Scotland 2026 – Day 11 – Inverness to Oban.

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Day 11- Inverness to Oban…. We were up and away from our AirB&B by 9.15. I must say we were very comfortable in our 2 Crown Circus Apartment. It was fairly expensive but we were very comfortable. Anyone thinking of staying here would not be disappointed. Claire the host is a delightful, helpful lady. The only thing you should be aware of is that the welcome pack is coffee beans, sachets of tea, coffee, sugar. There were dishwasher and washing machine tablets, kitchen roll, toilet rolls etc…..In all the other Airb&bs we’ve stayed in both in UK and in Europe we have always had a welcome gift with bread, milk, butter and a preserve….we’ve also had luxuries like eggs, cheese, apple juice, wine, bananas etc etc But here the extra gift other than the expected norm was coffee beans…we didn’t use these as we had brought our preferred coffee from home.

We headed towards Dores and Foyers along that side of Loch Ness to Fort Augustus…some of the road is one track with passing places. There are frequent parking places but only a few have views of the Loch….Nessie obviously had the day off probably due to the chilly wet weather!!!!! We did spy the tourist cruise out searching for her….we stopped to take a few pictures of Urquhart Castle…..We have a superb photo of this on our wall at home from the days John was heading up Barclaycards marketing and advertising…he had used his photographers picture to advertise the card in Scotland, it has a lovely pinky haze and has adorned our dining room wall for many years….so we always enjoy seeing the real thing when we are up in Inverness.

We had a very convenient loo stop at Fort Augustus before heading on to Spean Bridge where we stopped at the Commando Memorial.

The weather was really coming in and it was difficult to see the snow capped peaks of the Ben Nevis Range

We stopped in Fort William for a cup of coffee at the Railway Station so John could get a few pictures. Our trip continued on to Oban via The Loch Nell Arms Hotel, at Connel Ferry for a loo break ….what a delightful hotel with superb views and really nice staff….next time we pass this way we will definitely stay here…John was taking pictures ( which due to the poor internet where we are at present we can’t download) and a couple asked if he was staying, when he replied “ not this time” they replied it was a shame as it was the very best hotel in the area….looking forward to staying there in the future.

We nipped up to the station for John to get a photo….he was delighted it was a train with a bike carriage which he had failed to photograph the last time we came up to Scotland. So with a smiling husband we arrived in Oban and found our hotel – The Muthu Queen…right on the promenade front…a pity our rooms were looking at the back of the front of the hotel ….

If I said this hotel was a real live Fawlty Towers…..those of you who remember the TV series of the 1970’s or the more recent West End award winning stage show ….you will know that our experience has been highly problematic and thankfully due to our good sense of humour, highly amusing…..

To start with Dads room was 3 floors below ours….”NO” we had requested through booking.com rooms near if not next to each other and on the lowest floor possible. We knew that we had to walk up the first set of stairs but the lift which takes you the rest of the way was out of order…so eventually the lovely receptionists changed our room to the other end of the first floor to dads….then Dad opened his window and it wouldn’t close…the other lovely receptionist came and closed it using something pressed into the mechanisation so he didn’t trap his fingers, then our curtains didn’t close,,,John eventually managed to unhook them enough to pull them along but no chance of reopening them, our TV had no signal then sprang to life with constant interrupted signal, and the bathroom floor flooded when you had a shower….!!!! At supper the soup sounded appetising so we selected it only to be told it was a different soup which we didn’t fancy…our main course was brought before our starter plates were removed, so there was no where to put the main course plates ….we were asked if we wanted a dessert while we were still eating our mains…..and so it continued….the staff were so lovely…but nothing really worked…and the service was dubious……more about that tomorrow.

Scotland 2026 – Day 10 – The Black Isle

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Today is my wonderful husbands birthday….so a slow start with presents and cards….

