"The best laid plans of mice and men"…

Can go sadly array.

Day 3 - August 4 

Our Park Guest House in Inverness was delightful if a bit frustrating: no wi-fi to speak and my telephone didn’t always have access either. Getting a taste of what it might be like to be off grid, whether chosen or not. Down to the dining room for our pre-ordered breakfasts (the night before we were to write down our choices from the menu in the hall on scraps of paper) – lovely table and breakfast as ordered.

Park Guest House breakfast setting

Then it was off heading North to catch our ferry, stopping at the Aldi so I could get a toothbrush – forgotten in Edinburgh and not noticed until I needed it last night!

En route we stopped at the Dunrobin Castle and toured it – beautiful. Drive totally along the water thereafter – I hadn’t realized that this bit of Scotland is very similar to Cornwall with water on both sides. Looks larger and wider on the maps. We duly arrived at Gill’s Bay and the Ferry docks with two hours to spare. Checked on things then returned to John O’Groats for lunch. Ended up in a hotel/bar with some very interesting specials such as Texas fries, piri-piri chicken and the like. I was very tempted by the fajita, but in the end ordered a seafood platter starter (two pieces of herring, one of smoked salmon and a lot of shrimp cocktail). That and a mixed salad delicious – had also a bottled beer from directly across the street.

One of the very local brews

A misty day, but beautiful clouds and country

Not the only derrick we saw!

And yes, the colors were this bright!

The TAIN pottery factory and shop

Tain Pottery

A potter's hands

One of the stocking rooms - ready for the first kiln

A wee display of brushes for the hand painting

Entry to Dunrobin Castle

One of many fountains on the grounds

Part of one of the gardens

Satisfied we headed back to the Gill’s Bay Ferry dock and I paid for my single ticket then cracked and bought a cookie “custard cream” supposedly to go with coffee on the Ferry. We boarded and they squeezed us in tight (the cars that is) and went upstairs. 

The Pentland ferry - family run and owned

They had loading and parking down to a science

Clearance in between this truck and the rail was maybe 2 centimeters; in between it and the car on its' rear about 3 cm.

Very shortly thereafter my traveling companions realized that where we were supposed to stay tonight – and were booked – was on a totally different island way farther North. Panic, panic, panic as there was no way that we were going to be able to arrive at 17h30 in St.Margaret’s Hope, drive the half hour to Kirkwall then catch another ferry for an hour and a quarter for this other island (and the maps on the ferry were very clear). M. muddled, G. and I consulted the maps, thought of options etc. A chap to whom we explained our problem when we asked if there was an information booth at the arrival dock, said that there were 3 hotels that he could recommend: The Sands close to where we were arriving; the Standing Stones through Kirkwall and to the left or the Merkister which was up closer to the Neolithic ruins.  We all agreed that it wasn’t going to be possible to get to Pierowall that night. Then we discussed whether we even wanted to go at all given that we would have to back track on a ferry to come to the ruins etc. and more or less decided that we would ditch it entirely, suffering whatever costs that involved and hope to find rooms on the main island – not a given with all the festivals going on and the summer holidays on top of it!  Off we went – checking the Sands, which was the closest first. They were ever so busy so we waited. And got lucky as they had a room with a queen bed and a single for at least one night. The price was the last thing we asked grateful as we were that we would not be camping in the Volvo.  The room was lovely with a proper bathroom but what’s with the full figure mirrors in the bathrooms? This one was even in the bath and shower unit.

Apparently people eat early in these parts so we weren’t able to get a reservation until 20h30. Never mind, after a tough day M&G took a nap and I tried and tried and tried to get on e-mails and wi-fi. Managed to get e-mails on my cell phone before I lost the connection, but nothing doing with the computer.

We went down to dinner at the appointed time of 20h30. Late it might have been, but it was certainly worth the wait and the staying there. Two of us had the strudel packets of feta and broccoli. They came with salad and I discovered Orkney Gold (the beer not the metal). Up and in bed at a relatively decent time considering that we were three. I didn’t shower so that they could – went first and was well in bed still trying to connect and get things done.  Nice clean hotel though with a view on the bay – quiet so perfect.

 

One of many islands that we passed

The view out our bedroom window.

To use another cliché “all’s well that end’s well”.