Ruth's Coastal Walk (UK)

525 Badbea to Helmsdale

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Monday the 20th May, 2024]

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was misty and damp, but today is brilliant sunshine with blue skies and a clear horizon. How wonderful!

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged hiking, memorial, photography, scotland, travel | 10 Comments

524 Berriedale to Badbea

Posted on April 19, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Sunday, 19th May 2024]

It’s a drizzly, mizzly, damply misty morning. I walk down into Berriedale and look across the valley to take a photograph of the road I will be climbing shortly. Sadly, it looks just as foggy on the other side.

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged A9, hiking, mist, photography, travel | 14 Comments

523 Dunbeath to Berriedale

Posted on April 18, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Saturday 18th May, 2024]

Today, I will be mainly road-walking along the notorious A9. But, first, I follow a minor road under the overpass, and take a path up the hill. Great views. Dunbeath doesn’t seem very large from up here.

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged bluebells, hiking, photography, scotland, travel | 6 Comments

522 Latheron to Dunbeath

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Friday, 17th May, 2024]

I cycle back to the cemetery in Latheron. The old chapel is now the Clan Gunn heritage centre – but it is closed. Chain my bike behind a public toilet (also closed) and set off for my road-walk to Dunbeath.

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged fairy house, harbour, hiking, scotland, travel | 16 Comments

521 Lybster to Latheron

Posted on April 12, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Thursday, 16th May, 2024]

I walk down to the harbour at Lybster. It is a pleasant stroll along a road, in watery sunshine.

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged castle, hiking, photography, travel, walking | 10 Comments

520b Whaligoe to Lybster

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Tuesday 14th May, 2024]

It is a beautiful place to have lunch. On flat rocks, with waterfalls cascading down the slope above, and a ruined building perched in the distance.

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged hiking, lighthouse, nature, photography, travel, walking, waterfalls | 30 Comments

520a Whaligoe to Lybster

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Tuesday, 14th May, 2024]

From the bus stop on the main road, I walk along the little lane that leads to the Whaligoe Steps. Past the row of little cottages, past a number of vehicles trying to get into the tiny car park (which is full), until I reach the end of the tarmac.

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged cliffs, geo, hiking, nature, photography, travel, walking, waterfalls | 16 Comments

519pm Wick to Whaligoe

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Monday, 13th May, 2024]

Leaving Sarclet Haven behind, I carry on along The John o’Groats Trail. I’m tired now – this walk seems longer than I anticipated – but I must be nearly there. Another geo to walk around, fringed with pink thrift flowers. Turrie Geo, I think

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged geos, hiking, nature, photography, stacks, travel, walking, waterfalls | 19 Comments

519am Wick to Sarclet

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Ruth Livingstone

[This walk was completed on Monday, 13th May 2024]

I cycle the long, straight road into Wick, find the side road that leads past the Trinkie swimming pool, and reach the car park at the end of the lane. Then, I realise I forgot to bring my bicycle lock! (It’s been a year since I walked the coast, and I have forgotten my usual routine.) So, with some difficulty, I drag my Scooty bike down a grassy slope, and leave it hidden from the road, lying against some rocks.

Continue reading →

Posted in 25. North East Scotland | Tagged geos, hiking, photography, scotland, travel | 48 Comments

Rehabilitation: getting back to normality…

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Ruth Livingstone

Rehabilitation after cancer treatment is: “a process of regaining and refreshing old skills, learning and refining new ones to enable you to live the sort of life you want,” according to Dr Harvey. I knew what life I wanted. I WANTED MY OLD LIFE BACK.

It was going to take time. One big milestone was tucking into toast and marmalade. I hadn’t been able to eat toast – or bread of any type – for many months. It tasted scrumptious!