27th of September - Bettyhill - Thurso

Long day...dragging after hitting the flat area...I was very tired through out a day. Really enjoyed massively stretched skies.

I cycled through a vast, open pasture land with rather gloomy feel to it. I was glad when I finally get to Thurso...

Had a very long shower and avoided crowds in a cafe by writing updates in my travel journal...

 _____________   flat and grey, with great skies____________

Finding some treasures along the way ;)

26th of September - Durness - Bettyhill

Extremely inspiring day...filled with sun, heart lifting colours and awesome barrenness.

The merciless northern coast, with hill after hill, was testing my endurance. All day long I was between a state of awe and physical exhaustion. But maybe it was the tiredness itself that allowed me to experience so strongly the sublime feeling of my own fragility in front of the grand landscape...

Days like this are engraving the feeling of beauty in us, to which we can always come back..this is a magnificent gift we can receive, when we are courageous enough to do extraordinary things.

Beautiful morning.. 

 Coffee is served :)

Today, I cycled through one of the most demanding and most beautiful areas...to see this, felt simply incredible and life changing

 Vast, wild spaces...and me with my dog!

My rest place - I have never been so happy to see a road sign! This day gave everything and took everything...

25th of September - Durness

Sun, sun and wind!

Woke up very alive as the sun came back and the blues of the sky melted with the blues of the sea.

Did loads of photographic exploration walking around the area and immersing into the landscape. Put my feet into the freezing water, walked over the coastal rocks and played with Laika on the beach.

Went to see the Smoo Cave which is located in the most amazing cut into the coastal cliffs. Inside, powerful waterfall shooting down from the hole above.

The day was full of new colours, textures and land formations. It ended up with the most stunning night sky, where I could see the Milky Way and the moon surrounded by a yellow and golden light..I have never seen anything like it before.

 Loved the sunny, cold morning greeted with the sound of waves crushing against the cliffs of Northern Scotland

 Playing time!

 Under water life

Laika climbing the rocks

 Sea cutting through the cliffs. The very different part of the coast, with dark waters and stoney beach.

Smoo Cave

24th of September - Durness

I woke up to a very rainy day. It was rather surprising after such a sunny day before. It was also a very windy day. and even with that weather, the scenery was still sunning.

I had a long rest time in the morning, all the way to an early afternoon when the rain stopped.

Hot croissants for breakfast!! What a treat!

I went to explore the coast in the rain and cold but could not resist and walked into the sea. Waves smashed against my legs, it was so cold my feet started to get numb. And walking on the rocks proved to be very painful experience. But definitely worth an effort..

I spent evening in the pub, having beer and finally having some time to do some drawings.

Resting head

 Wet, wet, wet

Drying our waterproofs

23rd of September - Shinness Lodge - Durness

Surprisingly, after the night with gales, morning came quietly and calmly. The sky cleared up and blue colour spilled over the remote landscape, reflecting in the waters of Loch Shin.

It was the longest, and one of the hardest days of the trip...and definitely my favorite! What I have seen is difficult to put in words as they won't do the justice. I am so happy places like this still exist...I hope they will continue to be wild...forever

Wild A838 road, leading into more and more remote landscape ..

Every mile brought new sky, colours, light...I felt deeply touched by its untamed beauty...

Lochs continued to keep me the company, either on my left or right hand side

 

I stopped many times to record a photo or to just look around and admire what's surrounding me..

By the end of my favourite route in Scotland - A838

 Road traffic in Scotland

 Laika waiting for tired me

 Unbelievably beautiful span of land

 Sky never stopped to pull my jaw to the ground

 No words needed....

 My faithful dog

 ......

 Arriving to the very top of Scotland!! With my amazing dog Laika!

 

 

After 55 wild miles, I can finally rest!!

22nd of September - Evanton - Bonar Bridge - Lairg - Shinness Lodge

Day started windy. I set off quite early, with an impressive sunrise. After couple of miles, the road started to get more and more empty. Day was nice, sunny and warm. I passed a dead owl and thought how many dead birds, foxes, and other creatures I saw during my trip..

Between Dalmavie and Bonar Bridge route turned into a desolate area with rough, wild hills on both side of the road. it was almost car-less and it felt rather overwhelming. Villages I passed were all very basic with loads of places shut down and deteriorating.

After Bonar Bridge I headed towards Lairg. there was a lot to climb, one hill after another. I managed without taking Laika out of the trailer!

I decided to stay on a tiny campsite after clocking in 35 miles. I started to feel a bit homesick in the morning and over the day the feeling grew in me. In the evening, I was feeling very lonely and was thinking about the ones who are close to me and if they think about me..Its strange how much solitude brings up the memories of love and warmth. I played harmonica to cheer myself up and to bring up some faces.

The owner of the campsite was an old lady who cherged £5 for a night and was one of the most generous people I met when travelling. I received a bag of food as she was a bit concerned about my food supplies for the next day - I made mistake thinking that along 55 miles, there must be something to buy food from...well, I was very wrong, there was none!

The night was extremely windy and my tent was torn in all directions..it was one of those nights when one thinks, 'what on earth I'm doing here, alone' (or rather with a dog..in a trailer).

 Very impressive sunrise

Owl. Unfortunately dead...

Just me..

After desolate miles, rainbow stretches over the sky and the landscape opens into lower situated green pastures 

 Stormy sky that never turned into a storm

 Happy pooch :)

 Some people put dogs in a trailer, some turned them into a sculpture ;)

 No coffee for me in this place..

 Cosy, cosy

 A bit less idyllic Scottish landscape

 Tired Laika

 Desolate and dark..

Remote Campsite for a £5 :)