Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
We decided to take a long weekend up in Scotland, so we could visit an old relative of my wife's who lives in Strathconon. We stayed in a small guest house in the village of Marybank, which is just at the beginning of Strathconon. We drove up on the Friday the route we took was up the M6/M74 to Glasgow over the Erskine Bridge, then up the A82. On the way back we did a detour to Oban, which is on the west coast paid a visit to Dunstafnage Castle and had a look round the town.
Above and left: A couple of photo's taken at Loch Lomond
Left: The hills above Tyndrum
Below: Rannoch Moor
Left: Driving through Glen Coe
Below: Loch Beanacharin in Strathconon
Above left and right: two views of Strahconon
Below: Abbey in Loch Achanochie
Loch Meig
Left: The River Conon taken from the Meig Dam
Below: Two views of Ben Wyvis taken from Marybank
Below and Right: On the 29th September 1952 on the waters of Loch Ness, a man called John Cobb attempted to break the World Water Speed Record. He was involved in a devastating crash at 206 miles per hour, and lost his life. On the banks overlooking the Loch is a memorial to him.
Right: Is a photograph of John Cobb's speedboat Crusader on Loch Ness. She was 31 feet long, jet powered and cost around £15000. Cobb became the fastest man on water just before the accident, but the record did not stand. The rules state that two runs must be made within a given time, Cobb was killed at the end of the first run. He was also the fastest man on land with a recorded speed of 390 miles per hour.
Left: Beautiful Loch Oich
Below: Dunstaffnage Castle was build in a strategic spot on the Firth of Lorn. It was built upon an immense rock and the line of the walls were altered to accommodate the odd shape. Much of what you see today was built around 1275 by the McDougals.
The castle was captured in 1309 for Robert The Bruce King of Scots, the great Scottish hero.It was then turned over to the Campbells in 1470.
A chapel was constructed outside the castle walls by the Lords of Lorn, in which there is a burial aisle of Dunstaffnage Campbells. It was the Campbells who added the gate entrance along with the gate tower for additional protection.
Flora MacDonald was held prisoner here after she helped Bonnie Prince Charlie to escape after the Battle of Culloden dressed as her maid.
Dunstaffnage Castle
Above: The Chapel
Right: Janice and Abbey
On the right are two boats operated by The Scottish Association for Marine science, who are based in offices next to Dunstaffnage Castle. The larger of the two is the RV Calanus which operates off the Scottish west coast.
Left: The Isle of Mull one of the ferries that operate out of Oban. On this day it was moored in the harbour, undergoing lifeboat drill practice.
Below: The ferry Lord of the Isles entering harbour.
Lord of the Isles: Built 1989 in Glasgow lenght 84.6m breadth 15.8m. Speed 16 knots can carry 56 cars and 506 passengers.
Two views of the harbour and McCaig's Tower on the hill. The tower was built in 1897 by Stuart McCaig a local banker, as a lasting memorial to his family. It also provided work for the local stonemasons. It cost over £5000 and was originally intended to have a tower in the centre and statues to the McCraig family, but these were never added.
August Strathconon and the far north
Went up to Strathconon in July/August. We wanted to see the Highland games, which we missed over the last few years. Unfortunately camera problems limited the amount of photo's taken but here is a sample.
Above and Left: Glen Meanie
I was sat having some dinner when a Dragon Fly decided to join us. It sat on the fence munching on an insect of some description.
Above: Janice and Jen at the Strathconon Highland Games
Below: The Strathpeffer Pipe Band
Above Left: Loch Assynt
Left: Ardveck Castle
Right: Kylesku Bridge over Loch Glendhu.
