Well it is that time of year when we visit the Highlands of Scotland, Wester Ross this year, near Kinlochewe to be precise. We do have a bit of a dampener on the holiday this year as my eldest son is staying home so as he can collect his "A" level results on Wednesday, on the plus side it means we don't need to use the roof box 

 

 So, our pre journey checks have been made this consists of loading the Yeti up and filling it with diesel and we are all ready, alarm clock set for 5:15AM and departure will be 6:00AM, journey is approx 415 miles and we are hoping to have it done within 7 hours, with a stop or two.

 

 Once up there we have a bit planned and a few take it as it comes days, one will definitely be John o'groats as we have never been but we have done the lands end thing a few years ago.

 

 Anywhere you guys can recommend for a day or two out?

John o Groats is good going there you can see it with a 100 miles to go and its quite flat. Heading back is the opposite you can see the landscape of lowlands and Highlands in the distance awesome views.

I was hoping to go to inverness then up to john o groats, once there, head across the top of the country in a westerly direction and then down towards ullapool and back to Kinlochewe, will be a long day out but we have plenty of time from sun up to sun down.

 I didn't realise it is flat up there.

On the basis of our own 'Great North Run' last year (pre-Yeti), you can't go wrong anywhere!  However, a few suggestions, since you ask.....

 

You shouldn't miss the wild North West.  Ullapool - Drumrunie, then west and north round Cul Mor and Suilven to Lochinver (this a good intro to The Wilds, esp if foul weather!).  If you continue on the 'coast' road you'll get to the spectacular beach at Clashnessie, then back to the main road at Kylesku (good pub). 

 

If you get to the north coast (Durness is some 160 miles from Kinlochewe via the above route), Balnakeil Bay and Faraid Head would probably be at their best in a December Westerly, but good enough (!) if the sun shines. 

 

Another little t*t-bit along the north coast, and if you enjoy the run round the deep inlet of Loch Eriboll, might be to do it again on the old (pre-causeway) road round the Kyle of Tongue, with real grass in the middle of the road and tarmac crumbling off the edges.  Real Yeti country.

 

John O'Groats was a total anticlimax (for us, anyway), but you might visit Dunnett Head, just for the 'most northerly mainland' record, and go beyond J O'G to Duncansby Head to see the Stacks (rock columns) and for a look across to the Orkneys.  

 

You'll have fun.  We're definitely going back, with more time to play with next time. 

 

Luck with the A-levels....

Thanks Brijo, I will be following your routes and I am now looking on the OS map to plan it with my highlighter pen!  I am looking forward to this adventure as we have never been so far north in our own country.

Thanks Brijo, I will be following your routes and I am now looking on the OS map to plan it with my highlighter pen!  I am looking forward to this adventure as we have never been so far north in our own country.

Oh b****r I'm feeling jealous now........

A great part of the country and plenty of opportunity for some photos so don't forget to post.

A great part of the country and plenty of opportunity for some photos so don't forget to post.

 

I have the Canon packed along with the 10-22, 24-105 and the 100-400 also the tripod and I have a G10 just in case!!! So I will have some pictures on my return.

Some nice kit there, look forward to seeing the results. Hope you have a safe journey.

'Scuse me, brijo - it's not 'The Orkneys' the collection of islands is called 'Orkney'. It's the pedant in me, I'm sorry. Did you know 'Classic & Sports Car' award a 'pedant of the month' hat?

Orkney is well worth the trip, friendly locals, wonderful unspoilt scenery and more neolithic sites than the whole of Europe. ( I'm not there but some think I'm neolithic - just retired!)

'Scuse me, brijo - it's not 'The Orkneys' the collection of islands is called 'Orkney'. It's the pedant in me, I'm sorry. Did you know 'Classic & Sports Car' award a 'pedant of the month' hat?

Orkney is well worth the trip, friendly locals, wonderful unspoilt scenery and more neolithic sites than the whole of Europe. ( I'm not there but some think I'm neolithic - just retired!)

No problem - consider yourself 'scused !  Nevertheless, (if you'll 'scuse me in turn!) my use of the collective 'Orkneys' was intentionally akin to similiar collectives like 'the Chilterns' (rather than 'The Chiltern Hills'), 'the Cotswolds', 'the Borders',....Broads...Pennines...Lakes...Marches.and so on.  The Ordnance Survey and Google Earth agree on 'Orkney Islands'.  So, full marks for pedantics but I trust you will accept the common collective in this context. 

 

Or should we call in hmibennett on this one :think:  ?

 

Son and daughter-in-law have been there, whatever the geographical feature is called, and the video they brought back was fascinating.  It/they (The Orkney Islands) are on our list for 'one day'. 

