Tag: Highlands

Highlight three of the NC500 – The journey upstream

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?

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/10/nc500-day-3-itinerary/

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/09/19/nc500-day-three-reelig-glen-chanonry-point-and-rogie-falls/

NC500 Day 1 – Itinerary

Hello, we are back! What a trip and experience and just everything unimaginable. I almost feel the need to apologise to the UK at this point for previously thinking it had nothing to offer. Who would have thought covid restrictions and airline and airport issues would bring us so much joy in pushing us to try something new!

This is blog one of the Scotland itinerary series. Much like the Italy itineraries I shared with you, I will be posting the itineraries for this mammoth trip day by day so you can get a real feel for what this involves. I will be editing my original itinerary and including the new and improved version for you below. 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. 

So let’s start shall we…

I had hoped we would dig into our pre-bought food supplies to have a breakfast of porridge on our very first day however having to be in the car at 5am did not warrant getting up at 4am for a more refined meal. I salute the previous buying of sausages rolls and fruit for the journey up from Essex the day before as we tucked into a much simpler breakfast. 

Having missed our opportunity to do Arthurs Seat in 2021, we drove to Edinburgh to complete our ticklist for the city. We planned to park in our trusty free parking spot in Kirkwood place, however despite arriving early we found this completely rammed. This may be due to it being a neighbourhood area and everyone still being in bed! However with quick googling skills I found a car park literally at the start of the walk for Arthurs Seat and also free on weekends. Highly recommended!

As mentioned in my Day One blog (link below) you will see that we stupidly took the wrong route. As a starting hike for this trip, we intended to keep it nice and simple and therefore wanted to take the blue route to the top of Arthur’s Seat. And yet you will not find any signposts for the different routes. The only advice I can give you is to take the grass route when everyone veers right. As you walk up the tarmacked path with the sloping hills of Arthurs seat on your right and the road on your left, you will climb a sloping hill that turns to the right. Above you on the left are some ruins with a mud path leading up to it should you like a quick look. Returning to the same path, this is where I found the path took a definite right hand turn and the shingle underfoot became larger and looser. This is where a sign would be posted for the blue/red routes. The blue route follows the pronounced grassy hill on the left and the red route is on the right. At our climbing time everyone was on the right and we sheep followed it unknowingly. We kept an eye on the grassy path as we climbed the rocky alternative and it was very clear from above which route would have been more favourable. By taking the blue/grassy route you make a slower, more gradual ascent up ol’ Arthur and definitely smoother. You will slowly curve your way up the grassy sides of the volcano before rejoining the red route for the last very short scramble. Whether you take the blue or red route, the last scramble is the same. There is no clear path to follow as it is literally a hands and feet climb across an expanse of jagged but small rocks. For ease I would return via the blue route, whether you used the red for the ascent or not. It is less busy and has better views of the top as you return to your car. 

Be aware once at the top there are no plateaus as such so put all your weight in your legs for those all important selfies and be prepared for the wind! This is a great little introduction to the hikes of Scotland.

Continue your day up the eastside of Scotland to the Cairngorms National Park. This is not a route to rush. We crossed the Queensferry Bridge which was just fabulous and please do take time when driving through Edinburgh to look at all the fantastic architecture. There are also beautiful tree-lined avenues just outside the city itself and I-spied a gorgeous park called South Inch Park that I could easily have spent an hour or so with a coffee.   

As you enter the Cairngorms the scenery dramatically changes and I feel it is a perfect start to your wilds of Scotland trip. The great thing is there are many many stopping points and they invite you to stop and drink it all in. I advise you to use as many of these as possible. During our time, there were lots of motorbike riders and sports car drivers on the snow roads and we wanted to be slow to take it all in. The laybys help you avoid the rushing for sure. 

Our aim was to drive through the National Park to Grantown on Spey for our hotel (link to review will be added below very soon) and stop at the Balmoral Estates for the walk to the Prince Albert Cairn. Unfortunately due to the Queen’s passing on 8th September the estates’ walks were closed. We did however check out the car park and found it much bigger than I initially understood it to be and it would be a shame if you miss this off of your itinerary. Therefore I have included the information for you below! Go for it! One day we will get there. 

Be very aware you are on the grounds of the royal house of Balmoral and flying a drone at the Cairn will be prohibited. 

I advise you to stay at Grantown on Spey as there are a lot of food options and it is the perfect starting point for Day 2 of my itinerary! We had some fabulous and much needed hot food to finish off the day. Recommendations coming soon. 

