DAY 7 - SAINT ANITA & SAINT JOHN

ALNESS TO INVERNESS

Well, it was so lovely to have Anita join me, that i have officially named her as my first Saint of the journey! Saving me mainly from myself and the depths of dispair with my blisters, she came to my rescue and renewed my faith for my walk and my ability to make it to the end. Thank you Anita!

We had a late breakfast at 8.45am but were ready for the off by 9.10 and managed to get ourselves onto some great cycle paths and footpaths to keep us of the A9 for at least the first 5 miles of the day. Conversation flowed allowing me to forget all about my feet (could it really be that simple?!) and before we knew it we were at the bridge over the Cromaty Firth just in time for the rain showers and the wind to batter us the whole1.25 mile walk across!

Over the other side, a few more side lanes and one big hill later, we found a small pub to stop in for a quick half and some soup before carrying onwards towards Inverness and our Sex and the City 2 tickets which we had all booked for the 6pm showing!!

At 2.30pm on the dot, my phone rang from BBC Radio 2 & Jonathan Ross was all ready to include us on his pre recorded show (going out tomorrow morning/Saturday around 11.30am if anyone can record it please?!!) in the quiz they were running. We talked idle chit chat about what a great thing it was doing the walk, Junior Apprentice and Pancake Passion bits before i dramatically lost hands down to the other contestant Simon.... at least it got a bit of publicity for Grove House and a mug (for a mug!) is winging its way to home in commiseration of my (listening!) appearance!

By 4pm, it was becoming evident after 16.5 miles that we were going to be leaving it late to get to Inverness in time for the big film opening so we detoured into a filling station and made a few enquiries if anyone was heading our way! It was only 3 drivers later before we found our next new Saint of the day - Saint John!! He was actually going in a completely different direction to ours but so kindly said it was only 5 minutes drive for him and he duly sped us to right outside our Strathallan B & B door!! What a gentleman! Hoorah that they do still exist!!

It allowed us time for a shower each, cup of tea and biccie all in readiness for our big night out on the town! We sat in our socks, massaging our feet (!) in the back row of the cinema completely surrounded by other 'girls nights out groups' and loved every minute of our chick flick which couldnt have been more appropriate for the evening!

Immediately post film we shuffled up to the bus station to find out about routes for tomorrow but alas it was all closed up! Enroute back to our beds, we had a quick bite at an Italian but the calling for bed was so strong that we made it there by 9.45pm! Great to have the company and so grateful for Saint John getting us to Inverness in time for our relaxation time! There really are some great people around, prepared to offer unconditional favours to complete strangers ..... Thank you Scotland for being so hospitable!