Picture Gallery - images of trip.
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NORTH SCOTLAND : Images from left to right:
The wilder, wind swept, rugged moors of the Scottish Highlands; just one of the many of lochs that dot the region; along the tourist route of the North & West Highlands; a typical small community village, with white washed houses, along the northwest coast of Scotland.
The north-eastern point of Scotland, John of O'Groats (not the most northerly), again another cold and misty day. Our happy group of wanderers – (from left to right – Viv & Ron; Neil, Rod, Kate & Helen).
Our camp at a small bay close to the tiny village of Sheigra – just a sheep paddock backing down to the water's edge - it was very pleasant and we decided to stay a couple of nights at what we all reckoned was the best in the UK! Almost ‘wild' camping. The weather was fantastic and the view out across the water from a hilltop nearby was breathtaking.
The Inverewe Gardens are almost tropical gardens and were set up as the dream of one man over 100 years ago. Because of the nearby warm Gulf Stream the gardens are magnificent at any time of the year. For our visit all the Rhododendrons were out in flower and were absolutely stunning. The walled garden was particularly beautiful and colourful with lots of cottage garden type plants in flower.
Ron found this ‘cow' in a country store while the girls were looking for gum boots (expecting wet weather) – he donned his new overalls, hat and thought it was appropriate the Viv took his picture with the cow. On the way south, still in the highlands and just some of the magnificent views we encountered; sunset from our camp on the coast at Ullapool.
We spent a couple of days on the Isle of Skye – just some of the views as we drove around – The Old Man of Storr – an impressive rock formation; a pretty waterfall nearby; our camp at Dunevagen – on a great day; just a little of the rugged coastline on Skye; they still dig up peat on the island; the delightful, colourful town of Portree; Viv at Kiff Rock, where the high Staffin Cliffs drop quite spectacularly into the sea – it was near here that dinosaur remains have been found while the name of the cliffs date back to the Viking era .
We stopped at Eilean Donan castle , reputedly the ‘most romantic castle in Scotland' – the weather had changed to cold, windy and drizzly, but we still enjoyed the castle – a little different to most.
Our delightful camp at ‘Red Squirrel Camp' in the mountains not far from Ben Nevis – a lovely spot, but the midgies were horrendous!!! A couple of the Highland Cattle – there weren't that many around, but so Scottish.
Ben Nevis and our camp near Fort William – our camp was beside the loch, very picturesque (but midgies out in force, again!!!); our drive down the west side of Loch Lommond and past the Drovers Inn – what a place, built in mid 1600s and full of bits and pieces; Ron beside the stuffed (and a bit tatty) bear in the Inn; the very quaint and pretty village of Luss, on the shores of Loch Lommond.
We had to visit the Falkirk Wheel – it's only kind in the world, it takes the place of 11 locks - the rotating boatlift shifts boats up to 600 tonnes from one canal 35 metres to the other; Ron in a helmet with mesh – used at the battle of Bannockburn between the Scots and English – it was very, very heavy!! Viv, once again standing out in a crowd, dressed in a traditional pheasant Scottish attire with her new beau Lake of Monteith .
We spent a couple of days with Ron's old mate Larry and his wife Mari in Stirling – they took us all around Stirling and beyond. One place was the old Linlithgow Palace on a high hill at the edge of the loch of the same. The loch is full of white swans, who are obviously well feed; the remains of the palace in the background.