A lot of this day is dedicated to driving. The first slog of driving is uneventful but you make up for this with the stop and start nature of the second half. It is definitely a great introduction to what lies ahead!

NC500 Day 1- Edinburgh and the Cairngorms.
Highlight one of the NC500 – A royal goodbye

NC500 Day 6 – Smoo Cave, Wailing Widow Falls and Ardvreck Castle

Miles: 116. Wildlife: nil. Camper Vans: 20+. Steps: 8300.

Cost of pre-bought food: £3.80 approximately

Extra costs: £4

Today we changed our plans slightly due to the weather. With a 10 mile hike ahead of us in the pouring rain we opted to have a later start than originally planned. And I can tell you it was well worth the change. 

We left our accommodation at 8am and said goodbye to the eastern part of Scotland. This part of the trip was set to be more challenging on the road and rather more mountainous. The road here is single track with alot of passing places to help out. It certainly takes some getting used to but it really is easy enough. 

Our route took us anti-clockwise along the northern coast of Scotland from Bettyhill and I started to really understand why people do this route. As we drove down from Coldbackie we were introduced with the Kyle of Tongue. What an absolutely breathtaking place. Having so many passing places on the road means there are very few parking places, or laybys, to get out in and take photos. So on the approach to the bridge at the kyle, after seeing a parking area, we did not hesitate to pool over. It is an astonishing place with mountains surrounding the water, the still waters reflecting the sky and a serene sense of calm everywhere you turn to look. We took our time to really drink in the scene. I do love to find gems like this alongside fulfilling plans. This is what I’m enjoying about road trips: you will see things you never would have thought were anything special on a map. 

We continued our way through the mountains. It is hard to put into words just how phenomenal the route up this way is. The colours of the heathers. The ferns. The tiny streams and rivers that wind their way around the foothills. The cap-like clouds that pass over the mountain tops. Every turn feels like a picture perfect moment. After what felt like a very long and beautiful drive we arrived at Smoo Cave. 

This was one of the places that everyone we have spoken to and every review online has said is a must see. It was for that reason I felt completely shocked at the size of the car park. It barely held 10 cars. There are only 100 or so steps down to the cave from the car park and although they are rather large steps there is a sturdy handrail. The view you get out to sea is fabulous and as you walk across the bridge it’s definitely easy to see why this place is so loved. The large cave was made by the sea but there is a smaller inner cave which has been punched through from outside by a waterfall. The waterfall is found at the end of a wooden walkway and is just fantastic. I do think my obsession with waterfalls is getting out of hand. The water falls into a large pool and then moves into a small river out of the cave. It is absolutely fascinating. The walls are decorated with vivid green mosses and algae which change their colours and depth with every step you take. The only cave in the UK with both types of erosion and the largest of its kind in this country too. Now you know something completely pointless to know, until, maybe, it comes up on a quiz show. Just give me 10% of your winnings! 

Now, I’m not going to shout this too loud, but something I love about being in the country is just how friendly people are. One of the best things I’ve seen up here are the honesty boxes. At our accommodation last night there was an honesty caravan! Filled with souvenirs and dried food items. Today at Smoo cave was an honesty box filled with knitwear items. It was honestly adorable and I may have bought a hat… a lovely green one.   

With my new purchase in hand, we took the short drive up to Durness beach. OH. My. Gah. It is stunning. Blinking through the wind I had to remind myself that I was indeed in the UK and that the sand actually was white. The water too was out of this world. Where white sand ended, turquoise water started. In Scotland. In the UK. Just… wow!

Tearing ourselves away from the temptation to swim (why did we do that) we continued on our journey and left northern Scotland behind entirely. Our route took us down the western edge of the coast and towards Scourie. Our very brief next stop appeared out of practically nowhere and even though it was a tick on the ol’ list. It really was impressive. The Kylesku bridge stretches across Loch a’ Chàirn Bhàin and pausing in the car park before it we had the most amazing view of the Quinag mountain range. Mr W was very happy with the sun poking its head out behind the range and lighting up the clouds lazily loping their way over the top. Everyone has their quirks eh.  

Something I am noticing a lot about Scotland is the places you want to find often only have a postcode. The next place was no different, all the guides online will tell you the postcode or that it is found by a layby on a particular road. That is why when I come to adjust my itinerary before I share them with you, I will be using the ‘what 3 words’ method to help you find places much easier. 