It wouldn’t be his birthday unless he had a couple of new T Shirts…

We headed out of Inverness directly to Fortrose and down to Chanonry Point. This is a well known spot for dolphin watching. The channel is deep and the most likely time to see dolphins is 1to 2 hours after low tide…so that was around 11.30. We managed to dodge the golf balls as we traversed the courses road which leads to the point. It’s a tiny carpark but we managed to get the last disabled bay. We walked to the waters edge…..

…and spent some time watching a hatch and a rib sail past.

Dad sat on one of the thoughtful seats watching the world go by

We then decided to walk around the corner of the lighthouse to view the bay which is most renowned for dolphins.

Dad set off with us, but the beach was large stones and very rickety so he soon turned back. John and I continued to where about 100 people were sitting, standing, strolling…all in the hope of seeing dolphins…

We stood and watched a couple of boats go by…but no dolphins …

After a while we headed back to where Dad had taken up residency!!

He had been joined by a couple of dunnocks

We headed off to Cromarty. We pulled up against the shoreline and cracked open the flask…for a coffee, while admiring a Costa cruise ship and the old oil industrial site..

We headed across the Black Isle off to Dingwall, so John could photo a few trains….on the way we passed beautiful gorse, bluebells and numerous sheep with lambs..

We had our picnic at Dingwall. On the way back from Dingwall to Inverness we called a Muir of Ord for another train photo.

Back in Inverness we spent the rest of the afternoon having a rest, prior to going to The fig & Thistle for supper…

Scotland 2026 – Day 9 – Wester Ross

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After a slow start, breakfast, putting the laundry away, making a picnic lunch we were finally off and travelling out of Inverness..

Out first stop was Garve on the road to Ullapool. There sat in the station was the Royal Scotsman, the Belmond Company Special train which does tours of Scotland. The clients had just been disembarked on to two busses which would take them off to see the sights prior to rembarking at another station…probably Inverness or Avimore. the train is hauled by a deselect locomotive with the Belmont Royal Scotsman’s livery.

After the buses departed we walked onto the platform for a few more photos of its reception and the platform at the rear of its observation car .

Having peered through the window of the dinning car …

I cheekily asked the train manager if I could step aboard to take a picture…he a little reluctantly agreed…

After a few photos I started to wander back to the car…as it was once again raining….just as these two reprobates left the platform ..!!!

We drove on from here through some fabulous countryside……it was of course raining but this only increased the dramatic eerie moorland with its sheer granite rock faces. We were going to explore Wester Ross.

Arriving at Ullapool. We drove along the front of the quayside. Quite a few ferries go from here to other Scottish Islands and the port was a hive of activity.

We found a nice looking hotel and had coffee and used their conveniences.

We back tracked a little before turning off to Gairloch. This time we drove along the edge of Broom Loch. The Loch had loads of Oyster farms, which always fascinate me….as we drove on we continued to drive along well potholed roads, some were single tracks with passing places eventually winding our way along Little Broom Loch….both of the lochs run into the sea. We stopped at a stunning viewing laybye for our picnic lunch….

As we travelled on we saw loads of Christmas tree plantations …as well as some beautiful beaches….

On our circular route we joined the Kyle of Lochalsh – for Skye- Road at Achnasheen. We’ve seen deer here on the railway track before now…however we were thinking we weren’t going to be lucky ….. but on leaving the station we did see a pair of Oyster Catchers near the pond.

Back on the main road, I suddenly swerved into a lay-bye, this time it wasn’t to avoid the ever present potholes ….it was because I had spied a real beauty…

We continued on along the edge of the Loch Maree and called at the Beinn Eighe visitors centre…really to use their loos but they had some great information boards as well.

Arriving back at Inverness we struggled to find a way across the River Ness, due to one of the bridges being closed due to an accident …we did eventually make it back having stopped at Tesco to pick up a gammon joint, vegetables, croquet potatoes and trifle for supper….however we ended up eating rather late due to the fight I had with the cooker, hob & microwave !!! Why can’t all appliances work the same?????

More sightseeing tomorrow….

Scotland 2026 – Day 8 – Spending time with a friend.

