I have reached Lossiemouth, getting in at about 0545 this morning. All the visitors' berths were full so I had to find a space in the very narrow "locals only" end of the harbour. I may never be able to get out .....

A good trip last night, left Peterhead with no regrets at 1930,so just over 10 hours to do the 61 miles here. Nice sunset - first pic just after 10 pm - and now of course it's sunny again - second pic at half six this morning. In fact it's not just sunny, it's positively hot. I shall have to sit out in it for a bit.

Hoping to stay here over the weekend as Janet will arrive Sunday and we can then do the last bit of the Firth to Inverness together. There are supposed to be 60 to 80 dolphins making their home in that stretch of water. Best get the camera batteries charged up.

The town of Elgin is just up the road. You may recall that Lord Elgin was the chap who "liberated" the famous marble carvings from the Greeks, who in his opinion (subsequently corroborated by Parliament and later by the British Museum) weren't up to snuff when it came to looking after history. Those were the days. No wonder we built an empire. I am seeing a common theme in all the places I visit on this trip - Victorian (particularly, but earlier as well) success and optimism, manifested in grand statues, parks, public buildings, etc., and then the decline in the post-war years and perhaps even more from the seventies onwards. There is a very grand building in Grimsby - the port authority building - and a plaque with Prince Albert's words from his inaugural speech, in which he foresaw that for centuries to come the port would bring trade, wealth and prosperity to the town. 150 years on and where are we? If you saw my pictures of the derelict fish dock against which I was berthed, that says it all really. Most of the places I've been to have been like that - has-been places, once thriving with trade or fishing, now trying to diversify into the leisure market. Some with less success than others.