Wailing Widow Falls is hidden from the road and can be approached from the bottom or the top. We parked at the top deciding it would be a different approach for us to stand at the top of the falls. And here, hilarity ensued. I put on my walking boots because I’m just crap without them, Mr W left his trainers on. All the guides say it is a short 300 yards to the viewpoint. Superb. Just 20 yards or so into the walk we were presented with boggy pathways. Beyond that were large sloping rocks and even more soggy situations. The ground kept getting wetter and wetter as we tried to navigate our way across. Usually there is a footfall made pathway to follow but it looked as if everyone that had come before us and opted to choose their own path to avoid the water. By following footsteps we were met with deep puddles of thick mud and it was hard to find where to walk. After much negotiating, we found the edge of the gorge and saw the very top of the waterfall. It was too unstable and muddy at the edge to get a decent look and so we decided to return to the car. The waterfall itself crashes down and out of the relatively small Loch na Gainmhich. Something new entirely for our eyes to gaze upon. But this was something that was not meant to be. 

On our return to the car, Mr W and I took separate paths as best suited to our shoes. With lots of promises from him, I felt reassured that the ground wouldn’t swallow me up and took the waterlogged route many a time. He on the other hand was finding the paths harder due to his footwear. I remember stepping over a large boggy spot and turning to see how he was getting on. He was slightly bent over and at an odd angle. He was reaching for the ground while keeping one leg lifted. Then he plucked something out of the ground. Not off of the ground. OUT of it. His shoe. He looked up at me smiling. The bog had swallowed his trainer while we kept on moving. And I could not stop laughing. He decided it would be best to keep the trainer off and just replace the socks in the car. We were still a way from being dry and yet every step he took squelched and turned the wool to a very soggy counterpart. He jumped puddles, leapt across mud and generally made good old ‘clean’ fun of the situation. I on the other hand got a stitch from laughing so much and I swear to god I nearly wet myself.  

We advised other people who had parked near us of the situation and went on our merry soggy way. We spent our final visit of the day at Ardvreck Castle. It is in a very sorry state and is all but collapsed. However it was a pretty and short walk that ended the day nicely. There are many houses and outbuildings in the Highlands that are in a similar way and even though I’m sure it would be great to see them restored, there is something very alluring when they are in this condition. 

Tomorrow is another big day. As I sit here writing this to send out into the void, my eyes are drooping, the shower is waiting and before I know it, the next adventure will begin!

Highlight six of the NC500 – The weakness in me
NC500 Day 6 – Itinerary

Packing for a UK break

This really could be a boring blog to those that aren’t interested. However it is with all good intentions that I share all travel tips and ideas with you. So this piece will highlight some of the purchases I’ve made to make the unpredictable Scottish weather a bit easier to handle. 

Now, you may have worked out by now that I love to travel on a budget and I also like to keep costs down at home. Who isn’t right? The cost of actually living these days is insane. I realised today that buying all of our food in advance for this trip, totalling £237.52 (a mere £8.48 per person per day and that includes all meals, snacks and drinks) meant I avoided paying the escalated prices of everything. No I’m not psychic, just very lucky. I dread to think how much the actual total would have been if I had left it till now. 

Due to this very particular need to buy in advance and spread the cost, a few months ago I started looking into cheap clothing that would help keep us warm and dry. Ultimately I have been trying to avoid the big costs when buying the pricey 100% waterproof clothing in places like Go Outdoors. For the sake of two weeks in Scotland, I can’t justify buying expensive trousers and thick coats. It was time to get creative. 

It is going to be extremely unlikely that we will dodge the poorer weather that often presents itself in the highlands. Heading out into the inclement weather does not bother me. My main concern is keeping the wind and rain off our chests. I am susceptible to chest infections and Mr W has asthma. A cold and flu situation does not a vacation make!

I have bought us both some fleece hoods that have a big draping part of material that can be tucked into tops etc that will keep us warm. They also have drawstrings so we can tighten them around our chins etc. I think these will be especially effective against the winds when we hike.  They were barely £2.50 each and even if we don’t wear them out walking, I think they would be a good way to warm us up if we get caught in a downpour. 

I have bought two really thick and baggy beanie hats. I love a beanie hat and these are just such great quality. Woolly hats are my worst enemy and they end up sitting on my head rather than keeping it warm. A beanie always fits me better. I think it has something to do with my hair. It pushes a woolly hat up and off. When we bought our wetsuits I realised I could wear a hat while I had a paddle so my head would be happy too. Again, at less than £2.30 I am chuffed with my purchase.

For the warmer but windier days I have some knitted headbands that will hopefully keep my hair in place and my head semi warm. The kind of warmth you need with a bit of heat release. So not too hot. Not too cold. Something just right. And they are really cute too!

