Okay, yes not confession, but my last blog. Thanks so much for sticking around.
In so many ways life has been so busy since we came back from Scotland 26 days ago that something, soon enough, was going to give. Unfortunately, it was writing. I really really enjoyed writing about our trip and sharing the itinerary with you all and yet the busier I got the harder it was to publish every day. And then I reminded myself it is only the challenge I set myself that is falling behind. Nothing else.
With plans to head to Leeds for the day and slowly ease back into our everyday lives, the real happenings proved to be much busier. Heading back to my part time job in gardening was interesting enough with my back issue still flaring up and autumn throwing all sorts of maintenance my way. I experienced my first fully fledged migraine which saw me puking and sleeping for a few days. I took a last minute trip up to Durham for a few days to see my brother and his family which was just brilliant. Two full days of talking, laughing and games with my young nieces. Then as an added bonus my oldest niece came home with my mum so we spent two more days playing and having fun. On the return I met up with Mr W to take a day trip to Leeds to see my step son. We planned an 80th birthday party for someone very special and a day out shopping with a lunch thrown in too. We’ve also seen my other brother for his birthday and spent a slow few hours in Greenwich planning lots of behind the scenes secrets which will be shared soon. These will become apparent on social media very soon!
I would love to say that life will get slower in the lead up to Christmas but it’s only going to speed up. But gratefully it is mostly days out filled with new experiences. So far, there are 6 days out in London and a trip to Europe… which I will tell you all about soon. Part of the reason to head into London is to see my friend visiting from the States. I’ve been helping her with her week long plans and I am SO excited to see her! There are so many big plans in our capital city that I have been frantic with itineraries and research. What is it about Autumn that plunges us into a frenzy?
There are some renovations starting in our home, by us, which will take up quite a bit of my time as well as the regular stuff. The regular stuff being household chores which have severely fallen behind recently. AND there is the Christmas shopping which we like to do as early as possible as socially December is a huge month for us and I don’t like to feel rushed. Ultimately it doesn’t work out that way, but we can only try!
Adding to that we are trying to find the time to look into next year’s travels which won’t hit the bank too hard but take us somewhere new and exhilarating.
Life happens. Everything you love, like and must do happens all at once and it does feel hard to find that balance. Truthfully we do find it testing at times and then ultimately punish ourselves for not getting a grip. However I am trying to treat myself as I would treat others. If my friend was beating themselves up I would tell them to give themselves a break and that is really important. Be kind to yourself just as you would others. Nobody gets it right all the time and nobody can go full throttle all the time.
Right now, instead of staying up alone writing until midnight, I am falling asleep by 10pm with Mr W and on occasion I am reading new books. I am an avid reader and have most definitely fallen behind in my reading since the summer. We managed one late coffee morning in bed a week or so ago and even enjoyed breakfast at the dining room table too. I have squeezed in a hair appointment and had dinner with family a few times. These little moments really help to put the busy times into perspective and have massively taken the pressure off.
Maybe someday we will find the balance. Right now, it’s manageable. Just.
I’m going to be kinder to myself while chasing the next adventure.
This is my highlight from Day 6 of our recent trip to Scotland to drive the NC500 route.
The links for the itinerary and recap of this day are below. I hope one day you experience this magical route for yourself.
Wailing widow falls is 50 foot high and flows off a nearby Loch. Read the linked blog below to find out about our eventful walk to see the waterfall from above and why this part of the day was such a turn in the other direction.
As you will gather, the day so far had been really special. Smoo Cave, pristine beaches and a shoe losing incident that had me nearly peeing my pants. Although I did have to pee behind some heather eventually or actually pee my pants. The whole trip so far had been a test on whether my sciatic nerve would let me walk where and when I wanted to. So far so good. Arthurs Seat. Duncansby Stacks. Big Burn Falls. All amazing days with the stubbornness in me pushing my body to its painful limits.
Wailing Widow falls presented a new idea of waterfalls to this lover of the cascading beauties. It flows directly from Loch na Gainmhich and having seen it partially from above, it was an exciting thought to see it from the riverbed below.
Advertised as being one of the easiest and shortest walks in Scotland, my feet and back were thrilled at the idea. Something that excites me about hiking is how new it still feels to me. Having travelled extensively but never really done the Uk breaks before, I have a newfound love for hiking. It started in August 2021 when we took a short break to Northumberland and fell head over heels for the challenges of hiking the hills to reach the rewards waiting at the end of the trails. This is where my obsession with waterfalls started and in 2 short days we had hiked to 4 complete stunners. We also turned our feet to the trail alongside Hadrian’s wall to Sycamore Gap. As a complete novice, my only real piece of walking attire are my boots. When I slip them on I feel powerful and I trust them to stop me slipping and tripping. Other clothing is simple layers under a thick fleece gilet and beanie hat. I am yet to look into proper waterproofs as shopping while living in a bigger body is fraught with frustrations and feelings of inadequacies. And yet, so far, the odd rain shower has not deterred us from taking on the northern temperatures and changes in weather.
