Day 15, Thurs 13th Oct 2011

A wonderful day in the West Highlands


We set off straight after breakfast on a lovely still day, a little cloudy but lovely and warm. You can see how still it was by the reflections in the Loch. (1st picture)

We had a lovely run up to the highlands with traffic being almost non-existant!!!

The roads were mostly single carriageway with passing places once you got away from the A9. This was the A838, (2nd picture) you can take it from me that the B roads were a lot narrower and twistier than this! We followed the A383 north to Laxford Bridge, the A 894 to Newton and then the B869 along a very scary twisty road to Drumbeg where we stopped for lunch overlooking a bay that was dotted with lots of small islands. Here we actually found a public toilet that was open (tmi).

After lunch we moved on to a viewpoint between Clachtoll and Rhicarn (3rd picture) that was marked on the map. What a stunning view of the peaks in the distance!!!

THEN JOY of JOY's we saw first 1, then 2, and finally 3 GOLDEN EAGLES!!!!! (pictures 4 & 5) They were circling in the distance coming ever closer until we had some really good views of them, unfortunately we did not have time to get the scopes on then as someone was in a hurry (not to miss pointless). Had it been just Sue and I we would no doubt have remained there considerably longer.













Ah well as we moved off (Mike driving) it was time to head for home so we continued to the end of the B869 then the A837 all the way back to Inveran and Invershin, pausing to look at Ardvreck Castle, (15th century home of the McClouds) and home to the cottage hardly pausing for breath!
Sue cooked a lovely meal and we collapsed knackered, but what a great day, I had waited 62 years to see a Golden Eagle in the wild, then to see 3 was fantastic..........