We left in drizzle, stopping at Aviemore for replacement brake blocks for Rowan, then along a tricky track which took a similar course to the Strathspey Railway but bendy and undulating with a sandy stony surface, not very well compacted. This took us into the oddly named Boat of Garten, followed by another track into Carrbridge where we stopped for lunch at the Old Bakery, it being too wet to enjoy a picnic. We marvelled at the Old Packhorse Bridge, constructed in 1717, and after a couple of miles on a minor road we were again on a track, passing over Sluggan Bridge as the rain became heavy again.
We reached the A9 just south of Slochd summit and travelled north via a combination of the old A9 and a path along the new road before diverging to pass through Tomatin. The rain had slowed to a drizzle so we stopped for an energy bar by the third noteworthy bridge of the day, this being an unusual concrete construction taking the old A9 over the river Findhorn.
The last twenty miles was a slog through heavy rain, spoiling what would have been a pleasant ride. We stopped at Tesco for tonight’s ingredients, then on to the modern hostel full of foreign tourists and backpackers, dried off and cooked a welcome dinner.
So that was the end of a great holiday, though better weather would have enhanced it. We were up early for the 07:55 train south and a very smooth journey back home.