Aviemore Inn

... worthwhile (and hopefully worth the money, i'll see when I work out how much I've spent). I obviously won't be uploading the 4000 photo's I took but anyone is welcome to see them, they need only ask; and set aside around 5 hrs to go through them. This is Mike's log.......signing out.

... the crowns of England and Scotland in 1603. When he died in 1625 his son Charles I succeeded him. You may recall from a previous blog that Oliver Cromwell chopped off Charles I head in 1649 then ruled the country. The Scots responded by crowning Charles son as the new king of Scotland and England. This upset Cromwell no end so he sent his army to Scotland and defeated them in 1651 so that Charles II had to flee to France.

Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom pollies

... a quick stop, I realise that someone has left their wild campsite, just off the path, in a real mess.  They've left an empty gas can from a stove and plastic packets everywhere.  Suddenly I turn into a Womble - I can't bear it when people leave litter like this, especially so obviously - and get a spare plastic bag to pick up the worst.  Having tied to my pack, it then bangs about and annoys me the whole way ...

... slow in the mornings and dealing with the tent etc isn't helping!  I'll see how I get on over the next few days (my pack is still a reasonable weight!) and if I need them then my friend will drive them down.

A few miles from Inverness I meet my first "on foot" End-to-Enders!  This is a group with a difference - they've been doing the route in stages over the past ten years fitting it in around work and family commitments.  They're on their second-to-last ...

Spent yesterday walking through Scottish terrain. Unfortunately the weather wasn't sunny but it wasn't raining so since coming to the UK I have come to know that as 'a good day'. I have to admit it, but any day that doesn't rain I consider a good day of weather too. How quickly standards change..

Time has flown by here in Scotland. Back down to London tomorrow and off to India Wednesday. This is quite possibly the most boring blog entry ever, but the photos should at least be ok

... and it still doesn't avoid the very busy North Kessock bridge into Inverness.  I decide to take a more direct route and head straight over the Cromarty Bridge and onto The Black Isle, where I can pick up the National Cycle Route using quiet back roads to the dreaded bridge and then on into Inverness.  

This proves to be a lovely meander, again through woodlands and along rolling farmland.  As well as masses of ...

... br>
Do you fold or scrunch? I'm a reformed scruncher. The turning point was when I moved out of home and realised scrunching was very uneconomical. Effective..... but inefficient. These are the issues that plague a man who does not work.

I have to admit, Char's Aunty Annabelle buys good quality loo roll. Wiping my bum has been a pleasure.

... drove all over the Caringorm Mountains today and I found some beautiful poisonous mushrooms which I have added photo's of.

Tomorrow we move on to Isle of Sky, supposedly one of the most beautiful places in Scotland. It will be a long drive but we should see many great things. Our driver is spoiling us and has been wonderful and it just could not have been a better trip for us. The lodgings have been luxurious and the food great.

g'day all just a quick update we are in the highlands and looking for Nessie talk soon Hugs all Stewart and Nancy G'day All, Back on track we are in Aviemore another beautiful highlands village, on the way to it we stopped off at Newtonmore a village that has the oldest collection of Scotish dwellings and an ancient village as they percieved how they lived in the early 15th century, living in peat and mud houses it was fasinating to see how they lived an how they would ...

Thank you to all who made the effort to catch up with me, a busy two weeks very tired but worth it, Congratulations to Carlyn and Dave on the wedding day, a very special day and it was nice to be part of it. Working for frank was fun, shame there was so many weirdos on the event (the actors) i mean. I wish i took my camera out more with everyone i ...