Take the long way home...

Backblipped 18.06.21

Kildary, Ross & Cromarty, Day 13

We had a decision to make over breakfast...which of our three plans were we going to follow?  With David golfing tomorrow, this was the last full day of our holiday where we had freedom to roam wherever.

We quickly dismissed the Helmsdale to Bettyhill then along the top coast to John O' Groats trip as we felt it was too long for the length of day we had left (once again we lingered too long over breakfast and lunch but it's so relaxing we can't resist! :-)   Culloden we'd already decided would be a good place to visit on our way home, so that was taken off the list.  That left a drive along Loch Shin that was recommended by a previous guest in the Visitor's Book, so we decided on that.

Another beautiful day - blue skies and sunshine interspersed with clouds and moody skies, no rain.  Perfect.

We headed for Lairg (the crossroads of the Highlands :-) and this time I managed to get a photo of the little house on Loch Shin that sits on a tiny island as you enter Lairg (see extras)  

Legend has it the Wee Hoose (known as Broon's Hoose) was built on Loch Shin near Lairg in 1824 by poacher Jock Broon who was gifted land by a local laird in return for being taught how to distil whisky.  Broon is said to have built the ‘wee hoose’ to mark his new status as a landowner but died shortly afterwards when he shot himself in the foot while out hunting.  

That of course is the legend, the truth is slightly less colourful in that Broons Hoose was built only 20 years ago as a float for the Lairg Gala and was taken to the island by boat at the end of the festivities and has since become a much loved local landmark.

Not wanting the truth to get in the way of a good highland legend, the locals have created an information board beside the loch using photos of local people made up to look older, and detailing the life story of Jock and his large extended family.  Apparently many a tourist has gone home completely charmed by the wee house and the legend of Jock Broon :-))

We continued our drive along Loch Shin, meaning to turn back at Kinloch, but we reached there sooner than we thought so kept going.  The road took us along the sides of Loch Merkland, Allt Ceann Locha, and Loch Stack, through such beautiful scenery.

In what seemed like no time at all, we emerged at Laxford Bridge on the west coast (and on the NC500) 49 miles north of Ullapool.  Filled with the spirit of adventure and needing the loo! we decided to follow the NC500 to Scourie in the hope of finding an open public loo.  Thankfully we did (and spotlessly clean loos at that :-) and since we had no deadline to stick too, we decided just to carry on driving south on this new (to us) section of the NC500, and I am SO glad we did as the scenery was spectacular!

To my delight this part of the route took us over Drochaid a' Chaolais Chumhaing, previously known as the Kylesku Bridge  I've seen lots of photos of it on NC500 sites so it was lovely to see it in real life.

From there we crossed the tiny Skiag Bridge and carried along the edge of Loch Assynt to Lochinver (4th extra)  Then back along Loch Assynt, passing the haunting Ardvreck Castle  extra) before our final stop at Ullapool.  Hadn't expected to be back there so soon but not complaining, it's such a wonderful place.

A visit to The Seaforth saw us enjoying calamari and scampi suppers whilst soaking up the view towards the Summer Isles (second last extra.) 

We had a lovely drive back to The Barn, with the late evening sky putting on an amazing show for us.  What a perfect end to the day :-))