Highlands of Scotland Sept 2006

This was a brief holiday in Scotland, staying at Strathpeffer, just North of Inverness.

I was lucky that there were two lovely sunny and warm days (a little too warm when I was struggling up a track above Loch Ness) with only one day where it rained (and boy did it rain).

First port of call had to be Culloden Moor, to see the site of the victory of the Government troops over the Jacobites. Many (many) years ago, I went there for the first time, there were trees on the site and it was hard to picture the scene on the day. But now they have cleared away the trees and it looks more like it did in 1746. The biggest thing you notice, if you look just off the path, is there is soggy, boggy moss everywhere. And this was a factor in the Jacobite defeat. If your main tactic is to run at the enemy, screaming like a madman, holding up a bloody great big sword, then it’s a really bad idea to stand and fight where the battle site has a bog between you and your target! Brave men betrayed by bad leaders.

There are dolphins in the Moray – honest there are, but sadly they decided not to show themselves when I sat (with quite a few others) on a beach at high tide. So I had to make do with a seal, some cormorants and a small party or terns instead. That’ll do.

From there it was a trip to the Rogie Falls, and that was well worth it, as the salmon leapt, almost defying the fly fisherman (who looked surprisingly like Father Christmas out of uniform) to catch them.

Loch Ness just has to be visited is you are in the area, and I chose to do it the hard way. There is a great walk in the OS walkers guide to the area that promised spectacular views all down the Great Glen if you just climbed to the top of Mealfuarvonie (2293 ft).

Well that was the idea! Sadly a still recovering broken finger and a sore shoulder (yeah, I know, I’m falling apart) meant I had to give up at 1601ft when a bit of light scree (which I would normally had little problem with) defeated me. To be honest, by this time I already had a spectacular view so gave up without too much of a fight. The tiny road that leads to the start of the walk (be careful not to squash Great Glen Way walkers) is quite steep in parts, but there is a car park for half a dozen cars or so at the end of it. And of course you’ve let the car do some of the climb! Great walk though – but beware of the stile as you rise up to the ridge – it climbs over a deer fence so isn’t small and it’s windy up there!

Urquhart Castle is worth a look. In fact the end of the AV presentation, when the picture fades and the curtains open to reveal the castle in all it’s glory, was well worth the time.

But the highlight for me (and on the journey home) was the other end of the Great Glen. The views from the Commando Memorial were spectacular.

Ben Nevis looked easy to stroll up (yeah, right, you can tell I didn’t try) as its top was clear to see.

But best of all was the stunning Glen Coe. As I drove through a song played which summed up my feelings – “Solid Ground” by Dougie MacLean.

It's the Land. It is our Wisdom.
It's the Land. It shines us through.
It's the Land. It feeds our children.
It's the Land. You cannot own the Land.
The Land owns you.