From Inverness we took a more northerly indirect route to the Isle of Skye through the towns of Achnasheen, Kinlochewe, Shieldaig and Lochcarron. On the way we passed Rogie Falls, Loch Luichart, with Sgurr a’Mhuilinn, Fionn Bheinn and many other mountains to the left and right. We passed the head of Loch Maree and finally arrived on the West coast. All the high hills and mountains were dusted with snow. Not far from East to West coast in Australian terms but nonetheless a wild and remote landscape with single lane roads that wound their way through the valleys
We stopped at “Nannys” in Sheildaig, famous for its local seafood. The Loch Torridon squat lobsters and live creel-caught langoustine being out of season we settled for a salmon platter with salmon in all forms (salmon pate, hot and cold locally smoked salmon all served with the renown Viv’s Dill Sauce) followed by beetroot chocolate cake – very yummy and something I’m definitely going to try. It was then back on the goat tracks and on to Eilean Donan Castle.
Lt Col John Macrae-Gilstrap and his wife, an American heiress rebuilt it at considerable cost over 20 years from 1911 – 193 using it as a family home until quite recently. It is still owned and run by the family as tourist attraction in immaculate style. It was at Eileen Donan that we purchased a highland cow – her name is Morag and she will be arriving at Stradbroke at much the same time as us.
That night we stayed in the pretty little town of Kyleakin on Skye and in the morning drove across to the West side of the Isle via a road recommended to us by our hostess as the way to see “the real Skye”. It was only 15 miles (25km) from one side to the other but took an hour each way via the single lane bitumen road. Nowhere to move over except in “passing bays” every 500m or so. The locals would come charging down this road in “take no prisoners style” around the blind corners whereupon you would make a dive for the nearest passing bay and hope to miss.
A more wild and barren landscape you could not imagine with some of the worlds hardiest sheep farmers.
After leaving Skye (rather relieved to survive that road) we drove on to Dumbarton on the outskirts of Glasgow. The way took us past many lochs, through Glen Shiel, Glen Garry and the fabulous Glen Coe; on past Ben Nevis, highest mountain in the UK, and down the shore of Loch Lomond. It was a misty Scottish day with the mountaintops hidden in cloud, but nonetheless spectacular.
We stopped for dinner at the historic Drovers Inn, which has been dispensing Scottish hospitality for the past 310 years. It was used by the Highland drovers, who used to drive their cattle down the side of Loch Lomond to the markets. The decor and furniture, in deference to the past, look as though they have not been changed or altered for a couple of hundred years. We both tried their steak and ale pie, which came highly recommended by Trip Advisor!
A comfortable night in a Dumbarton motel and then on to Alnwick.