North Coast Scotland 500-Day 2



(Above image is a capture of a seal at Loch Ewe.)

This morning, I departed my lodgings at Talladale on the banks of Loch Maree in N.W. Scotland. Just as I was leaving the mail delivery lady arrived with vehicle radio loudly playing ceilidh (traditional Scottish) music which I thought made a nice, cultural change from the racket of blaring pop music, being the usual fare of morning radio stations.

Next, I drove a couple of miles north and stopped to visit Victoria Falls (not to be confused with namesake in Zambia, Africa). As the image shows, water flow was light due to a combination of mild winter with light snow and a very hot, dry spell earlier in the month which actually triggered landscape fires in the region. In fact, the local scenery was blackened as the result of fires occurring about 5 days ago.

Next, past Gairloch on the coast and then on to Inverewe Garden on the banks of Loch Ewe.

Gairloch.

The garden was started by landowner, Osgood Mackenzie around 1880. By Mackenzie’s death in 1922 the Garden was recognised as one of the country’s great plant collections. Mackenzie’s daughter, Mairi, cared for and develop the garden from 1922 through to transfer to National Trust in 1952.
This rich and diverse collection comprises:
  • Entrance Garden.
  • Drive with large trees.
  • Walled Garden
  • Inverewe House and Herbaceous Border.
  • Big Tree section.
  • Japan section.
  • Peat Banks and Small Pond Garden.
  • Wet Valley.
  • Specialised Walks.
  • Cams Glas or Grey Bay.
  • Jubilee Walk
  • Rhododendron Walk
  • Peace Plot.
  • Bambooselem
The lush plants and vegetation are a product of the Gulf Stream, a current of warm water which provides the West of Scotland with a climate significantly milder than its latitude would otherwise warrant.







In addition to exploring the extensive garden I joined a two hour boat tour on Loch Ewe in course of which we encountered seals (many), herons, oyster catchers (birds) plus some crabs hauled up from the bottom.

Heron

 Spider Crab

 Finally, I moved on north, tracking the coast along the A832 and A835 until reaching my destination for the night of Ullapool on Loch Broom. Here there is a commercial port and ferry link with the Outer Hebrides.

Road to Ullapool 

Scenic view en-route to Ullapool.


Ullapool

Weather stayed dry until mid-afternoon and it appears that I should benefit from more dry weather tomorrow.This is fine for my purposes but the land surface is very dry.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reconstructed Roman Villa

Image
This evening, I am reporting on my visit earlier today to a meticulously reconstructed Roman Villa in Somerset, England.   Funding for the project was provided by a South African billionaire. Specific features of the reconstruction project which is known as 'Villa Ventorum': Employed hundreds of architects, builders, archaelogists, mosaic makers, fresco painters and experts on ancient plumbing. The new build was built close to the remains of the original villa which dates from AD351. Incorporates the only working hypocaust system in Europe to create authentic Roman underfloor heating. Thne system also provides heating for the internal baths. Designed to appear to visitors as though still in use. Mosaics and frescoes have been made below the top standards of the time (e.g. Chedworth ) to reflect the social rank of the resident family. Incorporates a Roman 'fast food bar' allong the lines of that found in Pompeii . (Core of above information sourced from the Times newspap
Read more

Glen Quaich, one of Scotland's best backroads tour routes

Image
This afternoon, I am reporting the route of Glen Quaich in Central Scotland. This is a scenic, single track road which is usually closed to traffic in winter. The route covers about twelve miles and runs between the villages of Amulree and Kenmore on the northern tip of Loch Tay in Perthshire. Depending on time of year it is possible to encounter low lying snow, many sheep, grouse and other exceptional opportunities for photography. Incidentally, Quaich means a drinking cup. In a certain place the landscape is shaped like a bowl. Glen Quaich, Perthshire, Scotland Glen Quaich Black Grouse at Glen Quaich Here are a couple of video clips.
Read more

Fort Augustus, a popular visitor site on southern tip of Loch Ness

Image
Loch Ness from flight of locks at Fort Augustus, Scottish Highlands This evening, I am posting information on Fort Augustus, a busy tourist village on the southern tip of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Summary information on Fort Augustus as follows:- Population about 650 persons. Distance, about 160 miles from Edinburgh and 35 miles from Inverness entailing journey times of 3.5 hours and 1 hour respectively. Well endowed with hotels and other accommodation plus shops, restaurants and visitor attractions. From here visitors can avail of boat trips on Loch Ness. Home to an impressive flight of five locks on the Caledonian Canal. Latter dates from 1822 and is now primarily used by pleasure boats. Closely linked with the 18th century Jacobite uprising in that (a) the village was renamed Fort Augustus (after Prince William Augustus, third son of King George II) consequent upon construction of a British military (redcoat) fort in 1742 and (b) the same Prince
Read more