Looking back on it, our time travelling along the north coast was the best part of our Scottish journey. It was wild, remote and windswept, the views were spectacular and we were soaking it all in, living in the moment
We were also busy slowly but surely testing out all our kit in the Mog. As we settled into our lovely aire near Smoo Cave James decided to cut his hair and beard and washed himself off using our outside shower for the first time. As with everything else, it worked perfectly.
We were perched right on the northern edge of mainland UK but had not yet reached the most northerly point. You, like us, may be thinking John O’Groats here but we would all be wrong. That honour goes to Dunnet Head, some 2.35 miles further north – just goes to show what a bit of good marketing can do for a town!
We were still about 80 miles away and BigMog would take most of the day to get there. So we stopped in at Moine House on the way
Not much to look at but that is kind of the point. It was built in the early 1800s as a shelter for travellers making the long, arduous journey across the desolate bog of the Flow Country.
We pressed on, admiring the views as we drove
We had intended to stop at Strathy Bay for some lunch but struggled to find a road there that could accommodate BigMog so carried on until we found a beautiful spot that did the job just nicely
Eventually we made it to Dunnet Head, celebrating our arrival at the most northerly point
The lighthouse was designed by Robert Stevenson in 1831
And the whole area is an RSPB nature reserve
Our arrival here marked a turning point in our journey – from now on we would be heading south along the east coast and things were going to change from wild and untamed to rural and cultivated. It was a moment to take stock and appreciate what we had seen so far whilst, at the same time, looking forward to a change of pace.
We stayed the night at Dunnet Head and drove to the Castle of Mey early the next morning
This castle was originally built in the 1500s and significantly extended in 1819. But its main claim to fame is that it was bought by the Queen Mother in 1952 and was the only home she ever owned. She apparently stayed here twice a year every year of her life and considered it her place of refuge
We arrived a little early, before it had opened, but we were able to wander around the pretty walled gardens for a while
Once inside we were quite taken by the homely feel of the place – King Charles has left everything almost exactly as it was when the Queen Mother was alive and it was an interesting snapshot of her tastes – apparently she only ever bought second hand furniture and carried a set of family photos with her and put them up wherever she went – all of which are now displayed here in her favourite rooms. As is quite usual though, no photos were allowed.
We fuelled ourselves with a surprisingly good lunch of cheese toasties and soup in the castle café then headed off to John O’ Groats itself. It is so famous we couldn’t miss it out but we weren’t sure what to expect. In 2005 the Lonely Planet called it a ‘seedy tourist trap’ and in 2010 it won an award for being ‘Scotland’s most dismal town’! Apparently it had a face lift in 2013 but if this is what it was like after the improvements I wouldn’t like to think what it was like before!
We took the obligatory photo of the signpost (apparently not the original one with customisable text but a new one installed after that one was sold and put up in a caravan park!!)
And we saw the famous, coloured buildings on the sea front
We even found a friend having his lunch on a bench
But beyond that we didn’t stay around.
We escaped and made for the nearby Duncansby Lighthouse
Nice enough but the main attraction was supposed to be the Duncansby Stacks – 60m high sea stacks rising out of the North Sea.
At first we thought we were out of luck as the stacks were nowhere to be seen but just as we were about to leave I noticed some people walking away from the car park over a field. We agreed it was worth following them to see what they knew and before long the stacks came into view over the cliff edge
They were very impressive, especially as we got closer
The walk itself was not long but gave us lovely views over the cliffs and the swirling waters below
As we returned to the lighthouse we saw that BigMog had made a friend – he was probably asking the Landrover whether he knew Henry…
This point on the map was another milestone – being the most north-easterly point on the mainland it is also the furthest it is possible to get from Landsend
Our map was now empty of yellow points all down the west coast but we clearly had a lot more to do on the second part of our travels.
With this in mind we sped off to Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, an imposing ruin built in the 1300s
It perched on top of the cliffs with the sea raging beneath it and drawbridges and ditches constructed to keep the occupants safe
On every side were vertical drops down into the waves
It was very atmospheric and we clambered around the ruins for hours
We seemed to be in the middle of nowhere and there were very few people around so we had a careful read of the car parking signs and found that motorhomes were welcomed to stay overnight. We were thrilled and settled in for a luxuriously peaceful evening all to ourselves.
