Lost in Scotland

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September 9th 2010

Published: September 17th 2010

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Quirang, Isle of Skye

It was a wee bit windy

A flying visit around Motherwell, Glasgow (including accidentally to the exhibition centre) and Arrochar saw us meet Mum and David and catch up with my Aunts, Uncles and cousins and family friends Mary and Charlie. However, we were thinking that the extortionate 15 pounds a day charge by Avis for GPS on our trip may have been worthwhile as my Mum got us somewhat lost on several occasions insisting that things had changed!!

We detoured to the Argyll National Park on the way to Arrochar - taking in Loch Ard (accidental detour), Loch Achray and Loch Katrine. In the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park we spotted a couple of red squirrels at a hide (which are apparently much more rare than the grey variety).

Caleb and I continued up through Glen Coe (being a MacDonald, we didn't stick around too long in case any Campbells came to finish the massacre of the clan) and Fort William to the Isle of Skye. It was a very long (5 hour?) drive given that there are no passing lanes and a lot of slow traffic (although we weren't entirely sure of the speed limit on the open road - and when Caleb asked

Strathclyde Park

at a service station the attendant wasn't sure!).

We had planned to do a bit of walking at the Isle of Skye, particularly when the forecast said that it was supposed to be fine (apparently unusual for Skye), but we encountered gale force winds when we set off to start the walk at Quirang and we decided to turn back and see more of the island from the comfort of the rental car! We made a trip over to Dunvegan Castle, which was covered in scaffolding and not particularly exciting.

The next day we went to the otter hide at Kylerhea, where the narrow one-lane road was more exciting than the 'otter hide', which was half way up a hill and from which we could barely make out a couple of seals that were supposedly in the water - even with the binoculars provided.

We crashed in Stirling and went to the airport via the Falkirk Wheel, which moves boats from the higher Union Canal to the lower Forth Canal and vice versa.

Additional photos below

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