Ist week in July 1972. Inverness - Fort Augustus- Spean Bridge- Fort William- Strontain – Mallaig _ferry to Kyle of Lochalsh, train to Inverness – walking from Aviemore and Cairngorm- train to Perth – Glasgow – Stevenston.
2nd week in July 1972. Walking in Devon and Dartmoor as bike had collapsed in Scotland
Saturday 1st July 1972
10.56 train previous night arriving in Inverness 08.49. Invermoriston 14.30, Fort Augustus, Loch Oich, Loch Lochy, Spean Bridge, camped at 21.00.
Sunday 2nd July 1972
Spean Bridge 11.00, Commando memorial, down hill with Ben Nevis and the Lochabers on the left, on to Fort William. At a viewpoint to the 1745 rebellion 14.00 – 15.00, Loch Linnhe, Onich, ferry to Ardgour 16.30. I could see heavy rain across the loch and it was already showery at Onich. Hills to Strontain, chatted with a Scotsman for ½ an hour on the bridge (17.30 – 1800), to Restipole, Salen, Lochailort, now gathering dusk at 22.15. At Ardnish saw the Bonnie Prince Charlie cairn, Arisaig, Morar, my gears were slipping one mile from Mallaig, arriving at midnight in the town my back wheel collapsed, out of chain stays and chain off the jockey wheels. I fiddled with it just after midnight, put wheel back on and rethreaded chain but wheel rubs against chainstays. I left it locked in a shelter at a house nearby then tooksleeping bag and saddlebag down into Mallaig and kipped down in a shelter.
Monday 3rd July
Woke at 06.40, out 10 minutes later. Bought a pie from a shop and asked about the boat for Kyle of Lochlash. Told there was one at 12.30 then train from Kyle to Inverness at 17.50 or I could go for a train from Mallaig at 07.25 to Fort William then bus to Inverness. I went back up the hill for the bike then messed about on Mallaig station sorting saddlebag and bags that I wouldn’t need then I would leave these in a left luggage locker on Inverness station then carry with me the panniers, tent and sleeping bag. I would lock the bike up on Inverness station.
First week in September 1971
Inverness – Shiel – Strome Ferry – Achnasheen –Muir of Ord – Inverness – Perth – Lochearnhead – Loch Lomond – Tarbet – Balfron – Stirling – Forth Bridge - Edinburgh