Day 14, not to Johnshaven again.

….but to Montrose

Chatting with the Brocklehursts at breakfast the subject of today’s route came up.

My intended finish point of Johnshaven was clearly just not going to happen, Louise’s finish at Braidon Bay was similarly out. We’d stuck together so far so it made sense to finish together.

After discussing the situation with Margaret and David, we all decided to finish in Montrose – that was the shortest route to the coast.

Leaving our B&B we did a little shopping in Edzell before heading south through Edzell Arch:

Louise, with the excellent David & Margaret Brocklehurst at Edzell

We set off at a cracking pace, my navigator’s feet seeming to hold up quite well. Up until now it had been quite impossible for her to set off quickly, it had been taking a good 30-40 paces for her to be able to pick up any speed.

Today’s walk was virtually all tarmac, not the best choice for delicate bits on the end of legs. However by using grassy verges where available a lot of very hard ground was avoided and she managed well.

Trudging up (or down?) a quiet lane we caught up with Richard and Rosemary having a 5 minute break in the welcome shade of some roadside woodland.

Richard & Rosemary, David & Margaret, and my navigator

We continued, all eventually arriving at the NTS property at House of Dun. Entry was by climbing a locked wrought-iron gate, the alternative being a long road walk = there was no alternative!

The café at the House of Dun is spectacular. And it has cakes! Considering the heat of the day, we all made the seemingly daft choice of hot soup – it was lovely! Loads of tea and a large piece of cake each soon had us fighting fit again. Well all apart from Louise who’s feet were once again complaining.

I sat her outside in the sunshine and began to operate once again. It was at this point that Margaret, a retired Pathologist, stepped in to take over the delicate bits. After some considerable time the fetid feet were feeling (and looking) good again. Margaret had worked wonders with the use of Second Skin and lots of other fancy medical-type stuff.

Louise can barely look as Margaret performs miracles

Her work done, Margaret left us to join husband David on the final walk in to Montrose. We trundled off, ever grateful to this angel of mercy for her kind works.

Our lunch stop….and that’s a smile. Honest.

 

The House of Dun

Following the hot tarmac into Montrose was like walking into a hairdryer, but with traffic. We sought shade wherever we could. We both cheered up immensely as we closed in on our target.

        

Happiness is a Montrose sign!

Not knowing the quickest way to the sea we stopped and chatted to a lollypop man who gave us directions, minutes later we were within sight of the North Sea.

Little Miss Stubborn Louise had decreed that she would walk to the beach and into the foamy stuff with her boots on and carrying full kit, and so she did. A repack of her rucksack and change of footwear on the golfcourse saw us marching purposefully eastwards. Eastwards is good for this trip, I may have mentioned this before.

Arriving on the east coast at the end of the Challenge is always a little emotional. I don’t mind admitting that it got a bit too much for the pair of us this time.

Wet feet …. Again! But this time we don’t mind.

Strathcarron to Montrose….with blisters!

Louise’s Blog report

……more to follow shortly.

I’m going for a long walk tomorrow. Because I’m worth it and because I need to.