Whisky You’re The Devil

Ride & Stride – Day 7: Tuesday 13 September – MELVICH to BRORA (47 miles)

I would like to start today by saying a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to the Ride & Stride charities; Cancer Research UK, Mind and Parkinson’s UK. Thanks to your kindness and generosity our fund has now passed our £9,000 target, which is just brilliant for the three charities in their work to find treatments and cures, and towards their support in the community for sufferers. Thank you all!

Thank you also to those following my Blog and my Instagram page @nickletjog and those following the Ride & Stride progress on Facebook. Our quest is also to raise awareness of the charities and of their work, and I hope that you all enjoy the read.

I set out early this morning for a 10-mile hike that turned out to be amongst the finest of this last week. Starting from Melvich on the main road and with rain in the air, the walk was soon transformed as I turned off onto a minor lane (that would become a track and then a footpath) just as the sun emerged! My route today took me due south, up scenic Strath Halladale, whose topography is adorned with numerous kames and drumlins; deposits from the receding ice sheets that once flowed over and covered the valley.

I encountered several red deer today in this section of the walk, including one at quite close quarters that scampered away on my approach, down a stream-bed. Presently my path emerged onto another lane at Upper Bighouse, that undulated over the final miles to Breacrie.

Locating the camper-van, left by the cycling team ahead of their 37-mile ride to Brora, I drove to the head of the Halladale Valley, then over the expansive peat bog plateau of the Flow Country, before following the River Helmsdale down to its estuary on the east coast at Helmsdale. I love this fishing village, having visited three times previously, and I had a little time here for a wander and a snack lunch before continuing on to our overnight destination at the Sutherland Inn in Brora.

I confess to creating a little havoc today, by recommending my route to the runners who set off a couple of hours after me. Unfortunately their trail running skills were not matched by navigational excellence, and they were forced to re-trace their steps on the footpath section, having encountered a gorse thicket on the way. Presumably I thought to walk around this obstacle, but no matter, they still achieved their 10-miles in beautiful country, whilst my efforts served to link our combined route around the NC500.

Moving swiftly on – this afternoon witnessed another triumph for Jeff’s organisational skills, as he procured us a VIP whisky-tasting session at Clynelish Distillery. Another big thank you, to Nicole at Clynelish who provided us with the drams and the descriptions of the whiskies, as well as the interesting history of whisky production at Clynelish.

Today’s Blog heading is borrowed from a song by the contemporary gaelic-folk group Fara. The band hail from the Orkneys and their name is taken from one of the islands. I know little about them, although I have seen their act in Berkhamsted whilst they were on tour about three years ago, and this song seemed appropriate to our day.