Day 9 - Skye to Glasgow

We headed off after breakfast knowing that today was the long drive back to Glasgow. Our first stop was Eilean Donan Castle which is situated on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet. It’s one of the most pictured castles in Scotland. Although it was first inhabited around the 6th century, the first fortified castle was built in the mid 13th century and stood guard over the lands of Kintail. Since then, at least four different versions of the castle have been built and re-built as the feudal history of Scotland unfolded through the centuries. It’s a total mishmash of styles, which makes it quite interesting to walk around.  

We managed to avoid the rain shower in the gift shop and café, we filled up on supplies and headed back on the road.

Our second stop was at Glencoe Crafts and Things, for a late lunch. I’d spotted this little gem when we were staying in Glencoe on the way up. It’s a little coffee shop and gallery, stocked to bursting with local crafts and artwork. I had a fat jacket potato with beans, cheese and coleslaw – Yum! We enjoyed a welcome break and stretched our legs.  

Whilst today wasn’t a particularly eventful day, it certainly wasn’t a bad one. Phil certainly enjoyed the driving whilst dad and I enjoyed the spectacular views.

Our hotel in Glasgow (which we eventually found after an unexpected tour of the city) is the Courtyard by Marriott Glasgow, located 500 meters from Glasgow Airport. Not to be confused with the Marriott Glasgow Airport which is in a completely different location and is currently closed. It’s a simple and modern hotel with a bistro where we had dinner and a final whisky to toast a fantastic trip.  

Day 8 - Sky Tour with Don (Day 2)

Don collected us after breakfast, and we headed straight to the “Fairy Pools” walk near Glenbrittle at the foot of the Black Cuillin Mountains. Apparently, they only called it the “Fairy pools” to attract tourists. Historically, the site never really had a name but one day someone just labelled it “Fairy Pools” on a local tourist map and the name stuck.

The walk to the pools uses the same route there and back on a purpose-made gravel path. The complete return distance to the first main waterfall and pool is c.2km. The scenery was beautiful. I know I say that a lot about the scenery in Scotland but it really was. With the Black Cuillin mountain range in the background, the crystal-clear pools are fed by little waterfalls which snake their way down the hillside beside the path. We saw (mad) swimmers having a dip – they did not look warm. We also saw one lady who had clearly slipped and hurt herself. Phil had to stop me from leaping into first aider mode.

After the Fairy Pools we headed to Old Bridge and the Collie and MacKenzie statue. Don told us the history of the area and how there is an annual competition to run from the pub at the Sligachan Hotel (which currently happens to be run by his son-in-law) to the top of Glamaig in the Northern Hills of the Red Cuillin mountains and back. The fastest athletes can make the climb in 45 minutes which genuinely seems unbelievable but is apparently true (I fact checked it on the internet). The race is said to commemorate the first running ascent made in 1899 by a Sherpa called Harkabir Thapa, who ran bare foot from the Sligachan Hotel bar to the top of the mountain and back in 75 minutes.

We headed to Portree for lunch and Don dropped us off at The Cuillin Hills Hotel, a beautiful hotel set within acres of mature gardens overlooking Portree Bay and the Sound of Raasay. We had a scrumptious lunch with champagne followed by a wonder around the gardens. It was definitely a highlight for me – The sun was shining, and we supped our champagne admiring the little boats coming and going from Portree harbour.

After lunch, Don dropped us back to the hotel and we said our goodbyes. Dad went for a rest whilst Phil and I walked to the local pottery shop (three minutes away). I was very restrained and didn’t buy anything.  

In the evening, we went to dinner next door at the Edinbane Inn before heading back for cocktails at our hotel bar. Phil did his Talisker whisky tasting, and we chatted to the bar man (who once dated Danny MacAskill’s sister – Small world).

Day 7 - Skye Tour with Don (Day 1)

We had a lovely breakfast (and I was spot on about the sough dough bread – it made amazing toast – dad and I had to fight for the last piece) and then met our Skye guide, Don.

I confess I was a little concerned about meeting Don. We’d exchanged emails and had a quick telephone call, and it had been very loosely agreed that he would collect us outside our hotel at 10am. He asked us to bring cash, and he didn’t require a deposit. I half expected it to be a scam because he was so much cheaper than the other Skye tour companies. Turns out my fears were groundless. Don is in his late 70’s, has lived on the Isle of Skye all his like and has a retro Nokia telephone with head piece (no wonder he wanted cash). Don knows everyone and people were just stopping in the road to talk to him, ask him how his doing and querying why he hadn’t yet retired.

