Scotland - August 1969 - Altnaharra to John O'Groats.

 On the B873 on the Sunderland - Caithness border in the middle of nowhere.  The only moving things were around here were *Midges!  We had never experienced Midges like this before and way up north in Scotland they were the worst we were ever likely to see... the air in front of you could be black with Midges!  Awful things! no wonder there aren't many people living up here in this very beautiful countryside but those Midges get into your eyes, your mouth, your ears, into everything you are wearing and into your food and drink!  In case you haven't gathered... we did not like Midges!

The A836 from Google Maps today.

John O'Groats Hotel.

 I wonder what those likely lads are looking at??  Us??  Lands End is 1, 407kms (874 miles) to the South.

 David on the Northern most part of the mainland UK.

Altnaharra on Loch Naver to John O'Groats on Google Maps.

*From Wiki!
The Highland midge scientific name: Culicoides impunctatus)  is a species of small flying insect, found in upland and lowland areas (fens, bogs and marshes) especially in the north west of Scotland  from late spring to late summer.

Female Highland midges are well known for gathering in clouds and biting humans, and are the smallest flies in Scotland to do so, though the majority of the blood they obtain comes from cattle, sheep and deer. They are generally regarded as pests.

Despite Scotland's exceptionally cold winter in the early part of 2010, scientists discovered that after the prolonged freezing conditions, rather than reducing in number in the Scottish Highlands,  the midge population had actually increased the following summer due to the cold weather reducing its natural predators, such as bats and birds.