Wednesday 22nd, Day 20 1

120 miles today (a long one for me) and here I am at John O'Groats, practically the top right corner of the Scottish mainland, admiring the above view from my pitch.  Inverness is one of the real starting point options for the NC500, so actually everything up to there has been just a preliminary warm-up. I needed prolonged preparations for leaving my camp site, because dodging howling wind and sharp showers impaired movement to and from the facilities. The wind continued all day in Inverness, threatening to remove my cap, and I learned from the radio that it had actually been strong enough to blow over a 76metre ship in Leith Harbour.

I achieved my two 'tourist' objectives in the city. First to the beautiful St Andrews Cathedral, where I lit my customary candles to my two lost ladies. Next a walk along the broad River Ness and across the swaying footbridge to Leakey's, Scotland's largest second hand bookshop, which also lived up to its hype, with a kaleidoscopic array of books from floor to rafters, and bought a book on the archaeology of the Scottish islands. 

The drive northwards was in bright afternoon sun and on good winding roads, with long, dramatic bridge crossings  of first the Cromarty and then the Moray Firth. After Wick the road became narrower, and there were intermittent signs for the NC500, which were reassuring. 

The John O'Groats Caravan site was only sparsely occupied and the welcoming warden invited me to take my pick of pitches, facing the sea and the sunset, and mercifully close to the shower block. She also checked for me whether the Seaview Hotel half a mile back up the hill, and recently under new ownership, was serving food. It was, and here I am now, after a plate of haddock and chips and a pint of Orca ale. Cheers!