Today, Don took us to the Northern Skye sites, starting at Nest Point Lighthouse. Don pointed us in the direction of the footpath and off we set. There were a lot of steps down (which meant a lot of steps back up!).

At the bottom of the first major staircase dad decided to stop (wise move). Phil and I carried on and as we cleared the head land, I also decided that the “view was sufficiently lovely” that I’d also stop. Phil carried on, headphones in, head down, all the way to the lighthouse. I watched him disappear into the distance from my vantage point.

Getting back up to the top was a chore but Phil helped me along by lending me one of his headphones and introducing me bagpipe techno. Despite my aversion to bagpipes, I will say that bagpipe techno is a good genre of music if you ever need to climb a significant staircase – It certainly has a rousing beat which get you moving.

From there we visited Uig, the Fairy Glen, Quiraing, Kilt Rock, Staffin Bay (An Corran Beach), Leaf Falls, Old Man Storr and Portree. I was surprise just how much ground we covered in one day (10am – 4pm, with no lunch break). Don was an excellent guide, debunking all the myths and legends and telling us anecdotes from his life and childhood, growing up on Skye.

In the afternoon I had a lovely relaxing bath followed by a nap before heading down to the bar for cards and cocktails before dinner. The restaurant is closed today and tomorrow evening, so we have the place to ourselves.

We had dinner at Skeabost House Hotel which is located on the shoreline of Loch Snizort. The views from the garden were lovely but I was simply too tired to enjoy the food. We headed back for an early night.

Day 6 - Skye

We travelled up to Skye today, leaving the A82 behind us. The drive was a couple of hours and incredibly remote. There were no service station or homes around for miles and miles. The scenery was breathtaking. “Awesome” in the true sense of the word.

After crossing the famous Skye bridge, we made our wat to the Talisker Distillery for a “Made by the Sea Tasting Experience”. Our guide took us through the history and story of Talisker explaining how the elements surrounding the distillery have shaped the whisky. We enjoyed tasing three single malts, but it felt like we tasted six (because adding a drop of water from a pipette completely changed the flavours). Because Phil was driving, he was allowed to take his whiskies home is a tasting pack – super cute!

We spent some time in the shop before heading to Dunvegan Castle and Gardens for lunch.

Dunvegan Castle is the seat of the chief of the Clan MacLeod. It’s the only Highland fortress to have been continuously occupied by the same family for 800 years. The castle has five acres of gardens, a Water Garden, Rose Garden and Walled Garden which we explored after a quick tour of the interior. The gardens weren’t in the best state (which was a little disappointing) but they were fun to wonder around. We especially liked the spinning mirrored “contemplation pebble” and the Water Garden with its waterfalls and bubbling brook.

Our hotel in the Isle of Skye is the 5 star Edinbane Lodge. The Lodge won “Restaurant of the Year” 2023 in the Scottish Excellence Awards and was awarded 4 Michelin Rosettes in the Michelin Guide, the first restaurant in the Highlands to have achieved such an accolade. It’s described as a “Restaurant with Rooms” in the AA guide, and it really is. I think there are maybe 6 or 8 rooms at the hotel and each one individually decorated and furnished. Our room is L-shaped with a large seating are and connected bathroom featuring a large Victorian roll top bath. Dad’s room has a little snug where he can relax and watch TV (his room also has a bathroom with a roll-top bath).

That evening, after a long rest, we met for a seven-course tasking menu with wine paring, prepared by head Chef Calum Montgomery. Most of the ingredients on the menu were sourced locally and we were given a little map detailing the distances each item had travelled. I am usually daunted by the concept of seven causes, but this was just right. Not too heavy and none of the courses were too large that we became full. The sough dough bread was insanely good, and I am certainly looking forward to it toasted at breakfast.

Day 5 - Loch Ness

Breakfast at the Loch Ness Lodge was amazing. Dad and I enjoyed our Scottish salmon and local sausages with scrambled eggs. I’m going to try the Scott’s pancakes tomorrow, they look lush!

We started the day with a 50-minute circular cruise of Loch Ness with Jacobite Tours, which conveniently started from just outside our hotel. We sat on the upper deck (I was fully prepared this time with my woolie hat and coat), looking out for Nessie as the boat crept along serenely in the mist. The water was so still. It was beautiful, very “moody”, just what I’d hoped for. The boat turned around at Urquhart Castle before heading back. It was lovely to view the historic castle from on the water. When I popped inside to grab us a coffee, I saw that the lower deck had onboard sonar seats so you can sit and watch for Nessie on the screens. Pretty fun!

