A roof over my head

If you've been watching the online tracker, you'll know that I have made good progress since camping at Scourie on Wednesday evening.  During a conversation with the shopkeeper there it became apparent that the next place to buy food on my route would be here in Ullapool, which I'd planned to walk over four days and perhaps beyond my capacity to carry the provisions. After mulling over the options with a friend (thank you Paul) it seemed feasible to walk from Scourie to Ullapool over three days instead, which I completed yesterday (Saturday).

Equally, if you've been watching the weather in the NW Highlands you can't have escaped noticing that it hadn't been at its best earlier in the week, with a particularly soggy departure from Scourie on Thursday when I packed up in the pouring rain.  Having sent a parcel home my pack was a little lighter and I made good progress to Kylesku, once a ferry crossing but now home to a bridge opened in the 1980s.  It took a while to find a sheltered spot to camp, the wind having got up significantly, finally settling in front of this view, but just behind were the public loos!

The wind settled to allow a good night's sleep but I woke to more pitter-pattering on the canvas, once again packing away in the wet.  Clouds lifted during the morning and there was a real treat of sunshine as I walked along the side of Loch Assynt with some of its fascinating geology - the whole area has been designated a Geopark by UNESCO with several information boards at key viewpoints and also the Rock Centre which I passed before it (and cafe) was open.  Having stopped for my sandwiches by the Old Parish Church of Assynt, I chanced across a coffee van in a lay-by as I started to climb away from the loch and the valley floor. 

After cake, coffee and conversation with Sovi the owner, I carried on to the small fishing and farming community at Elphin. Sadly the broken cloud had become distinctly unbroken, with heavy rain set in.  After looking at a few spots to camp, the Community Hall offered a good lee, and I set up camp just in the corner of their grounds.  Turned out to be an excellent spot, although there was some military activity overhead shortly after I settled off for the evening.

No rain overnight!  A second early highlight of the day was meeting Ros who'd just cycled up from Ullapool and was turning round.  During our conversation she generously offered an invitation for tea and cake when I reached Ullapool - the latter were baked by her husband Kit, and i enjoyed their good company after my arrival.

Knockan Crags (from where this was taken) became a mid-morning break, with further good views of other spots in the Geopark as I wended my way to Ullapool.  I'd underestimated how much water I might need, and was grateful to motorhome owners who filled up my bottle at Ardmair, a couple of miles north of Ullapool.  Turns out that couple run a cafe, the Mulberry Bush in Kirkby Stephen, which I may pass later in my trek.

And so to Ullapool, where I arrived my afternoon, dropped off kit in the Youth Hostel before heading for the tea and cake, some shopping for my evening meal, and time to remind myself of the next few days ahead.  After a night's sleep with a roof over my head, time for a day's rest and to appreciate a beautiful spot.