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We had a slow start to the day, not least because my tummy had misbehaved during the night. John got up and walked to the station. He waved my sister and brother in-laws train goodbye, but didn’t see them.

Having caught up with emails, claimed my lottery win….yeah!!!! Ok …you guessed it was £5 …..well!! ….my Grandpa used to say if you “look after the pennies the pounds will look after themselves” ….so £5 is not to be sneezed at…I decided to frivolously reinvest it !!!

At midday we took the car, the stones throw, down the hill to the Eastgate shopping centre carpark….not because we are lazy but because the steep walk back up is too much for us.

Dad went and sat in The Royal Highland Hotel lounge, while John and I went to meet Steve off the Aberdeen incoming train. Steve and Mags have been friends of mine for 35 years. We met while I was working in Africa. Several years ago they moved up to Nairn. Very sadly Mags passed away, recently, unexpectedly. However she was very much with us in spirit today as we laughed our way through a very pleasant lunch in The Royal Highlanders Ash restaurant. We were extremely grateful to Steve for making the considerable effort to come into the city to meet up.

Lunch and afternoon coffee went far too quickly. The hotel still has the wonderful charm of a bygone era. The ladies loo is more like a good old fashioned powder room….huge with superb large oval table combined with modern sinks and toilets…..and strangely enough a photocopier ….that made me laugh…I suppose they have to put it somewhere……On several occasions we have stayed here, but this time they were full. I had thought about turning the trip around but when I looked up the price, it made me gulp….we are very comfortable in our AirB&B…But that didn’t stop us enjoying the hotels ambiance and getting the “must have” photos on the impressive staircase.

We walked with Steve back to the station, so he could catch the 20 minute trip home. He knows he has an open invitation to come and visit us…it had been so lovely to spend time with him.

We decided to take drive across onto the Black Isle. Enjoying the wonderful scenery before driving back along the edge of the Beauly Firth.

We arrived back at our accommodation which was snug and warm.

Scotland 2026 – Day 7 -Falkirk to Inverness

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We set off at 9.45 and made good time. Straight on to M9 which leads on to the A9….a very straight forward route. Good roads and easy driving. Leaving plenty of time to enjoy the wonderful scenery.

Our first stop was at Blair Atholl station for John to photograph a train. We also had a very nice cup of coffee….scored 10/10!!, at The Atholl Arms Hotel

The scenery was fairly dramatic

With patches of snow…

Contrasting with beautiful vibrant bluebells …

We continued on our way passed Drumochter Pass which is the highest point on the UK rail network.

We stopped of at Kingussie.

There were still a lot of Daffodils out.

We sat in the station carpark having our sandwiches.

From here we dropped in at Avimore. It would have been rude to pass by and not call in at the station and the toilets !!!!

On we went up to and passed Slochd one of the steepest climbs on the rail network and also a place of mass humiliation for me……many, many years ago on my first time to Scotland with John we stopped here to have a picnic lunch….I asked John if any trains were coming and he assured me there were none due…so I walked along the line side footpath and found a nice big bush which shielded me from the road….bursting for a wee I squatted down…..mid flow a steam train appeared over the rise with a viewing platform on the back of the train, this was full of oriental tourists and their cameras….they were not shy in clicking away at me in mid-wee!!!!! Talk about embarrassing….Johns only excuse – to this day- is that in those days they didn’t put “The Specials” on the internet timetable …..ummmm…I haven’t quite forgiven him yet…of course he found it hysterically funny…so every time we go by John takes a picture of it…just to remind me!!!!

Just after Slochd you can see the dramatic viaduct at Tomatin

We continued on through the countryside.

Around about 2.30 we arrived in Inverness and easily found our AirB&B – a very nice ground floor of a period house. 2 double bedrooms, one en-suite and the other next to a bathroom, a large lounge with two big comfortable settees and a well equipped kitchen……The washing was soon on and we rested before going our for supper.

We went to The White House because we were meeting my sister and her husband for the evening. They just happened to be here on holiday at the same time as us. We had a very nice meal before returning to our accommodation for a much needed good nights sleep.