Sabbatical Diary – Day 19

The road to Cape Wrath.

Cape Wrath is at the North West corner of Scotland. It is not easily accessible. There is a road, but it does not connect to any other road, and, it has not been maintained since 1958. You turn up at Keoldale for an unbookable ferry as early as you can (first ferry 8:45 – 9:00), see how many people there are, then work out what happens next. If you are fortunate, and the number of people is less than the number of available minibus seats available on the other side, then off you go. It takes about five minutes to cross the Kyle of Durness on the ferry, then you have a one hour ten minute minibus ride along 11 miles of the bumpiest road you have ever been along.

Worth it though. The views are tremendous. Quite an experience.

(The Road was initially built in 1826 to take materials out to build the lighthouse. It was adopted and surfaced in 1958, but not maintained since then.)

Spent the afternoon out on Dunnet Point

… visiting Smoo Cave

… and the John Lennon Memorial.

John Lennon used to visit Durness on holiday when he was a child, and wrote In My Life (There are places I remember …) about his memories.

Reading about Columba and Iona tonight.

Off to John o’ Groats tomorrow and then heading South.

God bless,

Mike