Walking On Sunshine

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The average population density in London is over 5000 people per km2. In my home town it is about 500.  In the Scottish Highlands it is.... wait for it.......8!!!  By an amazing coincidence the camper van density is almost exactly the opposite.  You can actually walk the NC500 treading only on the roofs of camper vans.  When you consider that a new one can cost £60k or more there must be a lot of kids who won't be getting the inheritance they were hoping for.

Since leaving the NC500 we haven't seen a single motorcycle or camper van.  Our route today tracked the A9 south and I had to expected it to be a bit pants.  Au contraire!  Today was Type 1 fun!!!!  The route was traffic free, there were enough hills to keep it interesting but nothing too testing, the scenery was gorgeous and THE SUN CAME OUT.  We were all done by 3pm and sat in the hotel garden sunning ourselves and sipping a recovery drink.  Carrying my panniers up to my room I was puzzled as to why they seemed so heavy, then realised that I have previously been wearing most of their contents to stave off trench foot and hypothermia.  Happy days.....a few more like this and I might remove Scotland from my cycling blacklist.

We are in Newtonmore, about 15 miles south of the poncy ski resort of Aviemore in one of the better hotels we have used.  We have booked a table for dinner, timed to avoid the coach party of geriatrics that recently arrived and have some reserves of recovery drink to last until then.


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