Sat 19th June - Day 64, Loch Choire to Chalybeate Springs (26 miles)

Another day of wind & rain, listening to it lashing against the tent I was trying without success to put off having to go to the toilet.

I was cold & with soaked boots & feet was not looking forward to today & tomorrow. In retrospect I should maybe have chosen an easier, less remote route for this final section, but I did want a challenge.

The 14 miles on the path along Loch Choire then the track E to the road were made in good time, a quick lunch sheltering behind a dyke then I should have gone x-country for 5 miles but with the thought of a pathless, boggy terrain I took the slightly longer but quicker road option.

Joining the main road at Kinbrace Stn a road sign said 'Thurso 38 miles', I was tempted to follow the road but stuck to my plan & turned off into the hills for the last time.

Going uphill on a compass bearing to the trig pillar on Knockfin Heights was easy enough but although I could see it I never got to it.
The map showed the top of the hill to be a fairly flat, boggy, featureless area covered with water filled peat holes. My route should have missed these but maybe because of all the rain lately there were a lot more & as I tried to work my way around them was forced south away from the pillar.
It was fortunate that it wasn't misty or I doubt if I could have found my way N & E to the only stream shown on the top.
I followed the stream to where a path was supposed to be and, thankfully, there was one. It was 18:30, still raining & had taken 3.5 hours to do the last 6 miles, I pitched my tent, cooked my tea & went to sleep, the daily report could wait.

1133 miles completed.