So I was on the road just after seven. I knew I had some climbing to do pretty much straight away. Well, after a massive downhill first of course - just to make the climb back up even longer!

At the bottom there was a shop. This was good as there was nothing else for miles. It wasn't a great shop to be honest, but they did have some almost fresh bread rolls, so I got some of those and some babybels - which is a favourite when I'm in Europe!

With all that smashed down, it was time to attack the climbs. It was very slow going and it was only after about half an hour that I realised the route I was on yesterday - NCN7 actually carries on, but bypasses the road I was on. I now know why!

So I was taking a short cut, but with the amount of climbing, it probably took longer than going the long way round. Oh well.

Anyway, once up, down, then back up again I finally rejoined NCN7. The first part runs either alongside the A9 or on bits of abandoned old A9.

This was OK to start with, but really started to drag as it was all slightly uphill and as I was heading slightly west - into a headwind.

I had thought about trying to push on to a campsite near Inverness that I stayed at last year, but it was a long way to go. I'd spotted what looked like an acceptable site near Aviemore, but at the speed a was crawling along at - even that was looking doubtful!

Anyway, things started looking up around lunchtime. I stopped at a café and had a "Scottish BLT". So that's a sandwich of Bacon, Lorne (square) Sausage and aTattie Scone. It was superb and set me up perfectly!

As I set off again, the direction of the route now went north with more east in it than west. That and the shape of the valley everything runs through (river, train, A9) I now had a tailwind. It was still uphill, but I soon got to the top of the pass and there was a sign stating that it was the highest point on the NCN anywhere in Scotland.

Of course, now I had a long gradual decent. So I absolutely battered it!

I was eating up the miles so fast, I suddenly started to think that maybe I could make it to my preferred campsite.

When I was only a few miles from the crappy, only just acceptable site, the decision was made. I called my preferred site, they said turn up whenever, I said I'd be there for seven. I got going again smashing out the not inconsiderable amount of miles remaining.

When I got to Carrbridge, I needed some supplies, so I stopped off at a Spa staffed by an extremely odd woman and loaded up with food. With that done, it was onwards and of course - upwards. So it was uphill again for miles. I seriously began to question myself for going for the further campsite, but what goes up must come down right?

So once over the summit, I hooned it down the other side and arrived in good time.

This campsite is brilliant. It has the best showers of any campsite I have ever been to. It also has a kitchen / laundry room with plenty of sockets for charging stuff. Last night's site had no sockets at all. Actually - it had one, but it had a lock thing over it to stop people using it!

The first thing I did when I got here was stick my big batteries on charge as they were getting low - I'd not topped them up in a week.

Oh - this campsite is incredibly only 7 quid for the night! Although that's 50p more than last year. Outrageous!

So I've had my dinner, my stuff is on charge and I'm in my tent away from the midges. They're not too bad - just being mildly irritating!

I need to have look at the map as I have no idea what's coming up tomorrow!