We admired a beautiful large white double daisy in the B&B garden. It turned out to be a locally bred Dahlia aptly named Highland Mist. Of course we took photos!

When we left it was heavily overcast and drizzling. Minutes later we had to stop as the single lane road was blocked by a horse and 5 donkeys. Following the coast we were treated to frequent ocean views.. even some 'surf'... rough breakers due to the changing weather.

Due to thick coastal trees and scrub I have often bemoaned the absence of sea views when travelling the east coast of Australia but now seeing the alternative makes me content that is that way. Here there is nearly a total absence of trees. WE can drive 10-15 miles seeing only an occasional tree. 2 or 3 times today we passed small groups of trees but each time they were associated with a large estate or manor house.

West of Thurso we passed a large industrial plant bearing the initials UKAEA. Nuclear Decontamination/Decommissioning Services.

We stopped at Thurso and processed another 5 rolls of film. So far this is the only commodity that doesn't seem outrageously expensive. We had some excellent results with no bad light shots so have to wonder at the quality of film or processing last time. Email was a disappointment with neither of the 2 venues allowing us to access our floppy discs. Near Thurso we took photos of a 'lived in' gatehouse with beautiful gate-posts. Also at Dunnet a ?manor house for dogs? Behind a thatched cottage with a matching thatched roof!

We visited Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the Scottish mainland. We stopped at the lighthouse with the view of doing a tour and hoping to see Puffins but it started raining heavily so we pushed on. During the day we passed many bogs with evidence of recent turf cutting. Eventually we were stuck behind a tractor load on a narrow single lane stretch.We took photos of 2 more quaint phone box locations today. We'll have quite a collection. There are castle ruins dotted all along this north coast road. We stopped at one with associated grand manor house dated 1860 at Dunnet.

Another thing I love to see but we seldom get to stop at are the old stone bridges. These are frequently on narrow, winding mountain roads with nowhere to stop either side.

We lunched at Wick. I was chatting away to Russ. I was chatting away to Russ and turned sideways to look at him and was left speechless (truly) by the sight of my sister Elaine looking back at me from a mirror. It had happened once before in Brisbane when I came face to face with myself in a store monitor. Russ said... what about me... I often see my mother in law sitting beside me! Family resemblance eh?

We had prebooked to a B&B at Wick so booked in there soon after lunch before setting off to see the local scenery. We visited castles Girnigoe and Sinclair. Girnigoe was built on a peninsula rock with precipitous cliffs to the sea on three sides between 1476 and 1496 by William, the second Sinclair Earl. The very fine architectural addition known as Sinclair Castle was built in 1606, the castles integrated and used as one.

Local stones were used in both cases and the walls look like extensions of the cliff face. Keiss Castle, another Sinclair Castle, stands on the other side of Sinclair Bay. We had a great Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding at the local pub. Our B&B is the Impala Guest House.

We could only settle into bed after shooing off a very noisy pair of birds ? herring gulls? who were sitting outside our window and were apparently trying to warn off every other bird for miles around.