Day 6

The stars were fabulous when I was up in the night but it was too cold to gaze. I slept fully clothed to keep warm.

I was up before the cuckoo. There had been quite a frost on the bike and tent. I had left some of my clothes, that weren't quite dry from washing in Ballater, hanging on the bike. They were stiff but fortunately the label on my pants says Icebreaker!

A few miles along the trail I came upon some deer in the field. They didn't run off as usual.

The trail followed the Spey for a while, crossing on an old railway bridge.

There was a lovely tree in blossom beside the old line.

I stopped for a pot noodle lunch by an oasis in a desert of tree stumps.

For much of the day the sound of a cuckoo accompanied me and there were many beautiful trees on the way. 

I got to Forres just in time for mushroom soup before meeting two Samaritans from the Elgin branch over a cup of tea.

I then walked across the road for a curry. With the hot wet towel after the meal I've had my wash for the day! I cycled on a few miles to camp by the salt marsh on the edge of Culbin forest.

The 180 degree view over the salt marsh is spectacular but hard to capture in a photo.

It is milder with no wind tonight. I've been told there aren't midges in the east of Scotland but they were visiting today. But well worth the irritation for the fantastic views.