Well it’s already looking like Loch Ness Bay were rob dogs with their 37 quid a night. There had been rumblings in camp of it being a bit on the steep side, and discussions were had of the closures during the pandemic, and everybody and their dog now going camping, but on arriving at stopover number 2, which as 12 quid the cheaper, suspicions were confirmed.
Having found it on Google maps, handily located for Pentland Ferries, the pictures don’t do it justice. It’s small but very neat and well cared for and we instantly took a shine to it. Would deffo recommend for future reference.
The trip up to “the top of Scotland” as H puts it was considerably more cruisy than day 1. We left Drumnadrochit after the standard rations of egg and bacon and a pretty swift pack up.
Instead of retracing our steps back up the side of Loch Ness to Inverness and beyond, the Google nav sent us inland. (Brian where are you? ) We ascended some serious hills and got some great views across open highland country.
We traversed both the Cromarty and Dornoch firths and enjoyed a cheeky coffee stop by the latter.
We decided to take a lunch stop en route so I consulted my previous googling and decided Golspie would make an auspicious stop, and it did. We parked by the beach, found the car park on the 2nd time of asking, mind.
Of course the young uns were off like whippets at the sight of sand, and we walked a good way working up an appetite as they became steadily more weighed down by kilos of shells and stones, of which we had to keep the vast majority.
Sausage rolls and breakaways were consumed and we resumed our northward meander. Despite what we’d heard of the Eastern bit of the NC500 being boring it was a nice drive. Obvs, after isolation, pretty much anywhere is a nice drive, but there were coastal views, little villages and plenty of squiggly carriageways with the odd hairpin thrown in for good measure. I have to admit to succumbing to 35 or 40 winks along the way, so missed the delights of Wick. KB informs me there was a B&M and everything. Fitbit informs me I only partook of 4 hours 17 of sleep the previous night, due to conscientious and sustained nocturnal chainsaw impressions from KB, and the smallest being too scarecited to sleep in the roof bed, being out of the habit.
We swung in to Johnny Groats mid afternoon and paid 2 quid to park in what was a v dark and blustery spot.
Signposts and comedy poses were snapped and we partook of cake and beverages from Stacks Bistro.
We found a secret sheltered garden to enjoy our refreshments and it was all going well until H upended his hot chocolate all over his newly purchased quad bike.
We enjoyed the fog horn and the gift emporia, but the freshness of the weather dictated that we make haste to set up camp.
It was all of a couple of miles to Ferry View Night Stop and the little mester was most helpful. He took our temperatures and directed us to pitch 2 (of 5) thus:
25 quid paid on arrival for hard standing with EHU, facilities open but again, we decided to use our own. Takeaway on site, Mr Eddy’s Pit Stop which we made use of for teatown and brekkie. 2 x burgers and chips and 2 x mac and cheese for just shy of twenny quid and a full Scottish, a bacon and egg and black pudding bap and 2 x Scotch pancakes with syrup for 12. Cooked in 15 mins, served in eco friendly packaging and reyt tasty.
The infants and juniors made full use of the play area and befriended other small people. They also enjoyed watching the ferries coming in and going out again.
We were encouraged to be eco friendly and issued with a small box and 2 v.small bags for waste, which was a struggle between the 4 of us, but heartily approved of all the same.
No teatown precipitation, but a bit mork, so we adjourned indoors after the scran. A much fuller night’s kip and after taking a leisurely approach to packing away and takeaway brekkie we braved the 0.6 miles to the ferry terminal.
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