Day 3 - Bonar Bridge to Drumnadrochit

After a decent breakfast, we set off under cloudy skies along the southern shore of Dornoch Firth. We were still on Sustrans Route 1 and the road was fairly quiet and pleasant. We had planned to go over Struie Hill, but gave it a miss as it was covered in low cloud. We joined the A9 at Dornoch Bridge, but only for a mile, turning off into Tain. We were tempted by the Glenmorangie Distillery Visitors Centre but pressed on. We followed minor roads past Loch Eye (the noo!) where it started to rain. I crossed the A9 at Kildary and looked around but Sue was nowhere to be seen. She eventually appeared, she was suffering from "the bonk" (a technical term meaning lacking in energy), so we stopped at a garage for food and drink.

We continued over minor roads to Invergordon, stopping at a cafe for lunch, where the owner gave us some free chocolate and water for later. He had also done the End-to-End but on foot, taking 42 days.

It was now raining again and carried on for most of the day. We continued through Dingwall, Muir of Ord and Beauly to start the last climb up the A833. This went on forever, we must have climbed for 9 miles, before a steep descent into Drumnadrochit and our overnight stop at the Aslaich B&B. Eveing meal was taken at the Benleva Hotel, where we had 3 courses. My sweet was interesting, it was called "Cramachan" - a mixture of wild berries, cream and oatmeal. Full of calories but delicious. Meal was washed down with several pints of Piper's Gold.

71 miles today in 6 hrs 11 mins - ave 11.5 mph.
Total so far 197 miles.