{"id":5485,"date":"2018-06-12T14:06:13","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T04:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/?p=5485"},"modified":"2018-06-12T14:21:30","modified_gmt":"2018-06-12T04:21:30","slug":"day-90","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/day-90\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 90"},"content":{"rendered":"

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From: <\/strong>Thrumster to Keis
\nDistance: <\/strong>11 miles\/17.7 km<\/p>\n

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Thrumster House was a glorious slice of heaven. Built in the late 1700s and much renovated in Victorian times, it was for me the perfect haven. Comfortable but not over-familiar. Stylish without a hint of pretension. And truly authentic in every way. I would return in a heartbeat. I suppose it really felt like a home .. eclectic piles of books which had clearly been read, not just there to impress. Photos of family on shelves, which were more snaps than posed portraits. Worn but interesting fabrics and wall-papers. And hosts who were genuinely interested .. in their guests and in an abundance of a massive range of subjects. I had dinner with Catherine and her mother, Islay. It was home-cooked food of a very superior nature and the wine was poured with a generous hand. Of all my stops along the way, it was my favourite.\u00a0https:\/\/www.thrumster.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

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Thrumster’s gorgeous flatcoat retriever .. Chockad<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

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The grounds of the house<\/p><\/div>\n

Over dinner I discovered that Catherine is on the board of the Friends of the John o’Groats Trail, which runs on a charitable basis. Much as Gus and I had thought, the difficulties in making the Trail more established lie in poor funding and recalcitrant land-owners refusing access. The access shouldn’t really be a problem with Scotland’s legal status of the public’s ‘right to roam’ but where there’s a will to make things difficult, there’s a way. It will take a while for the Trail to have the same status and standard as other walks such as the West Highland Way or the Great Glen Way, but Catherine was confident it would happen eventually. I so hope she’s right as the views from the coastal path were infinitely superior to those from the A9 and deserve to be seen by many more folk.<\/p>\n

It was a quick jaunt into Wick this morning. I’d imagined I’d have a cappuccino there with a delicious pastry, perhaps. No such luck. While having an interesting history, Wick is now home to a disproportionate number of barbers, tattoo parlours and carpet salesrooms. Although it had a harbour it was difficult to find any other redeeming features.<\/p>\n

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The welcome to Wick<\/p><\/div>\n

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Town centre<\/p><\/div>\n

It wasn’t long after the town that I was able to revert from the A99 to the John o’Groat’s Trail. And wow, what a spectacular section of the trail it was .. four miles from Ackergill Tower along the beach to Keiss. There are castles at either end and glorious blond sand which could give any Aussie beach a run for its money. It was a fantastic way to finish my penultimate day of Walking The Black Dog. I took time to sit on the sand, with my back against my pack and reflect a little, in the Scottish sunshine.<\/p>\n

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Path to the beach with views of Ackergill<\/p><\/div>\n

Legend would have us believe that the young and exquisitely beautiful Helen Gunn, was abducted by John Keith in the late 14th century. To escape his advances she flung herself from the highest tower of Ackergill Castle. This heralded the beginning of a great deal of feuding between the Gunns and the Keiths and you won’t be surprised to hear that her ghost still haunts the place. Not long ago a shed-load of money was thrown at renovating the building, so that it can now host conferences and romantic weddings .. when both parties come willingly to the altar.<\/p>\n

The ruined Castle Sinclair Girnigoe has an even gorier history. It teeters on the edge of the cliffs looking hopelessly picturesque. Actually, it\u2019s not just one but two castles: Girnigoe built in the late 15th century and Sinclair added on a hundred or so years later. And its history is anything but picturesque: in 1577 the 4th Earl of Caithness, imprisoned his own son, John in Castle Girnigoe, on suspicion of rebelling against his rule. He was held there for seven years, after which his father fed him a diet of salted beef, with nothing to drink, so that he eventually died insane from thirst. Not nice.<\/span><\/p>\n

A drawbridge over a ravine connects the two castles. Hostilities between the 6th Sinclair Earl of Caithness and John Campbell of Glenorchy, a siege and then an attack in 1680, destroyed much of the structure and it has never been inhabited since. Restoration has begun on the castle, funded by the Clan Sinclair Trust in an attempt to preserve the archeological and historical importance of the structure.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sinclair’s Bay with Noss Head Lighthouse and the remains of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe<\/p><\/div>\n

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Fab reflections with seagulls taking flight<\/p><\/div>\n

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Old fishing nets<\/p><\/div>\n

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The dunes behind the beach<\/p><\/div>\n

