Again, I took the Mini in the early hours to get myself to the start point at Lybster.
This day would be the last full day as the distance from Keiss to John O’Groats would only be about 21km.
The first quarter of the route continued to be as technically demanding as the previous day. A few times, I had to walk very close past vertical cliff drop offs! Nature threw further technical elements my way - light rain and later mist. When at one point, I once again had lost my signage and the path, I had an emergency meeting with myself and unanimously decided to continue along the A99 as the mist had become too thick. One has to be safe and not be blind to danger! As Will Smith stated in the film After Earth, “Fear is not real. Danger is very real”
The plan was to continue along the A99 until conditions had improved.
Once again, Lorinda spotted me trodding along the verge of the main road! We agreed that I would stop at the flat in Wick for lunch and dry clothes as I practically would have to walk past it.
A very civilised lunch with my family was a novelty as normally, lunch would be on a rock, treetrunk, stile or simply on the ground!
After lunch, conditions had dramatically improved and I could rejoin the John O’Groats Trail from Wick at the ruins of Sinclair Castle. The rest of the route continued along the beach of Sinclair Bay to Keiss, where everyone came to meet me. The afternoon session was great walking conditions as signage was brilliant, the route was flat and scenery amazing.
On our way back to Wick, Lorinda spotted a few Highland cows, that had so far evaded me. I was thrilled to finally get to take a photograph of a Highland cow!! The only other time that I had come across one, was when Paul walked with me and i did not take a photograph!
Once again, dinner was at Spoons!
Tomorrow, it would be the end of Willslejog!!
Route: Lybster to Keiss
John O’Groats Trail
Distance: 42.4km
Steps: 64382
Cal: 2641 act kcal