September 25 - This Was the Scotland I Was Expecting

Seamus the Scottish Terrier

Woke at 6:00 am to a fantastically windy day .  Low lying clouds have moved in over nearby Loch Linhe, but it is partly clear overhead.   No considerable rain yet.  Would have gone outside to get some photos but couldn't figure out how to open the front door :-)

Due to the stormy weather, there was little point in attempting a sunrise photo shoot, so we stayed at the B&B and had a breakfast of fruit compote, Scottish pancakes and sausage.  After introducing ourselves to the "Lord" of the B&B, Seamus, the Scottish Terrier, and making friends, we set off to the post office to return the Spoons key to Marie, and complete our gift and souvenir shopping in Fort William.

Stormy Conditions at Loch Lochy

At Joan's recommendation, we headed north to Spean Bridge area to check out a pretty drive, known locally as the "Dark Mile" between Loch Lochy (Lakey Lake?) and Loch Archaig.  We drove through considerably stormy conditions and there were white caps in Loch Lochy.  THIS was the weather I was expecting.

After taking a few wrong turns in this sparsely populated area, driving passed an impressive fortified castle/home not in our guidebooks and also some McMansions, and dodging some sizable downed tree limbs, we entered a pretty little one-way lane lined, to our left, by an old mossy stone fence. These picturesque cobblestone fences are everywhere, but, in an effort to keep out possibly deer(?) owners have raised the height of the fence by instaling posts and barb wire.  This was one of the few fences that I found without this modern modification.

Chia-aig Falls and Witches pools

On a beautiful stone bridge, we crossed over a cheerful little cascade and kept going until we reached the Chia-aig Falls and Witches Pools.  The number of water falls that we have come across is staggering.  They feel almost as common in this region as trees are in Oregon.  They are so common that many falls that would warrant a name and carpark in the United States, remain nameless and unidentified on maps, though they are beautiful and easily accessible by the road.  It is not surprising that with the plethora of waterfalls, lush green landscapes, and castles in this landscape, one dreams up a magical mystical world full of witches, fairies, and water and woodland sprites.

After snapping some photos of this magical world, we returned to Fort William.  We debated on the value of going onto Glen Coe, about 30 minutes south, given the weather conditions.  Utllitmately we decided that we'd rather do that than sit in the B&B, nice as it was, and hope the weather moderates.  Who knows what conditions one might encounter a little further south.  Who knows, indeed.

As we drove down to Glen Coe, the weather began to give hints of breaking up.  We scooted on past the Three Sisters, beautiful but in dark shadow, and headed on over to the mountain where we had stopped previously, called Buchaille Etive Ben (Great Sheperd of Etive).  Though it was still heavily overcast, it was good conditions to capture the colors of the vegetation and the waterfalls in the eastern foreground of the mountain.

Buchaille Etive Ben and Mor

At long last, here was the Scotland that I had always imagined and romanticized - massive landscapes set in a sphagnum moss bogg against a backdrop of grey and sometimes dramatic skies.  Though it was still very windy, the temperatures were in the high 50's so we comfortably spent an hour or so photographing the area.

We then set off down a one-lane road adjacent to what I later learned was Glen Etive, that is, the Etive River Valley.  Flanked by large mountains on either side and with the sun breaking through, we witnessed such breathtaking and dramatic landscapes, that unfortunately, my pictures are unable to convey.

Rick included for Scale

At one point we stopped at a little pullout and took a short walk to the river.  Because the river had encised into the valley we were unable to see the water from the road, but we could definitely hear it.  Just over a grassy knoll we look down and saw a series of cascades and, yes, another impressive waterfall.  I later learned that this is a haven for whitewater kayakers, but saw none today.

Tree at Etive River Falls

Everywhere we turned there was something to photograph.  The vegetation, the landscape, the water, even the sky all seemed to come together in this moment to create a photographers dream, and nightmare, because you did not know where to start and time was precious for the sun could become too bright or get covered by the clouds.  I snapped what I could and then just had to sit back and take it all in, for there was no way I could do this place justice digitally.  I'd have to just file the image in my mind.

Etive River Falls (one of them)

We drove a little further down but the warm light was fast dissipating as the sun proceeded on its track west, so we turned around and headed back to the B&B to clean up for dinner. 

Landscape along River Etive River

Dinner was at Smiddy's in Spean Bridge where we were earlier in the day.   We arrived a little after 7:00 for a 7:30 reservation and were by the Maitre'd, named Robert, into a nice lounge sitting room where we ordered drinks and looked over the menu.  We couldn't help but overhear the two English couples next to us planning a group vacation to Vancouver, Canada and visiting Banff and Jasper National Parks.  We discussed places to see with them and also compared notes on our experiences in Scotland.  One of the gentlemen had just climbed Ben Nevis, a 7-hour effort, for his birthday and was quite proud of the accomplishment.  His wife managed a third of the way and was proud of that as well :-)

Large Landscapes and Rock Walls in Glen Etive

After ordering from the menu, me, cream mushroom soup and seabass, and Rick, seared scallops and an Aberdeen Angus sirloin, we were show to our table and were waited on by a Polish waiter named Adrian who just completed his Master in history, focusing on the early 20th century in Poland.  He is now looking for a job and does not want to teach as he "has no patience for teenagers". 

Another view of Buchaille Etive Ben and Mor and Glen Etive

Apparently staying at the Grange pulls some weight here for we were seated at "The Grange" table which was a lovely window seat overlooking the garden.  The meal was delicious, despite the fact that the chef seemed avoid any seasoning of the food (even I needed to add a little salt).  We struck up a conversation with the two gentlemen near us who, we thought were speaking French, but were actually Dainish.  One of them was celebrating his 50th birthday by hunting deer.  Both bagged a stag.

This lead to an interesting conversation about hunting and gun ownership with Robert.  It is not clear how hunting of game is regulated, I assume that there would be a limit to how many dear one can hunt, but more interesting is the rigorous process one must go through to own a gun in Scotland.  In addition to obtaining a great deal of knowledge and experience in operating guns, one must also have letters of recommendation from reputable individuals.  Once one obtains a gun, they is a probationary period and he/she will have his/her licensed reassessed at the end of the probation period.

Robert gaive us a company brochure on wildlife touring (the brochure mentioned "highland cattle" as wildlife) and explained that they can take us out to view, feed, and shoot wildlife, deer in particular.  Seemed a little absurd and unethical to lure deer in with food and then shoot them between the eyes, but, upon closer review of the brochure, the shooting is of clay pigeons, not deer.  Not sure about the ethics of feeding deer, acclimating them to humans and, consequently, making them much easier to kill, but at least you aren't feeding them with one had and acquiring a trophy head with the other.

Snuggly Companions

Before we left, one of the Dainish men handed us what he claims to be the next big money making item, a close-pin manufactured out of plastic that looks like a money clip.  It says patent pending on the back and is recyclable.  He, Thomas, designed and manufactured this and advised us to be on the lookout for it in the near future.  Um, will do.  Did we just let the business opportunity of a lifetime pass us by?

We closed down the restaurant (9:15!) and made our way back to the B&B.  Need to get to bed to prepare for the trek home beginning tomorrow.