Western Highlands and Holy Crap Bealach Na Ba

After our night in Newton Lodge, we drove through the Western Highlands, stopping at Ardvreck Castle on Loch Assynt where QUITE a few photos happened. Perhaps an embarrassing number. In all fairness, constantly changing weather causes a continuing shift of light making everything look entirely different. Especially when the subject is dramatically stark and romantic castle ruins.

Next stop was the Knockan Crag Nature Reserve which featured a spectacular loop walk enhanced by sculptures, informative geological information and, oh yes, views. It’s largely a geological site, due to the discovery of a low cliff created when two continents crashed together millions of years ago, exposing layers of sediment and rock that told a very long story. I had particularly wanted to photograph the famous sphere sculpture along the trail but I blew right past it because I was engrossed by trailside markers detailing Scotland’s journey through time, starting 600 million years ago when it was parked in the climes of the South Pole. Just so you know, 500 million years ago Scotland was part of North America, it collided with England 400 million years ago, passed through the equator 300 million years ago, was populated with dinosaurs 200 million years ago and was submerged under the sea 100 million years ago. You’re welcome.

And then highland deer appeared along the trail, also very distracting.

The views from the top were – as you are tired of hearing – stupendous.

Being obsessive, I hiked partway around the loop again, intent on finding that dang sculpture. I think it was worth it.

Our next lodging was a refurbished Victorian hunting lodge on a 26,000 acre estate called the Shieldaig Lodge. Our home for a couple of nights.

First things first, a whisky tasting curated by Alistair, who was bestowed with the exact right name.

The hotel had the most comfy beds so far and the staff tended to greet you with, “Hello there, you alright?” This made me wonder whether I looked wild-eyed or possibly about to fall over, but then realized no, it’s just what they say and it was actually very comforting.

The next day was a bit gloomy so we walked around Loch Coulin and Loch Clair near the mighty Benn Eighe. Backroads welcomed our group to the Highlands with this walk back in 2018. On that day the mountains were shrouded in clouds, so it was fabulous to see them this time. An entirely different situation!

A few more 2022 photos……

And now, my friends, comes the exciting part of the day. We drove the loop around the Applecross Peninsula. The drive west along the peninsula’s north coast featured narrow single track roads with no margins, steep cliffs, hairpin curves and freaking unbelievable views back toward the mountainous wilds of Torridon and out to sea. After stopping for lunch, we intended to complete our circumnavigation by driving the infamous Bealach Na Ba (Pass of the Cattle, aka only suitable for cows) which headed east along the peninsula’s south coast and featured even more adjectives-fail-me views – if you felt like lifting your eyes from the road and thus gloriously perishing.

After a successful navigation of the north road, we stopped in the beautiful little town of Applecross and had a delicious lunch at the Applecross Walled Garden which you all must do.

Before we leave Applecross and head down the Bealach Na Ba, yet another wee word about campers. Ready? As you might have noticed, I really do dislike them intensely. Too large for most Scottish roads, driven 100% of the time by couples in their twilight years, shall we say, and the drivers (men) have no idea where any part of the camper is relative to the road and cannot back them up. My only solace was imagining the wives scolding their husbands with the old chestnut, “I told you this was a bad idea,” and wondering whatever possessed them to marry this lame dude in the first place. I also laughed at them, not with them, when they got stuck. You would too.

They are even more irritating because at the bottom of Bealach Na Ba there is a large sign plastered with warnings about large vehicles and “learner drivers” which I believe would apply to every single tourist renting a camper. Travel books warn against taking this road unless you possess the ability to back your vehicle down curvy roads with steep drop-offs for 300 yards (to get to a “passing place”). This would dissuade me if I ever rented a camper which I would never, but I’m just saying. It does, however, not discourage literally anyone else.

A few stats for you – the Bealach Na Ba boasts the greatest ascent of any road in the UK, rising from sea level to 2,054 feet in about six miles with an average gradient of 7%, reaching 20% at its steepest. It was built in 1822 with rough gravel and paved (and I use that word loosely) in 1950. And yes there were cyclists making the climb.

Here is the view at the top, looking out toward the mountains of Skye.

And now for a couple of videos featuring live narrative commentary should you care to have a wee listen.

Even with the campers, it was the most fun I’ve ever had while driving and I’d do it again in a second, maybe early morning or later in the day after the campers had found their parking spots for the night and the roads of Scotland are empty.

After we successfully survived that harrowing but fabulous drive, we stopped in Plockton, known as the “Jewel of the Highlands,” although I might tend to disagree but big ups to the Plockton tourism people and Instagram for the valiant effort.

Shortly before we reached the Skye bridge, the Highlands bid us a fond farewell by offering up a big herd of fuzzy heilan coos.