Log No 44. Tue 21st May 2013 - West of Cromarty to Evanton, 14 miles (742 miles walked)

Even though I was awake by 04.00 I had still had a good night's sleep. There had been no wind or rain through the night and the tent was dry when I packed it up.

I got an early start, leaving just before 08.00, it was cloudy but there was no mist today.

Staying on the road round Newhall Point to the pier where a signpost pointed along the coastline to Ferryton Point and Castlecraig.

Okay, I know it didn't say 'path to', but you do expect one.

Well there was no path, it was just a case of walking on the foreshore.

Unlike yesterday, conditions underfoot never changed and I had 9 miles of stones to walk on.

I suppose there was some variety in the stones, dry ones, wet ones and some with weed on but it was hard going having to watch where I put every footstep. It's a good job there wasn't much to distract me.

I broke the monotony by having a short break every hour.

It took me just under 4 hours to get to the bridge over the Cromarty Firth. I never thought I'd be looking forward to walking on a main road.

Having walked all the south side on the shore I wasn't going to do the same on the north side.

I stopped at the Heritage Centre at Foulis Point and had my lunch on one of the picnic benches before continuing on to Evanton to pitch the tent at the Black Rock Caravan & Camp Site.

It was only 14 miles, less than I had originally intended, but the next site is 2 days away and the coast is too built up for wild camping so I'm here for 2 nights and I'll use the bus.