Day 115 of the End to End looked better than day 114 right from the start. It was sponsored by Christine and Richard of LCSB. We set out from Thurso East, optimistically, taking the A836 which is part of the North Coast 500.
The section between Thurso and Castletown is largely straight although it does go up and down a bit leading to some hidden dips. The clouds were clearing and views of Dunnet Head emerged.
Bob came back to meet me and we walked into Castletown for some 11s.
The second part of the walk went first to Castletown beach at Dunnet Bay. The sun was beginning to break through and the huge sweep of the bay looked beautiful.
I took the back road via the disused airfield to Greenland. At the Burnlea Croft what we first thought were Ostrich turned out to be Rhea. We don’t have a lot of experience classifying flightless birds. Turns out Rhea are originally from South America although there are some feral Rhea in Germany. Maybe Caithness will become their next pecking ground.
On the next corner a large group of poultry were very excited to see us. This was Greenland, end point of today’s walk.
We then took a short drive to the village of Dunnet to see Mary Ann’s Croft, a small museum of local rural life. We also made a brief stop at Dunnet’s bay on the way back.
Later the street outside the Hostel in Thurso became a practice ground for a local pipe band.
From Matthew 23
Jesus said ‘How often I have wanted to gather you together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings’.
God grant a quiet night and a peaceful end.
JAL 10.08.2019
Day 115 of the End to End, Thurso East to Greenland.