Our next stop were the Whaligoe Steps, 335 steps down to an old fishing harbour, built by the locals and still maintained by the community today
From the write-up about these steps I had been slightly worried that my wobbly legs wouldn’t let me get down them with no barrier between me and a sheer drop into the sea but when we got there they were great
Although at one point the climb down seemed endless!
And the bay at the bottom was very picturesque
The main event of the day, however, was to be Dunrobin Castle – one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited castles with the same family having lived here since the 1300s
Its main attraction is its exterior design – a real fairytale French chateau
With fabulous gardens
Unlike many such castles, we were allowed to take photos inside which was great
But, despite being over 600 years old, the castle had been gutted by a fire in the early 1900s and the interior had been completely redone, so much of the history has been lost
But it was still a very grand 20th Century house.
And there was more to this place than just a look around an old castle. In keeping with ancient traditions, the castle practices the art of falconry and visitors are welcomed to watch the birds exercising and training every day.
At the allotted time we settled onto the grass to watch the display. The falconer started by introducing himself and his birds and it was clear right from the start that there was a strong bond between them – he oozed not just knowledge but devotion to each of them.
We started with a Harrier Hawk, a large and very impressive bird
She perched on the falconers glove, patiently waiting for her curtain call
Then swooped around our heads for a while whilst we learnt all about her hunting skills
A ‘volunteer’ ran along the field pulling some bait until she dived for it
She guarded her prize for a few minutes and started eating the flesh
But apparently hawks hunt together and share their meals so when the falconer arrived she initially looked a little grumpy
But then relinquished it to him
And eventually stalked off
But she was given a new treat for her troubles and all was instantly forgiven…
Next up was a Peregrine Falcon, a far smaller and faster bird
He came out with a little helmet on which we were told keeps him calm until it’s time to hunt
The helmet was quickly taken off and he settled onto his perch
This bird looked like he meant business
Whilst the Harrier Hawk hunts in groups, keeping low to the ground, the Peregrine Falcon is a lone hunter flying up to 600m high into the sky then swooping down on its prey at incredible speeds. The fastest recorded speed of a falcon in dive is over 230mph.
This one may not have been a record-breaker but it was fast
Very fast
Way too much for my poor camera shutter.
He swooped and swirled around us, sometimes getting so close you could hear the air buzz. But eventually he settled with his kill and my camera had a fighting chance again
The falconer went to congratulate him and gently lifted him back up
With both the hawk and this falcon, the bond between them and their human was clear and very touching
Slightly less touching, however, was the museum in the grounds of the castle. An apparently important collection of archaeological and ethnographical items from around the world, and a historical display from times gone by. It had numerous warning signs before entry that some viewers might find it upsetting
It was indeed rather disturbing, but enormous numbers of dead animals aside, the rest of the exhibitions were quite fascinating – if you could just keep your back to the atrium!
A mile down the road from the castle we found a perfect place to park up for the night in Golspie beach car park
The next day was whisky day – we had a tour booked at the famous Glenmorangie distillery, one of my Dad’s favourite whiskys so a must-do for me.
To prepare ourselves for another onslaught of early spirit drinking we started our morning with a beautiful walk to the Big Burn.
As we pulled into the small car park we saw the first and only other proper overland truck we ever saw in Scotland
It was beautiful but unfortunately his owners weren’t around so we couldn’t find out anything about it.
The walk was short but lovely
We started by a viaduct that towered over us
Then wandered along the river
Over lots of little bridges criss-crossing the streams
When we got to the waterfall itself, as ever, it really wasn’t the main event so much as an excuse to walk in the forest
We were still too early for our whisky tour so stopped enroute at the Loch Fleet national nature reserve
We parked BigMog up on the banks of the loch and walked up a small hill to the ruins of Skelbo Castle
From the top we had magnificent views in all directions
Especially back towards the loch…
We spent a happy couple of hours basking in the warm sun, watching the seals being as lazy as us
Eventually it was whisky time so we packed up and drove the rest of the way to the distillery.
Glenmorangie is a major affair, far bigger than any of the other distilleries we had visited
There were even two very stylish Caterhams in the car park
The visitors centre was very slick
And there was a strange but funny video of Harrison Ford doing some marketing stuff in a Scottish castle. Odd but somehow engrossing.
