Bank Street Lodge Fort William

... is that our tour guide Ross didn't wear his kilt today I was going to get a shot with him in front of this castle but he wouldn't put his kilt back on.. I think its because I called it a skirt at one stage of the first day!! Woops..

We stopped at Fort Augustus for lunch, one of the cities on Loch Ness. Unfortunately Nessie didn't show himself when we were there.. ah well thats twice I've missed ...

... relentless and the headwind means that I'm taking it face on. I'm frustrated that everyone I meet coming the other way looks almost dry! Still, my waterproofs and boots are doing an excellent job and underneath I'm not really wet. The moor seems bleak in this weather but on a clear day there are obviously stunning views to be had.

Heading down to Inverornan, the clouds suddenly roll away and the sun comes out. I ...

... for reasons best only to the planners, winds its way around the housing estates of Caol, through some marshy land and finishes on a roundabout opposite Morrisons and McDonalds! Not really a fitting start or end to a National Trail!

What makes me smile today:

The sunshine - it was really hot today
The lovely people at the Great Glen Hostel

... so I collect a big bag for dessert/breakfast.

My lodging for tonight is the Great Glen Hostel at South Laggan, which has free internet on computers in the rooms and where I'm writing this now! Must go, the blackberries await!

What made me smile today:

The glorious sunshine

The Coldstream Guards flautists' who sponsor me in return for my donation

... a photo I took of Kilchurn Castle on Lock Awe that left me spellbound - the castle, water and mountains just leave you transfixed.

Oban was beautful in its own right nestled into a harbour and the next day we caught a ferry to the Isle of Mull where we caught a small gauge rail to an old castle.

Sue

Getting out of Edinburgh was interesting. We found to our horror that the ...

On the way back from Portree to Edinburgh we stopped of for a look at Eilean Donan which is apparently the most photographed castle in Scotland; I remembered it from the opening scene in Highlander. It was pretty cheap to do the tour, only £4, but somehow disappointing not that I can explain exactly why. It's well worth a visit and from the outside is one of the coolest looking ...

... bloody and violent. Perhaps the dark and brooding nature of the mountains has influenced the behavior of the people who live in them. All the guidebooks said Fort William wasn’t much to look at, but I thought it was a pleasant little town. We had a great dinner at the Grog and Gruel, and our guesthouse was in the former rectory and choir school, a beautiful stone building with ...

... but what can you do. We have two more of these flights coming up so we need to put both packs on a diet. So moving on, didn't get much time for duty free shopping which is actually a good thing. The flight left a little late but not a major issue. We landed at Glasgow Prestwick, a little airport South of Glasgow, no not the same one that was attacked recently. We picked up the rental car, a little no guts Vauxhall Corsa and ...

... and potatoes, all mixed together, with onion, carrots etc, very good, if I do say so myself, and I was nicknamed the Kitchen Nazi. (what me be bossy and order people around, never, I have no control issue hahahaha) The night ended with a final drink in the Ben Nevis pub, which is located through the men's restroom in the Ben Nevis restaurant, so yes, I walked into the men's restroom and out the other side, not before surprising a few men at the urinals no doubt, which I tried to smooth over ...