Elisabeth & Teije's reis website

We verlaten de westkust en gaan terug naar Beauly


Home -> Europe -> Scotland -> Travelogue Scotland -> 28 June 2008

Saturday 28 June, we verlaten de westkust en gaan terug naar Beauly

Click here for the route and our photographs in Google Earth. (de route tussen Fort Augustus and Drumnadrochit mist)
View by night, CraigOur last day on the west coast in this fantastic place and we are outside until midnight, despite the mosquitoes. Because we are so far to the north, almost at the height of Oslo, it does not get very dark at night. We do not have such a long ride ahead tomorrow so we can stay up late, sleep late and arrive at our destination well in time, including all the extra roads that Teije wants to drive.
This is a place where we would like to come back again but now our week is already over. Despite the mostly bad weather the time has flown and it was a pity it was too cold and too wet to do something outside. Therefore we spent most of the tiome in the car and this lovely little house.
Eilean Donan Castle Loch DuichWe have been to Eilean Donan Castle twice and we don't go there now, but we discover a road that goes above it and from where we have a good overview of the loch and the castle.
Loch Duich Doll at Loch DuichThe road goes up quickly and is obviously a narrow, single track road. It is almost inconceivable that people also live here, but it is true. At a farm there are even all beautiful handmade dolls that you can probably buy. A studio at a lonely height! The road continues for a long time and it takes some time before we are back on the main road (A87). If you like vistas this road is definitely recommended.
And then back into the country where Teije still finds a lot of roads that we do not know yet, like a branch at Loch Garry. It is a very narrow and unpaved road and of course we meet the postman. This time no unexpected castle at the end of the road, but now we know that at least for sure (according to Teije, and he claims to be the road expert so who am I to deny that ...). I am not always happy with his road mania even though it remains limited today. But I also have to admit that because of that we have been to some beautiful places!
Invergarry CastleAt Glengarry there is a sign to Glengarry Castle hotel. We have often driven past but today we are going to have a look. First we pass a ruin, then a reasonably modern building. The ruin appears to have been the real 17th century castle, but because of the risk of collapse it is forbidden to enter. Now we remember, we have been here before, on our first trip to Scotland in 2000.
Locks at Fort AugustusAfter this trip with detours we stop at Fort Augustus. Another place where we regularly drive through but never stop. This time we eat something from a fish and chips shop and watch the locks, part of the Caledonian canal that connects the North Sea at Inverness with the Atlantic Ocean at Fort William. The same trip along the west coast by boat is quite treacherous.
Locks at Fort Augustus Locks at Fort AugustusThere are 29 locks in the canal that connects 4 lakes including Loch Ness. There are about 4 of them here and only tourist boats go through. Funny is that the boats do not sail here but are pulled from lock to lock. We sit on the quay to eat our fish and chips and watch the efforts of the crews and tourists being lashed.
Fort AugustusFort Augustus is at the southern tip of Loch Ness, so a statue of the famous but unknown beast is in place. We now know that there are many more Scottish lakes that claim to have their own monster, but Loch Ness continues to appeal to the imagination. It is a gigantic lake, very deep and difficult to search and despite all eye testimonies, nothing has ever been discovered. But we always watch the lake for monster signs when we drive past it.
Broom at Bunloit, Loch NessWhen we drive into the interior of Drumnadrochit we have not seen any monsters yet, but Teije has discovered a new road that has not yet been marked on his map. The road leads through an uninhabited area full of flowering broom. A beautiful area but apart from the flowering nature there is not much to see.
Then we drive to Beauly where we hear from our friends Iain and Cathy that Iain's mother died last week as expected. She has been buried and the pub is full of funeral visitors who put life in perspective with a 'wee drum', a glass of whiskey diluted with water (or not). It's very busy, so we do not have that much opportunity to talk to Iain or Cath, but we'll do that tomorrow morning before we leave. And that at a funeral party like the Scots celebrate it, a lot of gossiping and arguing goes on we will not tell you, you just have to experience that for yourselves!

 


© Teije & Elisabeth 2000 - 2023 To the top of the page