Always up for a pedantry award!

 

Our local 'bête noire' is the North Yorks Moors (NOT the North Yorkshire Moors).

 

And as an aside, as a football fan I hate ever hearing references to 'Notts Forest' (who have just beaten my team with a last-minute goal ... grrrrrrrrr!).

The mod's will tell us off for being off 'Yeti topic.

 

Should we start a separate Pedants section?

 

Doesn't anyone want my Fabia2, 1.6 advertised in the 'For Sale' section of Briskoda?

Returned from our adventure today, over 1500 miles covered and all went well with the Yeti, only problem was with the 50D, some sort of error code and the mirror locked up each time the shutter button was pressed! Damn it, now means a trip to Lehmans to get it looked at.

 

 Anyway, the G10 got used to make a few record snaps of our trip and what a trip it was, our cottage was in the Benn Eighe national park and looking out of the lounge window looked straight at the mountain, we had visiting pine martens nearly every night which was very pleasing to see.

 

 Amongst places we visited were Applecross, Shieldaig, Smoo, Benn Hope, Altnaharra and cape wrath, we also went to Ullapool and as far east as Cromarty. I will sift my pictures and get them up later.

Did you sample the seafood at the Applecross Inn?

No as I am the only one who eats sea food so as our family is a democracy we ate at the Torridon hotel on the way back to the cottage. I quite fancied eating at Kishorn seafood restaurant but again cries of "urgh not seafood!" were heard all around.

A few piccies, starting with the view from our window at the holiday cottage, you see before you Benn Eighe, this is near Kinlochewe in Wester Ross.

 

 

Our dog Winston, sitting in the landscape looking over Shieldaig and Torridon.

 

 

Yeti looking at the view too..

 

 

Yeti Rock Climbing near Shieldaig after passing Bealach Na Ba.

 

 

 

 

Acrobatic Yeti in the Benn Eighe national park, I think this confirms that a Yeti can quite happily manoeuvre when a few wheels have left the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winston fast asleep on the journey home today, he is in the boot and has his resting on the folded down middle seat, I did not take the picture as I was driving!

 

 

 

Heading towards Kinlochewe from Gairloch

 

 

North coast near Smoo

 

 

Benn Hope on the road from Altnaharra (more like a goat track!) You wouldn't get a slammed Fabia along it anyway!

 

 

 

Landscape pose... looking good with 91,000 miles covered!

 

 

 

 enough of the holiday snaps I hear you cry!!   Thanks Scotland for a fantastic week and a few ideas for where to go next year.

Smashing pictures, hope to venture there myself next year :yes:

Smashing pictures, hope to venture there myself next year :yes:

 

Without doubt you should do it, however they have midges and by christ do they bite! I will go west again but in spring or autumn as summer you are asking to be eaten! They get in the car when you get in and proceed to devour you when you're driving 

Never underestimate the highland midge 

Never underestimate the highland midge 

 

 I found a small book about the midge, it was interesting reading, none of the repellent creams or sprays work but you are safe to go out when there is a breeze, it is sunny or bright but not when it is still and overcast as this is midge heaven.

 

 We did ok though, only got bitten about 60 times per day! The dog is here now licking his legs and rubbing his belly as he has loads of midge bites too.

 

 Did you know?  It is the female midge that bites! She has a thirst for blood and not the male..

Without doubt you should do it, however they have midges and by christ do they bite! I will go west again but in spring or autumn as summer you are asking to be eaten! They get in the car when you get in and proceed to devour you when you're driving 

Blimey, my Scottish mother in law warned us of the dreaded midges but I didn't realise they were this much of a problem! Are they less active in spring and autumn or absent during these seasons?

They breed in cycles, so in spring and autumn they are not flying.

 

 I can assure you that looking out of our window this morning looking at the Yeti and thinking how am I going to get all this gear in the car without getting eaten by the flying swarm of midge that were out there!

 

There are about 36 different breeds of midge too! Don't let it put you off as most days there is a breeze and the midge doesn't like a breeze.

 

Midges.

 

More about Midges

They normally appear early May and disappear early September. July/August they are at their biting worst.

They don't like sunshine, breeze/wind, cold. They detect CO2 when you breathe out, so if you hold your breath to get into the car you should be safe.

Some very nice pictures, including of Winston. As Marie has shown us before, the Polar Yeti sits very well in the Scottish landscape and sitting out in the open rocks sunning itself clearly is a self confident beast. This is unlike the related breed, the more reclusive Southern Yeti, which tends to favour shades of brown, black and green, colours helping it to blend into its habitat of woods and muddy tracks.