As Wiggly packed and looked after Sam, I attended forestry meetings with Forestry Meetings with Stuart Smith, the Area Forester from Lairg and forester Donald from Wick as we toured Thormaid and noted the thinning success and failures.
Once back, off to the Caithness Glass Factory and, after a light lunch of soup, toured the glassworks and shop.
Then the journey to Inverness and another night's stay at the Beaufort Hotel.
We tried a visit to the cinema to see a Dracula horror film but this was so gory that we had to walk out half way through.
I was tired after my exertions and excess alcohol and neither of us felt like a large breakfast to start the day.
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The task of packing up and leaving the room was a bit daunting and so we agreed that Wiggly would stay behind to pack whilst I drove out to Thormaid to see the foresters on my own.
She also walked Sam early, bless her, whilst I prepared for that meeting and even managed to feed Sam his antibiotic tablet. I was there on time to meet Stuart Smith, the Area Forester from Lairg and forester Donald from Wick and we chatted and toured the plantation together tackling the outstanding issues.
The hardwoods were getting away much better than before after measures had been taken to protect them from the hares; the conifers were growing well and not being stopped for lack of nutrients and so, although the analysis showed they still needed fertilization, we had not left it too late.
The main disappointment was the Christmas Tree harvesters had taken more than one pine from each group and not been properly supervised which was a poor show.
A few vigorous walks over the hills where we saw plenty of grouse and the odd hare and then, after an hour and a half, I called a halt to the process and headed of back to Forss to link up with Ian and Wiggly.
The luggage was packed and ready and, after taking the chance to have a cup of tea with Ian and sort out the billing arrangements for the hotel, I loaded up and set off with Wiggly.
First stop was Wick where we visited the Caithness Glass Factory and, after a light lunch of soup, toured the glassworks and then scoured the shop where Wiggly bought a pink vase for £6.99 in the sale.
The Wick Heritage Centre was closed and so we drove on and stopped off at a traditional woolen mill where we saw the full process of weaving and I bought a scarf as a souvenir. The journey to Inverness and another night's stay at the Beaufort Hotel.
They did not have the same room available that we had last time and the one we were given had no bath and a messy shower with the whole floor as a shower tray!
We tried a visit to the cinema to see a Dracula horror film but this was so gory that we had to walk out half way through.
A nice meal at a Pizza place, though, and back to our room where we made the best of the double bed.