Log No 43. Mon 20th May 2013 - Fortrose to west of Cromarty, 18 miles (728 miles walked)

With no campsite at the end of the day I was in no hurry to start and didn't leave until 09.20, it was another misty start but dry.

I called into the shop in Rosemarkie to get some rolls to make my lunch, I should have done this last night but once I'm in the tent I'm usually in it for the night.

The map showed a coastal path as far as Eathie Mains and there were signposts but they did warn that they were tidal.

The footpath was just inland to start with but it soon ran out and I had to drop down onto the foreshore.

It was easy to see why this way was classed as tidal when the only way ahead was a gap in the cliff. When I got here the tide was still lapping at the cliff and I had to time it right between the waves, it was a good job I had a late start or I would have been stuck here for a while anyway.

The foreshore was a mix of sand, pebbles, stones and rocks in varying proportions, not at all easy to walk on but it was interesting.

There were two stone huts by the shore at Eathie, remnants of salmon fishing, and a footpath sign pointing to Cromarty. Obviously no coastal path ahead.

The path went up through the trees and then onto the minor road.

A while later I took a farm track to Mains Farm then the small road up the hill to the viewpoint at South Sutor.

It is no more than one mile across to Nigg and North Sutor on the summer ferry but I am having to walk round.

From the viewpoint I descended by the footpath, getting to Cromarty for 14.30.

It was all road walking now and this seemed to take ages.

I had decided I would stop at the first suitable location after 16.30 and half an hour after that time I stopped. If I had gone much farther I would have been heading west into the wind making it more difficult to find a sheltered site.

18 miles today, slower than normal due to the terrain.