Next, we headed to Urquhart Castle but I’d underestimated how busy it would be and we were turned away because it was full! We had to book online from the carpark for a slot later in the day. With time to kill, we headed to the Loch Ness Centre where we spent an hour being guided through an interactive exhibit about the history of Nessie and the various sightings. Despite the exhibit being aimed at kids, it was amusing and was voiced by David Tennant.

After the Loch Ness Centre it was time for our slot at Urquhart Castle. Once one of Scotland’s largest castles, Urquhart saw great conflict during its 500 years as a medieval fortress. Control of the castle passed back and forth between the Scots and English during the Wars of Independence. The last of the government troops garrisoned here during the Jacobite Risings blew up the castle when they left. It was interesting to see the “clumps” of castle wall scattered around the grounds where they had been blasted.

We had lunch in the canteen (which was a bit “tourist trap”). I then got myself into a bit of a tizz about where we could book for dinner. Everywhere I called was fully booked so we headed back to the hotel to ask the reception manager for help. Having secured a booking at a local pizza place called “The Italian Job” we headed back out on the road to finish the A82 scenic drive.

Apparently, the A82 terminates on a boring grey roundabout in central Inverness. Needing a better destination than that, we decided to visit the Clava Cairns (a prehistoric, Bronze Age cemetery, around 4,000 years old).

Whilst in the area, we quickly popped to the carpark of the Culloden Battlefield for a photo, before heading back to the hotel for a rest. Despite planning to have a restful day we did a lot.  

Dinner was nice, woodfired pizza. Dad had local venison and walnut on his!   

Day 4 - UCI Downhill World Championships

Today was amazing. It started with the slowest breakfast ever (Phil is still waiting for his coffee) prior to checking out of the hotel and heading to Fort William. We found the park and ride and picked up the hopper bus to the Ben Nevis Range for the UCI Downhill World Championships.

We walked around the pits. Phil seemed a little start-struck but I just carried on, taking pictures of all the famous mountain bikers (I think I saw all my heroes within the first hour). Dad really enjoyed the buzz of the place. Phil pointed out all the prototype bike tech and we all admired the very beautiful Fox 40 Podium Gold special edition forks.

We headed up the mountain following a trail which vaguely followed the track. Dad found himself a spot next to the jump line whilst Phil and I continued up to the wood section. After taking a lot of photos we wondered back to collect dad and head up the mountain in the gondola. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to sit at the café on the balcony to watch so we didn’t stay long at the top. We watched a few riders setting off before heading back down for an ice cream (and to buy Phil’s friend Jack some merchandise).  

We stayed at the event longer than I expected. We didn’t get back to the car before 3pm. From there, we made our way to Loch Ness to our next hotel.

Our hotel in Loch Ness is the Loch Ness Lodge, a 5 star B&B on the banks of the beautiful Loch. Now, this hotel deserves it’s 5 star rating! What an upgrade from the Glencoe Inn – We are going to be very happy here. The reception manager greeted us at our car to collect our bags as we arrived. The rooms are elegant, and the furnishings are luxurious.

After a rest, we met for a complementary glass of champagne in the lounge before heading off to dinner at the Loch Ness Inn (recommended and booked by the reception manager at check-in). The food was lovely, all made from local produce, and the restaurant was full to bursting. We are all feeling very tired tonight and we are looking forward to a more relaxing day tomorrow.  

Day 3 - Glenfinnan and Ben Nevis area

I feel like we achieved a lot today despite only having done a few things.

 Dad and I had a nice breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs then we all headed off in the car to our first stop, Neptune’s Staircase. The staircase is a flight of seven canal locks, also known as the “Road to the Isles”. It was a rather blustery walk along the bank of the canal but not without excitement. We watched a lock operating crew move a large sailboat up through the lock system, and we got chatting to them about their job and how its evolved over the years. They were super friendly, gave us loads of information and they let me operate one of the locks! It was very cool.

We had a quick cup of tea, out of the wind, to warm up before heading off to our next stop, Glenfinnan. We visited the Glenfinnan visitors centre, Glenfinnan Monument (erected in 1815, in tribute to the Jacobite clansmen who fought and died in the cause of Prince Charles Edward Stuart) and the Glenfinnan Railway Viaduct. I hadn’t realised these three tourist spots would be so close together, but it worked out well because it meant we had time to take a walk around the area before grabbing a spot at the café to watch the Jacobite steam train (or Hogwarts Express) make its way across the viaduct heading back to Fort William at 3pm.

