Calm and Fair

Just what we needed today for our crossing of the Pentland Firth to Orkney but we had a long way to travel first.

The view from our window caught my attention with the first hint of pink at 4.45am!

Didn't get up that early though but Chris did take his early tea down to sit outside and drink it all in as the sun came up.
We saw the heron again this morning looking for his breakfast and 3 Eider ducks. Sadly we had to leave but took a look at the neighbouring village first, Crovie, which is just as inaccessible and has no main street. In the bay a little further in there were Eider ducks in numbers.
It was on the road then for a long drive today. Surprisingly far just to get to Inverness where we picked up petrol after a coffee break overlooking Nairn harbour.

This was our next stop at Dornoch Firth on the A9 heading north. I loved the stillness of the water and thought it bode well for our early evening crossing to come.

We found one of those lovely tea rooms in the middle of nowhere with a lovely chatty and friendly lady and we just had to have some lemon drizzle cake (a piece each this time!) It was on the sight of an old thatched and whitewashed Croft that had been made into a museum. We passed a stretch of road which said 'Beware Otters' - I wish.

We were a little early for the ferry so we paused to take another look at John O' Groats as there seems to,have been some developments since out last visit when we came up to see the Castle of Mey. John O'Groats isn't very inspiring but they have built some very upmarket wooden accommodation, some on narptural wood and some painted. I must say they looked nice but I'm not sure who will come to stay in them. There was some new sculpture too and of course views across to Orkney, in particular Stroma, Hoy and
South Ronaldsay.

We got the fast (catamaran) ferry to St Margarets Hope Soth Ronaldsay as the sun started going down. Just an hour and then we were off across the Churchill barriers ( more later hopefully) to Mainland Orkney and our hotel.

We have just had a lovely bowl of local Crab chowder, very kindly provided on the late arrivals menu as the restaurant had closed at 8.00pm ( I have read that that is usual here on the island). Anyway it was delicious.

Looking forward to our first explore tomorrow.
(Sorry not much time for commenting today but, yeah we have fast wifi here so I have added the maps to my previous blips if anyone is interested.)