Rowanbank Bed & Breakfast Applecross

My first weekend in Scotland turned out to be a local holiday weekend (bonus!), half day on Friday and full day on Monday - only in Stirling, not in Edinburgh/Glasgow or anywhere else... So slightly confusing, and it didn't actually work out that way and I only had Saturday off in the end! What better to way to spend it then than to drive ...

... phones through to the AA and books a transporter to take me back to take me back to Nottingham (East Leake).

Tow truck 1, turns up at 11:50 to take me on the first leg of the journey home from Fort William to Stirling. This takes approx 3 hours and I get dropped at Stirling service station where I am supposed to be met by the next tow truck. It takes about an hour for the next truck to turn up. Which was arranged for 14:30

... wet I can see how it would be particularly difficult, but perhaps because this section comes at the start of my day, whereas everyone else does it at the end, it's not overwhelming.

Rob Roy is the focus of the legends for this stage with both Rob Roy's Cave and Rob Roy's Prison on the path. The path to the cave is full of huge rocks and after a few minutes I opt to turn back as I'm pretty sure ...

... from the American and Canadian embassies in South-East of England. He very kindly shares his bottle of wine with me and we have a lovely supper. He's off to join his wife in the US until January when he gets back and I'm very envious that he will be in glorious sunshine soon!

What makes me smile today:

The thought that whatever the weather I have a bag of warm, dry clothes
Hugh's generous sponsorship and sharing of red wine. Thank you Hugh!

... on this road, and infact noone ever seems to walk on this road, so I looked like a bit of a muppet walking up the road to take these pictures. Luckily things like that don't really bother me, and so I proceeded to take multiple pictures of cows ...

... night tonight!

Tyndrum is disappointingly a glorified layby but the hostel is lovely with plenty of space, a great drying room and I'm looking forward to my day off!

Things that made me smile today:

The sun coming out at Loch Tulla
The gate with the "Please Close the Gate" sign. It was stood all alone with no supporting fence, hedge or wall for miles!
Getting to Tyndrum - I was pretty tired after 64 miles in three days!

... by 7pm (6-7 miles away)!

The last two miles follow the road across the bogs and moorland but the traffic is offset by the huge looming presence of Buchaille Etive Mor, an iconic and much-photographed hill that dominates the landscape. I stop to get a couple of shots, sad that the sky isn't clearer and wishing I'd got here earlier!

Kingshouse's only building is an historic droving inn and there is a popular wild camping spot ...

It was a day of rest today. It rained all day long and it was actually a welcomed respite. We have been going every day since we arrived nearly 2 weeks ago. We did attempt to go into Aberfoyle to the local market, however, the roads had a different idea. When we arrived at the edge of town, the road was flooded and we could not go any further. We simply turned around and came back.

... the most photographed castle in Scotland. You have probably seen it as it has been in such movies as Highlander, The World Is Not Enough and Elizabeth: The Golden Age to name a few. We a lso had to go through some of the wonderful highlands where there is nothing for about 1hr drive which was quite worrying as we had not a lot of fuel left, but we made it home.

... here were the Wallace Sword, and the absolutely stunning view from the top of the tower. Although blowing a highland gale up there, it was a breathtaking view, taking in Stirling, the castle, and the Trossachs. The views both from the castle, and the monument around Stirling, really give you an idea of how beautiful a spot it is to have city. Mountains and hills seem to run on all sides, and it is right at the head of the Firth. I ...