As someone who has and does travel for pleasure, I have questioned myself quite often in the past year as to why this new found enjoyment of walking has become so embedded into who I am. The pleasures I usually find on holidays are wandering around a city or laying on a beach. I sometimes wonder if this new obsession will run its course, as is so often the case for new found hobbies, and yet we are already in the midst of planning two more hiking holidays. I think something I don’t want to face up to a lot of the time is not having the confidence to do these things. I will still catch myself looking at other people on hikes and wonder what they are thinking when they are looking at me. Are they questioning whether I should be on these walks? Hell, on Arthurs seat, I came down from the top scooting on my bum and felt quite embarrassed as it is one of the first hikes we have done where we have been surrounded by hoards of people. The usual places we go to are really quiet. I scooted down the sides of two secluded waterfalls in Northumberland last year, got covered in mud and didn’t care an iota. I hate the part of myself that desperately clings to others’ perceptions of me on the path of loving myself.
I believe the reason I have enjoyed hiking so much is coming to realise that the body I live in and have hated for so long is capable of so much more than I give it credit for. Having spent many vacations walking around cities and the odd day spent trailing across London I know that my walking endurance has always been there. Yet something about the hills, rocky slopes and stumbling pathways of the UK feels different. It feels like an accomplishment to return to the car, coated in grime and sweat, having been out in the elements relying only on my body’s strength to get me through. There have been times when a simple guide on the internet will describe the walk as 2 miles and yet when you are on trail you realise this is most definitely not the case. But by the time your brain catches up with your feet and logic kicks in you are invested and it no longer matters. The journey is just as important as the ending. The legs once so fat in your mind’s eye are pushing on. The only thing that stops them is you.
That is why when planning our trip to Scotland it was less about Edinburgh and the towns and more about hikes and rivers and lochs and everything in between. Both Mr W and I feel such a great need to keep this new love for the outdoors alive that we have approached travelling in this fresh way without too much trepidation.
Maybe that is why when my confidence came crashing down around me I took it so badly.
As I said above, the advice online about the walk to Wailing Widow falls said it was a short and simple walk. We had already noticed that the western side of the Highlands was much soggier than the east and yet armed with our boots we ventured onto the trail heads held high. From only about 10 metres into the walk we noticed just how different this was from other walks we had taken in the UK. Where most trails were signposted. This was not. Where most walks had clear pathways. This did not. Where other walks had rails or even trees to cling to. This DID NOT. In fact the only picture I can paint in your mind is this. Imagine a fast flowing river on your right. It isn’t deep, it’s very clear and it is very cold. Rather than running alongside a well defined river bank, there are rocks and custard thick pools of mud that meet the waters edge. In front of you are a few deeply set footprints in the mud which help you navigate the way. The ‘path’ is not flat and seems to follow a very up and down pattern much like a constant seesawing motion along the riverbank. When the ground levels out there are enormous boulders you have to climb, stretch and pray your way over. You pray that the mud on your boots won’t cause you to slip. The rocks in the ground are not steadfast and they too seesaw in their muddy grottos under your feet.
Now, I am a stubborn person. I will always try before walking away. In fact we made it over 60% along this trail before I realised that my anxiety was taking over and my brain was no longer operating my limbs. For every step I took Mr W was checking the route beforehand. If the mud wasn’t threatening to slide my legs into the river the moving forwards were going to throw me in. After 30 minutes or so, my anxiety exploded out of my body in one of, if not THE, worst panic attacks I have ever had in my life. My whole being sensed the danger and I started shaking and crying. I clung to my husband with actual fear flooding through my veins. He tried to get me to calm down and yet I felt like I was going to die. Looking back, I know if I had fallen in the water, other than being cold and wet, I would not have died and I would have been able to stand quite easily in knee deep water. And yet, on that riverbank, with the unsteady boulders and boulders and thick mud, my brain and the logic it brings with it, shut down.
As I stood in absolute fear and panic, two women walked towards us having completed the trek. I turned quickly to hide my face. It was a response I didn’t question at the time but it is only now I know why I didn’t want them to see me. With my face strewn with tears and my lip quivering I didn’t want to be the fat girl who couldn’t complete the walk. Who am I to think they even cared about me, albeit if you see someone crying, you naturally want to check if they are okay. But who am I to think that they are considering my weight and my ability over their own footfall. My god, I need to get out of this pattern of thinking. At that moment in time, those ladies were watching their feet and the sketchy landscape around us a whole lot more than thinking about my dress size.
The truth of the matter is, and something Mr W and have spoken about at length, is that trail is really dangerous. Upon further investigation online I found a lot of advice about the walk that said how risky it was. With a clear mind upon our return I naturally started thinking about each day and visit and what they entailed. When I thought of this particular visit I started piecing together the images and realised that the slopes of the riverbank had slipped and we had been navigating the aftermath of rock and earth.
I am also now very aware that my confidence in hiking will take a hit now and again because no walk is ever going to be the same. Just because my ability is better than I thought it initially was does not mean I can do everything. When I see other people looking at me in such a mess I naturally think they are seeing my weight and coming to their own conclusions. Fortunately I have given myself a massive figurative slap round the face. My weight does not stop me stepping onto muddy river banks. Nor does it stop me balancing on a rock that is moving under my feet. My fear stops me doing those things. I am afraid because it is a new situation. I am still learning about my abilities in this new hobby.
That day, my confidence took a massive hit. I stood shaking and hysterical amongst those muddy boulders clinging to Mr W with my entire being because fear had finally found me. Why then, have I set out to describe this visit as a highlight to you?
