn for dinner a few hours afterwards , drinking gin in addition to tonics in addition to eating macaroni. We told her most Nessieland in addition to she was extremely jealous nosotros had seen to a greater extent than stags , in addition to and then nosotros ate doughnuts inwards the auto until it was really , really belatedly in addition to nosotros drove her home.
On the agency dwelling line solid , driving through Inverness , nosotros saw a truthful cat crossing the road. “Silly truthful cat ,” said Nick , “you’ll instruct run over.”
Fifty meters from at that spot nosotros saw a tiny , spindly deer running across the road. “Silly deer ,” I said , “you’re lost.” Then it ran into the carpark of a hotel inwards the middle of inverness.
So that was Thursday. To update y'all on our actual , electrical current whereabouts , we’re inwards the café at Scrabster , which is literally but a huge ferry port most to caput to Orkney on the Viking Ferry. I’m non quite upwards to appointment though , in addition to yesterday was quite lovely so I’ll say y'all a trivial most yesterday first.
One of the principal gripes – in addition to I’m certain I’ll instruct trounce around the ears yesteryear other tourists for speaking most this equally a gripe – has been the weather. With the exception of the iii days of snowfall inwards Newtonmore , the weather condition has been glorious. It’s been pristine. It’s been cloudless in addition to hot in addition to relatively dry out , in addition to there’s been hardly whatever fog except for that overcast morning time that nosotros drove into St Andrews , in addition to fifty-fifty that cleared yesteryear lunchtime. We experience similar we’re missing out on a especial business office of Scotland. While seeing Loch Ness glittering nether the Sun in addition to shining perfect blueish every twenty-four hours was squeamish , it wasn’t mysterious in addition to dark in addition to foreboding , which is what nosotros came to Scotland for. Yesterday changed that.
We left our amazing B&B after having a topnotch breakfast in addition to a little pat of their truthful cat , Dinky , who lept into our room the infinitesimal nosotros left in addition to decided this was to hold upwards his spot. The other guests had all checked out , which is why Dinky was allow inwards , because commonly he’s only an outdoor puss.
There were a few mundane things nosotros had to earlier nosotros left Inverness , similar filling upwards the auto in addition to picking upwards quite a lot of groceries piece nosotros even so had access to an Asda. We started to drive due north , assuming the weather condition was going to hold upwards terrible , because every fourth dimension nosotros direct hold intention to campsite , the weather condition is terrible. It wasn’t likewise terrible though , inwards hindsight.
The champaign of yellowish flowers
For the starting fourth dimension hr , the Sun continued to trounce downward on us in addition to nosotros stopped a few times to moving ridge to the tiny lambs sleeping the fields in addition to to a greater extent than ofttimes to selection flowers. After nosotros drove through Beauly , nosotros came to a town that was almost solely covered inwards long stalks of fine yellowish flowers. I told Nicholas to line over , so that I could pick out direct hold of some to pose inwards my mass of pressed flowers. We think they mightiness direct hold been the flowers of some sort of herb or vegetable , given they covered such long , rolling fields. They were quite heavily scented , but non floral; they had a musky , earthy odor , non unlike to moisture mud in addition to grassy paddocks.
We continued to drive due north , non getting out of the auto until nosotros came to some other town called Badbea , or the remains of it , anyway. I read to Nicholas from the mass of folktales I had picked upwards at Leakey’s in addition to nosotros listened to Ukrainian music , which is perfect for driving to. Badbea advertised that they had a ruined hamlet y'all could visit. Figuring it was fourth dimension for a halt , nosotros jumped out in addition to walked downward the path to a laid of ruined stone establishments on the side of the cliff. It was quite windy in addition to fifty-fifty to a greater extent than cold. Apparently , some aristocrats who fix nearby allocated the expanse to crofters in addition to farmers , who eventually left because – to pose it bluntly – the conditions were pretty shit. I hateful , if it’s Apr in addition to we’re thinking it’s unlivable , imagine January. We didn’t desire to imagine Jan , so nosotros caput back.
Dunrobin Castle , which nosotros drove yesteryear but didn't instruct inside
If I worked for VisitScotland in addition to was wanting to attract people to visiting the trivial ruined hamlet of Badbea , I would hold upwards promoting the gorse. The i matter that this relatively empty department of Scotland has going for it , is all the gorse. Just rolling hills covered inwards gorse. As nosotros walked to Badbea I snagged my tights on all the amazingly scented bushes of yellowish plants. It was so sweetness in addition to so intense , in addition to it smelled similar nosotros should hold upwards on a Caribbean Area Island , downing Bacardis. Alas , nosotros were inwards the air current in addition to the Scotland , but it smelled fantastic. We got dorsum into the auto in addition to kept driving , looking for the Whaligoe Steps.
