[This walk was completed on the 24th May 2023]
It was too dangerous to clamber over the rickety fence, and too dangerous to climb down the cliff to get round the obstruction, so I turn back. Reach the point where a farm track leaves the path. This should connect me with a road, and from there I can walk back to my van.
I still feel nervous walking up farm tracks, fearful of being challenged. But the “farm” at the top of the track turns out to be a private house behind a high wall. Here, I join the road at a sharp right-angled bend.
A woman and her dog are coming towards me. The wind is forcing her to bend low, and she is visibly struggling. I’m glad I am walking with the gale behind me.
Ah, here is the real farm. What a great view of the sea!
This section of road runs parallel to the coast. It’s the back road through a scattered community that seems to be called East Mey. The road runs long and straight.
The fields to my left contain cows with their calves. I’m glad in retrospect that I didn’t manage to climb over the fence – because I would have been trapped between the edge of the sea and fields full of cattle.
I finally reach the end of this road, where it takes another right-angled bend and heads back to join the main A836. I am sort of hoping I can continue straight ahead, sticking closer to the shore, and walking through countryide. I spot a small family group coming towards the road (just visible to the far left in the photo below.) Looks promising. Hope that means there is a path I can follow.
On the bend sits a little cottage painted bright blue – what a cheerful colour.
A sign beside the road promises “scones” and points towards the blue cottage. It’s nearly 2:30pm and, although I don’t feel particularly hungry, that means it is definitely the right time for tea and scones.
Also, I could do with a sit down. I do feel extraordinarily tired these days.
Next to the blue cottage is a red shack, and I spot a table laid with cloth inside. That must be the cafe. It’s tiny!
Nobody inside. At first I am confused, and then I realise it is a self-service honesty-box cafe. You make your own tea. Milk is in a tiny fridge. And there is a plate of homemade scones and a choice of jams. £5 for tea and two scones – what a bargain!
Luckily, I have some cash in my jacket pocket. I make myself a cup of tea and help myself to a couple of scones. Sit down at table with a pristine white cloth and wild flowers in a vase. Tuck into my scones. Bliss
Then voices outside – and the family I saw earlier blow in. It’s a mother and her two children – a little boy and an older girl of about 6. Then follows one of those surreal encounters where you get a glimpse into somebody else’s life and see the world from a different perspective.
The three year old has multiple allergies and is not allowed to have any of the scones – poor kid. Mum has some special snacks for him… but it must be tough.Turns out the woman once lived on a houseboat, but has left her partner and is currently living a nomadic type of existence with her two children. Home at the moment is her father’s static caravan, but she is housesitting for a friend – “in a BIG house,” her daughter says. But, after a houseboat and a caravan, the child’s ideas of a big house must be a little low.
The mother’s ambition is to buy a campervan and – when I pull a face thinking of how small camper vans are – she gives a detailed description of how she will arrange the sleeping accommodation. In addition, she is home-educating her kids and so, by her own admission, they run feral.
They are noisy and unfocused, but seem very happy, while mum seems very loving and caring. But it is a relief when they leave and head towards their car.
Meanwhile, the woman who runs the cafe has arrived. She is the windblown woman with the dog I met earlier on the road. The cafe is called “Scone with the Wind” and she admits she doesn’t get many customers. The four of us have filled the place up, and eaten most of the scones!
The woman mentioned that she and her children had walked along a path to a beautiful beach, where the water was blue and they had watched seals playing in the bay. So, instead of following the road round the bend, I go through the fence and set off acoss country to find their beach.
Turning left would take me to St John’s Point, but she had indicated the beautiful bay was reached by a path going straight ahead, and so that is the path I take. It doesn’t look very promising at first. Athough the path seems well-trodden, the bracken and gorse on either side are rather dull.
And then, the shore comes into view. Wow! What a truly beautiful bay.
The water is very clear, and there really are seals playing in the waves. Too far below to take decent photographs, I’m afraid.
The bay is officially called Scotland’s Haven, although the woman in the cafe simply referred to it as “The Haven”. It would, indeed, make a good haven for a distressed ship – a great place to drop anchor and ride out a storm.
The path stays high, and I follow it to the apex of a the bay. Here, I perch on a stone and eat my snack lunch. Spend almost an hour there, simply enjoying the place.
I was hoping to continue following the coast round to where my van is parked at a place called Gills. But the path I follow, which seems very promising at first, circles round and I end up walking back to the corner where I started.
There is the blue cottage and the red cafe.
I follow the little road to where it soon joins the main road at a T junction.
It is tedious to be continually dodging traffic. The traffic is light, but you have to keep a constant look out for speeding cars and vans. Luckily, the view to the left is lovely.
Ah, there’s an island over there. I check my map. The Island of Stroma. People actually live there, I think. How windswept and desolate it looks, even on a lovely day like today.
I approaching the settlement called Gills. This must pass for the centre of the village – a bus stop and a telephone box!
Below me is a rather untidy looking wharf. Construction going on. Strange. I thought this was the main ferry port for the Orkneys?
A little lane leads off to the left. Probably the route of the old main road? I follow it, as it loops down the hill, crossing a little burn via an old stone bridge.
From here I get a better view of the wharf. Ah, yes, there is a large concrete area for parking and official-looking buildings. This looks more like the ferry port I was expecting to see.
All too soon, my little lane rejoins the main road, just beside the access road to the ferry port.
Not far to go now. I can see my van parked in a layby on the corner.
Nearby, there is an information plaque, telling me all about the Island of Stroma. It is separated from the mainland by the notorious Pentland Firth.
I drive back to Castletown, where I have another night booked in the lovely hotel. A comfortable bed, fluffy towels, and an ensuite shower… bliss!
