The Ardness campsite don't like dogs INSIDE anywhere - so I took her in the showerblock anyway - stops her scaring folk by barking at 'em. I had a good discussion with the gardener (who is as deaf as I am, but was listening to a book using bluetooth!) - he told me about someone who brought her cats with her, in her campervan. One of the cats went walkabout and decided to brush itself on the legs of someone who had a fierce allergy to cats... whoops! I moved on around 9.30 (picking up my charged bike battery from reception. All the farmers round about are busy, busy, busy harvesting, making the most of the long summer days up here. Several humongous tractors went past driven by girls and boys who only looked about 12yrs old! Lots of young calves and lambs around too. Over the River Nairn - and on to follow the river Findhorn. I'll be going up to Shlochd in a short while (close to General Wade's Military Road) on my way to Aviemore. Mabli has run about 8 miles again today, and she's making the most of this break in Strathearn Cafe, Tomatin, by snoozing.
I cycled on past Carr Bridge - the most photographed bridge in the UK so of course I took a few pics of it too. Then went to a cafe and Mabli had a utterly mutterly peanut flavouried icecream and I had cake.
et, I've been getting wet - and the rain is set to stay all day. So I'm sat in a yurt at the holiday park with a warm stove pumping the heat out before I set out for Dalwhinnie. Yesterday, I met the force that is Peter Smithton (I may have got that surname wrong!) - a young and fit bloke who happens to be a paraplegic - pushing his unmotorised wheelchair and pulling a small trailer behind - in aid of Canine Partners. He's been doing LeJog and look how far he's come! I left him facing a steady uphill away from Aviemore vowing I'll never complain in the face of a hill again! Aviemore was heaving. And no room at the Inn. So it was camping again - i've just got my phone and bike battery back from reception, where they charged them overnight. Slept well - though the sleeping mat needs a hole repair - it keeps the damp from rising as it's lined with down. The tent field was FULL of bunnies at 4am - so Mabli went chasing and refused to come back in for an hour. Fortunately she didn't bark at anything - but was wet through by the time she decided to come back to bed. I'm sure she had great fun seeing them all off.
Chanterelles growing outside the reception! Trying to find some accommodation for tonight now, before i get moving again.
I was reluctant to leave the cosy yurt with its log fire - but eventually I set off along the old A9 - which is relatively quiet, running parallel to the new A9 as it does. Strong smell of PINE - lot of timber work taking place. Today, I saw my first red squirrel: It was playing 'chicken' as it dashed across the road in front of me. I should have been on the NCR7 - that follows a more jiggly route on the other side of the river, but flat and plain sailing suited me and Mabs. In Kingussie. I visited a textile museum - the local craftswomen had created a large wall hanging from a plastic fencing panel they'd found in a hedge, and upcycled fabric. They were inviting visitors to sew on green hearts. We also had lunch and Mabs got fussed over by the young couple out with their 11day old baby and the 14month 'big brother'! Mabli cleared the floor underneath the little boy, obligingly. Onwards to Newtonmore where i stopped at the outdoor National Folk museum. Guess what? Dogs are banned - so that saved me a tenner. On again - looking for my hotel - and saw a posh one, next door to the Coop. Its name began with a 'B'. Well - the proprieter looked down his nose at me and said "oh no - we NEVER allow dogs!"- whoops - wrong hotel! The right one was further down the riad. Went to a cafe for tea and cake to await check in at 4pm - i was an hour early. Curious as to what the OYO part of the name is - googled it. It's a franchise run by an Indian company (OYO rooms - or hotels), nos expanding world wide. The room is huge - and has a little heater so i can drape tent etc. all around a dry it all off.
Weather set to improve tomorrow when I'm all set to cycle the Drumochter Pass - the highest mountain pass that divides the Northern Scottish Highlands from the Southern Highlands. I have only needed to glance up at the beautiful (if flattened by the grey today) mountains all around on the horizon as I've cycled up the old A9 to be reminded that I am indeed in the HIGHLANDS! Saw my first red squirrel. Also got told about the terrifyingly fierce pinemartins that EAT dogs and will not let them go, once they've got 'em! Beware Mabli! (as if Highland Labradors weren't enough!). Again - pics are higgledy piggledy.
I cycled on past Carr Bridge - the most photographed bridge in the UK so of course I took a few pics of it too. Then went to a cafe and Mabli had a utterly mutterly peanut flavouried icecream and I had cake.
et, I've been getting wet - and the rain is set to stay all day. So I'm sat in a yurt at the holiday park with a warm stove pumping the heat out before I set out for Dalwhinnie. Yesterday, I met the force that is Peter Smithton (I may have got that surname wrong!) - a young and fit bloke who happens to be a paraplegic - pushing his unmotorised wheelchair and pulling a small trailer behind - in aid of Canine Partners. He's been doing LeJog and look how far he's come! I left him facing a steady uphill away from Aviemore vowing I'll never complain in the face of a hill again! Aviemore was heaving. And no room at the Inn. So it was camping again - i've just got my phone and bike battery back from reception, where they charged them overnight. Slept well - though the sleeping mat needs a hole repair - it keeps the damp from rising as it's lined with down. The tent field was FULL of bunnies at 4am - so Mabli went chasing and refused to come back in for an hour. Fortunately she didn't bark at anything - but was wet through by the time she decided to come back to bed. I'm sure she had great fun seeing them all off.
Chanterelles growing outside the reception! Trying to find some accommodation for tonight now, before i get moving again.
I was reluctant to leave the cosy yurt with its log fire - but eventually I set off along the old A9 - which is relatively quiet, running parallel to the new A9 as it does. Strong smell of PINE - lot of timber work taking place. Today, I saw my first red squirrel: It was playing 'chicken' as it dashed across the road in front of me. I should have been on the NCR7 - that follows a more jiggly route on the other side of the river, but flat and plain sailing suited me and Mabs. In Kingussie. I visited a textile museum - the local craftswomen had created a large wall hanging from a plastic fencing panel they'd found in a hedge, and upcycled fabric. They were inviting visitors to sew on green hearts. We also had lunch and Mabs got fussed over by the young couple out with their 11day old baby and the 14month 'big brother'! Mabli cleared the floor underneath the little boy, obligingly. Onwards to Newtonmore where i stopped at the outdoor National Folk museum. Guess what? Dogs are banned - so that saved me a tenner. On again - looking for my hotel - and saw a posh one, next door to the Coop. Its name began with a 'B'. Well - the proprieter looked down his nose at me and said "oh no - we NEVER allow dogs!"- whoops - wrong hotel! The right one was further down the riad. Went to a cafe for tea and cake to await check in at 4pm - i was an hour early. Curious as to what the OYO part of the name is - googled it. It's a franchise run by an Indian company (OYO rooms - or hotels), nos expanding world wide. The room is huge - and has a little heater so i can drape tent etc. all around a dry it all off.
Weather set to improve tomorrow when I'm all set to cycle the Drumochter Pass - the highest mountain pass that divides the Northern Scottish Highlands from the Southern Highlands. I have only needed to glance up at the beautiful (if flattened by the grey today) mountains all around on the horizon as I've cycled up the old A9 to be reminded that I am indeed in the HIGHLANDS! Saw my first red squirrel. Also got told about the terrifyingly fierce pinemartins that EAT dogs and will not let them go, once they've got 'em! Beware Mabli! (as if Highland Labradors weren't enough!). Again - pics are higgledy piggledy.
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