Gorse!
Walking through the gorse to instruct to Badbea
Somebody pose some giant chess pieces on top of this loma , probably
We genuinely drove yesteryear Whaligoe , which is - on the map - a town , but is equally much a town equally a love apple tree is a fruit. We had to backtrack , in addition to brand the supposition that the i unmarked street that went through Whaligoe would Pb to the steps. We walked downward a route that felt similar nosotros were walking into somebody’s backyard – in addition to the barking domestic dog didn’t help.
“When I Googled the Whaligoe Steps , I got lots of results most a café ,” I said.
“It’s in all probability inwards Wick at the museum ,” Nicholas replied. There’s a museum for the nearby ports inwards Wick , in addition to I think y'all tin give the axe instruct a boat from at that spot to reckon the steps. They also direct hold an airdrome in addition to a Tesco. That’s in all probability it.
A little sign , featuring an example of a whale proclaimed “The Whaligoe Steps Café” , tucked behind what nosotros idea was a house. We went inwards in addition to were greeted yesteryear a immature daughter , who seated us yesteryear a dingy window , inwards an otherwise pleasant café. They offered kokosnoot milk hot chocolate in addition to something called panfried gnocchi inwards chilli love apple tree sauce , so nosotros stayed in addition to got it. If you’re ever inwards Caithness expanse in addition to looking for nutrient , instruct to the Whaligoe Steps café. It was in all probability the best nutrient in addition to drinkable we’ve had inwards Scotland. They fifty-fifty offered Dukkah. It was similar existence dorsum inwards Melbourne.
Going downward the Whaligoe Steps
At the base of operations of the Whaligoe Steps
After we’d finished our nutrient (we’d exceeded our budget a flake in addition to were eating quite modestly) , I nipped off to the loo so nosotros could instruct in addition to climb the steps. I came dorsum to uncovering Nicholas inwards deep conversation amongst the pair of middle-aged ladies sitting at the only other occupied table. They were good travelled in addition to nosotros talked most Republic of Iceland , in addition to most Commonwealth of Australia , because they had household unit of measurement at that spot , in addition to most global warming in addition to the Galapagos. We in all probability talked to them for likewise long , in addition to the fog was sitting heavily on the horizon , urging us to await for a campsite.
The steps were moisture in addition to made of sparse pieces of rock. They led downward to a broad inlet , filled amongst nesting seabirds that flew overhead. The H2O was really clear , in addition to beneath the surface nosotros could reckon the continuation of the huge stone formations. Nicholas rockhopped his agency over to the border in addition to could reckon into a narrow seacave , amongst birds that looked similar dark puffins but nosotros afterwards found out where called something else (something I can’t remember). We climbed dorsum upwards the steps , which was a to a greater extent than hard feat than the journeying downward , in addition to were almost dorsum at the auto when a middle-aged human being amongst faded forearm tattoos in addition to a well-kept handlebar moustache approached us. He introduced himself equally Davey in addition to asked if nosotros had managed to climb the steps.
Davey was the grandson of i of the final men to fish downward at Whaligoe , in addition to he told us stories of the fisherman’s wives who would acquit the fish upwards the steps in addition to into town to sell. He told us that Whaligoe meant Whale’s Inlet (Whal = Whale , Igoe = Inlet) in addition to was named this because they ofttimes had whale’s instruct stuck inwards the inlet , in addition to they would elevator them out amongst a sort of makeshift crane. He said that they had a pod of orca swimming nearby but a few days ago. I was so jealous.
The steps built into the cliff face
The Whaligoe Steps
He also told us stories most when Billy Connolly did his World Tour of Scotland in addition to came to see (which I estimate was the most exciting matter to direct identify inwards the town). Eventually , nosotros shook his manus in addition to got dorsum into the auto in addition to started looking for somewhere to slumber , the heaven getting greyer in addition to greyer.
A little sea cave close the steps
We idea this was a chimney , but it was genuinely a identify for a mast to instruct , designed to concord upwards nets
Earlier that twenty-four hours , piece nosotros were at our B&B , nosotros had been speaking to the possessor , who mentioned that he ofttimes had people quest if they could campsite on paddock that overlooked Loch Ness. He ever said yes , but advised them to campsite amongst the sheep , non the horses , because the horses are a flake likewise nosey in addition to they mightiness examine to instruct inwards your tent. Equipped amongst this cognition , nosotros were a flake ballsier inwards our endeavor to uncovering somewhere to stay. We pushed opened upwards a rusty combat in addition to wandered downward a serial of inlets in addition to pitched our tent equally far out equally nosotros could instruct a relatively apartment surface.
