The end of today's walk, at Milbuie , was marked by a memorial to a local soldier.
The Kessock Bridge over the Beauly Firth- showing the path that I had to use. This wasn't easy with my fear of heights.
A view over Inverness as I approached this morning along the Great Glen Way. Beauly Firth can be seen to the left of the photo.I have now completed 8 weeks on the adventure - and I can now see the end in sight (only 118 miles!). Inverness has been one of the landmark places in my mind from before the walk started - others have been Lancaster (half way), the Scottish border, Glasgow and the West Highland Way. I have always regarded Inverness as being in the north of Scotland, until planning the walk when I discovered that there are still over 120 miles to go when it is reached. Many people I have met on the walk have delighted in pointing this fact out to me!
The walk today saw me finish the GGW, although I did not bother to visit the official end which is at Inverness Castle. As I have said before my object is to reach JOG and so I found the shortest route through Inverness to Kessock Bridge and the road to Black Isle. I did not look forward to crossing the Bridge as I am not very good with heights. The photo shows the adequate footpath on the side of the bridge, although I would have liked the guard rail to have been a little higher! I did in fact cope with the height of the bridge, finding more problem with the wind created by the traffic speeding past.
Tomorrow I walk towards Tain. We are stopping tomorrow night at Glen Morangie (where the distillery is) and so I cannot promise that there will be a blog, or if there is, that it will be coherent.
Jean had a red squirrel day to celebrate her birthday - seeing one after dropping me off this morning. She then went on to enjoy the day by spending a couple of hours in a launderette! After lunch she visited a winery which we enjoyed and came away with plenty of samples of their products and also a donation to BHF! We have just got back from a very good meal at a restaurant called Rocpool - Jean really enjoyed her meal, but said that it doesn't excuse me taking her out to one of our favourite restaurants when we return home.
In Jean's Birthday Honours List she has awarded me a KBW for bravery in crossing the Kessock Bridge. She would also like to thank all of you who sent messages to her wishing her a happy birthday.
"If you pick 'em up. O Lord, I'll put 'em down." - "Prayer of the tired walker"
Cheers
Keith