Sitting in the car afterwards, I felt the flooding of anger replace my fear. As we drove to our next stop I watched the mountain ranges and let their calming influence take hold of me. This was one moment in a wonderful day. You have to take the bad with the good. Not two hours before had I been bent double, clenching my legs together, unable to breathe through the laughter. This was not a bad day. It was a bad paragraph in what was a pretty phenomenal chapter.
I still sit here and regret not overcoming my fears that day. I regret that so far I haven’t seen that waterfall and I regret crumbling so much like that riverbank. My fear in the moment engulfed my stubbornness to carry on and I learned that as much as I need to recognise the strengths in my body, I need to acknowledge the weaknesses too. There was a reason for me to be scared that day. I had reached the limits of what I was used to and what I could push myself to do. As someone living in a bigger body and hating that body for my whole life I will always blame my size for my physical limitations and yet that day it was my mind that stopped and said no. As someone who has been bigger than most people my age in every situation I will also put limitations on what I should or should not be doing. Don’t get up and dance at the wedding reception, I tell myself, people will only stare. Don’t wear the dungarees, it’ll show your belly in a way people aren’t used to. Don’t hike that river, your legs can’t carry you.
What a load of bull. Since covid I have danced at parties without the need of an alcoholic drink to stop that voice. I have bought dungarees and am slowly starting to change my wardrobe to reflect the style I think I like. It is hard to say if I do like something for sure or not because I don’t think I’ve ever found a style I am comfortable in, but that is one huge other discussion I will find time to go over at some point. I have believed my legs can carry me over hills, rock faces and treacherous river banks. It is only when my mind shut my body down that I recognised the weaknesses in me deserve a voice. And they have nothing to do with my weight.
Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series. I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning!
The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below.
This is the itinerary for Day 6 of our NC500 road trip.
Smoo cave must be seen to be believed. With its green algae painted walls and beautiful waterfall this is a highlight on everyone’s NC500 itinerary. Entrance to the cave is free and is reached via some steps that lead you down the cliff face from the free car park. There are also some not too shabby free toilets in the car park which I have come to love in Scotland. There are so many facilities everywhere you go! There is also a little honesty box that the neighbouring house has set up. I bought a knitted green hat for £4 and there were other items that were of equally good value.
I liked getting here early to beat the crowds and have the cave almost to ourselves. Even though it was early enough and the cave was quiet, the car park was full. Much like other sites in Scotland, parking space was taken up by the odd RV and it was quite small anyway. To save you time and frustration, start your day early! Close by is a food van that sells Cheese toasties, unlucky for us, we didn’t see it on our visit, but I have heard wonderful things and I spoke to the guys over on their Instagram page and they seemed real friendly.
From here we originally planned to head to the Sango Sands viewpoint which is only a 4 minute drive away. Sango Sands is a big complex with facilities for Rvs and campers and is well known on this route. The viewpoint is reached through the complex and gives you a view down to the water and its neighbouring coast. As you may have come to expect after reading these blogs, there was only a brief description alongside a postcode for this stop and we found ourselves pulling up at another beach entirely. Durness beach is very close to Sango Sands, from the hill above the beach you can actually see the viewpoint to the west. This is going to divide opinion on which view is best. But in my very honest opinion. I did like seeing the view from Durness. You are above the beach and see its white sands in full. If you are at the Sango Sands view point, you are looking at it side on and personally I don’t think it is as beautiful or captivating. There is also the chance to traverse the sandy slope here and go wild swimming in the turquoise waters. Can’t go wrong with that can you? There is a small, well maintained car park that you do need to pay for. This will be the deciding factor for you on how long the day will be as to how you spend your time at this beach. Pack a wetsuit and jump in.
When you decide to warm your bones by moving on, head to Kylesku bridge. There are car parks at either end of the bridge however I had given directions to just one as it gives a better view of this concrete monolith and also has a food truck offering a posh fish menu. The views here are amazing and you will be here longer than you anticipate. There are benches but no toilets.
From here keep journeying south to one of Scotland’s hidden gems. You can view Wailing Widow Falls from the riverbed it cascades into and from Loch Gainmhich that feeds it from above. Please take extreme care when walking along the river bank to the waterfall. I have covered our experience in my ‘Highlight’ blog from this day and linked it below. The riverbank walk itself is extremely difficult for those not used to very muddy and unstable paths. The walk above next to the loch is much easier but you need to be very careful at the edge of the loch when looking down to the waterfall. The whole area surrounding the loch and waterfall is very boggy and unsteady. Walking boots are absolutely necessary and it would be wise to take extreme caution. There are two laybys for these walks, the first for the waterfall is more like a grassy layby that has been formed overtime by visitors. The ‘What 3 words’ app is very useful for these two visits.
From here make the very short drive to Ardvreck Castle where there is ample layby parking on either side of the road. It is quite boggy here in places but the easiest of all walks today. On one side of the road is the Castle and on the other is Ardvreck waterfall which is a small yet powerful beauty. It is quite clear in certain places of Scotland that some visits are not advertised by the Scottish tourist board and because of this certain walks have not been made safe for visitors. It is also apparent when wire fences have been trampled over in order to reach a river as is the case in Ardvreck. It definitely makes you feel as though Scotland is a new world only just coming to light.
