We left Skye by way of the bridge, cheaper than a ferry (free) and heading in the right direction for us today as we headed north toward our lodging for tonight in Applecross. Our route involved traversing the eastern side of Loch Carron up to the top and then around and down the western side to the little village of Lochcarron which conveniently had loos and a suitable morning tea parking spot.

With time to explore today we made a small detour to see the historic Strome Castle a few miles further on.

 

The Bealach na Bà is considered a “… holy grail track for drivers looking to give themselves a challenge. Boasting the steepest ascent of any road in Great Britain. Its hairpin turns up to the 2,054 feet summit promise stunning views if you can handle the terrifying twists and turns of the treacherous track…the road remains one of the most dangerous, steep and unforgettable to drive along, demanding complete concentration for those who dare to try it.”  … thanks Hidden Scotland for that very reassuring blurb, glad I read it afterwards 😂

It did require concentration that’s for sure and the summit view was epic, photo doesn’t do it justice. The white of Russell’s face was also worthy of a photo but I was too scared to take one.

 

Despite the signage below we did see a motorhome meet a tractor towing a trailer VERY fortuitously at the summit where there was room for them to pass, would have been much more entertaining further along. The descent on the other side was less white knuckle but still challenging and afforded some beautiful views over the sea and out toward the Inner Hebrides before we reached sea level and lovely Applecross.

On this wild and remote peninsula Applecross has a wonderful atmosphere, the locals don’t use the term Applecross they simply call it ‘the street.’ Nearby is a significant archaelogical site and it is thought this area was one of the first settled in Scotland. The weather was absolutely balmy (about 21 C) and people were out and about enjoying this rare phenomenon, the radio terming it a Scottish heatwave 😉

We still had time to kill before our check in and were delighted when we spotted red deer virtually on the beach!

 

 

We followed the coast road around past Torridon and eventually to the tiny village of Lower Diabaig. Lower Diabaig consists of a number of houses strung out along the road as it descends steeply, via a hairpin bend, to a pier on the shore of Loch Diabaig, an offshoot of Loch Torridon.

The scenery en route was, as always, stunning and we even came across a sea plane anchored in a small loch in the mountains.

 

 

The weather basically cooperated, there were sporadic showers but not enough to spoil the day.

Next morning we set off for Inverness with time for a tour of Culloden (on my bucket list for this trip) before checking in to our air BnB in Inverness.

I must point out here that I have wanted to visit Culloden way before I watched Outlander but that has definitely added a new element of interest. 😉

 

So a little history lesson … the moor at Culloden is where the last battle between the Jacobites – those supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) as the rightful heir to the throne of England – and the English government forces led by the Duke of Cumberland, took place.

The Jacobites, despite having had some recent wins, were at this point short of supplies, ill equipped with weapons, tired and outnumbered and the battle that ensued lasted less than an hour. (There is a bit more to it than that but in a nutshell…)

The battle was overwhelming and bloody and essentially brough an end to Jacobitism as a significant element in British politics. Jacobite casualties were listed between 1,500 – 2,000, in striking contrast, the government losses were reported as 50 dead and 259 wounded. The order was given to leave no man alive on the battleground and then the site was cordoned off for a number of days to ensure that no help could arrive. The local villagers were then brought in to bury the dead in mass unmarked graves.

Little was done to commemorate the site until about a hundred years later when a local Laird erected some headstones with Clan names and even a token stone for the Governement forces but recent surveys indicate that they don’t necessarily ‘mark the spot.’

 

 

The Clan Fraser stone has had to be roped off as women have purportedly been licking it since the advent of Outlander!

My photos cannot convey the wide open desolation and eerieness of the spot. Our guide, a Kiwi girl, was enthusiatic and knowledgeable and really brought the story to life even for those who had previously no knowledge of the events.

Outrageously, in 1835 a road was built through the mass graves of the clans and later the whole area was turned into a conifer plantation.  Fortunately in the latter half of the 1900s the National Trust for Scotland became increasingly involved in the conservation and restoration of the battlefield. Work was done to remove the vegetation, they had the road (and its then fuel station!) re routed and today there is an excellent visitor and interpretative centre at this very important site.

 

The itinerary wasn’t just focussed on Outlander though, we also made it to Fort George and its extensive and excellent Highlander’s museum for Russell’s military history fix.

Built after Culloden, Fort George took 22 years to complete, by which time the Jacobite threat had subsided. But it has served the British Army for almost 250 years since.

 

We finished the day with a tour of the relatively new  Uile-bheist (Scottish gaelic for monster) Distillery and Brewery in the city itself.

Built by a couple for whom money is apparently no object, this shiny new establishment is not yet selling whisky having only been operational since 2022. (You cannot sell a single malt whisky under three years old.) Presumably beer is carrying the can until then. The tour itself was interesting and given that both end products start the same way still very relevant even if slightly more beer focussed.

