Day 2
29th August

A cold and grey morning though with better visibility than yesterday. We slept very well and did not wake until quarter to nine. As we had planned to begin cycling earlier we had a bit of a rush start. The Caithness countryside was very flat and principally farmland with cattle and cornfields. Not very exciting scenery but very easy riding. The most noticeable thing was the churches - simple whitewashed buildings but with cemeteries containing the most elaborate and, presumably, expensive gravestones.
Dunnet Head looked good but was a bit far off the main road so we passed on through Thurso and up on to the first moorland - lots of heather and quietness although this was the A836, the main road through the north of Scotland. The going was so easy that by lunchtime we had reached Reay and we stopped for lunch just past Reay as the moorland began again.
Past this short stretch of moorland we came to Melvich and Portskerra where we had planned to camp but it was very early and we pressed on for Bettyhill. At Portskerra we felt, at last, as if we were approaching the Highlands with glimpses of the mountains ahead and wild heather moors around us. The road - still the A836 - was now single track and everywhere was silent save for the birds and bees. The road twisted and dipped and climbed ever through the moors. We saw a Hooded Crow amongst the many other birds including Lapwings on the farmlands and some Curlew.
Past Swordly Burn we stopped by a small loch and rested awhile whilst photographing the scenery and the heather and many other things before the final run down to Bettyhill and the camp site. We ended the day with a short stroll down to Farr Beach.