Staying in Lochbroom or Ullapool will suit tomorrow’s itinerary best.
This is my highlight from Day 5 of our recent trip to Scotland to drive the NC500 route.
The links for the itinerary and recap of this day are below. I hope one day you experience this magical route for yourself.
Turning up at the cabin nestled in the grasses and ferns of the Skail area of Scotland, the River Naver flowing steadily a short walk away, was definitely a break from the accommodation we had so far stayed in on this trip. The pod built by the owners shares the space with three others along with an honesty caravan and firepit area. On the inside varnished wooden planks curved over us in the arched ceiling and the bed greeted us at the opposite end of the space.
In a small fridge Mr W found two tupperwares of breakfast ingredients along with pots of butter and marmalade. In a cardboard egg box were nestled further treats as well as hash browns in the small ice box and tinned beans thrown in for good measure. The small but brilliant kitchen was met with gusto by Mr W as he set about cooking the food to be boxed up for our journey on Day 6. As he cooked and swigged his cup of tea, the rain fell outside and I prepared ham and cheese filled rolls also for the next day’s journey.
As I sat on the bed, the owner’s dog Cap came to greet us at the open front door. It felt good to have the comforts of home around us again. The collie-dog being the biggest one we have missed in the last 3 years. As the cooking progressed and the rolls were packaged away, I sat on the bed writing the blog about ‘Day 5’ (link below) as I occasionally glanced at the rain splashing against the doors panes of glass.
This was the most remote part of Scotland we had stayed in. One single road ran past the complex outside running north/south and it was exceptionally quiet. Every so often you would hear the crunch of loose stones underfoot as the owner Kevin went about his business or other people arrived.
It was here that I felt most at home on this trip, we felt like us again. Working together like we do at home to get organised. It wasn’t that the trip hadn’t succeeded so far in making us happy or that it lacked excitement. There was just something about the space that defined the word ‘home’. Often when Mr W and I go camping, one will raise the fire while the other chops various vegetables with a crude knife and adds it to the meat in the pot for dinner.
It felt very similar although this type of camping was a far cry from the tent we are used to. Next to the bed hangs a curtain to act as a doorway to the bathroom. As people who play the radio or sit on the balcony as the other spends more than a penny, it became obvious very quickly one would either need to sit with headphones on or out in the rain. We’ve been in a similar situation once before in Iceland where a glass walled bathroom gave us a view of each other we certainly did not expect. It is funny but after all these years it is something we both prefer to keep a mystery. Noises and all!
There were ingenious touches around the pod which we found amusing. As people who upcycle and attend to our own DIY home projects it’s always a big pleasure to see it in other peoples homes. As the walls of the pod were curved, owing to the arched structure, the shaving mirror in the bathroom was held in place when not in use by a small chain. Small lengths of thin rope acted as curtain ties and the traditional kitchen oven had been replaced by a portable stove. Which Mr W loved. The whistling kettle took us back to our first year of being homeowners and reminded us of the worth of patience when it comes to a good cup of tea and the very idea of taking something slow for the sake of it.
As I continued to sit and sip my tea, I watched the rain come down in its never ending capacity and marvelled at the simplicity and rawness of the Wee Hoose Glamping site. This place is incredibly simple but effective and yet complex in its re-introduction to what we take for granted and the joy of returning to patience and unpretentiousness.
Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series. I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning!
The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below.
This will ultimately be one of those days that you can cut bits out should you wish to longer swimming at Dunnet beach and perusing the shops at John O’Groats. You may find you do not want to go to the Gin Distillery and this will give you an extra 90 minutes in this itinerary.
In my opinion I found the distillery tour too long which is unfortunate because before it started to feel like it was dragging on it really was interesting. It is also good for those who don’t particularly like Whiskey. Tours must be booked in advance and are specifically run 1 – 2 days a week. Please plan accordingly.
This is the itinerary for Day 5 of our NC500 road trip.
We got up with the sun and drove to John O’Groats. On arrival we were the only ones in the car park and were grateful for the toilets nearby. There is usually a charge to use these facilities, but the turnstiles were broken. The car park is £3 and is valid all day. By getting here early you have avoided the queues to take the obligatory photos at the famous signpost. There are about 5 eateries here that serve hot drinks, these open at 9am.
I advise heading to the Duncansby’s car park just a few minutes drive away and coming back to this little hub after your walk. Duncansby stacks are just a short 20-30 minute walk from the free car park which you will find right next to the lighthouse. The ground is easy underfoot and much less muddy than other areas of the Highlands. Watch out for the sheep poop! It is exceptionally windy here but the view is absolutely brilliant of the stacks and coastline. We had the entire space to ourselves and waited for the light to change as the sun rose in the sky. We met no one else on the road as we drove back to John O’Groats which tells me this is a quiet place in the early mornings.
On our arrival back to John O’Groats we found a lot more cars and RV’s parked up and the cafe’s were open. Strangely enough the main eatery was closed and our dreams of bacon baps were dashed. After trying two of the other foodie spots and being told they started savoury food at 12pm, we left dejected and with hungry bellies. There are some souvenir shops here to satisfy out of towners who would like a trinket to remember their time at this famous place in Scotland. Save your money allocated for food for the next destination on this itinerary.