The sand was punctuated by rocks to begin with, all bearing a luminescent lime seaweed. The colour verged on the surreal.<\/p>\n

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Rock pools<\/p><\/div>\n

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Pathways of rock<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1958 the fishing vessel Jean Stephens, an Aberdeen trawler, ran aground during a blizzard in Sinclair’s Bay. The crew survived but the rescue was hampered by the weather which forced rescuers to approach over the snow covered landscape. Getting to the shore was made even more difficult by snow-filled anti-tank trenches dug out to secure the coast from German invasion during Second World War. This is all that remains of her ..<\/span><\/p>\n

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Remains of the Jean Stephens trawler<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

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The man from John o’Groats with his dogs<\/p><\/div>\n

Apart from a few dog walkers, I had the beach pretty much to myself. It was a real treat to walk in such serenity with just the curlews and oyster-catchers for company. The village of Keiss and its castle were at the other end of the bay. The castle is another impossibly romantic, partially ruined fort clinging precariously to the cliffs. It dates back to the 16th century but didn\u2019t provide shelter for very long before the new Keiss Castle was built further inland. Actually it\u2019s not so much of a castle as a \u2018large and elegant Scottish Baronial house\u2019. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Keiss and its castles<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

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There were other dogs besides the black ones<\/p><\/div>\n

Just as the shingle and pebbles started to pile up, I was able to return to the JOG Trail, which traced a handy path up to the village of Keiss and my accommodation for the last night on the walk. It was a pretty and very easy path to follow.<\/p>\n

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Abandoned boat ..<\/p><\/div>\n

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Abandoned house ..<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

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And abandoned over-sized none too delicious Toblerones<\/p><\/div>\n

At supper in the local pub I got chatting .. the way you do .. to the people on the next door table. Turned out the son had just finished his first day of JOGLE. Having recently left the navy he wanted to do something special, something rewarding and something out of the ordinary .. something he could tell his children and his grandchildren about. I was so happy to tell him it was probably the best thing I’d ever done, realising as I said it that I’d already pushed the misery of yesterday to the back of my mind.<\/p>\n

Tomorrow I’ll reach John o’Groats ..<\/p>\n

Black Dog Tails<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is Rover, the expert scat tracker. With his powerful sense of smell he helps with eco-diversity research.<\/p>\n

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Thrumster House was a glorious slice of heaven ..<\/p>\n

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From: <\/strong>Thrumster to Keis
Distance: <\/strong>11 miles\/17.7 km<\/p>

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=\"Subscribe\" _builder_version=\"3.0.63\" area=\"et_pb_widget_area_1\" orientation=\"left\" background_layout=\"light\" saved_tabs=\"all\" global_module=\"1260\" \/][et_pb_image admin_label=\"Add map here\" _builder_version=\"3.0.51\" show_in_lightbox=\"off\" url_new_window=\"off\" use_overlay=\"off\" sticky=\"off\" align=\"left\" always_center_on_mobile=\"on\" border_style=\"solid\" force_fullwidth=\"off\" animation=\"fade_in\" src=\"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/map.jpg\" \/][et_pb_image admin_label=\"Donate to Black Dog Institute\" src=\"http:\/\/testform1234.gofundraise.com.au\/Upload\/385023\/images\/Donate%20to%20Black%20Dog%20Institute.jpg\" show_in_lightbox=\"off\" url=\"http:\/\/walkingtheblackdog.gofundraise.com.au\/\" url_new_window=\"on\" use_overlay=\"off\" sticky=\"off\" align=\"left\" force_fullwidth=\"off\" always_center_on_mobile=\"on\" border_style=\"solid\" _builder_version=\"3.0.63\" \/][et_pb_image admin_label=\"Donate to Sane\" src=\"http:\/\/testform1234.gofundraise.com.au\/Upload\/385023\/images\/Donate%20to%20SANE%20UK.jpg\" show_in_lightbox=\"off\" url=\"https:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/fundraising\/walkingtheblackdog\" url_new_window=\"on\" use_overlay=\"off\" sticky=\"off\" align=\"left\" force_fullwidth=\"off\" always_center_on_mobile=\"on\" border_style=\"solid\" _builder_version=\"3.0.63\" \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"2_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Add text + images\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\" background_size=\"initial\" _builder_version=\"3.0.63\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"center\" border_style=\"solid\"]<\/p>

