Day 15 Mintlaw Station to Keith Inch
Thursday 25th May Day 15 18km 30m ascent
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| A bright sunny morning and another dry start saw me back on the old railway line heading for the finish. The walk varied from leafy glades and deep cuttings to elevated sections with extensive views of the surrounding farmland but no sight of the North Sea, only the legs of an oil rig in the distance told me I must be getting closer. Approaching Peterhead the track suddenly became a tarmac path through a housing estate until it finished at a petrol filling station and supermarket.
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| I now had to find the sea which I managed by heading north and then followed the coast round to Keith Inch where I worked my way through the oil industry equipment to the rocks at the easternmost point of Scotland.
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| I was contemplating the difference between the industrial scene here with the wild emptyness of Ardnamurchan point when just in front of me sunning themselves on the rocks were a mother and baby seal, mum dived into the sea when she saw me but baby just lay there growling as I took photographs, a most delightful finish to a very enjoyable crossing.
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| An easy journey by bus to Aberdeen and train to Montrose brought me to the Park Hotel to sign out and meet all the Challengers gathering there for the celebrations. It was a very enjoyable night and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who make this event so special, particularly Roger Smith, all the vetters, and everyone else involved not forgetting the participants themselves, I think we all retired to our beds that night tired and happy, I know I did.
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