Annie’s bakery is open Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am at the time of writing this blog. Keep an eye out on their website to be sure you don’t miss out. Not only is the food and drink here cheaper than down the road, but the whole atmosphere is bright and inviting. Check out my thoughts on Annie’s in my recap of the day in the link below. Stock up on those sweet treats and hit the road. The day has only just begun!
The next stop relies on whether you like smoked food. Namely fish and cheese. Should you have the facilities in your accommodation head to the Caithness Smokehouse and talk to the friendly owner about the produce you can buy on the day. Don’t be put off by the directions and where you end up. This is a cottage industry business and you will definitely feel like you are trespassing in someone’s front garden. Produce on the day is not guaranteed but I implore you to try the smoked cheddar. It is absolutely delicious.
The next stop’s selling point is the fact that it, rather than John O’Groats, is the ACTUAL most northerly point in the United Kingdom. There is just a car park at the site but in my opinion gives a much better outlook in relation to sea and cliffs than its counterpart does to the east. The parking is £1 for 2 hours. And I recommend staying for a minimum of 30 minutes. There is not much to do here except a nature walk laid out by the RSPB. Should you be visiting in Spring and Summer you may find yourself gazing down at the puffins that call this place home. Otherwise there is a small stone bench at the viewpoint from which you can sit and stare out at the cold ocean below. Take your binoculars and some patience. Who knows what you may see!
As we didn’t stay at Dunnet head as long as originally planned we drove up the coast to Dunnet beach and enjoyed an hour’s walk along the beach. The car park is of a good size and although there is a small scramble down the large pebbled slope the water seemed shallow enough for a dip and the beach is enormous. It is crescent in shape and I believe is a hidden gem on the NC500 route.
We then head to our tour of the Gin Distillery. If you’ve not been on a tour before, I would recommend it so you can judge it for yourself. Initially there was a brief introduction to how the distillery was started with a yummy gin and tonic to start. Then you are shown the actual distillery and it is explained in detail about the stills, the process and even the bottling. It was very interesting, as I have said, but it went on for at least 40 minutes and the room was exceptionally hot with no seating. This was quite hard for me to deal with and ultimately I started to feel the need to leave. I think if I had been less tired and not been nursing a back problem I would have been fine. As I said, try it once because you never know. The tasting afterwards was enjoyed by Mr W and he could detect all the hidden flavours in the booze and their accompanying drinks. I on the other hand was more than useless and should have taken the tasters home. Which is an option should you be driving etc. The tour is £15 per person which I think is really reasonable for a 90 minute tour, 1 drink and 3 tastings! I used this link to book: https://www.dunnetbaydistillers.co.uk/shop/distillery-tour/
As our tour guide led us round the rain fell from the sky and we knew our next stop was going to be missed. Puffin Cove is not far from the distillery and brings you further along the northern coast of Scotland and the NC500. I have left the information on the itinerary for you so you can make an informed decision on whether you make the short walk down to the cove. Again, the puffins here are mostly seen in the Spring and Summer. Wear your waterproof boots and clothes and go and have a gander!
Accommodation in Bettyhill or Thurso will work best for tomorrow’s itinerary. Our recommendation for accommodations on this trip will soon be available for you to read in a link below.
The rest of the evening is yours. You are in a very remote part of the NC500 which on a rainy day can seem very bleak. Remind yourself that this is all part of the journey and that the landscape will change from day to day.
This is my highlight from Day 4 of our recent trip to Scotland to drive the NC500 route.
The links for the itinerary and recap of this day are below. I hope one day you experience this magical route for yourself.
This particular highlight will remind you that planning for every eventuality cannot truly happen.
2 motorbikes crashed in Broar on the A9. Not only did they crash badly enough to be airlifted to the hospital but they crashed on the small bridge crossing the river Brora which runs off of Brora Loch to the west. This slicing piece of water divides Scotland in the east all the way to Lairg. It’s not something you need to know until the bridge is blocked. And here it was, blocked. I have tried since then to find out how the rivers are without any further news found. At our accommodation in Wick we met several people who were caught in the aftermath of traffic and we found out the two involved were American tourists. It is certainly not something you want to happen on your travels and I hope they are okay.
Now I mentioned our accommodation in Wick. From Brora it is an hour’s drive via a small stop off at the Whaligoe steps. We were making good time on our Day four itinerary (see link below) and were due to arrive early at our accommodation for 5pm (ish). And yet our detour from the crash was over 115 miles long! We left Broar at 3:45pm and arrived at our accommodation at 7:10pm. Now if you are a regular reader you may take an educated guess at my mood at the very beginning of this little problem.
This meant missing the Whaligoe Steps, one of the big highlights of the NC500, and potentially missing our check in at our accommodation. A night in the car was not something I was looking forward to. As we took the Sat Nav’s advice, we came upon a ford. No not a car, a river ford, with very visible wheel tracks leading into the water. Now Mr W isn’t particularly precious over his car, but upon my closer inspection from the suspension footbridge, I couldn’t see the riverbed and just could not risk it. Not only did we have Marv the drone in the car but my laptop, a lot of camera equipment, luggage and food. Oh and ourselves! We retrace the road back to the A9 and Mr W set about finding a new route to Wick. The Sat Nav presented us with a 3 hour detour and honestly my heart sank. A quick look at the news told us that the road had been closed since 11am and we made up our minds to take the detour.
