Log No 36. Sun 5th May 2013 - East of Macduff to Findochty, 23 miles (614 miles walked)

I had a late start today at 9.00, little wind and bright but cloudy. When I went to hand in the key for the toilet block I got the £5 site fee returned because of the walk.

I stayed on the road to Macduff and did some shopping in Banff. The campsite just outside Banff did take tents, this is where I had intended making for yesterday. I had a break just past here, it was 11.00 and the sun had come out, this was the best weather I had had so far.

From Whitehills there was a grassy path along the shore and I met 3 folk walking along it (no dogs) so I hoped it went all the way to Portsoy. It petered out after about half an hour so I don't know where they had come from.

I went up to the top of the slopes then into the field side of the fence, there was a stream coming into Boyce Bay that I was going to have to get over.

The map showed there was a bridge so I headed for it.
What the map didn't show was that it was working quarry and that the bridge had high security gates across. With it being a Sunday it was all locked up.

I took my boots off and walked across in the bay, it wasn't deep and it was a nice day for a paddle. Climbing back up I walked around the edge of rape fields until I finally picked up a footpath on the descent into Portsoy.

Coming out of Portsoy it was a good wide grassy path, well marked, to Sandend.

The marked path continued from here along the top of the slopes past Findlater Castle, one of the many ruined 'castles' on a rocky outcrop, then down into Sunnyside beach and then along the bottom of the slopes into Cullen.

It was 16.00 when I was at the very nice beach and I was feeling like stopping, each potential site I came to I thought there would be a better one. Before I knew it I was out of the secluded areas so I would have to carry on to one of the campsites.

I met a lot of people on the Sandend to Cullen path and there was also a bit of rock popular with climbers.

The campsite at Cullen was high up on the cliff top and I wasn't making the detour.

Cullen had a Pet Cemetery on the shore, I presumed it was just stone markers and not actual burials, but there was a lot of them.

It was another half hour to the next site at Portknockie but it was chalets only, it was now 17.30 and I was needing to stop.

Two miles to next one at Findochty and all along the cycleway I was looking at every rough patch of ground, I didn't want to get to the next site and find I could't camp there. This section of path was not secluded and I briefly considered pitching next to a cemetery.

Nothing was suitable so I got to Findochty with my fingers crossed, it was 18.15.
I don't know if there was any proper space for me but I said to the caravan park owner that I hoped she could squeeze me in somewhere, and thankfully she did, between two chalets. I am not saying this is a posh site but the toilet block is carpeted!!

It has seemed a long day but the sun shone all day and it has been good scenery over the 23 miles.

I fear it is a losing battle trying to rely on solar energy to keep everything charged up. With the panel on for 9 hours the battery only put charge into the phone for a meagre 9 minutes.

There is no phone signal at the campsite.