That’s the journey time to 1, Shore Cottages in Berriedale, Caithness, just 36 miles south of John O’ Groats where you fall into the sea at the end of Scotland.
I booked this short break two years ago as being woken by the sound of the waves is my idea of bliss. Frighteningly you get to the cottage via a rope bridge over a bit of a chasm. It sways alarmingly and when the notice says do not jump up and down on the bridge, all I can say is, why would you?
The Landmark Trust supplied a wheelbarrow to cart your luggage to and fro. Chas did the honours. Alice the dog resolutely refused to set foot on the bridge and insisted on being carried.
Obviously when you go this far north you have to deliver the obligatory John O’ Groats picture. Here I am being blown about in the crazy Scottish weather. One moment warm and sunny, the next a hoolie.
If you turn right from the village and walk along the coast path you come across the best shell beach ever. I love looking for shells so I was in heaven, there were mounds of them everywhere and as I was the only one looking triumphed in the ‘who found the first cowrie’ competition.
This is home to the machair, a grassland habitat built up of layers of sand and shells. It is extremely rare and 90% of it is found in Scotland and Ireland.
We spotted three seals, a wedge of swans, interesting that swans in flight are called a wedge, way too many Canada geese and loads of oystercatchers chattering away to each other.
One of my favourite moments was stumbling across an old fashioned free and easy campsite next to the sea. No manicured lawns here or electricity hook ups, just park up where you want, light a fire, bring the dogs and have fun. That’s a proper holiday.