We headed west from the A9 towards Lairg and joined the A836. Quickly the road became single track and the most difficult we’d faced under the tyres so far. Most of it was loose shingle and even though we had started the NC500 on that same morning, we had been blessed with normal roads so far. This introduction, although early, most definitely gave us an insight into what was ahead in our trip. The road itself cut through flat heathlands which were sparse albeit with the occasional swampy looking river. There was just nothing there. No cattle. No houses. Nothing. It was us and the four cars in front of us. It became clear very quickly at how the crash on the A9 was affecting the eastside of Scotland as traffic built up ahead and behind us.
The four cars in front of us became our ‘team’ as Mr W put it. The front car set the pace and to stop any delays in having to pull over in a layby for oncoming traffic we were all in this together. Occasionally one of the ‘team’ would pull over to give themselves from the twisting turning roads and Mr W would shout out ‘come on, team’ as we sped away. Despite the dodgy roads and the fear of actually crashing I could not stop laughing at his finding joy in the moment. My husband, the rally driver, was pumped up and exhilarated from the change in circumstances. His inner comedian bounded out with every bump in the road and I could not help but grin.
After a while with the time of arrival on the sat nav having changed dramatically and it becoming clear we would indeed make our check in time, we both started to relax. The roads became narrower, with blind bends as we turned onto the B873. On one side were the slopes of the mountains around us and on the other the road made way for steep drops the Loch Naver below. The waters were as black as night and yet as an Asda home delivery truck pulled around the corner I could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. If he was all the way out here, we would be fine. As people joined and left our team as we whizzed around the road Mr W whooped and cheered us all on our merry way.
We saw images of Scotland that we did not see for the rest of our trip. Men dressed in waders out in the rivers fly fishing. A lonely single Inn watching the road bursting into new life. Rain clouds passing over Loch Naver deciding on whether to meet its surface. We also whipped past our accommodation for the next night and I realised that we would be tracing some of this detour again in the morning. From Bettyhill right round to Thurso we found the double track roads had returned and the car glided onto our final destination as Mr W bade goodbye to our ‘team-mates’ as they went on to fulfil their day’s plans.
The relief was palpable as we reached our hotel and yet despite the interlude of doubt, worry and racing, I found myself in absolute awe of my husband. He had not panicked like I initially did. He took it for what it was. He took it in his stride and laughed at every challenge.
I am grateful for him. I am grateful for having seen a much more rural piece of Scotland than we had planned to see. I am grateful we didn’t attempt the ford crossing and stayed dry in our car.
This also means we have unfinished business in Scotland. Oh no! We shall have to return.
I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning!
The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below.
Day 4 of our trip was heavily altered due to things out of our control. There was a big motorbike crash up in the town Brora, on a bridge no less, and it completely cut us off from reaching the Whaligoe Steps and Wick via the A9. I go into more detail about this detour in my ‘Highlight of the day’ blog which is linked below. As for the Whaligoe Steps, we sadly never reached them, but I’m sure with roads being clear you will find this itinerary well timed and suiting your explorer needs. Enjoy!
Start out from your accommodation in the Inverness area to Tarbat Ness Lighthouse. The drive in is lovely and open and although the car park is rather small, making this your first stop of the day means you shouldn’t have any difficulties in parking. There was a car parking fee, but the machine was broken. Before you head over to the lighthouse itself, it is worth taking the short walk to the cliffs at the end of the car park. There are beautiful views of the cliffs and even a bench from which you can admire the lighthouse. Retrace your steps back to the car park and head up the lighthouse’s drive to give you a gradual introduction to the stripey building from afar. We spent over an hour here as we had a tinker with our drone, but I recommend anywhere between 20-40 minutes should you just be here to look around and stretch your legs.
From here make your way to Dornoch, and if you’re feeling in the mood for something sweet, head to Cocoa Mountain on the high street. Don’t do what we did and sit inside, take your order to go and walk around the village. It really was beautiful and I wish we had done that instead. The shop is nice enough, the hot chocolate is okay, but the patrons had lots of dogs so it was nice to have a ‘ooo and ahhh’ over those furry friendlies. The service is rather slow which is surprising considering this is one of social media’s top highlights of the NC500. We found street parking only 3 minutes from the shops itself which is really useful. This is Scotland remember. London’s speeds are far far away.
From here, follow the ‘what 3 words’ navigation to Dornoch Beaches car park below. We followed the Sat Nav and ended up driving through a golf course. And yes there were signs saying to look out for flying balls! It is said you can see seals at this beach and although we didn’t, we spent an enjoyable hour or so walking in the shallow surf and sand. You can swim here so add time to your schedule and take a load off. You have officially started the NC500! Enjoy it all.
From here we took the journey to Big Burns Falls, which has the tiniest car park signpost you are likely to see. Again, the instructions are below for you, if you notice the Golspie Inn on the approach, turn left immediately after and you are there. Another small car park awaits you, but it is a relatively quiet place and it is not to be missed. Read my blog (linked below) on Day 4 to find out why! The walk itself is really quite humid as you find yourself between wet rocks and foliage for a majority of the time. This isn’t unpleasant and you will see for yourself why. I am so excited for you to do this walk in particular.
