A day full of songs

Today the route took us from Gleneagles via Loch Lomond National Park, through Glencoe, Fort William and Glenfinnan and across to the Isle of Skye for our overnight stop. The journey looked like this.

Breakfast at Gleneagles

I woke later than usual this morning due, I suspect, to the comfort of the Gleneagles bed. I got up at 5.30 and then enjoyed a lovely shower. The shower was large enough for five people to use, so was a little big for my needs. Still it was very nice to have space to shower rather than be cramped.

We went down for breakfast at 7.30 am. The hotel had the biggest breakfast buffet I have ever seen. This included a fresh pancake station, fresh omelette station, a five juice Juice Bar and six other areas from cereal through porridge to meats and cheese to cooked breakfast items including Haggis as an option.

We were served fresh squeezed orange juice, wheat and white toast, and coffee to begin. Drew then went for his cooked breakfast - faced with the option of back bacon or smoked bacon he choose both. Faced with a further option of Bratwurst or regular pork sausages he again choose both. He also opted for button mushrooms, black pudding and grilled tomato, alongside this was a poached egg served over spinach with a hollandaise sauce. 

It being Friday, a non-meat day for me as a Catholic, I had slightly less freedom of choice, but opted for the oak smoked salmon kedgeree which was served with poached egg, the yolk of which poured into the kedgeree as it was broken. It was delightful. Though I must admit I felt that I had moved into one of the Marple or Poirot books eating kedgeree in this kind of environment.

We went back to the room, packed and were ready to leave just after 9.00 am. 

I'll take the high road and you take the low road

As I have mentioned in a previous blog I am trying not to repeat routes very often on this journey, so instead of turning left out of the Gleneagles gates we headed out right towards the picturesque village of Crieff, from there we on to Comrie and along the picturesque Loch Earn and on into the Loch Lomond and Trossach National Park, so of course we had to sing - O ye'll tak' the high road, and I'll tak' the low road - so why not listen to get into the spirit.

A friend of mine mentioned in a blog comment a few days ago that North of Edinburgh everything is picturesque, and this is certainly true of this spectacular part of the country, every bend leads to knew views of Lochs, Glens and their hills. We continued on the A85 into the amazing mountains of this area. At one point we come across a beautiful railway line that looks like it is hanging precariously on to the side on the mountain. 

In Crianlarich we turn onto the A82 and see our first road signs in Gaelic. From there we headed to Fort William with beautiful pointed hills and elegant rolling valleys along the way. They were spectacularly beautiful. Next we come to the Bridge of Orchy and the accompanying Loch Orchy with lovely views along and above the loch. 

Following this we come to the sign that says Welcome to the Highlands and also immediately the topography changed as we came to taller hills and deeper Glens. 

We come alongside the amazing mountain and valley of Glencoe. So we were on to our next song - The Campbells are coming - here it is on bagpipes. 

As well as the striking views in the valley, the history of the Massacre of Glencoe makes this a very emotive place. While we have never traced my Mother's family tree beyond her father, an Australian, who came into Port Talbot harbour and married my grandmother, a Welsh girl. I know that his grandparents had the name Campbell, and while that doesn't indicate any connection it makes the place even more evocative for me.

The Glencoe Visitors' Centre, owned by the National Trust, provides a place for some great shots and for an explanation of the events that led up to, and beyond, the treacherous infidelity of the Campbell's on the Clam MacDonald.

Leaving Glencoe we travelled along Loch Levan and across a very old iron bridge at the top of Loch Levan which takes us into the Great Glen alongside Loch Linnhe, we follow the loch up to Fort William and come to the third song of the day. This is the Proclaimers' Letter from America which includes the words Lochaber no more, which seemed appropriate as we drove through the village of Lochaber.

Our next stop was at the village of Glenfinnan, this wasn't on the original route we had planned. But I had been told of its beauty and history by Robin in one of his blog comments. Based on his advice we came to this place where Bonnie Prince Charlie landed and first raised his flag. As I say raise his flag I'm not sure whether I should then write, his flag as the rightful King, following his Father, James the Second, defeat at the Battle of the Boyne. Or his flag as the rebel against the protestant King William and Queen Mary! I'll leave you decide your preferred side.

The memorial at Glenfinann is a tower with a statue of the prince on top, beyond Loch Shiel, the route he took to put his feet back on British soil. The view of the Loch with the mountains beyond is very picturesque. In the other direction there is a view of the viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter films as part of the route to Hogwarts. As I came to know and enjoy Harry Potter by the books rather than the films, this had less impact on me than on some of the people who were visiting for whom it was very popular. 

To get back to our route towards Skye, we did on this occasion have to travel back 13 miles that we had already travelled earlier, but the historical significance, and amazing location of Glenfinnan made this well worth it.

We headed back onto the A82 to Invergarry and then along the A87 beside the lochs called Garry, Cluanie, Duich and Alsh.

This route brought us to a place called Kyle of Lochalsh which has a bridge to the Isle of Skye which, built in 1995, replaced one of the busiest ferry routes. So as the song goes we went Over the Sea to Skye. OK, so the Prince was going from somewhere else to Skye and went by boat, but I felt I was able to take poetic license in this case. It certainly felt amazing to arrive in Skye a place I had heard sung off since my younger days (for some reason this song was a favorite of my mother, who wasn't known for singing much).

Arriving in Skye we were immediately struck by the difference between the topography of the island for that of the mainland. It us much starker and wetter than the mainland. I think if we come this way again I will spend a little more time exploring this lovely island. 

For today our task was to head towards Uig, at the other end of the island, and stop for the night. We arrived at the Uig Hotel at 6.30 after a long and busy day, but one rich with happy memories.