Tarn Reflections

Backbip of Wednesday (loaded Thursday because there was no Internet at Gairloch)


Today we were introduced to the Scottish Midgies – nasty pesky little (as in minute) critters.  Aha, but we were prepared!!  Doug yesterday had bought a bottle of the necessary deterrent but even though we didn’t linger in the places they were…..usually about water, and let me tell you there is water everywhere that we travelled too. 

Breakfast at our Bnb proved interesting……we always have a chat to whoever happens to be in the breakfast room.  This morning there was a young couple (well a man and lady, cyclists by their lycra).  Chatted about NZ and about what they were doing biking around Scotland etc.  He said he had biked all around Great Brittan and would like to do it in NZ.  Before that he was very interested in Sir Edmond Hilary and asked many questions.  Finally I asked his name – James Ketchell, which didn’t really mean much to me, his companion suggested l I goggled him and OMG, he has climbed Mt Everest, rowed across oceans, biked here there and everywhere plus many other achievements.  He was so modest and friendly.  I’m now one (of many) of his Facebook friends which he did at breakfast.  I will follow him with great interest.

Any rate, I digress…..we set off for Duress and the Mountain Chocolate factory & café – James recommended we go there and had showed us the hot chocolate photo on his phone.   Delicious is an understatement. We had to by chocolate too.

The roads were very narrow, with passing bays along the way.  The meandered through valleys, over moors, very remote country.  Both Doug & I loved the sparse landscapes of high mountains, rocky outcrops, heather and bracken which are starting to turn to a burnt bronze colour.  Tarns, lochs, inlets, oceans, streams occasionally, lots of sheep on the roads which didn’t take any notice of us, they sleep anywhere they please, the motorist just go around them …..we oooed and arrred our way all the way to Ullapool.  Such a pretty wee town, we sat outside for a late lunch.  Lots of people about, the harbour/bay were looking a picture with boats, reflections and birds.

The weather was average, but generally OK – I guess with the almost four hours of travelling (yes many stops to satisfy my photography needs) there would have been maybe an hour where there was really low cloud and sometimes light rain.  But by the time we were coming into Ullapool the clouds were lifting much to my relief.

We drove on, destination Gairloch (remember this) – around peninsular, pretty bays, over hills, more pretty villages, more water (both sea and lochs or tarns).  Arrived and found ourselves a super smart and quite new BnB up a hill overlooking the Gairloch Bay.  Weather is cloudy and forecast is for rain overnight.

We have skipped dinner!


Rainie