Geoffrey's Jaunt. West Coast of Scotland Tour. June 2016

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Just got in and off straight back out.

 

Will update later.

 

DAVID.

 

I will be at Inverness railway station for 10.00am.

 

My mobile is 07715451330.

 

Got to go.... suns still out.

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

Great updates - sounds like a brilliant getaway

[David-hrv]

I'll be there for 10am Geoffrey. There's a drop off area at the rear of the station (there's more room round there). I must remember to bring the sunshine (oh, and my son)!

Enjoy the rest of the evening.

See you tomorrow.

Anybody else coming? Doug? Gary? Steve? Uncle Tom Cobbley? 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

I am not just saying this but......TODAY HAS BEEN THE MOST BRILLIANT DAY EVER......

 

We left at 9.00am and got in at 9.50pm.

 

We woke to sunshine with the clouds kissing the mountains. The Cullin mountains are straight in front of where we stay.

 

We had the best breakfast we have had all week and then Ziplob and Lorna arrived.

 

We went to Elishader first to look for the dinosaur footprints and also the waterfall that goes straight over the end of the cliff into the sea. The weather and colours of the sky and sea were perfection and in the distance the clouds were curling over the mountains. We had lots of great comments over the cars from the visitors here and plenty of pictures taken of the cars.

 

Next we went up and over the Quiraing.  This place was stunning in the sun and they filmed some of Prometheus here and lots of other sic-fi films here also. It all looks very alien / prehistoric and if you are in the area then you must go. We tried to park and have a wander around but could not get parking spaces, so on we went.

 

The Fairy Glen was next and this place is just BRILLIANT.  Google the place and have a look on images or I have put details up earlier in this thread. It really is magical and you really can believe fairies live here. I climbed to he highest spot and stood on top of the Fairy Castle and spotted a number of Fairy Rings. We went to the rings and Bob and Carol through pennies into the middle and made their wishes.......Awwwwwww Bless. It did not work though as Lorna still had her clothes on and I was still there.  . The biggest Fairy though was Bob as he was carrying a ladies pink handbag. Not sure what the tourists thought though. 

 

We then did more driving on the fabulous roads and stopped at the Fairy Pools. This place is lovely. Loads of waterfalls that drop into plunge pools and little hidden ravines. Loads of people were swimming or just jumping in. You need walking boots or stout shoes really to walk to them. There is a path but its quite stoney.

 

Tonight we all ate in a pub in Carbost. The place was heaving and had a fantastic atmosphere. They had a number of people just playing violins and flutes and guitars etc and the place was buzzing. The food was amazing. Loads of it and very cleanly cooked. The service was first class.

 

We have done a lot more today and all the little things, the people we are with, the laughter and chatting, The place, weather, atmosphere has made today so special for us and it is a day we won't forget.

 

As we left the pub we had to say our goodbyes to Bob and Lorna and we really didn't want to go as we did not want the day to end.......Still, plenty more to come guys.       

[deanoecosse]

I hope Bob brings some of that sunshine to Applecross in 2 weeks time. Any photos from today?

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Hi Dean.

 

I have hundreds of pictures and loads of video. So much so that my computer is full and won't accept any more.

 

I need to sort them all out and go through them when I get back home and then I will post some up.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Beautiful sunshine once again this morning.

Car all loaded up and ready for a trip of around 350 miles today.

[Gary Taylor]

David Geoffrey Can't make today but have a good day

Geoffrey give me a shout when you leave Durness on Monday morning and I will rendezvous with you at Aviemore on your way south, in Aviemore if you need a break / fuel or on the A9

Or could meet up Inverness and go down Loch Ness (Nessie spotting) speak bridge (commando memorial) and then loch Lagan to dalwhinnie a wee detour if you fancy it

07715554020 my mobile if anyone wants to join us

[David-hrv]

Thanks for an absolutely brilliant day today Geoffrey. Really enjoyed the drive and the banter. Leslie Neilsen and possibly Mr Wiggle (aka Damon Hill) will see you on Tuesday in Custard.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

A I type, I am sat in the breakfast room after eating a beautifully cooked and clean breakfast. Jill even took the yolk of the egg. I am sat in sunshine overlooking the northern atlantic and it does not get much better than this.

 

Thanks for yesterday David and James. It was a brilliant day with your company and looking forward to our next meet. really hope James can join us but understand if he cannot.

 

The day started in glorious sunshine yesterday morning in Skye and we left at 6.15am. On the mainland though it some became really cold and the mountain fog dropped and it was an amazing difference of extremes in the space of a few miles.

 

Carol was dropped of at inverness station. Don't park at the front as the taxi drivers do not like it....as I witnessed, but go around the back as there is a large drop of area. 

 

Here I picked up David, James and Custard. As we left an idiot ignored the lights and walked straight across the road in front of Custard. I could not help myself and the chap got a few choice words.

 

We headed over towards Strathcarron and on the way, David stopped at a cafe. We sat at the table and I immediately asked two ladies what they were eating. It was french toast but it had syrup, bananas, raspberries and bacon on the bread including maple syrup. It was expensive at £8.00. It tasted like heaven and it is a stop for next year.

 

Great place to stop David.    .

 

By this point the sun was well out and it was all coats off and down to T shirts.

 

We stopped in some amazing places for cups of coffee and I had the mickey taken out of me for the past few days antics and it was all good, so bring it on. [Except the bit where I left my camera and belongings in the shop].

 

We stopped and chatted to a chap who at nearly 60 years old learnt to ride a motorbike. he had the meanest looking, matt black Harley Davidson and he said he was living his life to the full. He was also debating about buying a Caterham or Morgan.

 

We had a stop at Corriesshalloch Gorge but nearly didn't get there after an idiot in a Ford Focus just pulled straight out in front of David and James. The gorge is magnificent and the river drops around 150 feet below the suspension bridge that you have to walk on.

 

This is where David and James left but we had some fantastic banter and a blooming lot of fun on our trip and it was brilliant to have company on my journey north.

 

I love the barren nature of the top of Scotland and it suits me down to the ground. Between Ullapool and Durness which is about 80 miles, I only saw around 10 cars. The scenery is amazing and there is just nothing apart from rocks and mountains. The roads are so smooth with fabulous hills and bends. You must come up here if you get the chance.

 

So much has happened over the past few days and I just don't have the time to write everything down or go into detail but at the halfway point I just want to say a big thank you to everyone so far who has joined us and topped the holiday we had last year. 

[S2T]

What is your itinerary going forward the next few days

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Great updates - sounds like a brilliant getaway

 

Thanks Cleggy.

 

I wish I had more time to write more as i haven't even touched the surface. We hade none so much and seen so many things that it all becomes a blur. 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

What is your itinerary going forward the next few days

 

Hello.

 

If you go to post 132 in this thread, you will see my routes. The last day does not have any routes planned as I was hoping someone would suggest somewhere. The only thing planned for the last day is to be in Aberfeldy for 10.00am as I have 6 complimentary tickets for a distillery tour of the John Dewars whisky distillery.

[Gary Taylor]

Hi Steve on tuesday we are leaving killin and heading across to the east coast upto Dunotter castle where we will hopefully rendezvous with david , campbell + ?  heading back over the lecht and round to cairngorm , up the funicular and back to killin

 Geoffrey on wednesday after doing the tour what about going over to Oban ( late lunch) and down to Lochgilphead, years since I have been down that way

[tex]

The lecht! Yes... My favorite road... Enjoy