The drizzle cleared this morning to make way for bright blue skies and wispy clouds. Though blustery, it was perfect for our first stop of the day – Dunnet Bay Distillery: the producer of Rock Rose Gin. Being lazy, we drove the 0.5mile and parked in the decent sized car park. Be aware though that they are currently building a new shop from an extended stone crofters cottage. This has reduced parking and if there are a couple of “abandoned” motorhomes, you may struggle to get parked.
The 2014 founded distillery was really interesting to learn about and Craig, our guide, explained (with humour) how the day to day running of the distillery worked. It was particularly fascinating to hear about how the bottles are filled, corked, sealed and waxed by hand and that the owners went against advice to sell their gin in ceramic bottles. I think Colin was particularly intrigued by the four-year brewing and distilling degree that Heriott Watt university offers… Still, he would miss the green uniform I’m sure! As one of us had to drive, I tasted almost every gin that the distillery has produced and was pleasantly surprised by all except the Navy Strength, which was a little too strong for me! We left armed with a bottle of Holy Grass Vodka, which hopefully will be liked by our Russian/Polish friends on our return journey home.
From the distillery we headed down “unknown road” (dangerous for anyone in a larger than life vehicle) to Dunnet Head Lighthouse. We couldn’t believe how clear the sky was and had outstanding 360 degree views across the top of Scotland – so clear that we could see Orkney, the Scapa Flow and many ruins of WW2 out buildings on the hill tops. On such a beautiful day, it was hard to imagine what isolation must have been experienced by those posted to Dunnet Head during WW2.
Despite Dunnet Head being the most northerly point of the Scottish mainland we couldn’t not go to John O’Groats for the obligatory signpost picture and, after ticking another box, we continued West to Duncansby Head to find the Duncansby Stacks – reported as the most breathtaking stretch of Scottish shoreline. As a bit of a Geography geek I was enthralled by the landscape, habitats, rock structure and the arches and stacks that had formed. The path along the cliff top is clear to follow and the fence enables you to view the birds, habitats and coastline without putting yourself in danger. Eventually, this fence runs out but you can continue the clifftop walk with your own common sense as protection. The cliffs are high and rugged – don’t be too tempted to get too close to the edge for the perfect shot.
Windswept and content, we continued our journey South to Wick where we were greeted by an outstanding campsite and exceptional customer service. The site, by the River Wick, is well looked after, clearly signposted and well serviced – the owner was selling herself short when comparing it to Caravan and Motorhome Club Sites. We’d definitely recommend – especially with the added bonus of a The Wick Pipe Band performing in town tonight!
This is not a midlife crisis... 