AT LAST AT LAST
London, Scotland and Some Canals
Scotland
Thursday 8th September 2022
Friday 9th September,2022
Saturday 10th September, 2022
Thursday 8th September 2022
The Queen is Dead
ere we are in Scotland, after we had a reasonable and comfortable train trip, no dramas. It is an historic day; as we were en route HM Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral, aged 97. Of course, the Palace does not normally give out much info on the Queen's health but it would seem as though it was not a long lingering illness. After all she appointed the new Prime Minister just yesterday! It is really the end of an era. I can just remember singing "God Save the King" at school, and I was in Primary School when the Queen was crowned.
nyway, we are back at the Holiday Inn, Glasgow Airport and not at all impressed. The service and amenities are very run down. Not like it was the last time we were here. We collect our hire car tomorrow and head north. I don't know whether the Queen's death will impact our travels much but we will soldier on. I have a sore throat and am croaky, the weather is not helping, being damp and much cooler here than London. See what transpires.
The Holiday Inn is really terrible, it scored very low with us both, don't know what has happened to it, it was fine last time. I remember writing in 2010 (?) that the meal there was the best we had had so far. That was a while ago and times have certainly changed. Probably a combination of Brexit and Covid. No cheap service staff and no visitors!
Friday 9th September 2022
Our VW Polo
e picked up our car, a VW Polo with very little hassle, just a bit of wasted time, and sallied off in the rain, which wasn't particularly heavy, just a nuisance. The Polo has its controls on the same side as our Mondeo so for once Mac only has to contend with the manual gears which he hasn't had to for many years. But he asked for a manual so he will have to get used to it again. So far we have stalled a couple of times due to forgetting the clutch.
Once we got away from the airport and heading north on the M8 it became much easier and when it became the A82 it was a doddle. The scenery got steadily more beautiful and we had to stop from time to time to try to take some photos.
Banks of Loch Lomond
Falls of Falloch
e passed through some familiar places and soon were running alongside Loch Lomond, very dull in the intermittent drizzle, but we turned off for the Falls of Falloch which we have visited before, to find them in magnificent spate. Rain has its uses.
Towards Glencoe
Glencoe
Reconstructed Turf House, Glencoe
s we headed north towards Glencoe the sky was brightening a bit and the scenery was just awesome. We stopped at the Glencoe Visitor Centre for a light lunch and a stroll, finding a reconstructed "Turf House" which was built after an archaeological dig to find a small village site. It was very well done, (probably better than the original) and interesting to see.
Lord of the Glens at Corpach
fter this the sky got steadily bluer as we came into Fort William and the day really became fine. We went through Fort William to Corpach and located our B and B, Mansefield House. We were a bit early, so we drove on down to Corpach Sea Locks, the end of the Caledonian Canal.
Here we discovered, to our surprise, the Lord of the Glens, the tourist liner which loomed over us in the Canal, way back in 2005.
Steam Puffer at Corpach
lso in the basin was an old Victorian steam "Puffer" boat, which was very picturesque. We walked over the lock and down to the sea side of the lock, then had a stroll along the Canal and into some of the Great Glen Way just to kill some time agreeably. As we walked we heard a steam whistle and saw the Jacobite Steam train heading back to Ft. William from Mallaig. Just like a Harry Potter scene.
Ben Nevis Looms over Fort William
rom Corpach the mass of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, is quite in your face, looming over Fort William, just across the water.
Anyway we retraced our steps to Mansefield Guest House to find our hostess, Bev, was Australian, from Manly! The room is very nice, in shades of cream and purple. She has given us some ideas for dinner and we will go out later. I am still croaking but it has been a spectacular day with O for Awesome scenery and blue skies. Long may it last! I just wish my photos would do it justice.
Later:
e found dinner at the Lochy Bar, an unpretentious pub a couple of miles away. Huge portions, Mac had BBQ Chicken, about half a chicken with cheesy sauce and chips and salad, I had a Cajun chicken burger also with chips and coleslaw. Not bad and not too dear.
Came back and had quite a good night, it is so quiet! And the full moon and huge stars blazed away all night. Great.
Saturday 10th September, 2022
t is now 1800 and we are in our lovely little cottage on Skye.
North from Ft William
fter a good breakfast (Mac had the full Scottish plus OJ and grapefruit and toast) I had "Eggs Mansefield", two poached eggs with smoked salmon and asparagus on a potato pancake, with OJ and two slices of toast and tea, we farewelled Bev and headed north again.
Stony Ground
e passed some wonderful scenery although a loch (unknown name) which was used as a reservoir showed the results of the summer's onslaught, being very low in water after the drought they have been experiencing. Still lovely though.
Road to the Isles
Low Water Level in Reservoir Loch
t was a marvellous trip, the scenery was stunning and, although there were lots of mobile homes, some busses and cyclists and bikers as well so it wasn't a fast trip, it was not too slow either.
Eilean Donan Castle
e stopped at a lovely spot with a view of Eilean Donan where we had coffee and a sinful cinnamon scroll sticky bun which we decided would be lunch. Then on to Kyle of Lochalsh where we strolled around the town and took a photo of the Bridge and our first glimpse of Skye.
ff and over the bridge we drove through more gorgeous scenery. I think the mountains on the mainland were known as the Five Sisters of Kintail but I could be wrong. We stopped at Broadford Co-Op and bought a load of supplies including the essential wine and cider. I had hoped for a hot cooked chicken but had to settle for a pack of spicy coated drumsticks which I will put in the oven soon. They did us for a couple of meals and picnics as well.
Our Cottage, Bernisdale
e drove through Portree and out to Bernisdale where Betty McKinnon met us at her door, welcomed us in and gave us tea and cake with lots of conversation. She is a sweet elderly widow with a number of relatives living in cottages all around here.
View from Our Cottage, Bernisdale
he cottage is lovely, plain and simple outside but there is a stunning loch and mountain view from the front window and lots of amenities including a new kitchen. We have unpacked and seem to have a lot more stuff than the bags would hold but they all came out so they must go back!
Betty says the weather is supposed to break tomorrow night which would be a shame, however, we are on Skye!!
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