Scotland: Skye to Aberdeen, the long way

Leaving Skye on 16 August 2014 we took a route through the North West Highlands to get back to the east coast at Inverness.  Firstly northward here at the head of Loch Carron from where we crossed a rather steep narrow road dropping into Loch Kishorn (really a sea inlet) then another mountain road to Shieldaig.

Lots of warning about the type of road yet a few campers were encountered on not much more than a single lane in many places.

An example of the hill road and the landscape along it.

Shieldaig tucked in next to the sea.

A small bench of flat rock on the foreshore as seen in occasional places around the coast and in particular Orkney.

As  in Skye remnants of earlier settlements but many isolated houses maintained.

 Often accompanied by these cattle particularly associated with the Highlands.  These ones doing a check of the remains of an old steading.

The road followed around Upper Loch Torridon and in this section cut into the rock cliff.

The rugged coast is illustrated in this view of inlets and peninsula together with mist emphasizing the deeply incised coastline.

Then a few houses are found on a more hospitable coastal bay.

 This one blending so well into the landscape as to be barely noticed until upon it near Annat.

It was then inland along the Glen Torridon where there was forest and woodland protection and restoration being undertaken.

Another view of the work along the Glen.

 Upon reaching the main highway from Inverness, on the east coast, to Ullapool, on the west cost, which most people travel we discovered this hydo lake about 10 miles up form the junction of the road out of the Strath Bran that we had traveled.

It was the reservoir for a rather complex linkage of the water system producing electricity for Scottish Hydro.

Not far downstream all on it own beside the road this delightful hotel and restaurant called Aultguish Inn. we were domiciled at a small B&B, a few mile down the road at the road junction at Gorstan.

 Next morning we took a short detour back up the A9 on the north side of Cromarty Firth to view Foulis house, the seat of clan Munro.  This was for the ancestral link to Raymond's great grandmother who was a Munro from Thurso, on the northern tip of Scotland.

A better view not obstructed by the roadside trees.

The view opposite looking out across the Firth showing the intensive cropping agriculture in the locality.

Between he A9 highway and the Firth is the Foulis Storehouse.

Where buildings have been restored and a thriving restaurant, gift and boutique food store is operated.

 It was then down to Aberdeen area and on the way encountered a heavy rainstorm.  Most of the crops had not been harvested and to get more heavy rain just added to the woes of the farmers.  The photographs are representative of the farming we saw along the north east from Moray Firth to below Aberdeen.

 Some areas a mix of uses including forest or woodland.  Wintering barns were also a feature on some farms.

Here a broader view of the mixed livestock area.

While other areas were dominated by intensive pasture and cropping on the better land with trees on the non cultivated area.

Some area were a monoculture of grain cropping.  Much of it supplying distilleries.

About a week later a harvester working as rain came on sufficient to require windscreen wipers on our vehicle.

The B&B where we stayed at Kemnay, half and hour west of Aberdeen city managed only one day of harvesting for the week but had the grain drier operating most of that time.

Near to whee we were staying was Castle Fraser, a National Trust property so we took the opportunity take a look around.  It had an added interest because of Raymond's acquaintance with a NZ high country run holder who had been brought up there and who's family had bequeathed it to the trust.

Andrew and Kath in the walled vegetable garden which was exceptionally well kept.

Another view showing the wall.

 Arden House at White Rashes, a short distance north west of Aberdeen that Andrew and Gemma had just purchased.  Unfortunately they had been unable to take possession until the last day before we had to make our way south.  However we were the first to spend a night there, the day they got possession.

The view, showing in the foreground part of the 6 acres of land attached to the house, from the upstairs bedroom we used.  It was the only room with a bed at that stage and not much else in the house at that stage.

The next blog will be a quick trip from Aberdeen to Portsmouth to cross over to France.