From here the plan, I hope for you, works out. Drive up the east coast towards the Whaligoe Steps. There are 365 steps here, so take your time especially on the way up and remember you set your pace. I have put in the nearest navigation instructions I can find. It is likely to be busy but the car park looks big enough for short term visitors. I wish I could give more advice. But life happens in mysterious ways and we could not make it on this trip.
This is my highlight from Day 3 of our recent trip to Scotland to drive the NC500 route.
The links for the itinerary and recap of this day are below. I hope one day you experience this magical route for yourself.
I will never forget sitting at Chanonry Point with my binoculars in hand awaiting a dolphin sighting while I occasionally glanced at the live stream of our Queens funeral on my phone. Having paid my respects at Balmoral a day or two before, I felt especially blessed again to be joining the millions around the UK and indeed the globe who had tuned in to say their final goodbyes. Having not known what the signal would be like on our route it was a guessing game at what would happen. And yet there we were participating. I don’t think it would feel right to call it the highlight of the day. However the word privilege seems apt and I include it here to remind myself that in no way did I think I would be sat on a Scottish beach watching our Queen’s funeral on my phone and yet it is a part of my story now. It’s unusual. It’s definitely one of a kind. And yet it felt peaceful and personal. In a way, it’s how a funeral should be. Each ‘attendee’ finds their own moment to remember and reflect.
Later that day we arrived at Rogie Falls. It is a vast series of waterfalls on the Black Water, a river in Ross-Shire. You are given the ultimate front and centre view from the suspension bridge that crosses the wide gorge.
The bridge jumps up and down as people walk across it and I felt the weight go into my legs to steady myself. I remember thinking that my legs would feel the pain of this later. It is similar to when you keep yourself upright on a boat that is rolling over the incoming waves. Your muscles tense and it is as if your brainpower is reserved just for that very need.
I am now only realising how patient I can be. That is when I know a reward is quite likely. At Chanonry Point, there have been many, many dolphin sightings. It is famous for them. And yet on our visit there were none. It is a shame but nature requires patience and understanding. Sometimes these things differ in their quantities based on focus and time allowances. If the opportunity arises again for us to be back in that part of the world maybe I will allow us more time to sit and watch the waters for those beautiful fins. Who knows.
At Rogie Falls however my patience was rewarded tenfold. In the space of 90 minutes we saw over 10 salmon leaping out of the bubbling water trying to head upstream. Each fish that appeared was met with gasps, smiles, whoops and ‘ooo’s’. It was sheer fascination that kept my legs fixed into place while my eyes darted between each cascading column of water to spy the next attempt-ee. The very fact is, the distance from the surface of the pools the salmon were jumping from to the top of the waterfall was at least 10 foot. Mr W and I, and everyone around us, knew that those little salmon would never make it to the waters above and yet there they were. Jumping, leaping, swimming as fast as they could just to try, try, try again!
Just below the suspension (literal in two ways) bridge there is something called a man-made salmon ladder. It is a series of very short waterfalls that curve their way upstream in a much easier and salmon friendlier way. Several people next to me were watching fish attempt this way up stream with much better success. And yet my eyes were transfixed on the harder route. I couldn’t help but think about their motives and why they weren’t using the ladder. Did they not know? How long would they keep trying? How does the instinct to do this just ‘happen’?
It makes me think about their journey and how fraught with danger and stress it is. Yet they continue on. It’s something to take on board, don’t you think?
Hello and welcome back to the Scotland itinerary series.
The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below.
Day 3 of our trip was altered slightly due to the reshuffle of our Loch Ness Cruise due to the Queens funeral. Instead of tucking something else into the itinerary we gave ourselves more time in each place and set pace for a leisurely day. It meant we got back to our accommodation in Strathpeffer much earlier than intended and definitely helped ease us into this mammoth trip. This little day can be as long or short as you want it to be.
Reelig Glen is a quaint little space with easy walks to boot. We did the tall trees trail which takes you close to the river which ultimately is where our interests lie. It is a simple root with unbroken ground and slightly steep hills. Going in the morning means you get the place almost to yourself. When we arrived at the car park there was only one other vehicle to keep us company and it was the same story as when we left. There is no charge for the car park and there is a board with the two trails mapped out clearly upon it.
As we soon noticed on our journey through Scotland, online advice often points you to an address simply by postcode. This obviously covers a large area of space and with instructions such as ‘halfways between this town and that’ can often be quite foreign to a city dweller. As in previous itineraries I am including the ‘what three words’ pinpoints to as many car parks and locations on this trip as possible. I downloaded the app before heading to Scotland and found it very user friendly. We found this app extremely valuable throughout this trip. You do not need to have a phone signal to use this method however we found we had great signals wherever we went. We were incredibly lucky in terms of signal. If mine would cut out Mr W’s was fine and vice versa. In light of this I would look into how you can use what three words app offline and then you are absolutely covered.
Back to the itinerary.
Head to Chanonry point if you have plenty of patience. This is a fantastic place to sit and look out. The waters here are popular for dolphin sightings and proof enough are the carvings of these beautiful creatures in the benches dotted along the beach. There is ample parking which costs £1 an hour. This is a popular place with Rv’s and I suggest you get there before midday to beat the amount of people who come here to sit, eat and watch the waters. There are bins on site too. Open to the water this site is unprotected from the wind, evident by the benches bending ever so slightly out of shape. Take a flask, sandwich and a pair of binoculars. We spent two hours here and although we didn’t see any dolphins we did see several sightings of seals which was just fantastic. If you want to make the chances of sightings more favourable, you can visit when the tides turn. There is advice that suggests the dolphins will chase the plentiful fish on a rising tide. Which is usually 1 hour after low tide.
