Day 105 of the End to End was a momentous day in many ways. First of all I went over 1000 miles walked since Land’s End and secondly I crossed the Dornoch Firth which definitely puts me in the North of Scotland. It was a day of signs telling us many things en route.
I started at Tain Airfield which had got a bit soggier since yesterday due to overnight rain. We waited for the rain to clear before I walked into Tain. We found a pleasant cafe for a bit of late 11s, next door to the Co op for a bit of shopping. Tain marked the 1000 miles since Land’s End.
On the way out of the town I stopped at St Duthac’s Chapel (or St Duthus if you prefer: seems he had two names) which has been a popular place of pilgrimage for several centuries. James IV is recorded as making 18 visits to the shrine. It was good to be able to give thanks for 1000 miles walked at this place that so many pilgrims have visited before, and which we first heard about when we visited Whithorn (which was several weeks ago now).
I walked out of Tain and into the A9 for the first time since my rather wet encounter with the Kessock bridge. There was a wide verge, so although it is a fast road, it wasn’t as bad as I feared it might be.
I met a local runner, and she asked me what I was doing. Once I’d explained LEJOG she said she’d seen another on the other side of the Dornoch bridge. We had a chat and she was very encouraging. Seems likely if you’re walking on the A9 at this point you’re a Lejogger as there’s nowhere else much to go.
Bob parked on the North side of the bridge and came back towards me, so we retraced his steps and walked across the Dornoch Firth together. After a break at the car for a sandwich and to change my wet boots, he showed me the path to the Dornoch Road.
That section of the walk was fairly quiet and I was soon arriving in Dornoch at the Cocoa Mountain cafe for the celebratory hot chocolate. We also bought some chocolate to eat later, of course.
Our accommodation for the next 3 nights are the sleeping cars at Rogart Station. Real trains still run through here a couple of times a day so we had a lovely time watching trains and eating chocolate.
From Isaiah 40
Those who wait upon the Lord for strength will mount up on wings like eagles. They will run and not be weary, walk on and not faint.
This is my favourite Bible verse. I saved it for today. 1000 miles and 12 days to go.
God grant us a quiet night and a peaceful end.
JAL 31.07.2019
Day 105 of the End to End, Tain Airfield to Dornoch.