Home again
Loch Dughaill
The journey home was long but attractive. We wanted to avoid any traffic problems arising from T in the Park adjacent to the A9 and the Scottish Open Golf at Loch Lomond so we planned a route which went down by way of Glen Carron, Plockton, Kintail, Fort William, Glencoe, Crianlarich, Stirling and Edinburgh.
Typically for the day we were leaving, the weather was as pleasant as pleasant could be and it was with some sadness that we set off from Lochinver.
The route through Glen Carron is lovely and is the same route as the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh railway line. I am pretty sure that I glimpsed an otter on the banks of Loch Gowan just south west of Achnasheen. We passed Loch Dughaill which was mirror still in the late morning light and we stopped for a while to take photos.
As the road approaches Loch Carron and then climbs high above its southern shores it becomes truly outstanding with views to the north across to Applecross and the wonders it contains. Our target was to get lunch in Plockton, a village which we have not been in before, and found our way there by another twisty and tree lined single track road.
Plockton at low tide
There is a lot to be said for Plockton and it benefits from an outstanding sheltered position which allows the palm trees to grow along the bay shore. There were plenty of places to eat and we settled for the Plockton Hotel which had a great range of local food including exceptionally fresh seafood. I settled for the braised venison and a pint of excellent Crags Bitter from the Plockton Brewery which is brewed in a local shed (ideas spring to mind!).
We lingered for a while on the shoreline but still had a long way to go and so set off the go down through the magnificence of Kintail to Invergarry and then down the Great Glen to Fort William where we stopped only to top up on petrol.
Amy at Loch Dughaill
Glencoe was as spectacular as ever but the trip nearly came to an abrupt and unpleasant end as we encountered an oncoming Volvo with Dutch number plates towing a caravan at far to high a speed on a bend at the east end of the glen; both Kirstin and I thought that the caravan was going to swing out into our path.
Happily the remainder of the trip was not so disconcerting although as we came down through the Trossachs the heavens opened and we were caught in a torrential downpour until Stirling.
We got home to face the music from Gizmo who was pleased to see us but has spent the past three or four days staying very close to us and meowing frequently.
Otherwise the week has been quiet. I managed a lot of work in the garden on Monday and Tuesday a neighbour and I took our cycles up into the Pentlands where we had a really enjoyable pootle through the foothills from Bonaly. My bike is a hybrid and this was the first time I’d tried it off road. It performed well, as did my leg muscles, although the lack of suspension on the bike made it a more taxing trip on my arms than it could otherwise have been.
In the meantime, I have been amazed and gratified to discover just how much information is available online if one has a notion to design and construct a man-shed.
Recent Comments