Across the Seas to Skye

We are ready to head even further south along the Scottish west coast to Skye.

Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,

Onward! the sailors cry;

Carry the lad that's born to be King

Over the sea to Skye

The weather – “it rained all night the day I left – the weather it was dry” – isn’t that the way the song Old Susanna goes? – well the first part of the line applied to us but not the second – it was overcast with hints of rain – the effect was not to detract from the majesty of the landscape just to apply to it a different palette of colours!

As we leave the B & B, Loch Broom reflects is braes and the mist the blanket them – even the wandering pheasant is impressed!

We proceed on the main road towards Inverness and then quickly turn onto the Wester Ross Tourist Route –  on wards towards Poolewe - The country rugged – the effect of the low mist stunning.

Fortunately, like the sailors carrying Bonnie Prince Charlie,  we have departed early so like them we can we can avoid our enemies - in our case the tourists in their huge Winnebagoes - they have yet to arise from their roadside slumbers and their peers, the overnight weekend hikers, remain in their wilderness camps far from their temporarily abandoned vehicles left at the hiking track head – the vehicles sit waiting for their masters to return looking sad, cold and rejected.

  

We pass wartime installations at Loch Ewe – we laugh at the comments of postee’s recorded on the tourist sign at the Loch.

                             “ ….. and after 18 months the sheep start talking to you”

Past streams invigorated by the rain and the last of the melting snow.

Past a camping ground - oh bugger! – the Winnebagoes have deserted their caravan mates and on one the road!

We pass more - more stunning scenery! – Bernie's iPad screams in pain - it seeks Union representation in an attempt to moderate the number of images it is expected to acquire on any given stretch of Scottish coastal road,

Through Gairloch

On towards Kinlochewe - along the beautiful  Loch Maree – stop at the Beinn Eighn Nature Park Visitor Centre

Turn at Kinlochewe – stop for morning tea at the Whistle Stop! - cosy! - nice! - staffed in anticipation of a busy day! - again we are early - there is more staff than customers at this hour! 

 We pass through the Nature park towards Torridon - evidence in the form of seemingly abandoned vehicles in roadside clearings at the head of walking trails point to the abundance of overnight campers enjoying the rugged and magnificent mountains, hill and dales.

We pass Sheildaig - We turn onto the scenic route towards Applecross! – immediately  my mind drifts  away - I daydream! – In the daydream I see Chris Parker’s face! - don't be horrified by the thought even though the magnitude of the smile on his face risks tearing his visage apart – his Audi automatically changes down one gear – Appel's face turns away from the scenery - she tightens her seat belt – Chris cannot resist engaging sports mode - the Audi is now down three gears and the sound of its presence is echoing off the braes” – I wake from my daydream – I feel dispondant - here I am in "God's Own" driving country and  realise that all I have at my disposal is the Mokka! - oh how I wish I had that Audi now!.

Almost at the same level of desire for an Ausi RS3, is my desire that all the Winnibagoes that infest the Applecross Road, disappear off the face of the earth! - not only are they inclined to use an excessive proportion of the available passing width they have an annoying tendency to photobomb Bernie's much loved panorama's.

 The road narrows – the road twists and turns – the country simply breathtaking –  even the skies lighten - all is well with the world as we head along the coastal route through rugged rugged country towards Applecross.

The Applecross loop route is one of the self inflicted challenges that the hardy ,Scottish equivalents of our own Peter Harper and others, like to undertake - This could be a much younger Peter out riding on any Sunday afternoon in Australia! Here is a video of the climb.

Onwards and onwards past more highland cattle and more views that have Bernie screaming STOP!

We reach Applecross - this is the Sunday of a bank holiday weekend - an explanation for the large turnout of walkers, riders, campers, hikers and day-trippers - we partake of coffee.

Applecross claims to be an isolated place - as the signs on the roads of the Applecross Loop say: "this road is normally inaccessible in wintry conditions" - the reality is that wintry conditions are the norm here, so given the Scottish propensity toward thrift, I wonder why the sign does not read "this road is normally inaccessible"

I photograph the photographs in the town - I am about to discover the challenges that the old racers depicted in the photographs use to face, for the road that we have just taken into Applecross is a poor relation, in a driving challenge sense, to the section of the  Applecross loop towards Skye.

The single lane road rises sharply then plunges - 650 metres in 10 kilometers - hairpin bends imported from Switzerland - passing points numerous and valuable - the day trippers and the tourists almost uniformly courteous and polite - I'll stop - no I'll stop - finally one of the two decides to progress - lovely attitude by all save for the one cranky old fellow equipped in a band new, top of the range, Land Rover - he was not going to stop at any passing point for anyone - we find ourselves stranded between passing points - he pushes on past the point adjacent  to him - stops - points at us - directs us to reverse back down the road - not just any road but the Applecross Road! - given he had 10 metres to reverse to a passing point and I had 100 metres it took sometime before I realised what he expected - I eventually reversed - he avoided looking at me as he passed but I am without a shadow of a doubt that, no matter the state of his hearing,  no matter the quality of the sound insulation properties of a top of the range Land Rover, NOTHING would have prevented him from being aware of my feelings in relation to his personage! - forgive me for using the word "personage" here but I am trying to reform the standard of my language since this experience with the old gentleman and his Land Rover, once again made me realise that it is subject to rapid deterioration at an alarming rate when old men in new Land Rovers cause me aggravation! - Bernie's iPad appreciated the incident since it was given a rest as Bernie's attention was directed towards calming the demenour of her chauffeur.

We pause for the passage of weekend riders.

Down the mountain - pause for deer crossing the road - pause for more scenery - pause to concede right of way as a polite member of the travelling public.  

Towards the Kyle of Lockalsh - Then towards Skye - we cross the bridge - we make our way to Portree and then to Skeabost - the day magnificent - the travellers tired.

Finally the Skeabostview B&B