LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I drove from Inverness to Strathrory River car park. I waited for the bus from Bonar Bridge and kept waiting. About the time the bus was due two police cars raced past at top speed. Obviously, I could only guess what the problem was. A short time later three huge long and wide loads, with escorts, drove past very carefully towards Bonar Bridge. The rear of the loads read 'Energy for the World'. The loads disappeared and I still waited. I considered my options and because it was getting late I decided to split the day's walk into two walks. I drove from the car park to the known good bus route along Cromarty Firth. Looking for a place to park I knocked on a house door and asked if I could leave my car by the owner's house, She said ok and explained that a bus was due, also to hail the bus and it would stop. I kept waiting and eventually the lady was driving into the village and asked if I wanted a lift, which I took with gratitude. At the village bus stop I discussed the various bus routes with a lady and she explained that the next bus would pass the Cromarty Bridge roundabout that I wanted. All went to the latest plan and I started walking along the A9 First Shore Road from the lay-by at the end of the bridge towards Alness Village. The trunk road was so busy with traffic I turned up the first lane to a single track railway level crossing. The lights were on green so I crossed the line with great care. I continued up the lane to the old road, now Cycle Route No 1. I turned right towards Evanton Village. There were good views across Cromarty Firth to some oil platforms parked until required elsewhere. Three cyclists came towards me and one chap saw my map around my neck, so he asked if I knew where I was going. I said I was going to John o'Groats and they said they had come from there. I replied saying I'd come from Land's End. They were impressed. I passed a pony with a long scraggy mane. He was obviously having a bad hair day. I asked if he wanted to borrow my comb (I don't use it much being a baldy) but the donkey (pony) said Nay. I continued through the village, now the B817 road towards Alness Village. I walked close to the single track railway line to Thurso, but no engines or rolling stock were to be seen. I made several small diversions from the roadside for pedestrians and cyclists, to use a dedicated path (tarmaced) slightly away from the traffic. I passed some horses and a Shetland pony, not forgetting a BT Openreach van, painted in the new livery. I sent a photo of the van to my ex-BT Engineer friend, Colin. I passed the War Memorial and the village stores to the B9176 road near Alness, where the car was parked (I watched a series of tractors preparing a huge field for planting potatoes. Much dust was generated by the tractors due to a dry spell of weather). This walk had been much shorter than planned, but better than nothing. There was an interesting carving in a garden by my parked car, like a bambi.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk, - Start: at Blackford .
Finish: at Inverness