Home -> Europe -> Scotland -> Travelogue 2000 -> Saturday 8 July

To the northern Highlands, Durness, Tongue

In the Highlands Today we make a long drive, into the Highlands. Via the A835, first in the direction of the west coast and Ullapool. The clouds hang low over the land, sometimes it is foggy, but the sun keeps on trying to break through.
In the Highlands We love the landscapes, the mountains (hills, Teije says) of Scotland and we never stop enjoying it. In some way the mountains look quite desolate, but at the same time they seem so charming and sweet. Maybe it is because of the light slopes which can be seen so very clearly because there is almost no vegetation. But maybe it is just the fact that all rocks have a small layer of vegetation which make the mountains green in all sorts of shades.
Ardvreck Castle In Loch Asynth we see the ruins of castle Ardvreck which was build in the 16th century. One can even marry here, even though it is a ruin!
Cows block the road At Loch Asynth, we take a left turn and follow the B869 along the coast to the north. At one moment the single track road suddenly is blocked by a herd of cows. We are not in a hurry, so we just sit and watch this spectacle.
Cows block the road Cows block the road This road is called the Breakdown Zone by the locals, because of the many accidents that happen every summer, not only caused by awkward tourists, but also by the freely walking about cattle.
Northwest coast Everywhere there are small lochs and along the coast there are beautiful cliffs and beaches. To follow this narrow road, which twists itself through this fantastic scenery, gives a lot of satisfaction. We recommend it to everyone.
Northwest coast Ultimately, we come on a 'big' road again (A894) which leads us further north, via Unapool and Scorie to the north coast, near Durness. We skip Cape Wrath, the most northwesterly place of the English mainland.
Beach in the north Beach in the north A bit past Durness and before Loch Eriboll, there are splendid beaches. It is never crowded and certainly not today, for it is a gray and chilly day.
North coast It takes some time to get around Loch Eriboll, but the view certainly compensates for it. The next town we drive through, is Tongue and we need a break after the several hundreds of kilometers we have already driven today. We find a deserted restaurant where we have a short pause.
But we still have to drive back the long way to Beauly. First the A836, a single road track which winds through a desolate area. Past Bonar Bridge we take the B9176, a small side road through a totally different landscape, full of woods. Finally, when we return in Beauly and after a short rest, the feeling of tiredness soon turns into a pleasant feeling of drowsiness. Or does the fact that we stay in a pub for hours have anything to do with that? We don't complain, we have had a fantastic day. seeing so much of the intriguing Highlands.
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