On the way, I stop at Dunnet Bay. The ferocious wind has dropped, and the beach looks delightful in the sunshine. I sit on the step of my van, drink a can of coke and eat a Tunnocks chocolate bar, that the hotel – bizarrly – provided for breakfast. Then walk to the edge of the shore and take photos of the white breakers.
Tomorrow, I am walking to John o’Groats. It will be another big milestone achieved on my coastal trek. “John o’Groats or bust,” I write in my diary.
Miles walked today = 10.5 miles
Total distance around coast = 5,057.5 miles
Route: (morning in black, afternoon in red)
Ruth's Coastal Walk (UK) 
What a beautiful bay you stumbled across and I could almost taste those scones!
All the best
Patricia
It was a special place.
I’m still following and admiring your determined progress. Fancy taking on this challenge with your worry about cows knowing that they will be a constant occurrence throughout. That is true bravery. Terrific weather and light. I bought a John o’ Groats polo shirt at the gift shop at John o’ Groats – I wonder if you may do the same? It would be a good memento, but looking at the chronology it is obviously now too late.
I did buy a nice striped top from John o’Groats, which I enjoy wearing.
I did later contact that shop by phone and bought another pollo shirt mail order.
A great day Ruth, those views, the wind behind you and the scones!
Yes, it was a memorable day.
What a unique scone experience! Stroma is now uninhabited bar occasional livestock I believe. We’ve been to Orkney several times and passing the island is always intriguing 🙂
Ah, I didn’t realise it is uninhabited now. I’ve never been to any of the islands but intend to return and visit.
I only found out when I googled it after passing it on my first trip to Orkney, I was intrigued and love a good derelict building haha 🙂 The islands are wonderful, I’m sure you’d love the walks there!
I think “The Haven” is why we love our coastal walks, wherever they are when you come across these places and the associated wildlife magic happens 🙂 – Cheers Russ
Yes, it was a magical day!
Still following you with interest. What a delightful day; glorious weather, stunning views, delicious scones but, as often it’s the people met with on walks that really make the day. When we took the ferry across to Orkney I remember well the heaving whirlpools of the currents but also a fellow passenger who was immensely proud to show me his brand new hi-tech Blackberry! How old tech that now seems. Glad all goes well with you. I guess the end is edging in sight. What then I wonder. All the best Jacquie
Ha ha. Well, technology might change, but the hazardous Pentland Firth will always be hazardous!
Scone with the Wind made me smile. 🙂
The best little cafe on the north coast 😂
Im in awe of you as usual you are a star !!!!
Oh Sue, I just muddle along. Slow and not very steady.
Walking the coast is such a tough challenge. It needs such commitment to keep going even when you are knackered and not feeling well. I know how you are finding it, but how you are managing it with what else is going on in your life. Heaven only knows. You will do it Ruth. We are all in awe of you. All best C.
Thank you Chris. At this stage, I was putting my tiredness down to old age.
And that is totally understandable!!! I really noticed it in my last year 2019 when I was 59. Someone once told me (can’t remember whom – but being a doctor maybe you know it anyway, if indeed it is true) that you get more fit over the first 2,000 miles, and then gradually get less fit no matter how far you walk. I am about to do something totally mad. I have not walked for over a year but I am going back to my reverse coast walk. I am not committing to doing the entire coast in reverse, but I am going back to Suffolk to where I got to in May 2023, and starting off again. I hope to get to near Woodbridge in 5 days. I will be doing lots of there and back walks and just pottering. I have been missing my walking and putting on weight. I will be reporting on it on Facebook, Walking Britain’s Coast. I’m aiming to do 5 days walking a month whilst in England, and if I ever get there 10 days walking alternate months in Scotland. First week will be at the end of September. Totally totally mad!!!
What a lovely walk. I don’t remember the self service Scone cafe, what a nice idea. Sounds like you timed it just as there was a “rush” on. You got nearer to the coast than me on this one, I didn’t know there was a path to Scotlands Haven beach so I never saw it. Looks like I missed out! Discovering hidden beaches like that is what makes it so enjoyable, I find. You probably know, that the Castle of Mey was a favourite of the Queen Mother who used to spend a lot of time. I don’t think the rest of the family liked it, they sold it off not long after she died I believe.
Finding Scotland’s Haven was just serendipity. If I hadn’t met that nomad woman and her children, I wouldn’t have known about the path. I thought about the Queen Mum a lot as I walked past her castle. She loved the place very much, but it always seemed a strangely isolated place to base herself… but then I saw the area, and I realise why she adored it.
Love the self-service cafe – must make it to Scotland next year, if only to try those scones! The Haven looks idyllic.
I’m not sure how long the Scone with the Wind cafe will last, to be honest. But it was an idyllic day.
Am loving the cottage most..it seems to be fan seeing one as it is rear in my place..the photos are really catchy! I just love the whole blog!!!
Thank you.
I love the name of the cafe. The owner has a sense of humour! What a lovely treat to have the unexpected scones.
The Haven looks beautiful and I would have lingered for quite some time enjoying the view.
I agree that a coke and a Tunnocks bar is a bizarre choice for breakfast and I wouldn’t have been impressed if I’d paid for breakfast at the hotel and got that, preferring a healthier choice to start my day.
To be fair to the hotel, the coke was my own, but the Tunnocks bar was nicked from the breakfast buffet. My main breakfast was bacon and eggs – probably even less healthy than the Tunnocks bar!
I am (in a delayed manner) continuing to read your blog with so much pleasure. Thank you Ruth for all your work in enabling others to share in your walk (we lived in Orkney for 20 years). Paul
Hi Paul, and thank you for your kind comment.