The tasting was beer forward (I did my best) as well as a single malt blend whisky (sourced from elsewhere) and a sample of the ‘heart.’ 

“The heart, also known as the middle cut, is the core of the distillation process and represents the very essence of the whisky. This portion carries the purest, most desirable flavours and aromas that make each whisky unique.” Mmmmm, I beg to differ, hideous stuff. I’m never going to be a whisky drinker. 

 

I was much more intrigued by their marketing. Their theme of monsters was cleverly illustrated by none other than Melbourne-based illustrator and designer Ken Taylor, renowned for his pop culture artwork and striking rock posters.

 

Having returned our car (a very good experience with Arnold Clark) the next day we boarded the train for the relaxing four hour trip to Edinburgh for our last night in Scotland.

A quick mention of the excellent (albeit pricey as everything is in town,) Market Street Hotel – across the road from the Waverley Train Station – that served champagne on check in and included champagne in the breakfast menu. Got my vote 😍

Tomorrow, off to the Faroe Islands!

… is a famous line from the Skye Boat Song which will be familiar to all followers of the Outlander TV series (lets face it, we’re really just watching Jamie aren’t we?)

The Skye Boat Song version (though not the original), was composed in the 1870s and tells the story of how Bonnie Prince Charlie, disguised as a serving maid, escaped from mainland Scotland after the disastrous Battle of Culloden with the aid of Flora Mac Donald.

After the delay with our ferry schedule it was nearly six pm by the time we drove into the car park of Hannah’s Cottage, our home for the next four nights just out of Portree.

I had booked a popular boat trip the next day so we were up early for the drive to Elgol in the south west which I had allowed ample time for, the second section being back to single lane roads again.

 

 

The Bella Jane took us and three other brave walkers on a 45 minute boat trip to the landing ‘rock’ where we disembarked for our roughly two hour self guided exploration of beautiful Loch Coruisk.

Loch Coruisk is only accessible by boat such as we were doing, or a very long hike which includes traversing the notorious ‘Bad Step’ – not for the faint hearted.

There was quite a swell but the views en route were breathtaking. Perfect timing saw us visiting the resident harbour seal population just as the rubber ducks belonging to a small adventure cruise ship anchored off shore, were leaving.

 

 

Whilst the weather was a bit grim for photography, Loch Coruisk was spectacular. Dark and brooding with heavy skies overhead, for the first hour or so the five of us had it to ourselves.

 

With strict instructions to be back at the boarding area at 1.15 pm we were there five minutes early and slightly concerned at 1.25 when the opposition tour boat arrived to pick up their passengers. They loaded their passengers and then asked if anyone was there for the Bella Jane – 3 of us raised our hands and were then told our boat had broken down! Luckily they had room for us and even  made us a lovely cup of tea for the trip back 😂

Slightly wet and dishevelled but really happy we’d gone, we left Elgol and found a nice spot for our picnic lunch before continuing on to the Fairy Pools.

The Fairy Pools are situated on the slopes of the Black Cuillin Mountain range and consist of a series of crystal clear blue (depending on the sky above) pools that cascade down the hill. Despite being a calm and tranquil scene now (if you discount the many visitors) it was actually the scene of a bloody battle between Clan MacDonald and Clan MacLeod in 1601 as part of the Wars of the One-eyed Woman which makes for gruesome reading… 

 

 

It was early evening by the time we got back to Hannah’s Cottage and gladly put our feet up 😉

 

The Quiraing is a dramatic landform containing several distinctive features and we were going to try the hike to the Needle.

The walk hugs the steep hillside which was a little challenging for Russell who is not hugely fond of heights, and after being confronted with a tricky creek crossing in a narrow crevice he wisely decided to read his book whilst I continued on. In actual fact that was the worst part of the whole walk but I understood his concerns.

For me, who had been researching our trip for months and reading about these destinations it was exhilarating to finally be there and the weather even turned on a bit of blue sky.

 

 

Some time (and many chapters) later I arrived back at the car park, ‘tomato faced’ but wholly satisfied and we set off down the winding road to continue on the loop.

 

The next day the Old Man of Storr beckoned.

 

Skye’s most popular hike and with good reason, it is described as moderate and whilst it is not challenging technique wise, it is pretty much straight up, in many parts the trail consists of roughly hewn stone steps which we weren’t sure how Russell’s knee would handle.  As we got out of the car and looked up to the ‘ants’ climbing toward the top I wasn’t feeling that positive …

 

However, I’m happy to report, after several refreshment stops, WE MADE IT!

