Saturday 4 October 2014

A Scottish Adventure: Part Two

 
A SCOTTISH ADVENTURE
PART TWO
by Barry Van-Asten
 
 
Cycling the Great Glen Way


Day 1

 
The Caledonian Canal
 
 
 
 
 
Gairlochy
 
 
Day 2
 
 
Camp at Loch Lochy where we stayed at the end of day one
 
 
 
 
view from the Fairy Glen
 
 
 
 
 
Fairies
 
 
 
 
 The Teddy Bear Tree
 
 
 
 
 
 
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger
 
 
 
 
The descent towards Laggan Lock
 
 
 
 
 
The view from Laggan Lock towards Loch Lochy
 
 
 
 
 
Laggan Lock
 
 
 
 
 
  
The Eagle and a good place for lunch!
 
 
 
 
 
The island on Loch Oich
 
 
 
 
 
Loch Oich
 
 
 
 
 
 
Disused railway bridge at Loch Oich
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cullochy Lock
 
 
 
Fort Augustus where we camped for the night
 

 
 
Day 3
 
 
The first glimpse of Loch Ness from the high route
 
 
 
 
 
Logs and Loch Ness in the distance
on the descent towards Invermoriston
 
 
 
 
'Telford's' Old Bridge at Invermoriston
 
 
 
 
The River is popular with canoeists!
 
 
 
Day 4
 
 
My companion feeling unwell, we stayed at a caravan
for the night at Altsigh
 
 
 
 
The view from the caravan into the woods
 
 
 
 
 
 
view looking towards Loch Ness
 
 
 
 
The John Cobb Memorial, North side of the Loch.
Cobb (1899-1952) was a racing driver who died
on the water of Loch Ness in an attempt to gain
the world water speed record
 
 
 
 
 
 
Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness
 
 
 
 
Drumnadrochit
 
 
 
 
 
A welcome cup of tea at The Fiddlers at Drumnadrochit
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A lunch stop
 
 
 
 
 
Viewpoint at Loch Ness
 
 
 
 
 
A lovely view of the Loch
 
 
 
 
 
A false summit!
the 'real' high point was much further on!
 
 
 
 
The Highest Point of the Great Glen Way
in the Abriachan Forest!
 
 
 
 
Just four miles to go!
 
 
 
We continued in the dark to Inverness and arrived at Bught Park Campsite at 9.45 pm and pitched our tent before riding into the city for a late dinner, what else but Haggis, neeps and tatties!
 
 
 
 
 
 
Camp at Bught Park, Inverness
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next morning at the official end of
The Great Glen Way, Inverness Castle
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 

A Scottish Adventure: Part One


A SCOTTISH ADVENTURE
PART ONE
by Barry Van-Asten


 
Camping at Oban
 
 
 
 
Oban and the view from the tent
 
 
 
 
 
View to Oban Harbour
 
 
 
 
Ferry to the Isle of Mull
 
 
 
 
 
Tobermory on Mull
 
 
 
 
Tobermory
 
 
 
 
Tobermory Distillery
 
 
 
 
The Distillery
 
 
 
 
 
Ferry to Oban
 
 
 
 
 
Isle of Mull Ferry
 
 
 
 
 
St Columba Cathedral, Oban
 
 
 
 
St John's Cathedral, Oban
 
 
 
 
St John's
 
 
 
 
St John's
 
 
 
 
McCaig's Tower, Oban
 
 
 
 
Oban from the Tower
 
 
 
 
View of Oban from Tower
 
 
 
 
Tower entrance from within
 
 
 
 
 
Tower entrance
 
 
 
 
 
Back down towards Oban
 
 
 
 
 
Oban Distillery
 
 
 
 
Easdale
 
 
 
 
Easdale, walking towards the old pier
 
 
 
 
The old landing pier at Easdale
 
 
 
 
View to the village of Easdale
 
 
 
 
Easdale
 we pitched our tent in the shadow of the great hill
and to the delight of the local midges!
 
 
 
 
 
Seafari Adventures Easdale
 
 
 
 
We spotted a white-tailed Eagle
 
 
 
 
 
 And dolphins
 
 
 
 
It was a beautiful morning
 
 
 
 
The Corryvreckan Whirlpool
 
 
 
 
 
At Glen Nevis
 
 
 
 
 
Glen Nevis Cemetery
 
 
 
 
 
A tranquil place
 
 
 
 
 
to contemplate the climb ahead!
 
 
 
 
 
Path to Ben Nevis
 
 
 
 
 
Looking down to Glen Nevis
 
 
 
 
 
It was perfect weather for climbing!
 
 
 
 
 
Coast Guard Air Rescue
someone was in trouble on the mountain
 
 
 
 
 
Red Burn
(and helicopter rescue)
 
 
 
 
 
The Way Down
 
 
 
 
 
Glen Nevis bathed in sunlight
 
 
 
 
 
 
On the 'Youth Hostel' route down
 
 
 
 
 
A restful moment before camp!