For some reason, Glenmorangie don’t allow any photos to be taken on the tour, we were only allowed to take a quick snap through a fence from the outside
Although I did manage to get a good shot of the still room
The tasting went a little more smoothly than the one at Talisker as the whisky itself is rather smoother so James managed to keep his face straight!
Although I have to admit his driver’s pack is still in our cupboard waiting for me to drink it…
We were not at all sure where we were going to spend the night and after a bit of hunting on our park-up apps I found a spot outside the gates of the Toulvaddie whisky distillery. It seemed appropriate given that it was whisky day so we thought we’d give it a go.
Sadly I didn’t read the directions on their web-site but rather blindly followed Google maps…right into an airstrip! As we were driving through it a small plane taxied along the runway and the occupants looked at us with more than the usual amount of surprise. We waved sheepishly at them and pulled over for a few minutes to cause as little distraction to the pilot as possible.
Once they were safely in the air we drove helplessly around for a while trying to find a way out the other end but to no avail. Refusing to give up I studied the roads on Google and plotted what I hoped would be a longer but more fruitful route there. I was right and before long we were pulling up outside the gates
We were warmly welcomed by the couple who own the place and told we could stay as long as we liked. They showed us around the small distillery and bar – all contained within one large shed, what a difference to where we had just come from
Toulvaddie is a start-up that has not yet produced their first barrel but if their enthusiasm, dedication and attention to detail is anything to go by – not to mention their very tasty new spirit – they are one to keep an eye on.
It was so peaceful and quiet and there was no internet connection. So after our second distillery tour of the day we simply chilled out in BigMog for the rest of the evening.
We woke the next morning to a glorious day – warm sun and blue skies. Life was good. Our kind hosts let us fill up our water tanks from their hose pipe after which we headed to the nearby Seaboard Centre to empty our grey water tank. When we arrived it was chaos – motorhomes everywhere vying to get to the drain and the chemical toilet disposal place. But everyone was friendly and we ended up forming an orderly queue and getting everything done.
James bought a bacon sandwich from the café at the centre and we wandered along the sea front whilst he ate it.
The fish sculpture was odd
The Mermaid of the North is supposed to be quite famous
But the views over the bay were definitely the stars of the show
Just down the road was the small village of Avoch, a picturesque place with an old harbour
We mooched around for a while then made for Chanonry Point, renamed by me ‘Dolphin Point’ as this is where we would have the best chance of seeing Dolphins.
We couldn’t park anywhere close as motorhomes were not allowed in the tiny car park and the nearest place to pull in was nearly 1.5 miles up the road. We could have a long walk for nothing as dolphins are not known for their reliability! But it was a beautiful day and a lovely stroll down the lane through a golf course so we donned our sun hats and set off
We arrived at around 3:30pm, deliberately timed to be an hour after the low tide turned which is apparently the most likely time the dolphins come.
When planning these things you kind of imagine that you would be happy to wait an hour or two in great excitement at the potential of seeing some action. But when it comes down to it, you find yourself sitting on an uncomfortable bench with the wind getting a little chilly and wondering just how much you want to see a load of swimming mammals!
I got chatting to a couple who said they had been there for 2 hours and seen nothing. They left shortly after we arrived. After 20 minutes my back was aching and James was circling asking how long I wanted to wait – no pressure he said, just wondering. I suggested we give it until 4pm then go, disappointed in myself for not having more staying power but knowing the likelihood of dolphins actually turning up that afternoon was limited at best
4pm arrived and all was quiet. I stood up and joined James reading an information board about an ancient Seer. We commented on it and went over to read another board before we left. By now it was ten past four and we should have been long gone to find a park-up spot for the night. But just as we turned to leave I noticed everyone on the beach had stood up and those in the car park with us were heading towards the sea edge. Too much of a coincidence I said, let’s go and see.
I started walking towards the crowd then my pace increased as it became clear that there was a definite surge towards the edge of the beach. I hustled my way to the front of the crowd, camera clutched to me, and just as I reached the sea a gasp of delight went up across the crowd as three dolphins leapt high out of the water and gracefully disappeared nose-first back into the waves.
The next half an hour was wonderful. The dolphins played and leapt, twisting and plunging, all just a few metres away from us.
Photographing them was, of course, a different matter – it is almost impossible to anticipate when or where they are going to appear and once they are there it takes longer to point, focus and click than it takes for them to disappear back out of sight.
