After a mammoth Scottish breakfast (like an English breakfast but with haggis etc) we said our goodbyes and headed north at a nice gentle pace. We popped in to have a look at Invarary Castle, which was pretty impressive, then we hit the road proper. It's been tipping it down through the night, and the roads were pretty flooded in places. Nothing the sturdy-footed Mick couldn't handle with aplomb. We stopped back in Fort William for more monster scones and the best coffee in the Highlands.
Monster Scones!
From Fort William, we followed the road up through Fort Augusta, and along Loch Ness. When the rain cleared, it was amazing, with mist clinging to the hills like cotton. The mountains became striped with dozens of temporary waterfalls, and look like huge rocks shot through with glistening quartz veins. Some of the larger waterfalls look like giant mare's tails that fan out in the breeze before smashing down over black rocks and disappearing beneath browning bracken and heather. I loved it, though the girls were a bit cold.
We stopped at Urquhart Castle, but it was just too wet to go anywhere, as a lot of it is outdoors. Loch Ness is just vast, and despite the crapness of the visitor centre it's really a fitting heart to Scotland.
We hit Inverness in the afternoon, promptly found some accommodation (we splashed out on a Travelodge) and a local curry house. Stuffed ourselves silly on awesome massala (sic) and korma, and are most likely all going to be asleep before 8pm.
Rock and roll!
Tomorrow we continue the quest to Cawdor, looking for Sarah's clan, then I finally get to visit the Findhorn Community, a place that has fascinated me for over 10 years.
And tomorrow night we arrive in Butterstone, Dougie and Jennifer's home, and the fun (and drinking) really begins
No comments:
Post a Comment