DAY 37
SUNDAY 28 MARCH, 2010
HELMSDALE TO DUNBEATH – 17 MILES, 9 HOURS
MORRIS, GEORGE, BILL, ALEX, KEITH AND DEREK
TOTAL DISTANCE WALKED SO FAR 584 MILES
Two full days walking were intended on this trip and when planning our route it appeared this could be the most challenging leg so far. Keith and Derek were joining us for their first coast walk. We travelled north the day before to our accommodation at the Bayview Hotel in Lybster and the following morning drove back to Helmsdale. We set off walking in wet and windy conditions following the coast road from the harbour, which soon became a grass track, onto the beach passed Navidale farm. A short distance further on a large gorse covered gulley forced us inland all the way to the A9 road. By crossing the road we were able to access an underpass back to the coast side and onto a dirt track which we followed to another huge steep sided gulley on the west side of the Ord of Caithness. We crossed this gulley and burn and followed sheep tracks up the hillside to the top of the ‘Ord’. From here we made our way east to another large steep sided gulley which runs almost 1.5miles to the sea at Ceann Ousdale. We crossed this gulley and burn about 200yds inland and made our way up the hillside using sheep tracks where possible to find our way to Badbea. After a welcome tea break at the monument we continued north east to Inver Hill where moving nearer the sea we found a vehicle track which we followed passed the two towers (Duke’s candlesticks) crossing the pedestrian bridge over the river into Berriedale. Our route out of Berriedale took us uphill through the graveyard and across fields back towards the sea where we met and spoke to local resident Angela who was braving the wet conditions to walk her dogs. We walked on along the cliff tops passed the amazing scenery at Rockhead and onto the beautiful Dunbeath Castle. Walking across the front of the castle we found locked gates preventing our access onto the beach and we made our way into Dunbeath along the tops of the grass dunes and over the pedestrian bridge. We walked up the hill to the ‘Bay Owl’ for a much needed ‘refreshment’ where we were made welcome by mine host Trevor.
Summary; This was the toughest day so far with many different physical challenges from gulleys , burns ,rivers, hill climbs, dykes and fences not to mention the weather and sometimes very soft underfoot conditions.
Highs; Beautiful scenery, lovely villages and great satisfaction on completing a very hard day (not to mention the end of walk ‘pint’).
Lows; The weather in the morning and the numerous fences and dykes we had to cross.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
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- Setting off from Helmsdale harbour in the rain
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- The vehicle track from Helmsdale harbour towards Navidale
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- Making our way near Navidale Farm
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- Above the gully north of Navidale farm which forced us inland
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- Looking back to the gully from the A9 road
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- The A9 underpass we used to get us onto a track towards Ord Point
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- The track we followed to Ord Point
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- View back from the track towards Helmsdale
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- The gully below the Ord of Caithness
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- Derek making his way up the south side of the Ord of Caithness
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- The rain has started as we make our way along the top of the Ord of Caithness
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- Looking ahead and contemplating the gully at Creag na Cuinge
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- In the gully at Creag na Cuinge
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- Making our way on a sheep track up Creag na Cuinge
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- View back south across the gully from Creag na Cuinge
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- Keith and Derek making their way along the hillside above the sea
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- Looking ahead to Badbea
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- Alex and Morris at ruins of a cottage at Badbea
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- Tea break at the monument at Badbea
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- View back to Badbea from near Inver hill
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- The track along the cliff tops near Inver hill
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- The first of the two beacon towers near Berriedale known as the Dukes Candlesticks
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- On the path down into Berriedale passed the second tower
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- The pedestrian bridge across the river at Berriedale
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- Looking ahead to our route out of Berriedale up the hill passed the graveyard
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- View back south from graveyard over Berriedale
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- Local resident Angela who we met out walking her dogs
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- View back south from near Newport
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- Cliff waterfalls near Sturr Ruadh
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- The amazing view at Rockhead
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- Roch stack near Dunbeath
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- Cliff top path near Dunbeath
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- The majestic Dunbeath Castle
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- The path into Dunbeath
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- The pedestrian bridge over the river at Dunbeath
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- View back over Dunbeath from A9
ROUTE MAP – CLICK TO ENLARGE
DAY 37 ROUTE MAP