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.
It was the scene of many disputes between the McKenzies and the MacDonalds and in 1602 the castle was besieged by Kenneth Mackenzie, Lord of Kintail.
He was on the point of giving up the siege when, one night, some Macdonald women drawing water from the castle’s well accidentally deposited it in the barrel containing the castle’s stocks of gunpowder rather than in the barrel containing their water supply. A Mackenzie prisoner in the castle overheard the argument that followed, managed to escape and informed Kenneth Mackenzie who then negotiated a take over and blew the castle up after leaving.
Not much is left but its a very pretty setting and well worth a stroll.
After leaving the castle we ventured further west for a time and then began possibly the most challenging part of our road trip so far. The first concerning sign is when you come across this…
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!
Apparently they roam the area in numbers and later we saw them casually grazing through the parking space of the Inn, much to the delight of tourists like us.
We decided to try our luck with a slightly early check in and our host at the Clachan Manse BnB was happy to oblige.
With very limited dinner options on offer I had previously made a booking at the Applecross Inn, facing the water and heaving with locals and tourists tonight in this great weather. One of the local lasses was home on holidays and singing for her supper so we sat outside and enjoyed the ambiance.
With two nights in Applecross the plan had been to drive the coastal route to Torridon and surrounds the next day but when we woke up it was raining, misty and not that conducive to sight seeing. Making the best of it, Russell put his feet up in his usual position and I caught up on a bit of blogging and by lunch time the sky had cleared enough for us to venture out.
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.
We managed to pack a fair bit into our one day in Inverness including the Clava Cairns, a 4,000 year old prehistoric burial site said to be the inspiration for the Craigh Na Dun standing stones in Outlander.
And yes, I tried my luck but no sign of Jamie …
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!