weekend away in Fort William

So amidst the gale force winds, horizontal rain and sleet we headed off for a weekend in Fort William.

Took the scenic route via Loch Fyne, stopping off at the garden centre. It really has some great plants, shrubs and trees. They all look in great condition, possibly due to the two girls enthusiasm and dedication.

Then onto Inveraray, but we didn’t stop off for lunch at the local pub. We had our two apples for that. 

 

So we headed along Lochawe, eventually vying off along the single track road by the gloriously beautiful river Orchy. A winding up and down roller coaster in perfect tranquillity with the odd yellow local council lorry parked in the centre of the narrow road. But he was filling potholes, and there were plenty of those. Rejoined the main Loch Lomand Fort William road.

 Stopped off for a coffee at the Glencoe activity centre with its chair lifts up to the snow. Full of cars and the helmeted goggled snowboarders in their colourful attire and goatee beards. Amazed how many elderly are taking to snowboarding. Must say, l fancy a go. But it will have to be on a shallow slope in powder snow.

Arrived mid afternoon, unpacked the car and headed the two and a half miles into the town of Fort William. Really down at heal, but then again it is pre season. Most places where closed or shut up and boarded for winter.

Forecast was not good for walking on Saturday morning. Had a good dinner and headed to bed with the growling wind whistling through the window.

After a hearty breakfast we venture out into the pouring rain. Fingers crossed for a break in the weather.

 

Headed up what is reputed to be the longest and most beautiful cul de sac in Britain, a narrow single track road that meanders 22 miles along the shores of Loch Gary and Loch Quoich and the small homestead at the edge of the sea loch Kinloch Hoeum ( loch of hell)

What a journey, past two large hydroelectric plants and plenty of deer and stags along with a herd of wild sheep.

Eventually reached Kinloch Hourn at the end of the sea loch of the same name. This believe it or not used to be a thriving fishing settlement. Today just a group of buildings in the middle of nowhere. But a beautiful nowhere, where time stand still.

From Kinloch Hourn, a path continues along the south side of the loch to Barrisdale. This then climbs over Màm Barrisdale, before dropping down to the village of Inverie in Knoydart, a so called coffin road.

You can also access the mountains of Knoydart, including Ladhar Bheinn and Luinne Bheinn.

To the north of Loch Hourn is the route of an old drover road, which ran between Kinloch Hourn to Glenelg. From accounts cattle from Skye were driven across Kyle Rhea to Glenelg, along this route to Kinloch Hourn, then onwards down Glen Garry.

Just round the point there is a fascinating and renowned B&B called Skiary.

It comes highly recommended and is a place we must stay in one of these days. £95 pppn, all inclusive. No electricity and you share facilities with the other guests, max six people. But its supposed to be an amazing experience. 

This is what the Guardian said about it "  One can’t help feeling a little bit privileged staying at Skiary Lodge. Not because there’s anything grand about it, at least, not in the conventional sense, but because of its uniqueness and for the short period it’s open each year (April to October at most). Located on the shores of Loch Hourn, a wild fjord in the north-west Scottish Highlands, it was one of six cottages within a hamlet abandoned by its community of mackerel fishermen in the 1950s. This fisherman’s cottage-turned-three-bedroom guesthouse, run for the past five years by twentysomethings Claire Holmes and Tom Everett, is now the only house still standing, having been restored in the 1980s by Tom’s grandparents. A two-hour drive from Fort William, then a 30-minute walk or a 10-minute boat ride, the cottage is run as a wilderness retreat for up to six people, with no electricity or mobile signal. The house is simple but very comfortable and offers an unforgettable base from which to walk, climb, swim, seal-watch and generally de-stress, with home-cooked candlelit dinners and stargazing at night. "

So it must be worth a visit. Train from Glasgow, Posti bus from Fort William to 
Kinloch Hourn and then a 30 minute walk to the B&B.

Next day walk over the Knoydart peninsular and stay overnight before taking the boat to Malaig and the train to Glasgow. What an experience.

Trying to talk Judith into the walk, but she may take the boat round and meet me on the other side.