We had actually been on the move pretty much since we left Launceston. Sleep deprived, mainly for the first time going abroad we hadn’t been able to settle. Maybe it was because Sunrise was around 9am, and Sunset was around 4pm. Far different from the 4:30 am to 9pm days in Sunny and warm Tasmania… So we had a rest day. Jane bummed around doing next to nothing all day… Me on the other-hand… I was a next to Jane. Meaning I was actually doing nothing… But it was a welcome reprieve.
That was the Tuesday (3rd of January). On the 4th, we just winged it. Drove North we did. Through Dingwall, up to Tain, across the fjord to Spinningdale and Little Creich (no idea where Big Creich was) and up to the Falls of Shin at Lairg…
We had driven away from the melting snow of that southern town called Inverness, and we were right up amongst it again further north as we were definitely getting to the highlands, if we weren’t already.
I’ll digress. Scotland is beautiful and the north is absolutely the stunning part of beautiful. If you are ever in the area… Come here! Or go there!! or whatever… it’s lovely. Plenty to see including Railway Viaducts, nice little towns and some bigger ones too. You’ll see a photo below of Dingwall Castle Doocot, which is basically a folly built with stones from the old castle after it fell into ruin and was used as a quarry. Lot’s of history at the castle including a duel between apparently my ancestor Robert Stuart and that dastardly Hugh Munro… I really need to find those documents of my history.
So, a short slide down the ramp to the waterfalls. Okay, the waterfalls were pretty meh by Iceland Standards, but in the summer they are amazing as the Salmon jump or swim up the 3 metre fall to do what Salmon do in Summer… but it wasn’t summer, but it was worth the slide (the icy ramp was rather slippery). Picture those B Grade Romantic Movies where the helpless person has never ice skated and holds onto the side of the rink whilst their potential partner who they fall in love with, break up with because of ‘boof the tough guy‘ and fall in love with again is skating backwards laughing at them. Okay.. too much? You get the idea. that was me. It’s been a while since I had the ice-skates on.
So today was about the drive. Jane found this great road that went into the mountains with no side rails and I guess had a fairly large and steep drop-off. I’m not sure because I was holding onto the steering wheel until my knuckles went white.. So I didn’t pay much attention to the view. But apparently it was nice. It was a lovely drive though.. About 1.5 – 2 hours each way.
Enjoy the photos. What a lovely day out just exploring.
Steve Hunt 