I set my camera to burst and took eight hundred photos in half an hour. At my computer later that evening I found that an impressive four hundred actually had some part of a dolphin in them. And of those about half had enough of a dolphin in focus to be identifiable as a dolphin.
Of those, these are the best…
We had parked up in a small car park with more lovely views across the Scottish countryside and enjoyed our evening sipping a cool glass of wine and celebrating our fabulous day
We had spent weeks roaming around some of the wildest and most remote parts of Scotland but that was all coming to an end, we were heading back into civilisation. Not that this part of Scotland was in any way industrialised, urban or densely populated, but it was going to be different.
From our scenic spot on the hills of the Moray Firth we were heading for the capital of the Highlands – Inverness. I had been curious and excited to visit the city since our aborted trip in 2020 when we were supposed to spend new year there.
Our introduction to the city was, however, not quite what we expected. We had not spent our entire time in Scotland simply enjoying ourselves, we had also been taking careful note of what worked in the Mog, what didn’t, what needed improvement and what additional things would make our lives easier. There was a long list of things to buy and being back in a city was the perfect time to get on with it.
So our first day was spent ambling about the industrial areas on the outskirts. We started off well, finding a couple of outdoor shops and getting James some much needed clothes to replace the ones he had wrecked during the build in Durham and I finally found the sandals I had been searching for.
We had been unable to fit the Mog into the car park but found a great alternative parked up on the verge – just because we could!
And as usual, the ‘stealth’ photographers arrived, thinking they had an invisibility cloak on…
We also found a decent shovel and spent hours walking between plumbing outlets finding all the parts we needed to make one of James’ brilliant ideas into a reality – a hookup for our water intake
But things went downhill from there. We failed to find anything else that we wanted and tried three places to see whether they could investigate BigMog’s gear box problem to no avail. It was also 4pm and we hadn’t eaten all day so tired, hungry and disappointed we headed for a car park in the heart of the city that allowed overnight stays. The drive to it was fretful as we negotiated our way down the busy city streets and when we arrived we found it was completely full with very small spaces unlikely to accommodate a large UniMog. Desperate to find a safe place quickly and get some food we bought two tickets in the adjacent short-stay car park, parked across two bays and walked to a beer and pizza place that did the job nicely.
We wandered around the city centre for a while and first impressions were good. There was a lot of beautiful architecture
The river was pretty
And the castle took pride of place on the hill
We ate ice cream whilst looking around the Old High Church
And then explored a gorgeous old fashioned bookshop that smelt of old books
By the time we got back to BigMog the long stay car park had emptied out and we were able to move into a double space, put our steps out and settle in for the evening….and relax….
Early the next morning another motorhome pulled into the car park. The car park was practically empty, maybe they just wanted to be close to the beautiful UniMog??
We spent the day trying, mainly unsuccessfully, to enjoy what Inverness had to offer. We started with the cathedral which was impressive from the outside
But when we peered inside we found it was modern and plain so didn’t bother going any further.
We tried to visit the old Town Hall but it was closed for reasons we never discovered
We walked up to the castle knowing it was under long-term renovation so not open to the public but had understood there was a viewing point we could access, but apparently not.
So we tried to go to Abertarff House, the oldest house in Inverness but it too was strangely closed
We tried to get excited about the Victorian market but there wasn’t much there apart from a food court.
In the end we walked a couple of miles out of town to an outdoor shop and spent 2 hours buying James some new walking boots.
After a quick lunch of sandwiches sitting on a bench overlooking the river we went back to the Mog and drove slightly out of the city centre to a different car park. This one was much more spacious and far less busy but right on a roundabout where the noise of the traffic was terrible.
We cooked curry for dinner and had a glass of wine feeling somewhat deflated and more than a little disappointed in Inverness.
Our visit was rescued from complete disaster the next morning when we walked to the Ness Islands, a lovely riverside walk where we could hardly believe we were in the same city as the previous day
We went to the small but lovely botanical gardens
And felt generally far more positive about things again.
It had not been a great landing back into civilisation and Inverness had not lived up to our expectations at all – it had all seemed rather run down and choked with traffic. But maybe we had just got used to being away from it all and weren’t ready for city living again just yet. Whatever the reason, we were pleased to be driving away later that morning, heading in search of a little more peace and quiet…
The Sidetracked Sagas 