And wasn’t it worth the climb …

I couldn’t find the elevation of the spot we made it to (the ‘photographer’s viewpoint’) but my phone said we climbed 55 stories 😱

 

 

Coming down was also challenging but we both arrived back to the car unscathed just as the mist started rolling in from the sea so our timing was perfect. Well pleased with our efforts, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner in Portree, a fairly nondescript seafood and chips for each of us and a bottle of wine – the equivalent of $AUD 200.

 

Reluctantly leaving Fionnphort the next day in decidedly drearier weather, we began the overland trip to our next lodging in the north of Mull near Tobermory.

Climbing over the hills the cloud became more dense and visibility was down to 50 metres or so which made for a challenging drive on a single lane road with sheep 😉

As we came back down to the loch level again it was along this stretch that we had been told to keep an eye out for otters and golden eagles but the weather was just not conducive to wildlife spotting.

Our BnB host had recommended lunch at The Boathouse on tiny Ulva Island (five minutes by foot ferry) but when we arrived at the ferry ramp there was no sign of life and we could barely see the island just across the narrow strip of water.

Eventually we spotted the means to signal the ferryman and after another 5 minutes huddling under a shed in the rain we saw him setting off from across the water.

 

 

Luckily The Boathouse was well worth it and we had a delicious ragu pasta and by the time we headed back over to Mull the weather was improving slightly. From there it was a fairly slow drive in drizzly rain (I’m sure the scenery is great on a dry day) and I was glad when we finally saw the sign to Glengorm Castle.

Glengorm is a 19th century building offering a variety of accommodation options in the castle as well as other estate buildings and we were staying in a first floor self-catering apartment in the old stable building called The Steading.

We had two nights here and despite the rain that persisted until late afternoon the next day, with a washer and dryer on hand it gave us a good excuse to attend to some domestic chores. 

The estate has some wonderful walking trails and when the rain stopped we headed out to explore.

 

We met some new friends, tried to find Jamie (unsuccessful) at the standing stones …

 

… and then strolled back to enjoy a pizza and wine in front of the fire. 

The nearest village ,Tobermory, is the main town on the Isle of Mull and the local Co-op Grocery store saw us stocked up with provisions for our onward trip the next day.

 

Its colourful buildings have been the setting for many films and TV shows and a very popular British children’s show filmed here apparently sent the price of real estate sky high!

 

We continued driving basically northwards but had time in our schedule for a short diversion to Glenfinnan to view the historic Glenfinnan Viaduct. Built between 1897 and 1901 it is a railway viaduct that forms part of the West Highland Line and is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland.

It is pictured on some Scottish bank notes but attracted worldwide attention as a filming location for four of the Harry Potter films. This association has led to hundreds or thousands of tourists each year putting a significant strain on the small hamlet of Glenfinnan.

Coincidentally we arrived just before a train was due and the large car park was almost at capacity, a few minutes later it was and cars were refused entry.

After the parking attendant told us a train was due “any minute” we scurried down to a large lawned area with everyone else (cleverly edited out of photo😉) just in time to see a train passing through. Unfortunately it wasn’t the famed steam Jacobite train but it was still a train !

 

 

Jumping back in the car we had a relatively short drive to Mallaig where we would catch our next ferry to Skye. Arriving right on schedule we were told that due to unforseen circumstances there had been a schedule change and our ferry was just leaving, no room for us! The next ferry was not for two hours but had “plenty of room” so we parked in line ( second this time) and strolled down to the high street.

 

The Kings Birthday saw us up early and off to the airport (thanks Zoe) to catch the first of our four flights which would ultimately deliver us to Edinburgh. Yes, it was the scenic route and it was almost 46 hours bed to bed but it saved a considerable amount of $$!

Our hotel in Edinburgh (Tigerlily) was in a great location, walking distance to all of the main attractions and the weather was superb. Having visited Edinburgh previously I had only allocated one day here and after a bit of ‘road trip’ shopping (the obligatory picnic set) we had a fairly specific attraction in mind.

 

One floor is also dedicated to the future of surgery with a display of robotic surgery techniques and a full sized teaching version of the Da Vinci robot, the same one that took Russell’s kidney out. I can say Russell would have been glad I wasn’t operating it for his surgery, I had trouble drawing a cat LOL.

All in all a very worthwhile visit, I highly recommend if you’re visiting Edinburgh.

The next morning we picked up our car (a SEAT Arona) and began our trip northwest toward the Isle of Mull.

Our route took us through the lovely village of Killin, a popular lunch stop to view the pretty falls in the middle of town. We were entertained by a slight altercation between a car towing a caravan and a car coming from the opposite direction on the single lane bridge but all ended well.

 

Our hotel for this evening was the Kingshouse Hotel.  Situated on the West Highland Way on the edge of Rannoch Moor it is extremely popular with hikers and rock climbers who were spilling out of the bar in great numbers, beers in hand enjoying the afternoon sunshine. Luckily we had arrived early enough to check out nearby Glen Etive, a scenic glen and the location for Skyfall Road in the Bond movie and it also featured in Braveheart.

