Unfinished business

The trip back to Inverness was as it should be.  No cancellations this year and I woke among the hills as we were going through Aviemore.  I shared a cabin with a very interesting chap from San Francisco who was heading for three weeks away from the Internet to do some wwriting, and probably thought I was slightly mad.

You may remember that the cancelled train last year made me miss most of the first day's ride in order to catch up with my pre-booked schedule.   So this year I decided to fill that gap by cycling to Golspie and catching the train back.  About 80 miles before 6pm when the last train leaves Golspie. Just about do-able.

After dumping my panniers at the youth hostel, I set off in a brisk breeze over the Moray Firth. Signs said Welcome to Ross and Cromarty, and to the Black Isle.  Funny because it's not black, and it's not an island, but a twenty mile long thin promontory. There was still quite a bit of snow on the hills to the west, but I was just warm enough as I headed east on quiet lanes with a following wind.  The sunny village of Avoch, hugging the shore, made me want to linger but I pressed on to Fortrose, a mini town with a ruined cathedral.

Chanonry point was next, a narrow point in the Firth where dolphins can often be seen close to the shore.  I was rewarded by a sight of just one, only a few metres out, and decided to press on.

Round the point was the pretty village of Rosemarkie, which featured in an Ian Rankin murder story I just finished, but there were no suspicious goings-on today.  A few hills, and next stop was Cromarty where the ferry goes across the Cromarty Firth to Nigg.  I'd done a third of the distance and it was only 11 o'clock. I relaxed and stopped for a coffee.  And bacon roll.

Now, the ferry.  There were plenty of signs but it wasn't obvious where to catch it.  I asked in a local shop. "I'm so sorry. It's not running this year.  We have tried to let everyone know but it's listed all over the internet."

Zut alors! I was sure I had checked.  (If you check now and find it clearly isnt running, I don't want to know thanks.  Or even worse,  if it IS running I still don't want to know.)

There was only one thing for it. I would have to head right back round the Firth of Cromarty,  double quick.  But how would I be able to make the train?  Well I certainly didn't know but I didn't have many other options.   Tune in to the next exciting episode to find out what happened! !!