july 10th Inverness - Crask Inn

Negotiated our way through Inverness traffic and then cycled over the Kessock Bridge which seperates Beauly Firth to the west from Moray Firth to the east. We decided to stay on A9 from Tore but traffic was heavy and so cycling was tricky particularly over the bridge to the east of Dingwall crossing Cromarty Firth because even though we cycled on the path buses and lorries seemed very close and made little, if any, alowance for us. This peninsular between Dingwall and Inverness is called The Black Isle. After we cycled past Alness and left A9 cycling was good with little traffic. However it was a tough day as we had many long hills to climb with an unremitting northerly wind blowing against us - thankfully it did not rain. Stopped on Guinie Hill ( 660 feet above sea level) and admired beautful views across Dornoch Loch and Kyle of Sutherland; could see clearly mountains 20 miles away. Stopped at Bonar Bridge for soup and cheese roll. Cycled alongside Kyle of Sutherland, past Carbisdale Castle and Falls of Shin to Lairg. Jeff had underestimated ! our milage ( Linda said not for the first time ! ) and we were now getting very tired. Cycled beside Loch Shin- by now the road was single track - a few cars came in the opposite direction but not a single vehicle overtook us. Cycled through Dalchork Wood but mostly very barren Sutherland landscape with moorland and pine plantations. It was reasonably flat, although gradually going up hill. Very few houses - a very wild area. Eventually came to the Crask Inn. We had been warned about it, but had also met a cyclist that day who had stayed the previous night and said the food was brilliant so we were not sure what to expect. In fact the evening was one of the highlights of our trip, not least because David and Morven, from Islay who were over staying with Morven's sister in Alness had taken the trouble to drive for nearly an hour to spend the evening with us. The room was excellent with a comfortable bed. It had been very cold all day so the central heating was on so we were able to wash and dry all our clothes. Just as we arrived - literally within two minutes David and Morven drove up. after a few photos we settled into the bar and had some drinks and then some more. Dinner was excellent; three of us had venison stew and dumplings and Morven had goats cheese and tomato tart. The Inn had two French fisherman, three irish geologists ,five sheep shearers ( two Brits, three kiwis) and a number of cyclists - it made for a great atmosphere in the bar. An altogether memorable evening. (65 miles and not 47 as Jeff had originally estimated!)