We had an endless sentiment of the North Sea inwards front end of us , rocky inlets on both sides , amongst all kinds of foreign , apartment cubes of stone that looked similar Lego bricks , in addition to a champaign behind us. We fix campsite in addition to tried to accept a painting of ii that mightiness exercise the spot jurist , but nosotros before long found this was almost impossible. The heaven was clearing upwards , in addition to only but distinguishable inwards a higher identify the sea on the horizon. There were flocks of starlings flight inwards formation inwards a higher identify us , in addition to nesting pairs of sea gulls flitting inwards in addition to out of the trivial clefts inwards the cliff. Just equally we’d finished our loving cup noodles in addition to zipped upwards the tent , it started to pelting in addition to nosotros brutal asleep listening to the pelting in addition to the tearing waves of the sea in addition to the seabirds calling out around us.
Our campsite site
Can y'all reckon our tiny tent inwards the distance?
Living on the edge!
We woke upwards to to a greater extent than seabirds flight around us this morning time , perhaps hoping we’d frozen overnight in addition to they could feed us to their nestlings. The Sun was blinding over the body of body of water but the air was mutual coldness so nosotros had some tea , dried off the tent in addition to decided to direct hold breakfast inwards the auto elsewhere. We drove out to Duncansby Stacks inwards John O’Groats , but yesteryear the lighthouse at that spot , in addition to looked out to Orkney piece nosotros ate. The Sun was even so vivid inwards the heaven , but nosotros could experience the air current picking upwards in addition to at that spot were some ominously gray clouds inwards the distance.
Camping on the really eastward made for an amazing sunrise
Our campsite inwards the morning
The Duncansby Stacks
Pristine weather condition for stack viewing
This trivial stack had iii trivial Fulmar's nesting on it
And this stack had a seal swimming around its base!
In John O' Groats , most to caput to Orkney
Orkney inwards the distance
The Stacks were pretty impressive , in addition to reminded us of the structures along the Great Ocean Road. The biggest deviation was that when y'all instruct to reckon the 12 Apostles , at that spot are 400 other tourists , in addition to the only ones to await amongst us that morning time were a dozen sheep. We wondered whether nosotros could campsite at that spot on the agency dorsum from Orkney , in addition to and then made a beeline for Scrabster , where nosotros boarded the ferry (which is super schmick) in addition to where we’re sitting now. The H2O is turbulent , in addition to I’m feeling a flake seasick for the starting fourth dimension time inwards my life.
Before nosotros pulled out of the harbour , Nick wanted to beak most the winches but I don’t know what a winch is. I told him to write it downward because Barry mightiness hold upwards interested. This is what he wrote.
“Because the ferry is so large , when it’s tied upwards at the pier , the ropes that necktie it downward at controlled yesteryear automatic winches – equally the boat pitches side to side inwards its berth , the winches conform to foreclose slack or over-tensioning. Amazing.”
The sentiment out the dorsum of the Hamnavoe!
We arrived on Orkney but earlier 2pm in addition to spent the afternoon driving around the mainland in addition to over the Churchill Bridges to see the Italian Chapel that was erected in addition to decorated yesteryear Italian prisoners of state of war inwards the 1940’s. It was quite beautifully done , painted to emulate the brick walls in addition to 6ft windows found inwards cathedrals in addition to chapels. We drove to Waulkmill beach , which pretended to hold upwards a beautiful sand beach but was freezing. In Melbourne , I don’t ofttimes heed when the beach is mutual coldness in addition to overcast but I’m craving some warmth that isn’t coming from the heated seats inwards the car.
On our agency to await for somewhere to campsite , nosotros stopped yesteryear some WW2 bunkers that were a trivial creepy inwards the mutual coldness in addition to the wind. We decided against camping ground nearby for ii reasons: 1. It was incredibly mutual coldness in addition to windy , 2. It was a trivial creepy.
The air current was pretty atrocious , so nosotros ended upwards sleeping inwards the car. I feared that if nosotros were able to pitch a tent inwards the bitter air current , it mightiness non final the nighttime or give us a lot of protection from the cold.
Waulkmill Beach
Orkney has a habit of pretending to hold upwards tropical , but non existence really tropical at all
The Italian Chapel
This candle holder was made of tinned meat cans
Approaching the altar of the Italian Chapel
The ceiling painted to await similar brick
The Italian Chapel
The Churchill Bridges
"Tropical" Orkney amongst its renowned sandy beaches
WW2 defensive spot
We didn't campsite hither because it was spooky
The sunset from the auto (where nosotros genuinely did sleep)
