Highlands and Islands

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My baby sister is a medical student up in the wilds of Scotland, so I’m used to having to don Arctic clothing and trek the million miles by car, train, plane and bus to see her. When my parents informed me that she was going on placement in Inverness, I thought: Great, somewhere I’ve actually heard of and actually has a train station, this trip shouldn’t be so bad! What they conveniently left out was the fact that the placement was actually in Fort Augustus, an hour’s drive away from Inverness (which, by the way, takes two trains and 5 hours to get to from York anyway). I love my sister, but this journey took place a mere 48 hours after I had completed two plane journeys, a train, tube, and another train ride to get home from Johannesburg. Two days before that, we spent about 9 hours getting back to Joburg from the coast. For someone who gets travel sick, cranky when hungry, and downright miserable when tired, I do an awful lot of travelling.



But that’s because it’s worth it. Whether it means seeing family, friends, scenery, sights, or just getting away, I’ve never regretted going to a new place. Fort Augustus was no exception. Even from the train the scenery was beautiful, full of luscious greens; trees, mountains, and glimpses of lakeside castles straight from a story book. There were traces of snow on some of the highest hills, even in the height of summer, and the dappled sunlight illuminated the jewel-toned hillsides.



Fort Augustus itself is a pretty little place with friendly people and stunning views on the banks of Loch Ness. Nature takes centre stage here, with the human habitations nestling inconspicuously among the Loch’s gleaming water, a gushing canal, and magnificent mountains.



One building that isn’t so inconspicuous however, is the old monastery, now The Highlands Club. We stayed in one of the self-catering apartments, at the top of a tower. It was delightful, with an appropriate blend of cosy Scottish feel, and modern, tasteful decor. The bedrooms and living areas were lovely, but the highlight of the apartment was the bathroom - more specifically, the bathtub - more specifically, the view from the bathtub. Whilst most of the windows were quirkily placed skylights and turret windows because of the tower’s structure, the bathroom window was large and square, acting as a frame for the breathtaking view.





Lying in the claw-foot roll-top bath, you could see green lawns, huge green trees, a blue shining loch, and miles of open sky. You could practically see the freshness of the air, as if the huge leafy trees were exuding oxygen perceptibly all around you. The colours and atmosphere would change throughout the day, from glorious sunshine beaming on bright greens and blues, to pinky-purple clouds and lilac water quietly showing the sunset, to deep indigo and inky sapphire in the summer night. Even the deep grey of the rainy sky provided an aesthetically pleasing backdrop to a long hot bath, which was needed after the obligatory muddy, drizzly walk.

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