Next, we headed to the Commando Memorial where we were greeted by a piper (uggh – I don’t like bagpipes and neither does dad). The Commando Memorial is dedicated to the men of the original British Commando Forces raised during World War II. It overlooks the training areas of the Commando Training Depot established in 1942 at Achnacarry Castle. We took a good look around the memorial and admired the stunning views of Ben Nevis and Aonach Mòr. It was fascinating and very moving. I’m glad we spent some time here, wondering around and reading the individual memorial stones. We saw memorials to the soldiers of Commando 1, who died on D-Day alongside memorials to soldiers who died in the more recent conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan. It was very interesting, and I managed to avoid the piper by staying upwind.

In the evening, we went to dinner at the Holly Tree Hotel and Restaurant. The food was lovely, and we were treated to a lovely sunset over Loch Linnhe.

Day 2 - Loch Lomond to Glencoe

Today started with a one hour circular tour of Loch Lomond’s south basin with Sweeney Cruse Co. We started out sitting on the upper deck, but it was terribly cold… well, I was cold. The boys said they weren’t, but I think they were just being stubborn! After 20 minutes, we moved inside where there was a little café which sold coffee and shortbread (yum). The boat had an audio guide. We saw stately homes, castles and even our hotel as we headed along the shoreline. The boat then ventured out toward Inchmurrin Island, the largest of Loch Lomond's 33 islands, home to the ancient remains of Lennox Castle. We learnt that the castle sheltered Robert the Bruce in the 14th century (when he was a fugitive), before he became the King of Scotland.

 Back on dry land we headed off in our hire car along the A82 scenic drive aiming to get from Loch Lomond to Glen Coe today. The A82 is said to be “bucket list” worthy. It’s apparently one of the most scenic drives in the world, passing mountains, waterfalls, Lochs and stunning natural scenery. It didn’t disappoint.  

We stopped off at several viewpoints along the way to stretch our legs and take photos. My favourites were the Three Sisters carpark (where there is a fantastic view of three mountains) and the valley where they filmed Skyfall (which I’m sure has a real name, but it’s since been replaced with “Skyfall filming location” on Google Maps). 

Our hotel in Glencoe is The Glencoe Inn which is sheltered by the Pap of Gelncoe on the banks of Loch Levan. It is apparently a 5 star Inn but we are wondering how they managed to get that rating (It’s definitely not 5 star and it might better be described as “Faulty Towers”). To its credit, it does have two restaurants, a bar and a sauna/sun garden.

After checking in we had lunch in the “dirty boots” restaurant which is open to hotel guests and members of the public (mostly hikers walking the West Highland Way). The food was average, and the kitchen staff seemed very stressed.  

We went for a short walk around Glencoe Village, over the bridge and into the forest then back to the banks of Loch Leven. Glencoe is relatively small but very picturesque. Phil missed most of the views as he trailed behind us on the phone, sorting out his dad’s computer issues.

As we had a free afternoon, we thought we’d pop back to one of the viewpoints we didn’t get to stop at but unfortunately, we got stuck in traffic because of an accident. After 10 minutes of waiting with the engine turned off and no discernible movement we performed a u-turn and headed back to the hotel. The A82 is a single-lane carriageway so you can imagine the havoc accidents must cause.

In the evening, we played cards in the bar, and we ate in the “clean shoes” restaurant. The service was incredibly slow and clearly the hotel is understaffed. We felt quite sorry for the waitress (who also served us at lunch time and in the bar earlier in evening) who was barely holding it together.

Day 1 - Loch Lomond

The flight from Jersey to Glasgow was a delayed so we were a little late arriving in Loch Lomond.

Our hire car is lovely. We received a free upgrade to a BMW 3 Series estate, and we are looking forward to road-tripping across Scotland in luxury (even if Phil says the car is a bit “gutless”).

Our first hotel is called the Duck Bay Hotel & Restaurant. It’s right on the bank of the Loch, with its own pontoon and views over the Arden Hills. The rooms are comfortable, and we each have little patios.

Once we had settled in, Dad and I went for a walk along the banks of the Loch whilst Phil sorted out the car (phone pairing stuff). The Loch was very calm, and it was lovely to see people having picnics on the shoreline, building sandcastles and relaxing.

After our walk, Phil and I went for a cup of tea and cake in the Hotel’s café whilst dad went for a rest.

We met up again for dinner at 7pm. The food was lovely, and the Loch views were stunning as the sun set. The conversation in the table behind us was rather intriguing too! We even sampled some Lowlands whisky.