We awoke to rain, which had stopped by the time we left at 9:00 but the mist was thick enough to make us wet, visibility was very poor and again the cold necessitated gloves. We saw very little on the hard, hilly ten miles to Bettyhill, where we refuelled at the cafe.
We pressed on through the gloom and after another hour or so were surprised to see blue sky through the mist out to sea and soon after we were in warm sunshine, just in time for our lunch. After Reay, near the Dounreay nuclear station, the gradients eased but the mist returned for our entry into the grim town of Thurso where everyone looked cold and miserable. Since there were no facilities near our B&B, we bought salads for the evening. The warm welcome at the excellent Burnside Cottage B&B restored our spirits and we spent our last night on the Scottish mainland.