Awake at 0315 to see the first light; and then managed another couple of hours before rousing myself and set about striking camp.
Breakfast, stripping beds, hoover, dishes, tidy, pack the last bits, clear the fridge and lock the door.

A quiet ferry; we left in haar but with pockets of brightness. For once we turned right off the ferry and headed to Thurso; passing a multitude of camper vans as we did so. the NC500 seems to have caught on....

Thurso saw us refuel (the boys had refuelled on the ferry with bacon rolls) and off down Strath Naver we went. Strangely there were no sheep... sorry... camper vans.

We still coudn't locate the garlic mayo just before Dunrobin (even though it's signposted) and consoled ourselves with a Capaldi's ice cream in Golspie. Lunch at Invergordon.

I tried phoning Her just before we set off, but there was no answer. About 90 seconds after I'd started driving, She rang back so I pulled over on Invergordon sea front to speak to Her.

The car I pulled in in front of had a photographer getting out who I'd exhibited with at the City Art Centre about 4 years ago....! Just how small is Scotland...?

More petrol at Inverness; we cheered the Binos being namechecked on the board outside the Caley ground and managed as far as Bruar before another stop for food and drink. A scorcher so it wiz.

We rolled home around 1830 and after unpacking, I rattled out some fish (apart from the crab cakes, we'd not had fish in Orkney) before cleaning the car and returning it to the hire company. Thankfully the bike was still there where I'd left it...! 5km home in the evening sunshine and then a well earned gin / cycling highlights / deep sleep.