The Coast

Today was a big travel day from Uig on Skye to Findhorn on the North East Coast of the mainland. I’m properly knackered!

First I checked out of the bed and breakfast, dropped off the rental car, and took the bus from Portree to Invergarry. Then I grabbed another bus to Inverness. The bus ride was pretty but I got a little carsick 😕. We drove along Loch Ness for a while which was cool and unexpected!

Once in Inverness, the short walk over to the train station was interesting; I had no idea what a big city it is! I felt overwhelmed immediately, having not been in a big city like that since Edinburgh at the beginning of my trip! I know I’m from a city and live in an even bigger city, but I think deep down I’m a small town girlie. I prefer the calm quiet beauty of the countryside.

After the train from Inverness to Forres, I got a taxi to Findhorn. They dropped me off in Findhorn at the Sunflower B&B in their Eco-Village. In total that 155 mile trip took me from 9am to 4:15pm. I felt a sense of relief. The hustle and bustle of Inverness just isn’t what I’m looking for right now. I’m feeling so good about my choices of where to go on this trip!

Findhorn is super pretty and it’s the start of the next long distance trail I’m doing, beginning tomorrow (~45 miles) and finishing on Wednesday. It is apparently home to the most environmentally sustainable community - "the residents have the lowest ecological footprint of any community measured so far in the industrialised world" according to Wikipedia. The town used to be a fishing village and has some of the prettiest coastline in Scotland, with colorful beach huts and lots of sailboats.

After doing some sink laundry I walked from my Bed and Breakfast in the eco-village a little over a mile into the city center to the Kimberly Inn. I got a pint of cider and some salmon cakes sitting on the grass overlooking the water. What could be better than this?