A very nearby visit will get your cold limbs working again with a short walk to Fairy Glen Falls in Rosemarkie. Should you find the ‘official’ car park full, don’t be deterred, there is another car park right next to the community run toilets. Both car parks at the time of our visit were free. The toilets too are free, however as they are community run, a donation is as you can imagine quite welcome. The walk to the waterfalls themselves is relatively easy and you return on the same path as you enter by. This is not one of the most remarkable waterfalls on this trip but undoubtedly has its merits and a beautiful walk on which to stretch your legs. It was particularly busy as we left as there is a caravan park between here and Chanonry Point. There were families heading to the falls on a leisurely afternoon stroll. I would say that children would have little trouble navigating this route, although those with pushchairs may struggle.
Now, if you look at this day as a build up to the big kahuna. Rogie falls is the ONE that you’ll have been waiting for. The car park jumps out of nowhere so use the what three words app if you can. It is a big and free car park and again has public toilets. A godsend on long days like these!
The walk is very short but has some steep up and down sections. But believe me it is entirely worth it. There is a small stone wall with display boards as you reach the ledge of the gorge. You can pause here to see down into the aggressive waters below. The action however can only truly be enjoyed from the suspension bridge that crosses the river just a short walk away. I advise a phone lanyard so you do not drop your phone. Because you will need it. This place is absolutely stunning. Mr W and I both said that if we didn’t know any better we would have thought we were in Canada. To find out about our experience check out the links below. My advice is, wrap up warm, keep that camera/phone battery exceptionally high and give yourself more time than you think you need. On my last video my phone battery ran out and THAT is the only reason we left when we did. There are two trails here and naturally we took the shortest one as this is the reason we came to Rogie Falls in the first place. To see the spectacle here, it is advised to come in August and September. Please try to. It was amazing. I practically skipped back to the car in delight.
There are no benches here but I found I could sit up on the stone ledge just to the side of the river and sat for as long as I could put up with the cold on my legs. Otherwise patience and grit will serve you wonders at this place. Focus on the very top pools of the waterfalls and try not to blink.
Return to your accommodation for your second night in the area. Tomorrow. The true beginning of the NC500 begins!
This is my highlight from Day 2 of our recent trip to Scotland to drive the NC500 route.
The links for the itinerary and recap of this day are below. I hope one day you experience this magical route for yourself.
Plodda falls is 46 metres high. It plunges over the rockface fast and loud. From below you are ‘misted’ with its waters on a breezy day as you gaze around at the wondrous greenery it has breathed into life. The space here is dominated by rock. Everywhere you look there are jagged boulders, walls of stone and sharp boulders in the river bed. The tall Douglas firs are old. So old their roots are over a foot thick in places and have woven their way around rocks that have long ditched the soil that once encased them. This is an old part of the Glen Affric National Park. There are wooden railings to keep you from plunging down the steep banks of the gorge but other than that this place feels unkempt and stolen back by nature itself.
Above the waterfalls on the fir-needle strewn trail you can hear the mammoth cascade of water and yet you can’t see it. Ahead of you there is a different kind of path. It is structured and although wooden it is man-made and almost out of place. As you tread the boards of this pathway, you hear the water moving below you as the wood rises up around you, fencing you in and guiding you onwards. At the end of this amazing observation deck you find yourself hovering over the very falls themselves. The water is white with its fast movement. It rains down, unknowing of its future path. The river falls away below you and you can feel the fear of perhaps crashing down with them.
I, for one, am not bothered by such things. Mr W on the other hand is not a fan. He can never really decide whether it’s the fear of heights, falling or something else entirely that bothers him. If he is on a hill or a steep gorge he is fine. There is something about movement while at a height that just ‘gets’ to him. He hated the London Eye when we went on it back in the day and yet that is the slowest moving thing on this planet. Maybe it is a case of looking at movement below from a great height that puts the whole situation into perspective?
Either way, I am fine with it. He is not. And I find it absolutely hysterical. The barrier of the observation deck is at least 4 feet high and it would be insanely hard to fall from it. I reckon that was the plan eh? And yet leaning over, head, neck, shoulder, arms and upper torso is thrilling. It is like you are on the bow of a great ship plunging over Niagara Falls. Yet, this is significantly smaller than Niagara, but then you are not a ship. You are a 5ft5” woman who is cackling in sheer delight at the height and noise you are experiencing. There is sunlight streaming from the afternoon sky and your body is suspended on land and in the air.
The noise drowns out every other thought in your body. You are in Scotland. You are inside the water. You are nowhere and everywhere. You are taking the leap over the falls. Whooshing down into the pools below. You are above. You are dry. You are alive.
The trees hear you gasp and laugh. Your husband is beside you as you experience nature’s beautiful self. It is a magical moment. It is as funny as it is not. No one else will understand and that is okay. You snap a very quick photo as he grips the barrier with a white knuckled fist. The sun is in your eyes. There is laughter and love.
It is these moments that remind you why travelling is so important to you.
Framework Travel 