I also have a very indulgent fleece/faux fur lined infinity scarf with a knitted external layer, should my neck really need some heat. At £2.80, you really can’t fault it and I’m almost praying for colder weather. Almost. 

When it comes to clothing I think Mr W and I have nailed the whole hiking wardrobe so far. Layers in abundance and spare items in the bag you have on the day. Usually I have a vest top under a long sleeve top under a light jumper and then either a thin jacket or a thick fleece-y gilet I have had for years. I find the more layers you have the better and they are so easily interchanged should it rain or you get too warm. I am confident in the fact that my upper half is usually happy with intermittent weather conditions. 

For the women readers, I like to keep the bra situation real simple. Bralets, sports bras and such like. No underwires. Hiking and some scrambling up rocky hills needs ultimate comfort. And who on earth is going to see you anyway? Do we think the sheep and cows will mind?

Now, trousers, on my first two trips to Northumberland I wore jeans on all the hikes and noticed a lack of mobility that made my legs hurt after a while. On our last trip I dared to wear jogging bottoms and oh wow the range of motion I got back was just great. I bought two basic pairs for £20 and I use them at home to do some gardening and I’m not precious about them. They are ultimately utility trousers, If they get muddy that is fine. They aren’t necessarily my style, but again as long as the cows and field dwellers don’t mind, I’m happy enough. 

As the trousers aren’t very thick, I have bought some super thick knitted leggings that on the colder days I can wear underneath. I am obsessed! They are so soft and long. This means no cold ankles. They were £9 and I reckon worth every penny. They also come up over my stomach so will double up as a body warmer too!

Now I will have my very trusty walking boots with me as ever. They are padded and sturdy. I literally feel like a superhero in these things. They are so supportive that they give me so much confidence. My actual mind believes I can hike, climb and take on these huge personal challenges. I think clothing that gives you that freedom is a big deal. They were roughly £35 and are the budget brand Karrimor from Sports Direct, but I have never ever had an issue with them.

Along with these I will have my trusty pair of Nike trainers that I wear literally everywhere. These will be for wear on pavements etc, they won’t make much of an appearance but will give my feet a break from the heftier soles of the boots. I have also invested in a knock-off version of uggs. The short version. They were £7 or so from New look and these are purely to warm my feet up should we get caught in a downpour. If my feet get cold the rest of my body soon follows. These will be like my car slippers.  

Of course we have our wetsuits. Mentioned in a previous blog. An absolute bargain from Mountain Warehouse for £50! Other wetsuits were priced at nearly £400. I mean,  what! Getting these into the luggage is going to be a challenge as they’re rather big and thick, but I reckon a good roll up will do wonders. 

Now the above does not paint a very glamorous picture, but I’m leaving the glamour to the highlands. There are, however, two times I would like to be myself and dress nicely and they are meals to celebrate our wedding anniversary. 4 years! Yay us. I’ll be packing one or maybe two lightweight dresses, that need no ironing, in the bags so we can step out in some sort of refinery. Having these luxuries on our trip will be a complete indulgence in what will be a very basic but enjoyable trip. 

As we are going to be eating most of our meals in the car we have made a small investment in a kettle that can run off the cigarette lighter port. At £12 I am made up with the quality and it has opened up so many possibilities food and drink wise. Hot chocolates on a cold day. Pot noodles at lunchtime. And a thirst quenching cup of tea! But, what about milk? Ah you see, alongside the kettle I bought those little milks you usually find in hotels from Amazon. They are long life milks so need no refrigeration and the pots are recyclable so it’s a win-win situation! Can anything beat a cup of tea when you are tired?

To keep packing to a minimum we are aiming to pack enough clothes for a week. As it is a two weeks trip we have located washing machine facilities in one of our hotels. It means taking 2 hours out of our schedule to do the ‘chore’ but it means everything we need food wise will fit in the car. It will also give us a moment to sit down.

I was quite unsure of how much I would share on this piece today. Now I have reached the point again where I think I’ll discuss the rest in situ. This means I can update you how successful the purchases were and about other ones I’m yet to tell you about. I’m very aware that this approach will see us soggy in the odd downpour, we have some ponchos to keep off the majority of the rain and I hope the above really goes a long way to keep us warm. The proof will be in the pudding.

For now, we are in the final countdown towards our trip and the very real need to start packing looms. Eep!

Photo by Dave Watson
Please check out his work on https://www.instagram.com/davewatson_uk/ or at https://davewatson1980.picfair.com