Out to collect the car at 8; back to the house to load up and off we went just after 0930.

A trolley stop and then Alness was the next proper stop for food before resuming the trek through increasingly cloudy Caithness.

Wick came up trumps on the chip shop front and Tesco provided us with petrol with sufficient time to change Alex's pump as we waited to board.

Haar and more haar until about level with South Walls when the sun burst through and we landed in the Hope with lovely golden hues.

A sprint up the road to get the telly on in time for the England v Denmark game; beds were made at half time and come full time, I was about ready to collapse into slumber

Alex found his initials behind the chippy in Wick; he didn't paint them himslef; oh no.