Four weeks on the trails

July 5- wick to 4 miles past Keiss. Today marks 4 weeks on the trail. saw (and smelled) pigs today for first time in the journey. One of best journies on trip. Wonderful views. Several castles, a light house. Met Raymond who told me all about Stigoe where he grew up and what it was like 50 years ago. I finally looked up the Bird I’ve been seeing -an oystercatcher. Last night of wild camping on this trail, so went for a spot with a view-bucolic castle- and is it ever. Finally wore my down coat which I’ve been lugging with me everywhere in the heat. Saw several pheasants and finally identified their call as one that sounded a bit like a rusty bing. As I would walk along my pack would keep repeating “jiminy cricket, jiminy cricket”.

Best parts of Journey, so far: great Glen Way above Loch Lomond, today’s walk, best and worst- the Cluny Estate track on the East Highland Way going to Newtonmore just before the deerstalkers Bothy called Dalnashallag. The worst- going through the bracken on the way to Berriedale.