700 miles in 32 Hours

I've completed my own endurance test and driven for more than twenty of the last thirty two hours. It's been a 'grand tour' of the west of Scotland.

From Loch Sunart where I live, it was up the Great Glen to Inverness, then the long coast road to Thurso where yesterday afternoon I saw Cailean for the first time in ages.

I collected Mick and Patrick from the Silver Fjord cargo ship, and after buying food we set off to drive across the top. Cailean advised the other route was quicker, but we chose the scenic route. With my little VW Polo groaning under the weight of the two big expedition boats, all their kit and three blokes, we rarely managed to go over 50mph. It was a beautiful drive.

And they gave me a superb pair of Faroes socks as a gift. Toastie.

We got the tents up around midnight (next to a lavator yin Drumbeg) and were back in the car by 7:30am this morning, finding our way to their chosen launch site at Clashnessie Bay to cross the Minch.

I drove down to Ullapool to drop off some kit for their return by ferry, then headed for Skye where I'd left Liz's kayak with Gordon & Morag Brown.

A twenty minute nap in a Glen Shiel lay-by revitalised me, and I was nearing home when I discovered the A82 blocked north of Spean Bridge. A check of the Road Conditions website confirmed a traffic accident had happened twenty minutes earlier at 14:08. Police vehicles streamed to the scene. So should I wait, or find another way?

I new I needed some stuff in B&Q so I headed back up to Inverness, did the weekly shop, then with the website saying the A82 wasn't closed but 'restricted', I decided to come down the A9 to Kingussie and cross over through Roybridge. I was touched that Morag rang to check it wasn't me in the crash.

I should have been on the 15:15 Corran ferry home but was on the 19:15. Perhaps I should have just waited? I hope Mick and Patrick have had a better day.