North Coast 500 Day 4

Day Four – Tuesday 1st May

Today was all about getting to Durness in time for the 3pm ferry across to Cape Wrath.

One of our targets for the trip was to complete the return journey from Ferry to Cape Wrath lighthouse and spend the night on the Cape in the Bothy on Cape Wrath. By doing so we would then be able to join the Cape Wrath fellowship.

See Rough Stuff Fellowship for more info.

We set off early, and thankfully the southerly tail wind remained with us. We made it to Durness with about 10 minutes to spare.

Note for anyone planning to do the same, that its a few miles from the Ferry Crossing to Durness village centre.

I had sent my sleeping bag up the week before (together with a roll mat) , so I needed to visit the Durness Post Office to pick these up. When I arrived at the post office, they had a notice highlighting that the public may not be able to access Cape Wrath due to a military exercise.

A quick phone to the co-ordinating officer confirmed this, and our plans for a Cape Wrath adventure were blown to smithereens (much like Cape Wrath which was being bombed by huge shells from a Royal Navy gunship off the coast )

We visited the local tourist office, to arrange alternative accomodation.

I must mention the last 10km or so riding into Durness. A gradual continuous downhill, through the centre of an enormous glen, with the road visible for kilometres ahead. An absolutely stunning ride, which will guarantee a smile on your face.

As we had time to kill in Durness we visited the Cocoa MountainCafé in Durness. They served wonderful coffee, and eye wateringly thick Hot Chocolate drinks. (I think these drinks were actually just chocolate bars melted into milk !)