Log No 83. Tue 16th Jul 2013 - Gairloch to Craig Bothy, 17 miles (1330 miles walked)

I didn't start today until 9.20 as I had to get to the post office to get the old tent posted home.

It was similar weather to yesterday and still with a strong south-westerly.

It was just a case of following the roads round Loch Gairloch, going through Charlestown, Shieldaig, Badachro, Port Henderson, Opinan and South Erradale.

It seems strange that some of these names occur more than once. I should be camping at Shieldaig tomorrow night and I passed through Opinan on Thursday.

The clouds were breaking up and the sun coming out but the wind kept the temperature down at a comfortable level.

The road ended at Redpoint and just before I got there a couple,watching me walk up the hill, asked if I wanted a drink of tea.

Jean & Charles had driven over from Beauty, Inverness for the day and were having a picnic. I spent a pleasant half hour in their company and was fed and watered.

The beach at Redpoint was a popular spot and there were quite a few cars in the park.

From Redpoint Farm there was a signed footpath going along the coast to Lower Diabaig.

The path was easy to follow and didn't involve any climbing.

There were also a lot of cattle hoof prints on the path and as I was intending to camp by the path this was causing some concern.

I passed by some of these cattle as I was coming up to the ruined croft houses of Craig.

At Craig River the path went upstream a distance to a footbridge where it crossed over and went by what turned out to be another bothy.

I had planned on doing another 2 or 3 miles but it was 16.00 and sleeping in the bothy meant I had no worries with cattle.

Craig Bothy was in better condition than Ivors Bothy, having real beds upstairs and an outside toilet still connected to a septic tank. No running water but a bucket and a rain barrel (or the river) for flushing.

It looks like I am the sole occupant tonight but it does seem to be visited frequently. At one time it was a Youth Hostel.

17 miles today and I am beginning to not notice the weight of the rucsac, the new tent is 1kg lighter so that helps.

The phone signal here is not strong enough to update the website.