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Ralph Cox•Follow
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September 2, 2022

Corner to Corner, Day 33: Altnaharra to Thurso

https://www.cycling4charity.org.uk Great route. Expectations were for a busy North Coast 500 route: we saw 6 cyclists and maybe 100 cars all day. Wind directly ahead or close by for last 31 miles from Bettyhill. At mile 29, my left fork water bottle fell. Thought bolt or its hole damaged and maybe forks would not last. At hotel, found another bolt screwed in fine and same bolt on right fork loose. Bikeability maintenance training in May: daily M-check would have identified that, and I would tightened rather than lost the bolt! Daily M-check thereafter, and daily tightening of these bolts. Realised that when the Duchess of Sutherland rehoused people from the clearances, they were re-housed on the edge of the sea with few possibilities. 14.16 climbing hill to Bettyhill: seeing the Atlantic: unexpected seismic moment for me: Ralph Cox had cycled from London via Land’s End to the Atlantic. It would prove more important to me than reaching JOG.
Distance
54.4 mi
Elev Gain
4,196 ft
Time
6h 8m
Altnaharra Hotel, popular with anglers since opening in 1820. My Strava reports are primarily about the route. However the hospitality/ service of Morag in particular and the food created by Henry the chef are above and beyond. Henry herbs/spices each part of the plate separately. Ahhh. I planned to not have supper. Fortunately I chose to, after Morag's advice. The atmosphere on entering the lounge/reception is homely rather than hotelly, and like the Westmoreland Tebay, this is another place to ensure is on route.
Henry the chef for breakfast as well as supper.
Suction pads keep the fishing lines on tbe car of Ian, David and Ross who are sponsoring us. They overheard me asking the proprietor last night about the history of the hotel and we got talking. After our meals, we talked again and they kindly donated. This morning, David Sutherland, whom we have nick-named Dave the Save(ior), gave Lorraine one of his midge nets. She has one at home alas.
In the midge net I'd bought in Glasgow. I had to take it off to ring the Weigh Inn in Thurso to pay over the phone when Halifax yet again declined a payment, and have bits across my face. I rang Halifax for the third time about the trip in the evening. They have no understanding how hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses take bookings and payments. The fraud guy did not appreciate payments are in most cases later than the booking. I hope I have been clear for the final bookings on 4th, 5th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 25th being paid before we arrive.
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This morning, David Sutherland, whom we have nick-named Dave the Save(ior), gave Lorraine a spare midge net before heading out fishing with Ian and Ross. She has one at home alas.
1857 Altnaharra `CofS church, previously a Free Church. About the hamlet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altnaharra
Looking south east from the A836 road bridge at River Mudale flowing into Loch Naver. It and the River Vagastie are its man sources. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Naver
View north west.
B873 which leaves the A836 after Altnaharra, runs beside Loch Naver and joins the B871 at Strathnaver, which joins the A836 after Skelpick.
3165ft/962m Ben Klibreck. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Klibreck
B873
Looking back from whence we came - the A836 turning onto the B873
Looking back to Altnaharra
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Clebrig with Ben Klibreck behind, finally enabling a sense of its enormity
Information plaque at Grummore on Strathnaver Museum's Strathnaver Trail: https://www.strathnavermuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/StrathnaverTrailMap.pdf
Strathnaver Museum's online shop sells various clearances' accounts: https://www.strathnavermuseum.org.uk/shop-2/
Just when we thought we were alone! Caravan Club location selling Walls Ice cream.
Clearance of the last of 32 Grummore families to make way for sheep was in 1819.
Wikipedia's list of Scottish clearances: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_clearance_settlements_in_Scotland
Wikipedia's Scottish Agrcultural Revolution article helps put the clearances in context: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Agricultural_Revolution
Google Books' open access to Alexander Mackenzie's The History of Highland Clearances, including most, not all, of Donald Macleod's Gloomy Memories: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/_/qBi9jho7YCEC?hl=en&gbpv=0
Range of perspectives - Melvyn Bragg discusses the Highland clearances with 3 academic historians: In Our Time. (2019, December 22). In our time, S20/24: The Highland clearances (chaired by M. Bragg) [BBC Radio 4 broadcast]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARVDM9JP_pU
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4 kudos
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