A wonderful walking loop today. Weather initially overcast with a strong breeze, later a touch of blue sky but still with the breeze. Perfect day for walking. I started in the centre of Thurso and followed the cliff path to Scrabster and its harbour, the gateway to the Orkneys. The Norseman Ferry arrived just at the moment of my arrival. I stopped in the Peene Cafe for a full English Breakfast before continuing to Scrabster Lighthouse, now a domsetic residence. A bit of a climb to reach the cliff top path. A very good grassy path with magnificent cliff top views took me to Holborn Head and the impressive Cleft Rock, a solitary sea stack, Its top is covered with grass and the ledges down the sides are home to a great number of sea birds. The rock is about 30 metres high, made of Caithness old red sandstone and separated from the mainland by a 15-metre-wide channel. Great views across the Pentland Firth. Continuing on the cliff top path is unprotected but generally a safe distance from the cliff edge, other than a couple of sections where the path forms part of the cliff edge and you have to hug the fence (don’t look down if you suffer from vertigo!). There are geos and sea caves. The return to Scrabster is along a straight stone track. loch was beautiful today with reflections from the sky. I somehow managed to create a perfect pattern with the wind turbine blades.
