Inspired by a chat with Skid06 at the Dent weekend, and given a good forecast I set off to the highlands a trip my wife and I had promised to do for some time.
Having spent a week in Oban when the weather was "Driek" eg visibility of 150m for 7 days we were skeptical of the stories of sunshine and Highlands being used in the same sententance. How wrong we were 6 days (including the two long m way drags too and from Lancashire to Inverness) of BAKING HOT SUN!
First stop after Ducansby Head where only 24 hours before Six Orca Killer whales had been spotted! was Castle Sinclaire Girnigoe. Now derelict and home to many sea birds.
Dunnett bay , no one on it other than 3 horse riders in the distance,stunning. On to Thurso for our first o/nite stop.
Another example of congested car parks and overcrowded beaches! Ceannabeinne Beach
Onto Scourie where the harbour is beautiful, the community maintain a bird hide like nothing I have seen before and Ken from Scourie Guesthouse spoils the missus with an Antique egg holder for breakfast, highly recommended B&B
.
On route an inquisitive stag!
Hope on a boat from Tarbet to Handa Island and spend 5 hours walking 6 Km with over 100,000 seabirds including Puffins and Fulmars , only issue was if you get too close to the nests the fulmars dive bomb you.
Smoo Cave a free stunning stop
Overnite in the Ferry Boat inn, great if you like live music , view from our room how good is that!
Cove , the head of Loch Ewe where the allied fleets were harboured during the second ww. Most of the defences have been dismantled. Again no one here!
Lastly Applecross And Glencoe. The fuzzy picture is in Ard Dhubh (showing about 25 seals basking in the 9am sun) where wee stayed in Caths guesthouse literally at the end of a 2 mile single track dead end, fantastic lodgings and great food.
Looking over to Skye and the Cullins ?
So 1250 miles , great weather , fantastic seafood and Scottish hospitality, definitely worth a return next time to the islands. Only regret , I didn't trailer up my BSA to do some of the single tracks at 30 mph
Having spent a week in Oban when the weather was "Driek" eg visibility of 150m for 7 days we were skeptical of the stories of sunshine and Highlands being used in the same sententance. How wrong we were 6 days (including the two long m way drags too and from Lancashire to Inverness) of BAKING HOT SUN!
First stop after Ducansby Head where only 24 hours before Six Orca Killer whales had been spotted! was Castle Sinclaire Girnigoe. Now derelict and home to many sea birds.
Dunnett bay , no one on it other than 3 horse riders in the distance,stunning. On to Thurso for our first o/nite stop.
Another example of congested car parks and overcrowded beaches! Ceannabeinne Beach
Onto Scourie where the harbour is beautiful, the community maintain a bird hide like nothing I have seen before and Ken from Scourie Guesthouse spoils the missus with an Antique egg holder for breakfast, highly recommended B&B
.On route an inquisitive stag!
Hope on a boat from Tarbet to Handa Island and spend 5 hours walking 6 Km with over 100,000 seabirds including Puffins and Fulmars , only issue was if you get too close to the nests the fulmars dive bomb you.
Smoo Cave a free stunning stop
Overnite in the Ferry Boat inn, great if you like live music , view from our room how good is that!
Cove , the head of Loch Ewe where the allied fleets were harboured during the second ww. Most of the defences have been dismantled. Again no one here!
Lastly Applecross And Glencoe. The fuzzy picture is in Ard Dhubh (showing about 25 seals basking in the 9am sun) where wee stayed in Caths guesthouse literally at the end of a 2 mile single track dead end, fantastic lodgings and great food.
Looking over to Skye and the Cullins ?
So 1250 miles , great weather , fantastic seafood and Scottish hospitality, definitely worth a return next time to the islands. Only regret , I didn't trailer up my BSA to do some of the single tracks at 30 mph