The bridge was opened in 1984 and on the north side is a plaque celebrarting the opening. There is also a cairn commemerating the 12th Submarine Flotilla, who operated Chariot and the highly secret X-Caft miniture subamrines here from 1943
The X-craft were 51' 7" long 5' 9" at the beam and weighed 27 tons. They had a crew of four and had 2 tons of high explosive on each side which could be released under the target and detonated by time fuse. Operation Source was the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz in Kafjord Norway on the night of 22-23 September 1943. The X-Craft were X5 HMS Thrasher she disappeared enroute with the loss of three crew. X6 HMS Truculent scuttled after the attack. X7 HMS Stubborn Scuttled after the attack. X8 Seanymph abandoned enroute. X9 sank three crew lost. X10 Scuttled after attack. Six men were lost, 6 captured and 12 returned home. The operation was a great success the Tirpitz being put out of action for about six months.
Left: A very wet and wild Strath Dionard
Above & Left: Loch Eriboll
Smoo Cave
Stopped at Smoo Cave on the way up to our guest house at Strathy Point. It was brilliant, there is a bridge over the river at the point where it disappears through a hole in the ground.
The river then re-appears as an underground water fall.
The covered walkway takes you to the small cave where the waterfall is, and a good soaking awaits the unwary.
Strathy Point
Left: The Catalina guest house at Aultivullin Strathy Point, is run by Pete & Jane Salisbury. It's where Jen and I stayed for a couple of nights, and is a great place. They only have accommodation for two people. You get your own bedroom, lounge, dining and bathroom, Jane will also cook you a very nice evening meal, if required. Pete & Jane DO NOT however take in smokers, dogs or young children.
Duncansby Head is north east of John o' Groats, and is the most north easterly part of the British mainland. The single track road from John o' Groats takes you into the car park at the lighthouse, this was built in 1924 and automated in 1997. There are views north to Orkney and west to Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the British mainland. The stacks cannot be seen from the car park, but following the well trodden path will take you across the fields to the cliffs. Where you can look down on the stacks and Thirle Door, which is an arch attaching a stack to the cliff face.
The John o' Groats House Hotel now closed.
The Pentland Venture
While we were in John o' Groats we took a boat trip aboard The Pentland Venture, to see the stacks from the sea. The trip takes you the short distance over to Stroma. Nobody lives on the island now, but it is still used for grazing sheep. Then round Duncansby Head and to the stacks.
Sea birds nesting on the cliffs
Duncasby Head and lighthouse
The stacks from the boat
Jen and GD all at sea!
Couldn't go on the BMW this time because Jan was recovering from a broken ankle, and I had to drive. So we took some pushbikes instead
The dogs taking turns to have a drink from the bird bath
Jen crossing the river on one of the suspension bridges
Glenfinnan, Loch Shiel and Mallaig
Left and above: The Glenfinnan viaduct built by Sir Robert McAlpine to take the railway to Mallaig. The viaduct is 1248 feet long and is made up of 21 arches, the tallest being 100 feet. It is made of concrete and is curved, to take the railway around the head of the Finnan valley.
Or as I heard one guy say on his mobile to his daughter. Im stood looking at the Harry Potter bridge!
Loch Shiel from the top of the Glenfinnan Monument
Loch Shiel and The Glenfinnan Monument. The monument was built to commemorate the raising of the standard when on 19 August 1745, Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) landed by rowing boat at Glen Finnan. The monument was built in 1815, and is a stone tower surmounted by a statue of a kilted highlander.
Mallaig
Three views of Mallaig
The Isle of Skye from Mallaig
The MV Coruisk the ferry from Mallaig to Skye.
She is 65m long 14m wide, has a speed of 14 knots and can carry 40 cars and 250 passengers. She was built in Devon in 2003.
Jen having a riding lesson on Titch
Above: Fergus the stag
Boats on loch Meig
November
Went to stay with Jan's old relative Chrissie for a long weekend. While we were in Strathconon we visited Chrissie's brother Roddy and his wife Marie.
The sun setting behind the hills
On the way up we stopped at The Bridge of Oich, a lovely place where the Caledonian Canal enters Loch Oich
Janice & GD with Abbey on the bridge at Bridgend
Janice, Roddy, Chrissie & Marie
Below: Loch Achanalt
Right: Glen Docherty looking towards Loch Maree. You can see Loch Maree from here on a clear day.
Below: Loch Maree
Below: Loch Maree looking east towards Slioch (3217 feet)