\"\"<\/p>

Thrumster House was a glorious slice of heaven. Built in the late 1700s and much renovated in Victorian times, it was for me the perfect haven. Comfortable but not over-familiar. Stylish without a hint of pretension. And truly authentic in every way. I would return in a heartbeat. I suppose it really felt like a home .. eclectic piles of books which had clearly been read, not just there to impress. Photos of family on shelves, which were more snaps than posed portraits. Worn but interesting fabrics and wall-papers. And hosts who were genuinely interested .. in their guests and in an abundance of a massive range of subjects. I had dinner with Catherine and her mother, Islay. It was home-cooked food of a very superior nature and the wine was poured with a generous hand. Of all my stops along the way, it was my favourite.\u00a0https:\/\/www.thrumster.co.uk<\/a><\/p>[caption id=\"attachment_5489\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"480\"]\"\" Thrumster's gorgeous flatcoat retriever .. Chockad[\/caption]

\u00a0<\/p>[caption id=\"attachment_5491\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"469\"]\"\" The grounds of the house[\/caption]

Over dinner I discovered that Catherine is on the board of the Friends of the John o'Groats Trail, which runs on a charitable basis. Much as Gus and I had thought, the difficulties in making the Trail more established lie in poor funding and recalcitrant land-owners refusing access. The access shouldn't really be a problem with Scotland's legal status of the public's 'right to roam' but where there's a will to make things difficult, there's a way. It will take a while for the Trail to have the same status and standard as other walks such as the West Highland Way or the Great Glen Way, but Catherine was confident it would happen eventually. I so hope she's right as the views from the coastal path were infinitely superior to those from the A9 and deserve to be seen by many more folk.<\/p>

It was a quick jaunt into Wick. I'd imagined I'd have a cappuccino there with a delicious pastry, perhaps. No such luck. While having an interesting history, Wick is now home to a disproportionate number of barbers, tattoo parlours and carpet salesrooms. Although it had a harbour it was difficult to find any other redeeming features.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

The lighthouse at Noss Head is a few miles out of Wick. A few years ago it was on the market for \u00a399,500, although the tower itself was not included in the sale. Way, way too much like \u2018The Shining\u2019s\u2019 lighthouse, where Jack Nicholson\u2019s deranged writer peers through a hole in a door he\u2019s just created with an axe, rasping \u2018Wendy, I\u2019m home\u2019. Time to pick up the pace.<\/span><\/p>

A much nicer distraction is the dramatic ruin of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe a mile further on. It teeters on the edge of the cliffs looking hopelessly picturesque. Actually, it\u2019s not just one but two castles: Girnigoe built in the late 15th century and Sinclair added on a hundred or so years later. In 1577 the 4th Earl of Caithness, imprisoned his own son John in Castle Girnigoe, on suspicion of rebelling against his rule. He was held there for seven years, after which his father fed him a diet of salted beef, with nothing to drink, so that he eventually died insane from thirst. Not nice.<\/span><\/p>

A drawbridge over a ravine connects the two castles. Hostilities between the 6th Sinclair Earl of Caithness and John Campbell of Glenorchy, a siege and then an attack in 1680 destroyed much of the structure and it has never been inhabited since. Restoration has begun on the castle, funded by the Clan Sinclair Trust in an attempt to preserve the archeological and historical importance of the structure.<\/span><\/p>

The un-ruined but possibly ruinously expensive Ackergill Tower Hotel is the next landmark on the coastal path. The owners boast, \u2018Our Luxury Highland Estate is one of the remotest, most romantic settings in the entire British Isles\u2019. If one of the stylishly appointed bedrooms doesn\u2019t appeal, you can \u2018spend a night tucked up in the treetops in Europe\u2019s largest (and possibly most luxurious) treehouse with a bedroom\u2019. Looks rather gorgeous to me and I hope their sumptuousnessness runs to a cappuccino machine, as it\u2019s just about time for coffee.<\/span><\/p>

The village of Keiss and its castle are up next. Another impossibly romantic partially ruined castle clinging precariously to the cliffs. It dates back to the 16th century but didn\u2019t provide shelter for very long before the new Keiss Castle was built further inland. Actually it\u2019s not so much of a castle as a \u2018large and elegant Scottish Baronial house\u2019. <\/span><\/p>

In the 18th century Keiss passed to the Sinclairs of Dunbeath, who built a new Keiss Castle further inland. Though the new building glories in the name 'castle', it is really a large and elegant Scottish Baronial house. The original castle was abandoned by 1755, before the property passed to the Sinclairs of Ulbster. <\/span><\/p>

The final stage of the trail soon passes the dramatic coastal ruin of Keiss Castle and follows the coast passing Nybster broch and impressive cliff scenery before finally reaching Duncansby sea stacks and the lighthouse before the last short section to John o'Groats and the end of the trail.<\/span><\/p>

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