 

 

The scenery though was incredible in every direction. The road follows the River Etive, its waterfalls and pools lined in places with wildflowers including rhododendrons, bluebells, foxgloves and daisies and mountains towering overhead on either side.

MANY photo stops later we reached the end of the road where the river empties into a sea loch and several camper vans were setting up in the most idyllic spot.

For us though it was time to turn around and head back to the hotel taking in the scenery from a different perspective on the way back. We were lucky enough to see some fairly distant red deer and then a couple having wedding photos on the way.

 

Dinner in the restaurant with its floor to ceiling glass windows was surreal and the entertainment arrived on the front lawn just as we were finishing up much to the guest’s delight. Russell did have the very tasty venison but we were assured they are not related….

 

The next morning we continued on our way toward Oban where we were to board the ferry for the one hour trip over to the Isle of Mull. The weather was less favourable today with a persistent light rain for much of the way but we arrived into Oban in time to find the camera store and buy a new battery for Russell’s camera and then got into the queue for the 1215 ferry with some signs of blue sky emerging.

The journey was calm and uneventful except for the car alarm going off most of the way but luckily it wasn’t ours.

 

Driving off of the ferry we didn’t stop to explore Craignure, instead heading west again along another single track road toward the little village of Fionnphort where we would stay the next two nights.

A thirty five mile drive took us nearly two hours (always double what Google says in Scotland 😉 ) through more beautiful scenery and we arrived into Fionnphort at the same time as the small foot ferry which goes over to the island of Iona was pulling in.

Hustling to get our outdoor gear and cameras together we just made the ferry and took the short (ten minute) trip over to tiny Iona.

 

 

Only 1.5 miles wide and 3 miles long, it has an illustrious history.  St Columba came from Ireland in 563 and founded an Abbey which is considered to be the birthplace of Celtic Christianity in the United Kingdom.

The settlement survived some 350 years and numerous Viking raids before the centre of Scottish Christianity eventually moved east to St Andrews and took on a more Roman style of worship and lifestyle. The world famous Book of Kells was created here although now resides in Dublin.

Many Scottish kings are buried in the cemetery including the ‘real’ Macbeth and you can read more here.

 

We visited the Abbey and the excellent Museum with its fine examples of Celtic crosses before continuing our walk to the northern end of the island and the white sandy beach known as the White Strand of the Monks. Sadly the scene where many resident monks were killed by raiding Vikings it is a popular spot with artists and visitors and on a sunny day (which by now it wasn’t) is famous for pristine acquamarine coloured water and stark white sand.

 

 

By the time we finished (or did our best) we had the beach to ourselves except for a couple of locals.

 

John, our BnB host, served up a lovely breakfast Saturday morning and then we set off with a packed lunch for our boat trip out to the Treshnish Isles with Staffa Tours.

The fifty minute ride took us north and eventually to Lunga Island famous for its bird life and most specifically its puffins. Lunga did not disappoint, it was absolutely exhilarating and sooo worthwhile. After a short steep climb we came to the area where the puffins have their burrows, literally at our feet! We spent quite a while watching these comical little birds (the northern hemisphere’s penguin ‘equivalent’), one parent stays in the burrow whilst the other one goes fishing for the baby puffling that doesn’t leave the burrow until it can fly.

 

 

Tearing ourselves away (I could have stayed there all day) we climbed up a bit higher and then followed the path that hugs the cliff (Russell facing his fear of heights bravely) on to Harp Rock. 

This spectacular rock stack is home to literally 1,000s of guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars that can be viewed from across a narrow ravine. You can hear the cacophony and smell the poo before the birds come into view and the whole experience is nothing short of amazing.

 

 

We sat and ate our lunch watching this spectacle totally in awe of nature.

When the boat returned to pick us up our next stop was Staffa Island, home to Fingal’s Cave. Well, it wasn’t actually a stop per se, work is being done on the landing area and it was supposed to be finished three days ago but alas bad weather has delayed and we couldn’t land.

 It is formed entirely by hexagonal shaped basalt columns, the result of a lava flow in the Paleocene age.

The name ‘Fingal’ originally comes from an Irish myth, where the hero Fionn MacCumhaill’s (shortened to ‘Fingal’, meaning ‘white stranger’) and his faithful warriors migrated into Scotland from Ireland. The legend is that Fionn built the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, (which is identical to Fingal’s Cave,) after a challenge to fight. 

It has been immortalised by composer Felix Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, written after he visited and was amazed by the cave acoustics -have a listen you will probably recognise it.

The Cave itself is probably best viewed from the water anyway I think.

 

What a way to end the day, the highlight of our trip so far for me … more to come 😊