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I woke up early on my cliff top eyrie to another fine morning. The forecast was good until late afternoon when persistent heavy rain was expected. I had another 7 miles to walk to Berriedale, another 6 to Dunbeath and nine more to Lybster. I was going to get wet.

I set off quite slowly, my leg still painful. However, the amazing views of the coastline and across the moors served as an analgesic of a kind. The terrain was “rough” as the trail guide put it, lots of jumping over burns and places where the path disappeared altogether. I would’ve been slow here even fully fit. 

Eventually, I arrived at Ousdale Burn where the path plunged down a steep staircase in the manner of the coastal path in northern Cornwall. My photo of the staircase doesn’t do it justice. The picture flattens the steepness of the descent, which was about 50 metres on a gradient of more than 50%. It took me about 20 minutes to climb down and another ten to climb back up. The descent did my leg absolutely no good which was now very sore. I limped the remaining 2 miles into Berriedale, worried that I wouldn’t be able to continue or that my pace was now so slow that I would be late arriving at John O’Groats, miss my train and Lucille’s birthday.

The 7 miles to  Berriedale was possibly the hardest morning I’d spent so far, given the circumstances. Berriedale itself was a tiny place with no shop or pub. However, the River Bothy Tearoom was open. I drank iced coffee, orange juice, and a banana milkshake. I ate their breakfast platter, which included pancakes and bacon, granola with yoghurt, avocado, strawberries and blackberries, more orange juice and toast. It was the best breakfast of my entire walk, it made me feel immeasurably better, as food so often does, and I put together a plan for the rest of the day.

The objective was to make it to Lybster, about 15 miles away, to the hotel I’d booked for the evening without having to do complicated things with taxis and buses (I’d have to get a taxi back to wherever I’d been picked up the following morning). My leg couldn’t take another walk like the one in the morning and it would take much too long on the coastal path. I’d see whether walking 6.5 miles along the road to Dunbeath would be easier and quicker. 

To my great relief, walking the road was much easier and quicker. There were no sharp undulations and the traffic was light. I was able to maintain a rhythm when walking and my leg felt a little better after a while. I arrived in Dunbeath about 2:30, surprising myself with my speed. Terrain really does make such a difference. What’s more, Dunbeath had a shop where I bought energy boosting drinks and fast acting ibuprofen (I had given Sophie some stuff to take back for me in Inverness and included my medical kit by accident). This was day 58 and the first time I’d needed to pop a pill. I popped several.

This was no time for heroics. The aim was to walk almost 9 more miles to Lybster and in any event the weather was closing in fast. The views from the coastal path wouldn’t be worth the gamble. As I continued along the road walking in heavy rain I experienced a drug induced euphoria. I was going to get to Lybster, make it in good time and my leg now felt much better. To pass the time I counted RVs and motorbikes doing the North Coast 500 and Openreach vans, no doubt trying (and failing) to improve highland broadband services. RVs won by a landslide, OpenReach vans second.

I arrived by 6:30, ate, drank, rinsed and dried socks and t-shirts and charged my devices. I then uploaded my blog up to day 57.  I now had clean clothes and power to see me to the end. I’d done all I could do. I’d worry about tomorrow in the morning.

Day Summary

A rough walk to Berriedale. A banging late breakfast. Walking the road counting recreational vehicles.