Highland Fling

We’ve just spent 10 days in Scotland, a real Cook’s tour.

We left Wales great excitement as I was allowed to put weight on my right foot for the first time in 9 weeks. I now have an ugly blue shoe strapped onto my cast. I asked for something in red leather but just got a strange look from the nurse.

We spent the first night with Helen, Lawrence’s sister in Glasgow. After a lovely evening catching up we set off for Stronian in the west. We drove through the hauntingly beautiful Glencoe Pass and past Ben Nevis, which I had walked up 22 years ago – not to be repeated this time for obvious reasons.

Kilcamb Lodge

We stayed the night at Kilcamb Lodge, a lovely country house hotel overlooking a loch. The 5 course dinner was a real treat as was the very hearty Scottish breakfast next morning, meant for walkers and climbers, not sedentary lame folk.

From there we headed to Dingwall just north of Inverness. Lawrence’s friend from school, Maggie, lives in town and we stayed with a friend of hers, Iain, who lives out of town in a fabulous converted stables. Both Iain and Maggie were great fun looked after us very well, and of course we ate too much great local food and drank a wee bit too much vino.

What a sight!!

I finally got to race around in a Gopher (electric scooter for old ladies). It needed a turbo charger but was great fun burning around the battlefields of Culloden. Perhaps if the Jacobites had these they might have defeated the nasty English.

Lawrence the Jacobite re-enacts the Battle of Culloden

We left the wonderful hospitality of Iain and Maggie and headed north. Firstly to Dunnet Head, which is the northern most point of mainland Britain (not John O’ Groats as lauded by tourists). From there we could almost touch the Orkney Isles, quite a spectacular site.

Dunnet Head and the NW Coast

As I can’t walk much, it became a driving holiday. We followed the stunning west coast of the Highlands to the Isle of Skye with the Cuillin Hills beckoning. 

I fell in love with the Cuillins in 1990 and have wanted to go back for some time. It was so frustrating not being able to walk in these wonderful mountains. Last time I was here I was reported as a missing person but luckily found in one piece at the pub!

Skye really turned on some great weather for us, with sea looking like a milky blue pond reflecting the lovely sky. It is still a truly breathtaking place.

The Cuillin Hills

Our last night was spent in Glasgow again, this time with Andy and Susan. Another lovely meal and fun night to end our jaunt, before heading down the M6 and back to Wales. Pete & Kath hadn’t moved house in our absence thankfully. You know when your house guests have stayed too long - they start inviting their own guests. Jen from Sydney is coming to stay with us next weekend, we'll out number our hosts, the takeover is almost complete.

Hopefully on Wednesday I'll be getting rid of this cast and get my walking boot - watch this space...