From our overnight stop at Glenmorangie House, we made our way to The Black Isle. It’s not actually an island but a peninsula and it’s not black but local folklore says the name comes from the fact that it has its own microclimate so when everywhere around is covered in snow it doesn’t settle on the peninsula.

It was a delightful day driving and cycling around the area including Clootie Well, a sacred healing natural spring where people now leave clothing in the hope of being cured. Frankly, it looked a bit scruffy!

We drove up to Cromarty on its northern tip. It was a lovely little fishing village with quaint shops and a lighthouse. Some of you will recognise the name from the Shipping Forecast.

Then back down the peninsula to Fortrose where we had booked a campsite (P4N#56517) with a pitch looking over the Moray Firth. We got the bikes off the back of Dora and cycled along the beach path to Chanonry Point to look for dolphins and then onto the Fairy Glen Falls. We didn’t make it to the falls as the last part was too far on foot for Jo. We had to abandon the bikes half way along the track and then had to get them back up onto the road!

We then went to see the ruins of Fortrose Cathedral before returning to the van for a well earned gin and tonic.

Miles since last blog: 70

Miles this trip: 1,194