Around the Adriatic Sea 2026: Dubrovnik – Durrës (Albania) – Bari
The second leg of my cycle tour around the Adriatic Sea: the Balkan countries, probably as far as Dubrovnik in Croatia, perhaps even further…
My tent was still wet in the morning, so I decided first to Duncansby Head cycling and only packing up around noon. Duncansby Head is the northeasternmost point of Scotland (main photo). It lies some three kilometres beyond the village of John O'Groats. The lighthouse does not represent much, but the desolation of the grass plains on the cliffs, the rock coast and the detached rock pillars off the coast were impressive, especially when combined with the threatening skies and pelting rain gusts.
Duncansby Head lighthouse
After a quick sandwich at the campsite, I set off for a fairly long 70-kilometre ride to the next campsite. Fifty kilometres along a lovely local road, again a long straight road through the 'void as on the last ride on the Hebrides to Stornoway. This time, my cycling meditation was interrupted twice by rain showers to say 'you' to, thankfully short-lived.
In a wooded area - it did well the smell of pine smell again, which was a long time ago - I saw from the road the 'Camster Cairns', a round stone mound with 1 entrance and an oblong one with 2 entrances. However, I could not visit them as it was already nearing six o'clock and I still had 20 km to cycle. The last 10 km I rode coastal via the fairly busy A9.
On arrival, I was quite tired, probably because of the wet - dry - wet - dry changes. It was only 12° yesterday, you cool down very quickly when wet. Fortunately, there was a 'dry room' on the campsite, so all cycling clothes guaranteed bone-dry in the morning. And heated sanitary facilities, that did well too. I find it hard to imagine here at the moment another heatwave in Belgium prevails...
En route to Dunbeath
All along the ride alongside the fairly busy A9, there is no alternative road here. And again tomorrow....
One very tricky and long climb today, from 10 to 15%, which I had to divide into three pieces to get to the top.
I passed the ruins of Badbea, a village right on the edge of the cliffs where small tenants (crofters) had been forced to settle after being taken in by large landowners driven from their fields were during the cruel Highland 'land clearances'. Consequently, many of them emigrated to Canada or Australia.
En route to Brora: Helmsdale Emigration Memorial
The campsite of Brora was right by the sea, but last night I had not made it to the beach due to excessive rain. This morning it was dry and I managed. A little after six o'clock I made a beach walk and my morning mood was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise.
By 8:30 I wanted to leave, but by then it was drizzling, so I had to pack the tent wet. Fortunately, the ride was fairly light and rolling, not too many gut-wrenching climbs, and by noon it cleared up.
On the way, I passed Dunrobin Castle, a mastodon with no less than 189 rooms, a falconry and a Versailles-style garden. This was probably the home of the rich stinker who drove the poor Balbea tenants out of their farmhouses in the 19th century, but I have not been able to check this due to an even too long drive ahead.
At Tain, a pretty museum village, I quickly visited the little church attached to St. Duthac dedicated. Duthac was probably born here around the year 1,000. He had special gifts as a child and later moved to Ireland to study. The little church became a place of pilgrimage, visited 18 times by King James IV in 20 years.
I also found another engraved Pictish stone there, the Ardjachie Stone, but the engraving is very worn and not visible without sunlight, I learned from the museum attendant. After Tain, I could fortunately continue via a quiet country road, a respite from the miserably busy A9.
Not much to tell today. No breathtaking scenery and only one rain shower, which started just after I swallowed the last bite of my sandwiches on a nice bench on the banks of the River Ness. This was followed by another long and windy bridge across the Ness to Inverness.
Not having had an overly good cycling day today, I decided to stop in Inverness. Tonight I will take a modest step into the city. Sometime something other than cycling all day and updating social media in the evening will do well 😋.
Bank of Ness river
Back a more scenic ride today. The first 15 km to get out of Inverness were permanently climbing and quite boring, as always when leaving a big city.
The rest of the drive over National Cycling Route 7 proceeded on quiet roads and through forests and beautiful, hilly countryside. The highest point of the ride was the 454-metre pass at Sloghd Summit. After that, it was pretty much all the way down to Aviemore.
At Carrbridge I passed a arch bridge from 1717. The lady who took a photo of me there managed to tell me that a few years ago, after 4 days of heavy rain, the river water had risen to just below the bridge. That must have been something! We are lucky the pretty little bridge survived this.
Carrbridge (1717)
The second leg of my cycle tour around the Adriatic Sea: the Balkan countries, probably as far as Dubrovnik in Croatia, perhaps even further…
On my travels, I meet so many friendly, helpful and hospitable people.
They deserve a hall of fame.
