We gave a lot of thought what to take and how to pack and were just hoping it would work as we have never done anything like this before.
This kind of travel is filled with adventure and the unknown - so how appropriate, at the start of our journey in front of our flat. to commit ourselves to the keeping of our God. He will keep us from stumbling (Jude), He saved our souls and we know that we can entrust ourselves to His love and care in our travelling.
This kind of travel is filled with adventure and the unknown - so how appropriate, at the start of our journey in front of our flat. to commit ourselves to the keeping of our God. He will keep us from stumbling (Jude), He saved our souls and we know that we can entrust ourselves to His love and care in our travelling.
So off we pull from Ferry Gait Drive via Perth, on the A9, we turn West on the A86 and travel alongside Loch Laggan to Spean Bridge. Turned in at Fort William - looking for a big midge net but no such magic exists. The salesman compared a midge net with a mosquito net and concluded the midges will get through. So we will have to make do with our head-nets. Back to Spean Bridge and turned North on the A82 past Loch Lochie and turned West at Invergarry onto the A87.
Gordon and I walk together along the river Shiel after crossing the old pedestrianstone bridge. When Gordon goes back to Hammy, I hobble over pebbles, find the biggest to sit down on and take boots and socks off. How refreshing the River Shiel is to feet! No towel - but lots of pebbles dry enough to absorb the cold water and rough enough to use as a skin smoother. Cool, bracing and clear-running river. The Dippers are right there and so is the big fat black slug. This does NOT remind us of South Africa but does remind us of the first time we saw these in the Lake District.
The wild Rhodendendrums - and Lupins always catch the eye. Where is Scotland's big melancholy soul? Maybe it is still too picturesque? But already we've had signs of peat and sights of horizontal drizzling - safely inside Hammy listening to "There she was just a walking down the street singing dodidi - etc.!
We stayed on the A87 until we turned off West at the Shiel Bridge onto the steep and zig-zagging unknown minor road for our first sleep over just above Ratagan - a sight-seeing high look-out with some picnic tables.
Gordon and I walk together along the river Shiel after crossing the old pedestrianstone bridge. When Gordon goes back to Hammy, I hobble over pebbles, find the biggest to sit down on and take boots and socks off. How refreshing the River Shiel is to feet! No towel - but lots of pebbles dry enough to absorb the cold water and rough enough to use as a skin smoother. Cool, bracing and clear-running river. The Dippers are right there and so is the big fat black slug. This does NOT remind us of South Africa but does remind us of the first time we saw these in the Lake District.
The wild Rhodendendrums - and Lupins always catch the eye. Where is Scotland's big melancholy soul? Maybe it is still too picturesque? But already we've had signs of peat and sights of horizontal drizzling - safely inside Hammy listening to "There she was just a walking down the street singing dodidi - etc.!
At Clune we washed our faces in nice clean bathrooms. Clean bathrooms along the way always turned out to be a real treat and so much quicker to get ourselves ready for bed and other necessities.
At the River Shiel we have our first picnic: the low rocks were beautifully placed and spaced and just the right height for us to perch on and on which to pack out our picnic. Our chicken which we stir-fried at home, boiled eggs and tomato and cucumber - eating like Lairds! And Flask Coffee. This was the last time we would have our own coffee on the road as our ancient travel kettle packed up and no matter at how many shops we asked along the way for the next 16 days - there would not be one to be found! We try out the Dunelm pop-out silicon plates and wipe them with serviettes afterwards before rinsing them out properly either later or from water in a bottle.
We stayed on the A87 until we turned off West at the Shiel Bridge onto the steep and zig-zagging unknown minor road for our first sleep over just above Ratagan - a sight-seeing high look-out with some picnic tables.
This was our first try at creating our sleeping space. We put the 2 picnic blankets on the front seats - the food plastic boxes on the passenger seat and 2 small plastic boxes with our toiletries on the floor of the driver's seat. Gordon packed our clothing rucksacks on the back shelf we created with 2 planks under the Hammy luggage cover. We left space for our boots (in plastic packets) and our jackets. The rest of the things we packed on the back shelf above our feet to block the back windows. And the rest of our belongings in the front for the same reason. So when we changed into our pjamas and were ready for sleep the whole area behind the front seats was free and actually quite spacious and definitely comfy.
War Memorial 50 miles from Skye. We had lunch here.
I so loved being with Gordon!
Rhodendendrums and Tree Tunnels
National Emblem
Double Delight
The last of the Gorse
Our first Sleep Over - can't believe the view over Loch Duich!
Chased by the Midges we found ourselves a Eilean Donan in our pjama's
This is what Hammy looks like on the inside
We are here all by ourselves 4.30 in the morning - of course no other tourists around
Iconic
After we tidied up Hammy and changed into our day clothes -
we crossed the bridge into Skye for what turned out to be
5 wonderful days!
